Intensive Care

Dr. Evelyn Sutcliffe #2

by Leah Ruth Robinson

The Er Is A Dangerous Place. And Not Just For The Patients. Addicted to the adrenalin rush of life-and-death emergency medicine in a New York City hospital, Dr Sutcliffe has seen for herself what the so-called Babydoll Killer', a serial murderer, is capable of. But when yet another brutalized victim is brought into the ER, Dr Sutcliffe can no longer control her emotions. This time it is someone she a medical student and a respected colleague. A friend. Throughout an unbearably tense summer in the city, the deaths pull Evelyn deeper into the razor's edge bedlam of the ER - and as she falls into the seemingly secure embrace of a handsome, if secretive fellow physician, all the evidence is beginning to suggest the that someone in Evelyn's own world - a world dedicated to saving lives - is coldly carrying out the murders.

Genres: Fiction, Thriller, Crime

374 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1997

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

[Louise]

From cover:

"Dr. Evelyn Sutcliffe's world is a place of chaos, violence and, sometimes, miracles. Now terror has followed her into her sanctuary: the emergency room of University Hospital.

A serial murderer is prowling Manhattan's Upper West Side, leaving a child's doll at the scene of each brutal crime. Evelyn Sutcliffe has already crossed paths with the faceless, cold-blooded psychopath...and she survived. Others have not been as lucky.

A tough professional addicted to the adrenaline rush of life-and-death emergency medicine, Dr. Sutcliffe has seen close-up what the so-called "Babydoll Killer" is capable of - observing his handiwork with the cool detachment her job requires. But her world is rocked when yet another brutalized young woman on the brink of death is brought into the ER. Because 'THIS' victim is someone Evelyn knows: a medical student and respected colleague. A friend.

In an unbearably and steamy August, a savage slaying perilously close to home pulls Dr. Sutcliffe deeper into the razor's edge bedlam of the ER-and propels her recklessly into the arms of a handsome and dangerously secretive fellow physician. And all evidence is beginning to suggest the unthinkable; that someone in Evelyn's tightly knit circle is a killer-someone supposedly dedicated to the sanctity of human life and as close to her as a heartbeat.

Someone who is watching her."

[Jeff Lewis]

A welcome return of Dr Evelyn Sutcliffe following her debut in Leah Ruth Robinson's "Blood Run". I suspect someone mentioned that all the doctor's featured we're all heavy smokers and it wasn't a good look. No doctor smokes in "Intensive Care". Set in the early 1990s, Dr Evelyn Sutcliffe is still working in the ER in New York with the outbreak of AIDS never far from the surface. Else where "The Babydoll Killer stalks New York and his brought close to home by the murder of German girl Theresa Kahr. When Evelyn's favourite intern Lisa Chiu is found stabbed to death the doctor's to believe the killer is one their own. Like "Blood Run", Evelyn Sutcliffe's behavior is completely normal and all actions believable thus making this a gripping, if sometimes confusing, thriller.

[Vicki Badgett]

Great book! Fast read!

[Lisa Aldrich]

I finished reading this awile ago and forgot to update. I thought this book was great and well written for a medical thriller.

[Andrea De La Cruz]

It was okay, I only liked it because the medical terminology however there were parts that were slow to read. I did like the ending, I did not suspect who the person was that killed Lisa and Hal.

[Paula Kramer]

Good medical mystery. Of course, I don't know when an ER doctor would have the time to solve a mystery, but "it's only a story" as my Mom used to say. The Baby doll killer was the suspected murderer, but of course, all clues point to someone closer to Dr. Evelyn Sutcliffe. I liked it.

[Tytti]

A BookCrossing find. This was a detective story set in a hospital but personally I am just not that interested in the genre. There was simply too much medical stuff for my taste. The characters were interesting enough and I didn't guess the killer too early.

[Pauline]

Very slow in parts.Would have enjoyed this much more 40 years ago when I was really into medical thrillers.

[Marisol]

It has a lot of slow parts but I must admit that there were suspenseful Elements.The climax wasn't as exciting as I hoped and reminded me of a Lifetime channel movie.

[Steph]

~ Keep busy.
~ Don't sit home alone.
~ Time heals all wounds.
~ Do something nice for someone who's worse off than you.

[Stephanie]

I read this back in the Spring of 2004. It was a good thriller.

[Brigid]

This thriller rates as a good book for vacations, airplane rides, gloomy weekends alone. Fast-paced and full of suspicious characters. It's fun to guess who done it before the reveal.

[Toesnorth's mom]

medical suspense, boring