The Bottom Line: Murder, mutiny and bad medicine are afoot in this intriguing thriller.
As pediatrician Erica Rosen returns in her third series book, fans will recall that the good doctor has seen more than her fair share of hardship. Having confronted genetic manipulation, murder and terrorism in past thrillers, Erica now faces a potentially lethal challenge from within her own ranks.
As usual, Greene has wrapped a medical thriller around extremely intriguing subject matter. In the opening pages, the physician proves her commitment to patient care by roaming the emergency room – not because she’s on duty, but because she’s trying to anticipate what admissions may be coming her way. Soon, Erica observes what appears to be an interdepartmental romance between her assistant, Martha, and Dr. Jeremy Nilsen, a handsome new physician.
But is that all it is? The relationship coincides with Erica’s suspicion that her patients aren’t responding to medicine manufactured by a company Erica has never heard of. When Erica asks the typically capable Martha to get it analyzed, she lies, claiming that no lab can do it.
Soon, Rosen also begins to suspect that Nilsen is stealing her patients. Something nefarious is going on, and as always, Erica won’t stop until she gets to the bottom of it. Readers will find themselves rooting for Erica and friend Daisy as they investigate a drug company that is putting patients’ lives in danger. Along the way, author Deven Greene proves that no character is too precious to be put in harms’ way, which raises the stakes ever-higher as the book hurls toward its engrossing conclusion.
