Thoughts

I've been a bit reluctant to read Tess Gerritsen books for a while because I vaguely remember reading one that was way too gruesome... I don't think I got very far into it. But my dad passed this one on to me with a recommendation, and I'm really glad he did.

This is Gerritsen's debut novel, and it's an intense medical thriller with a brilliant main character in Abby. She's relatable and gutsy, but completely human at the same time.

"God, it's like reality's completely shifted on me. I used to think I was standing on such solid ground. If I wanted something badly enough, I just worked like hell for it. Now I can't decide what to do, which move to make. All the things I counted on aren't there for me anymore."

What's engaging about this book is how the medical setting drives the whole thing, it's not just a backdrop. Gerritsen is a retired doctor, so she obviously knows her stuff. Every detail about life in the hospital, working with surgeons, and the terrifying world of organ transplantation was detailed without being boring, and entirely convincing.

It's worth knowing that the premise is pretty gruesome and involves trafficking children. There are naturally quite a lot of medical scenes and descriptions, so those of a sensitive disposition may not want to pick this one up. But it's worth saying, whatever reservation I had at the start about the potential for an overly gruesome novel was quickly put to rest. Nothing was gratuitous or out of place.

Overall, I loved this book. I read a physical copy and something about having the tangible pages for this specific story made it almost impossible to put down. This book is a 5 out of 5 because it's convinced me to try more of Gerritsen's work, I'm annoyed at my past self for avoiding her for so long.

Rating: 5 / 5