Exhume

Dr. Schwartzman, Book 1

By: Danielle Girard

Narrated by: Shannon McManus

Length: 11 hrs and 48 mins

Publisher's summary

Dr. Annabelle Schwartzman has finally found a place to belong. As the medical examiner for the San Francisco Police Department, working alongside homicide detective Hal Harris, she uncovers the tales the dead can't tell about their final moments. It is a job that gives her purpose—and a safe haven from her former life at the hands of an abusive husband. Although it's been seven years since she escaped that ordeal, she still checks over her shoulder to make sure no one is behind her.

Schwartzman's latest case is deeply troubling: the victim bears an eerie resemblance to herself. What's more, a shocking piece of evidence suggests that the killer's business is far from over—and that Schwartzman may be in danger. In this pulse-pounding thriller from award-winning writer Danielle Girard, a woman must face her worst nightmare to catch a killer.

©2016 Danielle Girard. (P)2016 Brilliance Audio, all rights reserved.

Schwartzman

I have read a lot of books with the main character being a medical pathologist, so I went into this book expecting to be entertained. But, it turned out to be mediocre at best.

There are several things that distracted from my giving this book a higher rating. Number one, the title. There was nothing evenly remotely related to the word "exhume" in the whole book. Number two, the main character's name. She is a Physician named Dr. Annabelle Schwartzman, but instead of the author calling her Anna or Doc, she is called Schwartzman through the entire book. Expect when the author decides to confuse the reader and call her Anna.

For a supposedly intelligent woman, Schwartzman is a character out of a B horror movie. So, so many times I felt like screaming at her, "Don't open that door" because of the ridiculously stupid things she does. Instead of caring about her character, I just wanted to shake her.

The plot got a little outrageous IMO, with Schwartzman trying to plant evidence in order to get her husband (whom she never divorced after his abuse and 7 years of fear) convicted for murder. You would think that someone with her experience would know better!

The narrator does a good job and even handles most of the medical terminology with correct pronunciations (which isn't always easy to do).

All in all, it isn't a bad book and I might try more in the series, but overall I was glad when I finally finished it.

Love the mc

I love Dr. Schwartzman's character and I'm eager to see where the next book takes her (hopefully, she'll have some resolutions to her personal life's concerns). I love the development I see in the character, she is coming into a new season of her life where she won't let certain aspects of her past control her anymore and she's allowing people in her present to have some power to help her through it without giving up complete self-control. I like this refined version of her and I like seeing her progress. I have loved Girard's cops series'.

Very good

Good read. A little reminiscent of Sleeping With Enemy. But with a more likeable main character.

Boring Reader

Story was good, but doubt the reader was not animated enough. I got bored with it Bad readers can ruin a great book. Sorry.

Must have been the author's first book

I struggled to finish it. The author threw so much at the main character that didn't even pertain to the plot. The author also had the main character acting contrary to common sense. It was a frustrating read.

Entertaining.

I didn't get the shock and awe from this story that I was expecting and hoping for... characters were a bit flat and I didn't love any of them. Story felt really predictable and I am still confused about the Ex husband being so terrible that he seems to have gotten away with anything rotten he did. I was entertained enough to finish the story.

Left me hanging

Good listening, with several twists and turns, but I felt the ending wrapped up too quickly without sufficient finality.

Not bad

The description may be a bit misleading it's really less about the main characters job as a medical examiner than it is about her personal life and issues with her abusive ex husband. overall not a bad book but not surprising or suspenseful.

Repeat

Enjoyed the overall story just the beginning sounded like a few others but got going and interesting characters. Narrator did a good job.

Riveting.

Loved the amount of detail in this book. I hated when it was time to go into work. I just wanted to listen until the book was done.