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A Fatal Cut
‘His patient was ready. He stood for a moment, staring down at her, his mind working out the correct incision. Then the first cut...’ A body has been discovered in undergrowth in the grounds of Birmingham hospital, wrapped in a clinical waste bag and, even more bizarrely, wearing little but a garish Disney tie. The scar and stitches evident on the dead man’s groin suggest he may recently have been a patient at the hospital. But when pathologist Karys Harper is brought in to examine the body she makes a discovery that is more grotesque still. For the surgery wound was inflicted after death. Clearly this is no ordinary killer – and he's about to strike again. As the ‘surgeon’ continues to carry out his operations, can frustated Detective Inspector Forrest piece together the clues – which are few and far between – and track this medical murderer down? Or will his next patient be someone close to Forrest’s heart? ‘A Fatal Cut’ is a chilling medical thriller that is perfect for fans of Patricia Cornwell and Kathy Reichs. Praise for Priscilla ‘More than a match for Rendell and Christie’ - Hampstead and Highgate Express ‘It is always a joy to discover a crime writer with a sure touch and the capacity to shock.’ - Peter Lovesey Priscilla Masters lives in Shropshire with her husband, a GP in the Potteries. ‘A Fatal Cut’ is the second of her medical mystery novels, following ‘Night Visit’. She also writes the Joanna Piercy police series. Endeavour Press is the UK's leading independent publisher of digital books.
- GenresMysteryMystery Thriller
236 pages, Paperback
First published May 19, 2000
35 people are currently reading
103 people want to read
About the author
Priscilla Masters
62 books79 followersPriscilla Masters' writing career started in 1987 when she published Mr. Bateman's Garden, a children's book set in Biddulph Grange Gardens belonging to the National Trust. After that she created Inspector Joanna Piercy and has now also written a number of Medical Mysteries.
Priscilla Masters lives in Shropshire, England. She works part-time in Staffordshire as a practice nurse.
Priscilla Masters lives in Shropshire, England. She works part-time in Staffordshire as a practice nurse.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
October 25, 2023
When pathologist Dr Karys Harper performs an autopsy on a body found in the grounds of the Queens Hospital, Birmingham, she makes the bizarre discovery that the body has been operated on Postmortem.
The Investigation headed by Detective David Forrest is soon investigating another death, also operated on postmortem. These will not be the only deaths. As DI Forrest investigates, Dr Karys Harper finds herself haunted by past memories that she has spent years trying to forget. Painfully Karys realises that she must face her own past demons to resolve her peace of mind, and maybe capture a serial killer.
I was fascinated by the chain of almost innocuous events that can lead up to a bizarre occurrence. Masters gives us a brief insight into her talent in portraying a set of circumstances that can happen within the day-to-day occurrences in the life of a GP in her book Night Visit, when a seemingly ordinary Doctor patient exchange was suffused with malice, but which would not have stood up to a police investigation. Once again, she produces a set of circumstances in the opening chapters of A Fatal Cut which had me on the edge of my chair thinking, what would I do? Read it for yourself, it’s mind boggling. Can this happen? Does this happen?
This is a compelling read, and is highly recommended.
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Reviewer: Lizzie Sirett.
The Investigation headed by Detective David Forrest is soon investigating another death, also operated on postmortem. These will not be the only deaths. As DI Forrest investigates, Dr Karys Harper finds herself haunted by past memories that she has spent years trying to forget. Painfully Karys realises that she must face her own past demons to resolve her peace of mind, and maybe capture a serial killer.
I was fascinated by the chain of almost innocuous events that can lead up to a bizarre occurrence. Masters gives us a brief insight into her talent in portraying a set of circumstances that can happen within the day-to-day occurrences in the life of a GP in her book Night Visit, when a seemingly ordinary Doctor patient exchange was suffused with malice, but which would not have stood up to a police investigation. Once again, she produces a set of circumstances in the opening chapters of A Fatal Cut which had me on the edge of my chair thinking, what would I do? Read it for yourself, it’s mind boggling. Can this happen? Does this happen?
This is a compelling read, and is highly recommended.
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Reviewer: Lizzie Sirett.
April 5, 2025
Good job
I usually figureit out or get really close..This time, I was wrong all the way. Perfect ending..
More like this please.
I usually figureit out or get really close..This time, I was wrong all the way. Perfect ending..
More like this please.
June 24, 2025
A great read. Kept me guessing right up to the end.
January 27, 2021
This is the first Priscilla Maters book I have read and is one of her standalone novels rather being a part of a series. It follows the investigation into a series of killers by a killer dubbed ‘the surgeon’ owing to fact that they appear to be carrying out different types of surgery on their victims following the death. The bodies all wrapped in clinical waste bags are then dumped in the vicinity of the Queens Medical Centre in Birmingham.
The investigation into the first victim, a self employed plumber stalls with little or no evidence being forthcoming. Because of this the SIO’s (David Forester) boss decides to call in a forensic psychiatrist (Barney Lewisham). It is obvious from his first appearance in the novel that Masters has decided that he is going to be a character that the read will hate. He comes across as simply an arrogant prick. His sole aim seems to be to solve the crimes himself, take all the glory and thus promote his own career. He doesn’t seem to care if this attitude leads to more victims as long as he is seen as the cornerstone of the investigation. He has a history of mental manipulation, particularly as it pertains to the home office pathologist assign to the case (Karys Harper).
When the third body, an operating theatre nurse, Harper begins to realise that this could all lead back to an unfortunate death during an operation when she was a student doctor. Following a dinner with Forester she too goes missing. What is the connection? How is Barney connected both the incident and the killings? Can David and his team find Karys before she becomes the fourth victim?
There is much to like within the story. The crimes are imaginative and the psychology of the killer carrying out these crimes is interesting to say the least. The interplay between the characters is good, with reader’s sympathy being directed firmly at Karys and David and certainly away from Barney. The author also does a good job of offer up some red herrings as to the identity of the killer, one is obvious and easily dismissed, at the same time you are beginning to think you know the identity when a later change of direction proves you wrong.
The are some downsides that certainly grated with me. Firstly there was the fact the police could track employment history, which is usually an easy thing to do. There are looking for a connection with the hospital for the first two victims, and fail to find out that the plumber was previously a hospital porter and the second was a nurse who worked at the hospital (albeit under a different name). They looked for complicated relationships to patients, former patients, patients that sued etc. but didn’t spot the obvious employment connection. I found this slightly unbelievable. Secondly there is the way the Lewisham is permitted to take over the investigation. He seems to be the principal spokesman at press conferences and then takes over the question the one suspect the investigation has uncovered. I admit to no direct police experience but in most police procedurals a civilian advisor /expert would be providing input and advise not directing press conferences and questioning suspects directly.
Still the story moves a long at a good pace and it certainly hooks the reader into wanting to know who the killer is. Will I read more by Masters? Possibly I might give her another go, probably with the first of the Joanna Piercy series.
The investigation into the first victim, a self employed plumber stalls with little or no evidence being forthcoming. Because of this the SIO’s (David Forester) boss decides to call in a forensic psychiatrist (Barney Lewisham). It is obvious from his first appearance in the novel that Masters has decided that he is going to be a character that the read will hate. He comes across as simply an arrogant prick. His sole aim seems to be to solve the crimes himself, take all the glory and thus promote his own career. He doesn’t seem to care if this attitude leads to more victims as long as he is seen as the cornerstone of the investigation. He has a history of mental manipulation, particularly as it pertains to the home office pathologist assign to the case (Karys Harper).
When the third body, an operating theatre nurse, Harper begins to realise that this could all lead back to an unfortunate death during an operation when she was a student doctor. Following a dinner with Forester she too goes missing. What is the connection? How is Barney connected both the incident and the killings? Can David and his team find Karys before she becomes the fourth victim?
There is much to like within the story. The crimes are imaginative and the psychology of the killer carrying out these crimes is interesting to say the least. The interplay between the characters is good, with reader’s sympathy being directed firmly at Karys and David and certainly away from Barney. The author also does a good job of offer up some red herrings as to the identity of the killer, one is obvious and easily dismissed, at the same time you are beginning to think you know the identity when a later change of direction proves you wrong.
The are some downsides that certainly grated with me. Firstly there was the fact the police could track employment history, which is usually an easy thing to do. There are looking for a connection with the hospital for the first two victims, and fail to find out that the plumber was previously a hospital porter and the second was a nurse who worked at the hospital (albeit under a different name). They looked for complicated relationships to patients, former patients, patients that sued etc. but didn’t spot the obvious employment connection. I found this slightly unbelievable. Secondly there is the way the Lewisham is permitted to take over the investigation. He seems to be the principal spokesman at press conferences and then takes over the question the one suspect the investigation has uncovered. I admit to no direct police experience but in most police procedurals a civilian advisor /expert would be providing input and advise not directing press conferences and questioning suspects directly.
Still the story moves a long at a good pace and it certainly hooks the reader into wanting to know who the killer is. Will I read more by Masters? Possibly I might give her another go, probably with the first of the Joanna Piercy series.
October 13, 2014
A Fatal Cut an unusual novel in that the Author, Priscilla Masters draws the reader into the workings of the unhinged mind of a serial killer in a fast flowing thriller set in an English town, with a good sense of medical knowledge. However, all is not as it seems.
I enjoyed the down-to-earth, gruff but sensitive DI Forrest, Dr Karys Harper was something of an enigma, hated Barney Lewisham, pitied Brenda and thought Malcolm's character came across very well. No way ever would I want to meet Pinkie Sutcliffe.
The author had me guessing from the beginning and changing my mind so many times but still surprised me at the end. A good read.
I enjoyed the down-to-earth, gruff but sensitive DI Forrest, Dr Karys Harper was something of an enigma, hated Barney Lewisham, pitied Brenda and thought Malcolm's character came across very well. No way ever would I want to meet Pinkie Sutcliffe.
The author had me guessing from the beginning and changing my mind so many times but still surprised me at the end. A good read.
April 30, 2014
I thoroughly enjoyed this book from beginning to end. A chilling hunt for a serial killer in England. The police with no viable leads are referred to a psychiatrist that may have an agenda all his own. Anyone who enjoys thrillers full of mystery and suspense will love this book. Great characters, great story, what more can you ask for on a rainy day.
June 1, 2015
Excellent
Well written and interesting story. Very realistic and interesting. Characters were very well portrayed and seemed like you knew them.
Well written and interesting story. Very realistic and interesting. Characters were very well portrayed and seemed like you knew them.
April 1, 2016
Review
This is a Very interesting book, keeps you guessing and entertained throughout. It is worth reading if you like murder mysteries.
This is a Very interesting book, keeps you guessing and entertained throughout. It is worth reading if you like murder mysteries.
Read
July 1, 2018Entertaining murder mystery that’s not too gruesome. Someone is killing people and then practising “surgery” on them. Just a little hernia operation at first, but things start escalating. How are the victims connected to each other, and to the murderer? It was a fun mystery to puzzle through, with multiple possible candidates. The true killer isn’t revealed until almost the very end.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews