The First Stone [Hardcover]

Judith Kelman (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 1, 2007

He's a world-renowned, brilliant cardiac surgeon.But since Dr. Malik moved in upstairs with his family, Emma has started to wonder what kind of a man he really is. On quiet nights, home alone with her three-year-old, pregnant Emma can hear muffled thumps and screams from the apartment above and pleading words in a little girl's voice. If she reports Dr. Malik, she might put her own husband's career on the line. But the sounds from the apartment above keep haunting her, until she confides in a friend.

Soon, Malik becomes the target of an investigation. When he discovers the role Emma played in it, her life begins to unravel. And just as she is about to bring a new life into the world, she starts to fear for her own.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

At the start of this disappointing thriller from Kelman (The Session), artist Emma Colten, pregnant with her second child, is struggling to balance motherhood with her professional duties and the needs of her husband, Sam, a surgical resident at a prestigious Manhattan hospital. When a distinguished new cardiovascular surgeon, Doug Malik, arrives both as Sam's new boss and the Coltens' upstairs neighbor, Emma's life only spins further out of control. She suspects Sam of infidelity with Malik's attractive young protégé and is disturbed by the pleas for help from Malik's young daughter that she hears through her apartment's ceiling. Fearful of jeopardizing Sam's chances to become chief resident, Emma fails to alert the authorities of her suspicions that abuse is occurring. When she confides in the head of her son's preschool, an official inquiry leads to a cataclysmic confrontation. Some psychological insights will resonate with parents of young children, but others may find the characters insufficiently developed and the plot too fantastic to swallow. (May)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Review

"Kelman's a pro."
-- San Francisco Chronicle

"Judith Kelman's characters are warm and wonderful."
-- Clive Cussler --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 368 pages
• Publisher: Berkley Hardcover; Complete Numbers Starting with 1, 1st Ed edition (May 1, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0425213676
• ISBN-13: 978-0425213674
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 5.9 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,301,072 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Kelman Knocks It Out Of The Park, June 10, 2007

By 

James J. Sexton (New York) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The First Stone (Hardcover)

I'm not actually a fan of the mystery/thriller genre - but I couldn't put this book down. Kelman is really a master storyteller. She sets up the characters with a flowing style that leaves you with that wonderful "I-can't-believe-I-just-read-80-pages-good-lord-I'm-going-to-be-late-for-work" feeling.

The first half of the book has the kind of character development that reminds me of the best of early Stephen King. The second half has all the twists and turns you would expect from a writer of Kelman's skill and experience. Without throwing a spoiler here - I have to say I never saw the ending coming - and I pride myself on staying two steps ahead of the writer.

Kelman really hits the mark with this one. A great summer read! Pick it up and you won't be able to put it down.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Another Kelman gem!!!, May 9, 2007

By 

Brett (Saginaw, MI) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The First Stone (Hardcover)

Kelman yet again proves why she's been able to build up such a loyal following. From the first page, she lets the reader truly get to know and care about her characters. Emma Colten represents yet another complex and wonderful female protagonist, struggling with a conflict to which every reader can relate. How far must we go to support the career of a loved one? Can we turn our back on suspicions, fear, and downright alarm bells? Can we ignore the obvious danger that an alleged vocational "promised land" would present? This is, without a doubt, a must read ...

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Leave No Stone Unturned, January 19, 2008

By 

BeatleBangs1964 (United States) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: The First Stone (Paperback)

Judith Kelman writes with a deliciously satirical wit and I enjoy her books, some more than others. This, however is one I thoroughly enjoyed and feel is of extraordinary caliber.

Sam & Emma, blessed with a 3-year-old son named Tyler and a daughter on the way are seeing their stars rise. Sam has been eyeing a promotion at a large hospital in Manhattan. His mentor, of sorts is Dr. Malik, a transport from Ohio.

Emma and Tyler have misgivings about the Maliks. Emma, a gifted artist has been hounded by Malik's wife to do their 10-year-old daughter's portrait; Tyler hears strange conversations from the Maliks' apartment upstairs and even Emma worries that the Maliks' daughter, Adriana is being abused.

Just as their suspicions about their neighbors are taking shape, other problems crop up. Sam has been accused of sexual assault with a member of Malik's staff; Tyler has an autistic classmate which causes another child's parents pushing to have him expelled; Emma's nephew has been diagnosed with a heart condition and Sam's father and stepmother bring their share of grief into the mix.

A kindly and very astute neighbor takes Emma and Tyler under her wing and provides some sage advice. Even so, the questions remain - is Sam guilty of what he is being accused of? Why did Dr. Malik leave Ohio as quickly as he did? Are things being covered up at the hospital where he works? And what is really behind the terrifying conversations that Tyler has overheard among the Maliks?

A taut psychological thriller that will leave readers on the edge of their seats, racing to reach the incindiary conclusion. A must read!