Under the Knife by Tess Gerritsen {Book Review}

Happy Tuesday! How has your start to the week been so far?

The weather has taken a turn for the very cold with cloudy days and ice-cold winds, and all I want to do is snuggle up on the couch all day, under a thick blanket with a cup of something steaming-and a book, of course 😛

Today, I’m sharing my review on Tess Gerritsen’s book “Under the Knife”.

It’s the first book I read from the author and it left me enough interest to keep reading her novels. It’s also the book that got me hooked on medical thrillers.

If you’re not familiar with Tess Gerritsen, here’s some interesting information.

Tess Gerritsen is a pseudonym. Her real name is Terry Gerritsen. She decided to feminise her name when she started writing romance novels.
Her parents didn’t believe her writing career would be a good choice so she went into medicine. She’s a retired physician.
She has written books in the following genres: romance thrillers, medical thrillers, crime thrillers and historical thrillers

DISCLAIMER: This review could contain possible spoilers based on my opinions. All opinions and views are my own.

Book Review: Under the Knife by Tess Gerritsen #bookreview
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Plot:

Malpractice.

It’s an open-and-shut case for lawyer, David Ransom, to put Dr. Kate Chesne on trial for her negligence after a patient dies before surgery even begins.

Dr. Kate Chesne is convinced she is being framed by someone and seeks out David to look for the truth.

When another body is discovered, David begins to believe there is relevance to Kate’s suspicions and pleas of innocence.

There’s a killer walking freely in the corridors of an Honolulu hospital, and David finds himself asking the questions that Kate so desperately needs answers to.

Who is the killer? Who is next, and what is the motive?

My Opinion: Positive Thoughts

The book has a quick pace, and with less than 250 pages, it’s easy to finish in one sitting.

There was just enough suspense to keep you on the edge of your seat and there’s no suspicion on who the killer is until right at the end when the truth is revealed.

My Opinion: Negative Thoughts

The whole romance part in the book could’ve been completely left out, it was pretty unnecessary and the time writing those parts could’ve been used better by adding more to the thriller. The overly lusty scenes were eye-rolling moments and brought no real value to the story.

Kate should’ve had a stronger female portrayal in the book, being one of the main characters but ended up coming across as needy. Also what was with the whole basing being valued on being loved? The whole concept was part of the reason for lowering my rating of the book as it didn’t sit easy with me how Kate was portrayed in the book.

Overview:

There’s an interesting plot in the book, that could’ve had a little more suspense and less tacky romance involved.

Keeping in mind when the book was published (in the 90s), you have to sit through some heavy sexism throughout the story, which could’ve been easily avoided-if there were less tacky romance scenes included.