Book Review: Dead End Deal by Allen Wyler

Author: Allen Wyler

Source: review copy offered by publisher (check it out here)

My Rating: 3.5 cups

Blurb: (from Goodreads)

World renowned neurosurgeon Jon Ritter is on the verge of a medical breakthrough that will change the world. His groundbreaking surgical treatment, using transplanted non-human stem cells, is set to eradicate the scourge of Alzheimer’s disease and give hope to millions. But when the procedure is slated for testing, it all comes to an abrupt and terrifying halt. Ritter’s colleague is gunned down and Ritter himself is threatened by a radical anti-abortion group that not only claims responsibility, but promises more of the same.
Faced with a dangerous reality but determined to succeed, Ritter turns to his long-time colleague, corporate biotech CEO Richard Stillman, for help. Together, they conspire to conduct a clandestine clinical trial in Seoul, Korea. But the danger is more determined, and more lethal, than Ritter could have imagined.
After successful surgical trials, Ritter and his allies are thrown into a horrifying nightmare scenario: The trial patients have been murdered and Ritter is the number one suspect. Aided by his beautiful lab assistant, Yeonhee, Ritter flees the country, now the target of an international manhunt involving Interpol, the FBI, zealous fanatics and a coldly efficient assassin named Fiest.

What worked for me:

• Medical thriller -  I liked the idea of a neurosurgeon finding the cure for Alzheimer's disease. And the idea of using stem cells was brilliant. It was a new, fresh idea. I also enjoyed the fact that the reader gets to learn some history on stem cells. My knowledge on that subject is limited, so it was very interesting finding out more about the subject.
• Multiple POVs - Like I said in the past, multiple characters and their POV make me see the big picture and to see the plots in a lot more detail than usually. So I loved that every major character in this boom got to "share" his side of the story.
• Pacing - This book is really fast-paced. I didn't get bored reading it, there wasn't a moment where the plot stopped developing or where the action wasn't moving forward. It's not too fast that you lose some important detail, it's just the right kind of fast, if that makes sense. 

What didn't work for me:

• Because there were multiple POVs, you know from the very start who, why, when and how is trying to intimidate Jon Ritter. That made the suspense sort of fade for me. It made me anticipate more than I felt comfortable. I would've wanted more mystery surrounding the person who tried to make Jon Ritter not continue with his research. 

I liked this book and I'm sure I would've liked it even more had it not been for the fact that we find out from the very start who is doing what. Even so, the story was great and it kept me reading and it kept me wanting to know how the book ended. So if you're a thriller fan, you should check this book out :)

Book Review: Lethal Remedy by Richard L. Mabry

 

Author: Richard L. Mabry
Series: Prescription for Trouble #4
My Rating: 4 cups

Source: NetGalley
Blurb: (from Goodreads)

What happens when the race to stop a lethal bacteria becomes a race to stop a killer?


Dr. Sara Miles’s teenage patient is on the brink of death from an overwhelming, highly resistant infection with Staph luciferus, known to doctors as “the killer.” Only an experimental antibiotic, developed and administered by Sara’s ex-husband, Dr. Jack Ingersoll, can save the girl's life.


Seeking to put his life back together after the death of his wife, Dr. John Ramsey joins the medical center faculty staff. But his decision to do so could prove to be costly and even fatal.


Potentially lethal late effects from the experimental drug send Sara and her colleague, Dr. Rip Pearson, on a hunt for hidden critical data that will let them reverse the changes before it’s too late. What is the missing puzzle piece? And who is hiding it?

I was very excited when I heard there was another book in the Prescription for Trouble series coming out. Granted, I didn't manage to read the first two books yet, but I was still excited.

I have to say I liked this book better than the third book, Diagnosis Death. I think it was probably because it was a bit different than what I read before. The idea that there's a magic drug that can cure a lethal virus was brilliant. I was expecting the secondary effects, what I didn't expect was the way the characters  out what the drug did and how it did that. I liked that. I also liked how Mr. Mabry explained certain medical terms and made them understandable for someone with little or no medical training.

I also liked the characters. Sara was a very strong woman, one who has been through a lot of pain, but managed to live through it. She's also dedicated to her work and trying all she can to save her patients. Rip was an interesting character. He's a very good friend and a good doctor. He's the kind of guy you can depend on.

There are other characters in this book that I loved, but I'll let you judge them as you see fit.

I can't wait for other books from this author. I'm going to read the other books in the series very soon.

My Rating: