Save the life. Save the life...This is the mantra repeated by Dr. Rae Duprey, Berkeley Hills Hosptial's premier obstetrician, who's haunted by the searing memory of her own mother's death in the back of an ambulance—and driven by a passion to save the lives of the women and babies in her care. But when her candidacy for the chairmanship of Berkeley Hills' prestigious obstetrics department is derailed by a series of "bad baby" cases emanating from the politically sensitive birth center across the street, Rae is determined to uncover the truth about why these seemingly routine deliveries are going fatally haywire.

As her investigation unleashes a firestorm of resistance from all sides, Rae discovers that in the ruthlessly competitive atmoshpere of today's helath-care system, everyone has a hidden agenda...As the hair-raising emergencies continue unabated, she begins to suspect the unthinkable: a sinister plan of medical sabotage, masterminded by a killer who is hardly a stranger to Berkeley Hills Hospital....

Combining suspense, utterly authentic characters, and the most riveting medical emergency scenes to be found anywhere, The Silent Cradle takes the medical thriller into compelling new territory. With unique insight into the drama and politics of medicine today, Margaret Cuthbert's talents make for a memorable debut.