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Nothing Personal
On February 20th, trauma nurse Kate Manion has the rare opportunity to see her own hospital from the other side. Badly injured in an auto accident, she lands in her own ICU. She's strapped down, paralyzed and unconscious. And yet, somehow she manages to kill her nurse, the aptly named Attila the Buns.
It's an accident; Kate swears. It isn't an accident when murders keep happening. Someone in the hospital has taken Kate's act as a mandate to kill off the CEOs and supervisors who make life so difficult for a staff struggling to give good patient care in a new world of corporate medicine. But as the corpses pile up, Kate realizes she alone can bring a halt to the work of a serial killer. A serial killer who is acting out the fantasy of every staff member at St. Simon's Hospital. A serial killer who could be one of Kate's closest friends.
With only burned out forensic pathologist B.J. O'Brien for help, Kate has to wade through greed, politics, secrets and suspicion to unearth a murderer she doesn't want to find. And she has to find him—or her—before he strikes too close to home.
It's an accident; Kate swears. It isn't an accident when murders keep happening. Someone in the hospital has taken Kate's act as a mandate to kill off the CEOs and supervisors who make life so difficult for a staff struggling to give good patient care in a new world of corporate medicine. But as the corpses pile up, Kate realizes she alone can bring a halt to the work of a serial killer. A serial killer who is acting out the fantasy of every staff member at St. Simon's Hospital. A serial killer who could be one of Kate's closest friends.
With only burned out forensic pathologist B.J. O'Brien for help, Kate has to wade through greed, politics, secrets and suspicion to unearth a murderer she doesn't want to find. And she has to find him—or her—before he strikes too close to home.
480 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published March 1, 1994
362 people are currently reading
347 people want to read
About the author
Eileen Dreyer
75 books768 followersNew York Times bestselling, award-winning author Eileen Dreyer, known as Kathleen Korbel to her Silhouette readers, has published 28 romance novels, 8 medico-forensic suspenses, and 7 short stories.
2012 sees Eileen enjoying critical acclaim for her first foray into historical romance, the Drake's Rakes series, which follow the lives of a group of British aristocrats who are willing to sacrifice everything to keep their country safe. After publication of the first trilogy in the series, she has just signed for the next trilogy, following the graduates of the aptly named Last Chance Academy, who each finds herself crossing swords with Drake's Rakes. Eileen spent time not only in England and Italy, but India to research the series (it's a filthy job, but somebody has to do it).
A retired trauma nurse, Eileen lives in her native St. Louis with her husband, children, and large and noisy Irish family, of which she is the reluctant matriarch. She has animals but refuses to subject them to the limelight.
Dreyer won her first publishing award in 1987, being named the best new Contemporary Romance Author by RT Bookclub. Since that time she has also garnered not only five other writing awards from RT, but five RITA Awards from Romance Writers of America, which secures her only the fourth place in the Romance Writers of America prestigious Hall of Fame. Since extending her reach to suspense, she has also garnered a coveted Anthony Award nomination.
A frequent speaker at conferences, she maintains membership in Romance Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America, and, just in case things go wrong, Emergency Nurses Association and International Association of Forensic Nurses.
Eileen is an addicted traveler, having sung in some of the best Irish pubs in the world, and admits she sees research as a handy way to salve her insatiable curiosity. She counts film producers, police detectives and Olympic athletes as some of her sources and friends. She's also trained in forensic nursing and death investigation, although she doesn't see herself actively working in the field, unless this writing thing doesn't pan out.
Get in touch: eileendreyer@eileendreyer.com
2012 sees Eileen enjoying critical acclaim for her first foray into historical romance, the Drake's Rakes series, which follow the lives of a group of British aristocrats who are willing to sacrifice everything to keep their country safe. After publication of the first trilogy in the series, she has just signed for the next trilogy, following the graduates of the aptly named Last Chance Academy, who each finds herself crossing swords with Drake's Rakes. Eileen spent time not only in England and Italy, but India to research the series (it's a filthy job, but somebody has to do it).
A retired trauma nurse, Eileen lives in her native St. Louis with her husband, children, and large and noisy Irish family, of which she is the reluctant matriarch. She has animals but refuses to subject them to the limelight.
Dreyer won her first publishing award in 1987, being named the best new Contemporary Romance Author by RT Bookclub. Since that time she has also garnered not only five other writing awards from RT, but five RITA Awards from Romance Writers of America, which secures her only the fourth place in the Romance Writers of America prestigious Hall of Fame. Since extending her reach to suspense, she has also garnered a coveted Anthony Award nomination.
A frequent speaker at conferences, she maintains membership in Romance Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America, and, just in case things go wrong, Emergency Nurses Association and International Association of Forensic Nurses.
Eileen is an addicted traveler, having sung in some of the best Irish pubs in the world, and admits she sees research as a handy way to salve her insatiable curiosity. She counts film producers, police detectives and Olympic athletes as some of her sources and friends. She's also trained in forensic nursing and death investigation, although she doesn't see herself actively working in the field, unless this writing thing doesn't pan out.
Get in touch: eileendreyer@eileendreyer.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews
September 21, 2009
One of my two favorite books from Dreyer. I like clever, witty dialogue, and this book has it in spades, plus a fun mystery to boot.
December 11, 2019
This is a well written, cleverly plotted mystery novel that is dark and sharp, like the taste of straight whiskey. It took me a while to figure out how I was going to review the book because I could relate very well with the main character. I wasn’t sure how to express that without doing a spoiler. What I can say is this is definitely not a cozy mystery. It is full of broken and flawed people trying to make the best of a system that is broken and flawed. Yet it is still worth reading because there are glimmers of hope and compassion.
January 30, 2015
The story opens with trauma nurse Kate waking up in a drug-induced haze after nearly dying in a terrible accident she can't even remember. Unable to move, hooked to a bunch of IVs, and being force-fed oxygen with a respirator, she grows helplessly infuriated at the way some of the nurses are treating her. Then, as she slowly recovers, some of those less-than-loved hospital employees start turning up dead, and Kate is the prime murder suspect. Determined to regain control of her life, she works with investigators to find the real killer before she ends up in the morgue, too.
That's the basics of the story, but it's so much more than that. The author beautifully captures the hospital atmosphere and how and why some people love working there. The characters, relationships, and drama are all right on. She also does a good job describing the change in focus from patient care to profits, making me very glad I wasn't still working in a hospital when those changes took place. The mystery? It's terrific and at times, thrilling. And there's even romance. A really good deep-down caring kinda love.
What can I say? I loved this book. If I could give it more than five stars, I would.
That's the basics of the story, but it's so much more than that. The author beautifully captures the hospital atmosphere and how and why some people love working there. The characters, relationships, and drama are all right on. She also does a good job describing the change in focus from patient care to profits, making me very glad I wasn't still working in a hospital when those changes took place. The mystery? It's terrific and at times, thrilling. And there's even romance. A really good deep-down caring kinda love.
What can I say? I loved this book. If I could give it more than five stars, I would.
April 29, 2014
Like Donald Trump's motto for hit series, the "Apprentice" franchise series, "it's business and nothing personal." This gripping medical thriller spelled it out perfectly. Kate Mannion, a nurse who's been badly injured in a car accident in Philadelphia, is in the center of it all. When she accidentally killed her nurse, she became the prime suspect. And when other staff members became murdered in her own hospital, the spotlight became shone on her. With her own personal history and backstory that's filled with secrets, someone took it upon themselves to send her notes and eliminated those obstacles in his or her away. And when one of the victims is her friend, now she needed to find out who's behind it all for his or her sinister plot with a twisted ending of its own to keep you guessing with the lights on.
August 13, 2022
Loved this book!!!
Having been a nurse myself and witnessed all the horrible changes that has overtaken medical care, I can understand Kate's frustration with all the injustices she has witnessed first hand, trying to give patients and their families, the best care they deserve. The characters were people I had no problem identifying with and,even though people were dying, one had to applaud Sister Mary Polyester trying to protect and defend the helpless and downtrodden. The plot was great and I laughed out loud many times reading about the hilarious dialogue Kate had with all of her friends and enemies. She and BJ were 2 people who had been in love for a long time, and finally had the sense to realize it, What a great ending the story had, Great Book!!! Very well done!
Having been a nurse myself and witnessed all the horrible changes that has overtaken medical care, I can understand Kate's frustration with all the injustices she has witnessed first hand, trying to give patients and their families, the best care they deserve. The characters were people I had no problem identifying with and,even though people were dying, one had to applaud Sister Mary Polyester trying to protect and defend the helpless and downtrodden. The plot was great and I laughed out loud many times reading about the hilarious dialogue Kate had with all of her friends and enemies. She and BJ were 2 people who had been in love for a long time, and finally had the sense to realize it, What a great ending the story had, Great Book!!! Very well done!
June 24, 2020
Hospitals May be bad for you but Eileen Dreyer’s books are a sure cure when you want a medical thriller/romance.
Nobody does the psycho forensic thriller like Ms Dreyer. Her backstories are intriguing and the characters that own them are genuine. I actually figured out one of the plot points ahead of the reveal but it didn’t take anything away from my pleasure in reading to the end. The world of St Simon’s Hospital will wrap you up and carry you along. After all, that’s what satisfies, the escape to another world peopled with characters and humor and an introduction to another kind of life. Ms. Dreyer never disappoints.
Nobody does the psycho forensic thriller like Ms Dreyer. Her backstories are intriguing and the characters that own them are genuine. I actually figured out one of the plot points ahead of the reveal but it didn’t take anything away from my pleasure in reading to the end. The world of St Simon’s Hospital will wrap you up and carry you along. After all, that’s what satisfies, the escape to another world peopled with characters and humor and an introduction to another kind of life. Ms. Dreyer never disappoints.
May 13, 2017
Would give zero stars if I could
The story was boring, no suspense, and extremely irritating with all the nicknames. There was no one to root for or care about and really all the animosity against the hospital was very off-putting. My first and last novel to read by this author. It was that bad.
The story was boring, no suspense, and extremely irritating with all the nicknames. There was no one to root for or care about and really all the animosity against the hospital was very off-putting. My first and last novel to read by this author. It was that bad.
June 4, 2017
A terrible introduction to new day medical center .
Very well written ,the plot just made barely makes it.. But a. page Turner still.
I recommend all of Eileen Dreyer book's to anyone that can't sleep.
Very well written ,the plot just made barely makes it.. But a. page Turner still.
I recommend all of Eileen Dreyer book's to anyone that can't sleep.
April 18, 2018
Great book!!
Another winner from Eileen Dreyer. Full of suspense and a twist you will never see coming! Someone is killing Kate's friends and co-workers. She is determined to find out who before anymore die. But will she be next?
Another winner from Eileen Dreyer. Full of suspense and a twist you will never see coming! Someone is killing Kate's friends and co-workers. She is determined to find out who before anymore die. But will she be next?
May 6, 2020
Too many suspects, and the ending bounced around.
Felt some of the swear words were excessive.
Some of the procedures seemed dated.
Felt the heroine had trouble having deep associations with friends, instead of having a conflicted emotional confused personality.
Felt some of the swear words were excessive.
Some of the procedures seemed dated.
Felt the heroine had trouble having deep associations with friends, instead of having a conflicted emotional confused personality.
April 25, 2021
So good
This starts off with a bang and continues to the end. I couldn't t put this down and enjoyed every word. The hospital setting rings true and I really cared about the characters. The author creates really strong, and troubled, female characters.
This starts off with a bang and continues to the end. I couldn't t put this down and enjoyed every word. The hospital setting rings true and I really cared about the characters. The author creates really strong, and troubled, female characters.
April 28, 2025
Took a bit too long to get into the "meat" of the book but once it did it was very entertaining. Kate's voice as a narrator is a really funny and strong guiding voice, and the setup of her relationship with B.J. made every step forward feel natural and wanted instead of forced. Fun read!
July 7, 2017
Not a fan of this book
January 23, 2018
Only finished because I had nothing else to read.
March 25, 2018
A little hard to hold my interest, but still in a lot of ways was a good read. It just took me longer.
November 28, 2018
Had me guessing the whole time as to who done it!
February 6, 2019
Excellent....great story line...great characters...great ending !!! Sorry Kate had to lose her friend dr. Tim, but b.j. was there...
August 11, 2020
Good read
Suspenseful.
Enjoy reading medical thrillers.
Kept my interest until the end.
Easy read.
What people are willing to do to protect and support, and for others, get ahead.
Suspenseful.
Enjoy reading medical thrillers.
Kept my interest until the end.
Easy read.
What people are willing to do to protect and support, and for others, get ahead.
September 30, 2020
Lots of intrigue and murder in the hospital. Great story with great characters
May 21, 2023
Loved It
I love a book that you want to find out the ending , but don’t want to get to it. I love it when you care about what happens to the characters. This is a good one.
I love a book that you want to find out the ending , but don’t want to get to it. I love it when you care about what happens to the characters. This is a good one.
March 23, 2017
Very interesting reading
I liked the quick pace and all the twists and turns in this book. It was very well written and I couldn't put it down.
I liked the quick pace and all the twists and turns in this book. It was very well written and I couldn't put it down.
August 4, 2017
A bit slow to start, and a bit unsatisfying at the end, but I really liked most of the middle.
I liked having a prickly heroine who isn't made to grovel in order to "earn" her love, and I liked the non-alpha-hole hero. (I actually just went and upgraded this from three stars to four, just for the non-alpha-hole quality. If you aren't sensitive about alpha-holes, or if you actually LIKE them, you may want to take a star or two off my rating).
I predicted the first mystery resolution, so that was disappointing, but at least everything more or less made sense.
I liked having a prickly heroine who isn't made to grovel in order to "earn" her love, and I liked the non-alpha-hole hero. (I actually just went and upgraded this from three stars to four, just for the non-alpha-hole quality. If you aren't sensitive about alpha-holes, or if you actually LIKE them, you may want to take a star or two off my rating).
I predicted the first mystery resolution, so that was disappointing, but at least everything more or less made sense.
May 17, 2019
Interesting
Medical mystery novels have always fascinated me and this is a good fast moving,interesting novel. I highly recommend it! Read it now!
Medical mystery novels have always fascinated me and this is a good fast moving,interesting novel. I highly recommend it! Read it now!
December 15, 2013
This was much more enjoyable than a number of the books that I have read lately for review for Barnes & Noble! Kate Manion is a nurse at a St. Louis hospital, where she starts out the story as a patient badly injured in an auto accident. Other employees begin getting killed by various means. Who is the killer? Her good friend, Tim, a gay doctor, is found hanged at his home. Can Kate figure out who is doing this, before she gets killed?
November 20, 2013
I was intrigued by the description of the book and once I started reading, I was hooked. Who is killing the staff member's of the hospital? Is it personal to Kate and why? Why are specific people chosen? All these questions will keep you guessing until the end. I had figured out part of the puzzle but was still surprised at the end. Great read, just sorry it took so long because I was so busy.
December 21, 2013
It took me a long time to read this book, it was bogged down with a lot of detail about the main character's past, which could have been left out and the end was very disappointing to me. There was just too much extra stuff happening in this book - too many characters and too many details to notice. It was very confusing at times.
June 21, 2014
Most of the reviews I read said the book started out boring. I found the beginning quite interesting (although being a nurse may have something to do with that)and thought the book slowed down from there. Some parts just kept dragging on. Overall I thought it was a good story but it was way too wordy in many chapters.
February 18, 2010
This hospital mystery was a little slow to start, but once the story got underway, I liked it quite a bit! The plot had several twists and turns - I certainly was not able to predict "whodunit"! It was a fun read and I think I will definitely enjoy reading other books by this author!
March 10, 2014
I enjoyed this book. I liked the main character. They was a lot of filler that was really not necessary. I had the "bad guy" figured out pretty early, but there was a twist at the end that could not be predicted. I would read more by ths author
September 11, 2015
Very reminiscent of Robin Cook - great stories, centered around the medical fields - great characters and interaction, humor, etc. Thank you Eileen - I've only read 2, but will recommend and read more for sure.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews