TopShelf Magazine June 2023

MEDICAL THRILLS

AUDIO BOOK REVIEW CODE BLUES

MELISSA YI

by Deena Rae

On a road trip to the Historical Novel Society Conference in San Antonio this month, I picked up Code Blues in audiobook from my local library. I wanted something that could be listened to on the 6-7 hours of windshield time that my 13-year old daughter could listen to.

We didn't finish the audio book on the trip and I had to finish listening on the computer once we got home. That part was lucky as at about the 60% mark there was a somewhat descriptive sex scene that I don't think Wee Bossy (my daughter) was ready for.

The story starts off with Hope Sze starting her first day of residency at a hospital in Montreal. Within short order one of the doctors in the hospital dies and quickly it is determined that the doctor was murdered and Hope was one of the initial doctors on the scene. Hope is on a quest to find out who the killer is while she is being pursued by Alex, another doctor who is starting his residency.

The character development was good, the storyline lagged ina few spots, but I did find myself making various comments out loud during the playback. I had high hopes for the book, hoping that perhaps Melissa Yi would take the place of Robin Cook's Coma. I think I put too much pressure on the story to exceed those expectations.

Overall: This storyline had just enough medical jargon and explanations as well as scenes being well written and the descriptions of the locations was spot on. Because the story is set in Canada, there is some French that could have used some definitions.

Audio:

The narration is very good with perfect pronunciaion

of both English and French. Perfect narration, a 5-star performance. The narrator Jenny Kelly did a great job.

About The Reviewer - Deena Rae

Deena Rae was born and raised in Texas – home of bluebonnets, boots, beef and big hair – into a family that was in the printing and publishing industries.