** spoiler alert ** The premise is one of those - like the buried-alive theme - that is almost too horrible to imagine. The Surgeon is a serial killer, with a horrific spin: his methodology is to immobilize his victim, surgically (and skillfully) remove her uterus while she is alive and conscious, and then kill her, taking his "trophy" with him.

It's an interesting premise, and it reads well. The author's own medical background gives a strong sense of realism and adds nicely to the "eww, squick!" factor. The characters are compelling and likable.

In all, this is NOT your typical, formulaic "slasher/romance" novel. It's well worth the time.