As a general rule, I don't often find "Christian fiction" to be well written nor engaging. The Healing Knife, however, isn't the normal type of Christian fiction, not least because it's well written, contemporary and honestly raw in places. Rachel is a self absorbed, workaholic doctor, with a prickly exterior, few friends and a determination to be the very best in her field of heart surgery. When one of her patients, a young teenager with a rare disease, dies, there are serious repercussions which rapidly get out of hand. The story of how Rachel survives what follows, learns about what is truly important in life and learns not just to forgive but how to develop deep rich relationships, is told in an engaging and honest way, with real life being shown in all its grittiness and well as its joys. The book was a page-turner for me - even when I had to look up definitions of some of the medical terms! And then came the section set in France and I was even more deeply drawn in. This is, as the author says, contemporary drama from a Christian world view but the Christian message is subtle and meaningful, and in no way thrust i your face. This is a great story and one I thoroughly enjoyed.