Kristen Kroiter was sixteen, a high school sophomore, when she was injured in a car accident. Dr. Ted Cogan had saved her life when he treated her in the ER six months ago. But now police detectives were questioning Cogan about her, in intimate detail. What was going on? What had she told them?
That’s just it, the cops said. She hadn't told them anything. She had died. Looked like a suicide. And Cogan was in a heap of trouble.
Tense and twisting, Knife Music is the story of a doctor struggling to clear his name after being accused of raping and causing the suicide of a young girl. The novel pits Cogan, a forty-three-year-old surgeon and self-described womanizer, against Hank Madden, a handicapped veteran detective. From the outset it’s not clear who is victim and who is victimizer, as the usually dispassionate Madden grapples with his long-suppressed prejudices and his obsession with bringing Ted Cogan to justice at any cost. It all leads up to the most stunning surprise ending since Scott Turow’s Presumed Innocent.
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"This is one of those books I feel kind of guilty about. I stuck with it to the end and enjoyed parts of it very much but I did not pay close attention. I had never read any Carnoy before. Had I bought this book, I would have been far more disappointed but, I borrowed it from the library and it was not a total waste of time. Grown men and young girls and rape or maybe not. I think really I did not like or respect any of the characters. But it was not a total loss."
— Susan (4 out of 5 stars)
“Carnoy’s debut is gripping, suspenseful, totally believable—and shockingly good.”
— Harlan Coben, #1 New York Times bestselling author“Impressive is the debut of David Carnoy with the surprisingly complex and sophisticated Knife Music. It’s a combination legal/medical novel, so neatly plotted it seems the first-timer might have over-reached. Yet Carnoy resolves everything with enough originality to deliver a satisfying jolt.”
— ForeWord“Narrator Kristoffer Tabori adds to the suspense that is created by Carnoy. Tabori has a way of slowly building intensity that truly engages the listener with his aggressive style. While his pacing is disjointed at times, it doesn’t prove distracting, but comes off as a quality that is unique to Tabori. Listeners seeking suspense in a mystery will surely find it here.”
— AudioFile“Carnoy injects an uncommon level of medical expertise, from physical trauma through hospital hierarchy, into his fine debut thriller about the fraught world of doctors. The novel certainly works as medical drama, but it is also a gripping detective story and a revealing character study about what makes docs tick…Veteran detective Hank Madden, in charge of the case, is a brilliantly realized secondary character. Utterly baffling until the very last page.”
— Booklist“Tabori’s narration conveys a sense of wonder expressed over chummy inflections. He differentiates characters more by syntax and pacing than changes in register, seamlessly jumping backward and forward in time…All are given crisp and identifiable voices. In less-capable hands (voice), this spiraling ‘whodunit-howdunit’ might be hard to follow, but thanks to Tabori’s reading, this is a winner.”
— Booklist (audio review)“Tautly paced and full of crisp dialogue, Carnoy’s prose is pitch-perfect whether delving into medical and police procedural or sussing out the nuances of campus hookup culture. In Cogan, he’s concocted an appealing, edgy protagonist—cocksure, arrogant and abrasive towards his less competent colleagues and ‘difficult’ patients, but possessed of a roguish charm that makes readers want to tag along, even if they’re not sure where his moral compass is pointing. A gripping thriller debut that is just what the doctor ordered.”
— Kirkus Reviews" Knife Music is better than the average detective thriller. David Carnoy always provides interesting and memorable characters, and there is always an ending with a twist or two. It is necessary to suspend some disbelief when reading this book, but it is a fun read nonetheless. "
— Joe, 1/28/2014" Actually I'd give it a 4.5 stars. 16-year-old Kristin's parents find her diary where she tells a story of having had sex with the surgeon who performed surgery on her after a car accident. Kristin hangs herself and leaves a note saying she doesn't want to be a victim. The detective investigating the case had been raped by his doctor as a child and assumes the surgeon to be guilty. Lots of twists and turns to the very last page. "
— Jeanne, 1/19/2014" I really liked this book. Knife Music keeps you wondering who did what to whom until the end. A surprise ending I actually didn't see coming. Do the cops have an agenda. Did the Dr. do it. A girl is 100% postive she saw a rape, but did she finger the right person. Really good suspense, who done it novel. "
— Lora, 1/19/2014" Not quite on par with Presumed Innocent, but a pretty good mystery nonetheless. "
— Carrie, 1/17/2014" Interesting story trying to figure out who was the antagonist. A teenager alleges rape, dies, and who is responsible? I would recommend it as a "good read". "
— Cindy, 1/15/2014" Had me guessing the whole time. Great attention getter! "
— Lindsey, 1/4/2014" Free kindle book which was very good. "
— Jackie, 1/3/2014" "why" is intellectual. "why not" is impulsive. and poor judgement is 90% impulsive "
— Michelle, 12/29/2013" This was a decent suspense thriller and plan to read his follow up book. "
— Robin, 12/29/2013" Assigned review for AudioFile magazine. "
— Jason, 11/18/2013" Kind of boring--where was the suspense? "
— Irene, 11/16/2013" I bought this book because it was $4 on my kindle. It was excellent. I recommend it to anyone who likes a good page turner and suspense. Fantastic read. "
— Tracy, 11/8/2013" great twist at the end "
— Veronica, 10/31/2013" Just for dialogue alone I give this five stars. I'd read a hundred of Carnoy's books if he wrote them - just because his dialogue is so utterly real and engaging I cannot put the book down. Plus it helps that it takes place in Silicon Valley, a place I love and miss. "
— Jennifer, 10/28/2013" Interesting twist. Not a "con't wait to back to it" but good. "
— Linda, 10/9/2013" Another novel filled with suspense. "
— Laura, 10/4/2013" Knife Music is pretty interesting and holds together well. "
— Susan, 8/6/2013" Meh. Perfectly entertaining. "
— Brooke, 8/19/2012" Good book with a couple twists. Makes you nervous about what happens when someone accuses you of something. Images tarnish easily. "
— 2pucks, 6/6/2012" Not bad for a beach read sort of book, but I spent a LOT of time mentally editing this as I went along. I wish the person who was paid for the job had actually done so. "
— Elizabeth, 3/20/2012" It was an engaging mystery. Not very probable but I wanted to keep reading. "
— Diane, 3/11/2012" The ending came out of nowhere and made the book. "
— Carol, 12/8/2011" Quick but enjoyable "
— Marcelite, 11/13/2011" This was a disturbing page-turner with a twist... still trying to shake some mental images even though the writing wasn't graphic at all. "
— Kristin, 11/2/2011" This is a thriller to find out who took advantage of a 16 year old girl who was then driven to suicide. a bit of a downer and a disappointing ending. "
— Peggy, 9/25/2011" This was a free download on my Kindle and I must say I was pleasantly surprised! I thought it was a really good book with lots of twists and turns. I'd recommend it! "
— Terri, 8/27/2011" A teenaged girl commits suicide, and s womanizing surgeon is the prime suspect. A pretty good mystery with a little twist in the end. <br/> <br/>Full review coming soon. "
— Robert, 6/5/2011" Kind of boring--where was the suspense? "
— Irene, 5/29/2011" have had this freebie on my kindle for awhile now. really liked it. interesting twist in this thriller/mystery i did nOT see coming. and do NOT judge this book by its cover...(yuk) <br/>i would def read more books by this author if he keeps this up! "
— Mich, 5/3/2011" kristenin ölümünün ardinda yatanlar, olayin sonlandirilmasi sasirticiydi. dr Cogan'in suçlamalardan kurtulmak için yaptiklari agirlikli olarak anlatiliyor.hersey açiga kavustu derken kitap son bir olayla sonlandiriliyo. bitimine yakin heyecan da artiyo. "
— Elif, 3/19/2011" Great beach read--did not expect the ending... "
— Kathleen, 2/22/2011" "why" is intellectual. "why not" is impulsive. and poor judgement is 90% impulsive "
— Michelle, 2/21/2011" Not bad for a beach read sort of book, but I spent a LOT of time mentally editing this as I went along. I wish the person who was paid for the job had actually done so. "
— Elizabeth, 1/22/2011" Interesting whodunit with a surgeon as the prime suspect. I might look up more of Carnoy's stuff as a result. "
— Cornmaven, 1/21/2011" Interesting twist. Not a "con't wait to back to it" but good. "
— Linda, 1/15/2011" This was my first e-book from the library. It had quite a few twists and turns. And was one of those books that moved back and forth in time. So pay attention! Overall a good read combining the lives of doctors and police. I will definitely read Carnoy again. "
— Terri, 12/27/2010" This was a decent quick read. I give it 3 stars only because I have a problem with believing the choices that were made by some of the main characters. "
— Suzie, 12/19/2010" Entertaining story but the author goes into ridiculous detail about people and events that are barely relevant to the story. I think this is what happens without a decent editor... "
— Amanda, 12/4/2010David Carnoy is the author of several crime novels. He is an executive editor at CNET and is interviewed regularly on television as a tech expert, appearing on CNN, CNBC, MSNBC, and other media outlets. He lives in New York City with his wife and children.
Cassandra Campbell has won multiple Audie Awards, Earphones Awards, and the prestigious Odyssey Award for narration. She was been named a “Best Voice” by AudioFile magazine and in 2018 was inducted in Audible’s inaugural Narrator Hall of Fame.