A Bustle Most Anticipated Book of January 2020 “Scalpel sharp.”–Kathy Reichs A young rookie medical examiner. A suspicious case. An underworld plot only she saw coming. From the New York Times bestselling authors of Working Stiff For San Francisco’s newest medical examiner, Dr. Jessie Teska, it was supposed to be a fresh start. A new job in a new city. A way to escape her own dark past. … way to escape her own dark past.
Instead she faces a chilling discovery when an opioid-overdose case contains hints of something more sinister. Jessie’s superiors urge her to close the case, but as more bodies land on her autopsy table, she uncovers a constellation of deaths that point to an elaborate plot involving drug dealers and Bitcoin brokers.
Drawing on her real-life experiences as a forensics expert, Judy Melinek teams up with husband T.J. Mitchell to deliver the most exhilarating mystery of the year. Autopsy means “see for yourself,” and Jessie Teska won’t stop until she has seen it all–even if it means that the next corpse on the table could be her own.
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Who better to deliver a genuinely compelling mystery than real-life medical examiners? Fans of CSI and Forensic Files will devour this well plotted story.
Scalpel sharp. First Cut allows a peek into the autopsy room through the eyes of a pro.
FIRST CUT by Judy Melinek & T.J. Mitchell is a medical thriller/mystery that is the start of a new series featuring San Francisco’s newest medical examiner, Dr. Jessica Teska.
Dr. Jessica Teska is hoping for a new start in San Francisco after leaving Los Angeles wondering if she would ever work as a medical examiner again. She is determined to do her best and prove she is worth this second chance.
When a suspected overdose case of a young woman leaves Jessie feeling as though there is something more sinister involved than a simple overdose, she digs deeper. This case leads to questions that tie it to several other murder cases. Even as more connections and questions arise, Jessie is surprised by her superiors’ pushback to close the case as an accident.
As more bodies land in the morgue, Jessie begins to see a web of connections between drug traffickers, bitcoin, and tech start-ups that may somehow tie into a RICO trial of a major criminal in federal court. But will her digging lead to her own body ending up on a slab?
I am so excited to have found a great new series to follow! I thought I had everything figured out, but I was only partially correct and the authors were able to throw me with an unexpected surprise twist. I love when that happens. I also love books that feature medical examiners or CSIs that get into the nitty-gritty and are knowledgeable enough to teach me new and unique ways to detect a murder. I had trouble putting this book down because of the intrigue of learning new things and because of the intricate mystery that tied everything together in the end. Even as the authors gave Jessie’s past in Los Angeles to me a bit at a time and gave Jessie love interests and new friends it never overpowered the mystery plot.
I highly recommend you read First Cut! I am anxiously awaiting more books in this series!
First Cut by Judy Melinek and T.J. Mitchell has Dr. Jessie Teska starting over in San Francisco. Jessie along with her beagle pup, Bea rent a converted cable car. She then dives into her job as assistant medical examiner. Jessie notices an alarming number of drug related deaths that are similar. It starts her investigating that takes her down a dangerous path. Readers who enjoy forensics will be thrilled with First Cut. The authors experience shines through in First Cut. The story is well-written and the story proceeds at a thoughtful pace. I did find First Cut to be a slow starter, but it soon becomes engrossing. I thought the characters were realistic and developed. I liked Jessie with her Polish background, cute little dog named Bea, and her quirky abode. I thought she was spunky. She leaves a job with her mentor along with state of the art facilities behind in Los Angeles to get a fresh start. We do not find out why right away. Clues are dropped with the full story emerging later in the book. The descriptions are detailed allowing readers to visualize the scenes which brings the story alive. Be prepared to handle the gory details related to the autopsies (the sounds, smells and what the medical examiner sees during the examination). There is one corpse that was truly repulsive courtesy to the explosion of fluids. The mystery is complex and multifaceted. I enjoyed following Jessie as she delved into the case searching for the truth. It is a modern case that involves more than drugs (I do not want to spoil it for you). You will be amazed at how it all plays out in the end. First Cut is a story that will you keep you guessing.
Brilliant superwoman of a medical examiner. But her poor dog! How long we waits for her to finish her never ending days & nights.
Aspects were a little unrealistic but an engaging and twisted plot
As an emergency physician, I never realized how exciting the meticulous field of forensic pathology could be. This novel, co-authored by a forensic pathologist and her writer husband, shows the breadth and depth of this medical field in gutsy, graphic detail. Add a page-turning plot with tightening-spiral twists, a tough-as-nails yet vulnerable heroine, a complex cast of trustworthy (or not) supporters, plus cynical villains for whom no act is too heinous, and the hook is set all the way to the end. Readers who enjoyed Patricia Cornwell’s earlier works will relish this book.
What a great read! I loved every minute of it.
It is a very complex story, that seems solved several times but then evolves into new angles and more complexity. Judy Melinek knows what she is talking about and the autopsies are clinical described and very interesting….but probably not something for the faint of heart.
I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series and am happy that it will be released later this month.
This is the first book in a new series set in the medical examiner’s office in San Francisco.
The opioid crisis is one of the many threads weaving through the story. The plot itself is a little sad—okay, *very* sad—but the character development was excellent and it did give an interesting perspective on the context—an ME’s office.
There is a new medical examiner in town and her name is Dr. Jessie Teska and she is being crushed by a mountain of school-loan debt. She left the LA Medical Examiner’s office under less than ideal circumstances and moved to the San Francisco Medical Examiner’s office. The SFME is understaffed and underfunded and the tools of her trade are no way adequate while her 372-square-foot apartment is a converted cable car and costs $1900/month. She knows no one in town so she works.
This is the debut novel, and first in a planned series, of former medical examiner Judy Melinek and it’s a good one. The author’s well-drawn main character is smart, knows and loves her job, and is a bit reckless. The author takes her time revealing the real plot of her novel and it’s worth the wait.
Melinek’s descriptions of the what goes on during an autopsy are graphic and may be too much for some readers. While you may not have an interest in the graphic details of all the autopsies the author shares with us, the reader will undoubtedly learn more than she might have thought she needed to know. This was a hard book to put down because of the likability of the main character. Only once was I disturbed by what I was reading and that was when Jessie got into the car of a man she has only met once and ends up leaving the city with him to a destination he refuses to share even before she got in the car.
If you’re fan of television shows, books, and films featuring medical examiners, then this is the book for you. If you remember the early Cornwell books fondly, this book is for you. It deserves to be near the top of your to-be-read list.
My thanks to Harper and Edelweiss for an eARC.
Enjoy reading about a forensic pathologist? You will love this story. FIRST CUT is, without a doubt, the best book I’ve read in this sub-genre of crime fiction.
Very happy to hear that #2 is on its way!
First Cut isn’t the type of book you leave on your bedside and occasionally open. If you read, be prepared to devote several hours. FYI, I listened to the Audible version, and the actress did a phenomenal job portraying Dr. Jessie Teska and the myriad other characters the doctor comes in contact with. Filled with San Francisco life (and death), Jessie’s professional past, and her Polish heritage, follows her to her new ME position in San Francisco. Breathtaking writing this husband and wife team bring together to make a thriller of a novel. Cannot recommend highly enough.
Favorite Quotes:
Dr. Stone struck me as an overgrown nerd, brilliant and opinionated and completely unfiltered. I like nerds, and I’ve been told many times— many times— that I could use a stronger filter myself.
He speaks Bengali like I speak Polish— fluent in curse words, proverbs, and food.
People from happy families can’t comprehend what it’s like to live in a hostage situation with people who tell you they love you.
We don’t work in a justice system, Jessie. It’s a legal system. We take what we can get.
My Review:
This multi-layered tale was cunningly plotted, cleverly complicated, and shrewdly paced. I suspected everyone, and for good reason, as each had their own hidden agendas and they were all actually up to something. While the storylines and characters were complex, I enjoyed the authors’ surprising wit and engaging and descriptive writing style. Their contributions meshed seamlessly and I never would have guessed it was a team effort. The book was written in the first person POV of a newly hired medical examiner in San Francisco, a place I’ve never been and a vocation that gives me the willies to contemplate, yet I was as intrigued by the story as much as the oddly compelling characters and I was truly fascinated by her delightfully unusual living accommodations in a cable car house.
First of all, I am very hopeful that this is the first of a new series that will view Patricia Cornwall and Kathy Reichs some competition! This book was a fascinating foray into the world of forensic science, with a lot of gritty and realistic details. For example, the main character is a medical examiner named Dr. Jessie Teska. After doing a particularly odious autopsy, she desperately needs a shower and can’t get one, so her odorous self is described in explicit and yucky detail. In fact, there are graphic descriptions throughout the book, so for that reason, it will not be for everyone. I would categorize the book as a thriller/mystery/suspense. Jessie is faced with the challenge of following the clues wherever they follow and ends up being blocked by the police, big tech and her own boss. Her determination and grit made me cheer her on and encouraged me to read faster. This was a quick-paced book with some really unexpected twists as well as a surprise ending. I really encourage fans of forensic science mysteries to read this book, and I applaud the tremendously entertaining plot with the quirky and humorous new medical examiner.
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”
Linda’s Book Obsession Reviews “First Cut” by Judy Melinek and T.J. Mitchell, Hanover Square Press, January 7, 2020
Judy Melinek and T.J. Mitchell have written a thrilling, intriguing, intense and edgy novel. The Genres for this novel are Thriller, Psychological Thriller, Suspense, and Fiction. The timeline for this story is set in the authors’ present and goes to the past when it pertains to the characters or events. The authors describe their characters as complex and complicated.
Dr. Jessie Teska is the new medical examiner in San Francisco. Jessie is extremely determined and very stubborn. Also, she tediously takes in every detail. On her autopsy table, she is noticing that an accidental overdose is looking more like a homicide. Her Superiors at her job aren’t supporting her, and want her to close the case.
Jessie has some secrets from her last job and really needs this job, although it is not ideal. When more bodies arrive in the autopsy, and there are similarities, Jessie is more intent on finding the truth. It means fighting her superiors, the police, and facing more threats and danger. Illegal drugs, drug trafficking, big corporations, and murder are on the agenda. I would recommend this chilling thriller for those readers who enjoy suspenseful thrillers.
First Cut is suitably named, and it goes into some pretty disturbing details about Jessie’s job as a medical examiner. Normally, I’m not overly squeamish, but this gave me a little more than I bargained for, and parts of it did bother me. Given Melinek’s background, I have no doubt that her attention to detail with this story is accurate, but there are just some things about the world of autopsy that I don’t need to know. I think I’m probably not the target audience for this one, but I do recognize the talented writing, and the authors certainly know how to set a scene. The story does have a pretty good pace, and other than those somewhat gruesome details that I mentioned earlier, it held my interest. I wouldn’t go so far as to call it a thriller, but it there is good suspense, and the characters, while not all likable, are interesting. In the end, First Cut may be a little more detailed on autopsies than I prefer, but it was worth the read.
What a fabulous find this was!
I’m fascinated by what forensics and forensic medical examiners are able to uncover based on the remains – no matter how degraded or diminished – of the human body… In this excellent story, Melinek and Mitchell have crafted a world that is sinister and scientific and full of secrets, and they’ve wrapped a messy but enthralling mystery inside of it. Add in a cast of characters that are complex, well-developed, and full of quirks and foibles and you have the making of a compelling story that I couldn’t put down until I knew how it would all end…
Jessie Teska is surrounded by lies and liars – everyone from the bodies she examines to her colleagues and superiors has a secret, and it seems to fall on her shoulders to decipher (or at least navigate) through the minefields that those secrets represent. She is a fantastic protagonist – complicated, snarky, and full of secrets of her own that (of course) complicate matters deviously.
This was a great combination of medical mystery, crime, and revelatory thriller. The writing is fast-paced with just enough cringe-inducing descriptions of the process of medical examination to thrill and chill. Jessie’s tale grabbed me from the first pages and never let go. I’m hoping this turns out to be a first-in-series. The characters are wonderful and there’s great potential for continuation here…
Thank you to the author and publisher for my obligation-free review copy.
Jessie is starting a new job in a new city. She is also running from her past. She is hoping this change of scenery helps. But, this too backfires as she finds herself in the middle of murders, drug dealers and other elaborate schemes.
Jessie is doing an autopsy on a young woman. There is just something not right. She can’t quite figure it out. The further she investigates the more hinky (yes that is a word) this death becomes. And boy, what a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive!
This book starts off with a bang. I had a hard time putting it down. But, as the story unfolded, I figured out most of the mystery….bummer. I hate when a story does that to me. I like to be kept guessing till the end. I still enjoyed this novel. It is intriguing and completely captivating.
This tale also has some pretty graphic scenes. So, it might not be for everyone. However, it has a great setting of San Francisco and I thoroughly enjoyed Jessie. She has some hang ups. But she is not dumb! That is a huge plus in my book.
A wild ride if I do say so myself!
I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.
Being a little tired of the sex and romance genre this was a wonderful change along with a new author. There is plenty of mystery and intrigue around the new position she has when she stumbles on a body that reminds her of the reason she in here. What this autopsy leads to is a swirl of activity as she weaves her way through all of leads and twist these authors supply in this forensic read. Don’t get me wrong there is some romance but no details. These authors take us places and have us wondering what could possibly happen next all the way to the abrupt ending. There is no chance to take a breath as one clue leads to another. Don’t blink and trust no one because it’s that first cut that will get you.