The Surgeon by Leslie Wolfe is for sure 5 stars! I was hooked from the beginning until the end, and I flew through this book! It was just what I needed to love reading again 😊

This is my kind of thriller. I loved the medical setting and the psychological nuance. The author's voice is unique and captivating, the story full of questions that drive you forward and make you turn the page. This compelling story does not disappoint. I did not see the resolution coming. What a fantastic read!!

Anne Wiley, a private hospitals poster girl, the perfect heart surgeon with a record of no deaths. The seemingly perfect husband. What could go wrong? When Anne experiences her first death on the operating table everything seems to go wrong. Was it an accidental death or was it murder? Why has the state attorney taken such an interest in this death and why does she seem to have a personal vendetta against Anne?
There are some good twists and turns and I really liked this book. I warmed to the characters and was kept reading well into the night. However, the only reason I didn't award this book five stars was because I felt the ending was rather abrupt. Having said that I did really enjoy this read and I will certainly be recommending it to others.

This is my first read by this author and the blurb sounded like something I’d like to get stuck into. It’s a slower pace then I’m used to but it really works for this particular read as it really builds the suspense and the story. It’s one of those books that you need to find out what’s coming next and therefore can’t turn the pages fast enough. It’s very cleverly written as you just can’t guess what’s coming which drives me mad in one sense but makes for a really good read. There is a mix of likeable and unlikeable characters and some you get to know more than others. If you want a read that you can’t figure out before it’s time then this is a read for you.

The Surgeon was a completely gripping, unputdownable book. There were some interesting characters and fantastic twists and turns that I did not see coming. I loved it and I would highly recommend it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for my ARC.

Dr. Anne Wiley is a cardiac surgeon with a perfect record. She’s been practicing for over a decade and has never lost a patient on the table— until now. An internal investigation at the hospital ensues, and there’s a State’s Attorney that is snooping around Anne and the hospital, trying to pin her for murder. Did Anne kill her patient? Or did something else go wrong? And why does this SA have it out for Anne?

This psychological thriller was not easy to put down. The author gave you just enough information to keep you guessing at the beginning of the book, and then as you made your way through the harrowing twists and turns, you thought you had it all figured out. Then the author hits you with the ending. You did not have it figured out— at all!

This one kept me on my toes and made my anxiety spike at a few parts! Anne’s character felt real and relatable. As someone who works in healthcare, I could imagine her in a hospital setting and I could relate to her character that way. Overall, it was really well done and is definitely going into my recommend list!

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Completely gripping and intense! Complicated characters, suspense, mystery, jaw dropping twists, and a blow you away ending make this one you can't miss. I was at times amused, stunned, sad, and so angry I was tempted to throw my eReader. Great read!

The Surgeon by Leslie Wolfe is not what I expected. I was expecting a medical thriller, but it felt more like a political thriller (sort of). It is more about jealousy and the desire to succeed no matter the cost. There are some medical aspects since the main character, Dr. Anne Wiley is a surgeon. There is not one likeable character. I found Dr. Anne Wiley is annoying. Her anxiety and self-pity got on my nerves. There is page after page of Anne agonizing over the surgery and the outcome. Anne is beset with guilt. I expect a cardio surgeon to be a confident, determined individual who does not take any flack especially from a misogynistic anesthesiologist. Anne is so consumed with her work and the latest surgery with the distressing outcome that she fails to notice what is happening in the lives of her family. Paula is an assistant district attorney who is determined to succeed. Jealousy, an affair, and the drive to succeed are the main aspects of this book. There is a significant amount of repetition in the first half. The mystery or thriller aspect was lackluster. I did not feel the story was a thriller. I wanted action, intrigue, and suspense. I wanted to be on the edge of my seat as I quickly turned the pages (I could have cared less if I finished this book). Anne loses a patient during a surgery. In Anne’s twelve-year career, this is the first time she has lost a patient (really). She did everything correctly. I found Annie’s worry that she would be arrested to be baffling. Her surgery (which was filmed from multiple angles) went off without a hitch. What is there to worry about? She did recognize the patient after the surgery was completed. I found it odd that Anne would not have checked in on the patient in preop or at least visited him in the operating room before the anesthesia was administered. I ended up skimming through the second half of the book. I just wanted to finish it. The twist can be anticipated. The information was there from the beginning. I found the ending to be unsatisfying (talk about a letdown). The Surgeon does contain foul language and intimate situations. I had high hopes for The Surgeon, but they were quickly dashed. The Surgeon has a departed patient, an ambitious ADA, a dishonest husband, a compassionate mother, a departed daughter, and an unexpected discovery.

The Surgeon by Leslie Wolfe Narrated by Gwendolyn Druyor was one of the hardest audiobooks to get into......I think it was the narrator.
But I was so glad I had the book to read! and WoW I loved it. Once I started to read it I was hooked from the start till the end and found it very hard to put it down. Leslie has a way of writing that will just pull all their audience in from the very first few pages, Hence why I did not want to give up on it, especially as I ended up reading it in 2 sittings. It has lots of lots of tension, twists and turns throughout that will have you sitting on the edge of your seat.

I highly recommend this book.

Big thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for my ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Wow! This was my first book by this author and what a great read. Great plot twists and character development. Quick easy read and the story flows very smoothly. Definitely recommend and will be reading other books by this author! Not sure about that ending though! Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture and Leslie Wolfe for the opportunity to read and review this ARC. Really enjoyed it! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Leslie Wolfe's latest medical thriller, THE SURGEON —is packed with twists and turns where nothing is as it appears with a jaw-dropping twist.

Dr. Anne Wiley is a cardiothoracic surgeon who lost a patient, Caleb Donaghy, on the operating table. She has never lost a patient on the table until now. Did Anne call death too early? Could she have done more? Something was not right.

She recognized the patient. He was an evil man. Was she glad he was dead? Is she a murderer? Will the hospital investigate?

Set in Chicago, we met Anne, Derreck, and Paula—a triangle. The players have more in common than they know.

Anne's husband, Derreck, is an attorney and hopes to soon be Mayor. He is also having an affair with Paula.

Paula Fuselier is ambitious, with State's Attorney Office, and on her way to becoming the State Attorney General. Paula and Derreck spend their time in hotels. Paula knows Derreck will never leave his wealthy wife. Anne is the one with the money.

However, Paula has a hidden agenda. She is obsessed. She wants to bring Anne down. She is using her office and position to push this investigation into the death and Anne.

Anne's mom (she also has secrets) lives with Anne and Derreck, and later in the book, we find out, they adopted a foster child named Melanie. Anne loved her little sister and we learn she died, but we do not know how until later.

Everyone is keeping their own dark secrets.

Paula is evil and manipulative, and soon Derreck finds out about Paula. Paula has been waiting months for the famous Dr. Anne Wiley to make a mistake. He still does not know how far she will go and why.

Two questions haunt Anne:
Why did his heart refuse to start?
And why has the State's Attorney Office made Donaghy's heart into a case worth investigating?

How do all these storylines connect, and how does the man on the table fit into these lives? I did not see this one coming. Readers will be pleasantly surprised.

A dark and chilling tale! Gripped from page one of this shock-inducing medical thriller of revenge, obsession, and ambition— prepare to be hooked.

I alternated between the e-book and the audiobook narrated by Gwendolyn Druyor. My concerns with the audiobook were either the narrator or how the book was intended with the two main characters.

Both voices were to the extremes. Anne was very naive, whiny, and soft-spoken and did not come across as an intelligent and confident surgeon. On the other hand, Paula was over the top, mean, unglued, and in your face, and not composed for someone of her position. I also noted other reviewers with the same line of thinking.

Book 4 Stars
Audio 3 Stars

My first book by Leslie Wolfe, and I look forward to reading more.

Thank you to #Bookouture and #NetGalley for a gifted e-ARC and ALC in exchange for an honest review.

Blog review posted @
JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
Pub Date: March 8, 2023
My Rating: 4 Stars
March 2023 Must-Read Book

The Surgeon by Leslie Wolfe is so twisted and enthralling! The plot captivated me from the start because I could feel there was something more subtle lying in the background of the story that the author slowly reveals (it turns out there are many details you won't see coming, at least I didn't). There were many moments while I was agape and (pleasantly) speechless. The characters are nicely built, multidimensional, like true human beings. I also love Leslie's style: it's clear, great word choice and no linguistic clichées, unlike in books of the same genre.

Thanks NetGalley for the eARC!

Overall this was an interesting read. It took a bit to get going but once it got going it got good. There’s a lot of small pieces tossed out to really bring the story together.
However I didn’t like how the FMC was often perceived as weak at times. It’s hard to imagine a prominent surgeon as weak.

If you enjoy a good psychological thriller, you’d enjoy this one.

This was a great quick read.

I started out hating the other woman character and while I did not end the book living her either, I understood why she acted in the way she did.

The husband I hated the whole time but he turned out to be be a more twisted villain that I originally expected.

Great quick read, likable characters and neat story line. Not over the top or extreme but meat and tidy

I love this book! I read it in two sittings, because I was forced to take a break. It’s intense, brilliant, and refreshing. I felt like this book would be a bit different right from the beginning. I was right! The characters are vivid, realistic with all their flaws, strong, and selfish.

In a way I can understand the motives behind all of the characters’ actions, except The Mayor. Towards the end I start understanding him as well. It is interesting to see how people are obsessed with the same thing from the past, but the reasons are different.

Leslie Wolfe is a skilled author, and I find this to be her best writing yet.

Anne is performing a surgery one morning to remove a heart aneurysm, but nothing goes as planned. She has never lost a patient in the twelve years that she has been a doctor. She is nervous when she sees the face of the man that died on her table. She didn't recognize him before when he had a beard but now that it's gone, she remembers him from his distinct facial birthmark. Who is he, and could she have tried harder to save him?

THE SURGEON is a fast-paced medical thriller that can be easily read in a day. Early on, there was a big twist and my jaw dropped. I was not expecting it, but maybe I should have. There is one character in the book that I couldn't stand, named Paula. I am sure you won't like her either! Without giving more of the plot away, I encourage you to grab a copy of THE SURGEON. Leslie Wolfe did her research, medically speaking. I did learn a few things along the way that I didn't know about cardiothoracic surgery and I found it interesting. I would say to go into this book mainly blind and you will enjoy it even more. I can't wait until Leslie Wolfe's next book.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for my ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This review will be shared to my Instagram (@coffee.break.book.reviews) in the near future.

Wow! This was a fast and furious read for me with a spectacular twist in the first quarter! You still won't have the full picture until the end but getting there is riveting!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for this ARC!

A patient dies on the operating table just seconds after the surgeon recognizes his face. The scrutiny she is almost immediately subjected to by a specific state attorney is beyond stressful. In addition, this patient has stirred up trauma from the past. And what part does the handsome husband play in all of this? There are some surprising reveals that make for a page-turning read and I was racing through it to find out what would happen to our dear doctor. The ending of this book is perfect for Gillian Flynn fans.

5 stars for this book, loved it, read it within 2 days, couldn't put it down, the story is about a surgeon Anne, who loses her first patient after surgery, her husband Derrick and Paula who is out to get her.

Great story, I really hated Paula all throughout the book, some good twists and a good all round read. Would love to read more by this author.

I really enjoyed this book! It was a quick read once I started it - the suspense was good. I felt some of it was predictable, yet the ending was not. I did not anticipate the characters playing out as they did. It kept me guessing - was well written. This is the first book I read by this author and I will look for more! Anne Wiley and Paula were great characters lots of people can relate to!