Man Down by Stephani Hecht, which can be read as a stand-alone novella, gives you a great introduction to the author’s popular St. Michaels series about paramedics. Man Down is the second book in the series that currently includes four books. Nothing (except possibly police work) can beat the dramatic potential inherent in the lives of emergency medical personnel, but the average writer may either underwhelm us or overwhelm us with technical details. Not so with Man Down, which features medical scenes written with the smooth precision that can only come from an insider view into the profession. The novella becomes a treat to read with the further addition of a hero who behaves intriguingly counter to type.

The story begins with Jessie, a student paramedic with a strong drive to establish himself in his stressful profession. His youthfulness and delicate good looks draw a lot of attention from men and women alike. This, combined with his mysterious and tragic past could have made him a shrinking violet type, but his confident and mischievous personality make him much more complex. He experiences a strong mutual attraction with his instructor Randall, a stern authority figure. Randall lusts after Jessie but worries that Jessie is too young for him. The two negotiate their uneasy sexual tension as Randall attempts to solve the mystery of Jessie’s past.

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