Knife Music by David Carnoy

Knife Music, David Carnoy. New York: The Overlook Press, 2008. e-book, 292 pps.

     Dr. Ted Cogan is a respected trauma surgeon at Parkview Medical. A sixteen year old by the name of Kristen Kroiter is involved in an m.v.a. [motor vehicle accident] and winds up on his table. She lives. Life goes on. Kristen Kroiter goes home and resumes her life.

      A diary is found. It does not matter that Kristen wanted to do it. She is after all an underage teen living in California. The diary reveals an indiscretion on the part of Dr. Cogan. 

     He loses his job. There is an investigation. Heads roll.

sapphoq reviews says: David Carnoy is a master at whodunnit. [I am currently reading The Big Exit, his next book featuring some of the same characters]. He did an excellent job with the personalities and the conversations of both the medical staff and the police detectives. I did not see the ending coming at all. Sexual assault survivors who are still a bit fragile might stay away. For those of the rest of us who like our mysteries infused with high intelligence, absolutely recommended. 

Ties That Bind by Phillip Margolin

Ties That Bind, Phillip Margolin. New York: HarperCollins e-books, 2009. [2003]. e-book, 339 pps.

http://www.phillipmargolin.com/

note: Phillip Margolin is on twitter as @philmargolin but he does not tweet to date.


Phillip Margolin is a prolific writer of novels. Ties That Bind continues the story of Amanda Jaffe after an attack that left her with a raging case of p.t.s.d. She has difficulties with relationships, flashbacks, and hyper-vigilance. In spite of her symptoms, she continues with her day job. 

There is political corruption, some activities related to the sale of drugs, prostitution, and a bunch of dead bodies in Ties That Bind. Amanda Jaffe is the kind of attorney that I would want in the courtroom with me. She is sharp and committed to justice.

Jaffe is asked to defend someone that everyone thinks of as obviously guilty. The fellow is perceived of as a dangerous and violent bad ass. No, she does not fall in love with him. 'Nuff said.

sapphoq reviews says: The plots and sub-plots in Ties That Bind render this novel as a fine example of a legal thriller. Highly recommended.