Unnatural Causes

Dr. Evelyn Sutcliffe #3

by Leah Ruth Robinson

A sharply etched medical thriller full of wit, drama and psychological suspense. Dr Evelyn Sutcliffe spends her working day keeping death at bay, but now it intrudes into her home. The life-and-death contest waged daily in the ER is a constant part of her existence, so home represents a refuge from frenzy, anxiety, uncertainty -- and blood. But now a dear friend and colleague is left clinging to his life by the barest of threads struck down by poison he ingested while cooking in Evelyn's Manhattan apartment kitchen. On a night when she was supposed to be celebrating, she's back in the emergency room frantically trying to save a life, and forced to accept three there's a killer near at hand, and the killings have only just begun...and maybe she is the intended victim.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction

Paperback

First published April 6, 1999

About the author

Leah Ruth Robinson Rousmaniere, the author of the novels First Cut and Blood Run, is a New York State certified emergency medical technician. She has served in the Emergency Department of St. Luke's Hospital (St. Luke's/Roosevelt Hospital Center) in New York City and taught Basic Life Support for several years at Lenox Hill Hospital, also in New York City. She currently serves on the national board of directors of Mystery Writers of America and is a member of the steering committee of the New York/Tri-State Chapter of Sisters in Crime. Married to writer John Rousmaniere, she divides her time between Manhattan and Stamford, Connecticut.

Reviews

[Jeff Lewis · Rating 3 out of 5]

The third and final Dr Evelyn Sutcliffe murder mystery. Manhattan's University Hospital is in the middle of a nursing strike over the possibility of a merger with another hospital which would cause a loss of jobs. A food parcel is sent to Evelyn at the home of boyfriend Dr Phil Carchiollo but intercepted by nurse Gary Seligman who has unwittingly eaten magic mushrooms. As Seligman fights for his life in a coma the finger point to Dr Carchiollo's stalker Elise Vanderlaende, a dangerous psychopath who is evading police. The weakest of Leah Ruth Robinson three novels seemingly unable to decide whether to be psychological thriller or a murder mystery while hospital politics adds nothing to the plot.

[Sandy · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good solid 3.5. Back to reading my pile of strips. This was a pleasant surprise although a bit slow at times. I enjoy medical procedural books and shows.

[Atef Attia · Rating 2 out of 5]

Un thriller médical sympa qui remplit bien son cahier de charge en délivrant du suspense, une intrigue qui tient la route et un personnage principal convaincant.
Sans être une foudre de littérature, Leah Ruth Robinson connait bien son métier (celui d'écrivain et celui de médecin) pour délivrer un thriller solide, même si ça ne rejoint pas l'efficacité d'un Robert Bloch.

[The Cats’ Mother · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found the writing style irritating - perhaps because I am a dr so her constant explanation of every little medical detail was a bit tedious, but once the story got going I got into it and it turned into a reasonable whodunnit.