Primal Scene

When Bellevue Hospital research assistant Jennifer Light is beaten to death during the midnight-to-dawn shift, young psychiatric intern Seth Conrad is drawn into the case. As he recalls his teenage sister's death a dozen years before, Seth investigates the murder of the beautiful Jennifer, but amateur sleuthing almost kills him and his new love, New York News reporter Lindsay Cooper. Often moving in a dreamlike state, Seth discounts a gay doctor's ``suicide'' and ``confession,'' leading to a melodramatic confrontation with the killer. Readers may enjoy an insider's view of the famed hospital but will resist other aspects of psychiatrist Kramer's first novel. Nothing exciting happens until halfway into the book, too many scenes begin with flashbacks and red herrings pile up annoyingly at the end. Among the victims of inept linguistic stereotyping are blacks, Irish, WASPs, gays, Jews and New York cops. It doesn't help that Seth himself is a rather klutzy hero with a tendency to whine. (Jan.)