Saturday, January 9, 2010

The Last Surgeon

Do you have a favorite author? Or, perhaps more than one? One of my favorite authors is Michael Palmer. I started reading his books by chance, and continue to read them and share them with friends. It all started a few years ago. Every year, after graduation, there was a trip coordinated from the University of Dayton to Daytona, where I went to college, called Dayton to Daytona. Some of my friends and I decided to join the trip the year we graduated. It was a great time, we all shared a ride down in someone's van and then shared a few rooms in Daytona. It was great to hang out with friends and enjoy the beach before we all headed our separate ways to start our careers.

As with any vacation, I had taken along some books, but I found that I read more than expected and soon had read all of the books I had brought along. So, since vacation wasn't yet over and I knew I had a car ride home after vacation, I headed to the store in the hotel lobby to check out the books. I thumbed through a few options, settling on a copy of Natural Causes. The idea of a medical thriller intrigued me. I had read other thrillers, mostly by Dean Koontz. This was the first Michael Palmer book I had read and after the first few chapters, I was hooked. After reading that first book, I went back and read my way through his other books. I continue to read his books, trying to read each new book as it is released (I fell behind during the baby years...I didn't read much of anything during those years). Including the newest book scheduled for release next month, he has written 15 medical thrillers.

As I indicated above, Michael Palmer writes medical thrillers and he has the background for it. You see, he's a doctor. He went to med school at Case Western Reserve and worked at a private internal medicine practice in Cape Cod. His education and experience give him an advantage in writing a medical thriller. He has the insider details on being a doctor, med school, working at a hospital and such, that really is reflected in the story. Once he started to write, he went to work in the ER. His bio says that it was so he would have more time to write, but I also have to believe that there is more inspiration and ideas to incorporate in a book in an ER job than in a private practice.

All of his books have a way of pulling you in. Sure, you can put down the book easily in the first few chapters, but by about chapter 3 it becomes increasingly difficult. A bad thing happens when I am reading one of his books - I lose a lot of sleep. I'm very guilty of "I'll just read one more chapter" and then 100 pages later, I'm having trouble keeping my eyes open and decide I really do need to put down the book and come back to it tomorrow. Needless to say, it is best for me to read his books on the weekend, when I can read the whole book in just two days. Reading during the week gets to be too hard, there just aren't as many hours to read and I just want to keep reading.

I'm drawn by two things in Michael Palmer's books. The characters and the scary thought that this could be real. I'm generally an optimist and believe in the greater good of people, but the stories that he writes really leave me questioning: Could this actually happen? Has this actually happened? His characters are great too. You have those that you love and those that you love to hate. I feel like I can relate to the characters, no matter how different they are than me, because he does a good job developing the characters in his stories - helping you understand who they are and a bit about what makes them tick. As I read, I find myself wanting to continue reading to know more about them and what happens next in their story. There is frequently even an element of a love story coursing through the storyline.

All of that being said, you can imagine my excitement when I was contacted, by Michael Palmer, to read an advanced copy of The Last Surgeon, his newest novel which is scheduled for release on February 16, and to write about it on my blog.

When the book arrived, I couldn't wait to start reading it. The book follows two main characters, Jillian Coates, a psych nurse, and Dr. Nick Garrity, a veteran suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and features, Franz Koller, a psychopath who prides himself on being the master of the "non-kill".

Jillian's sister recently was found dead and the death deemed to be a suicide. Jillian, knowing her sister like she did, doesn't believe that it was a suicide, but suspects it was a murder and sets off to figure out what's going on. Her sister left a clue for her in the form of some comic books, that eventually leads her to Dr. Nick Garrity. Nick Garrity is working as a doctor on a mobile clinic and has been in search of his friend, who saved his life during the war, that had simply disappeared a few years ago. Together, as they look for answers, they start to uncover things. When they learn of a series of recent deaths that tie back to a fatally botched operation a few years ago, they come dangerously close to being the next "non-kill". Will they discover the truth before it's too late?

As expected, I was up much too late reading this book a few nights in a row. It was a great story and I found myself cheering for Jillian and Nick and hoping that Franz Koller would be tripped up and found out.

You can read more about the book here. In addition, you can even read a prequel to the book here, where you can learn more about the back story of Franz Koller.

Intrigued? Would you like a chance to enter to win your own autographed copy of The Last Surgeon? You are in luck, thanks to Michael Palmer, I have the opportunity to have one reader win an autographed copy of this new book.

Primary Entry:
Leave a comment answering the following questions: Who is your favorite author? What is your favorite book?

Additional Entries:
  • Share this giveaway with friends - on your blog, on Facebook or by e-mail. Leave me a comment letting me know how you shared.

  • Follow @ABusyMomofTwo and @MichaelPalmer on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway. You may complete this entry once per day. (You may use the following or write your own: I just entered to win an autographed copy of @MichaelPalmer's latest thriller, hosted by @ABusyMomofTwo. http://bit.ly/6HVzpB

  • Follow A Busy Mom of Two. Subscribe to updates in your feed reader or in e-mail. Leave me a comment letting me know that you signed up, or that you already subscribe.

  • Leave a comment with a link to your blog where you have either my button or have a link to A Busy Mom of Two in your blog roll.


Giveaway will remain open until January 21st at 6 pm. One winner will be selected using a random number generator. The winner will be contacted by e-mail (be sure to leave one!) and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be selected.

I received no compensation for this post. I received an autographed advanced readers' copy of The Last Surgeon from Michael Palmer to read and review. In addition, he is providing an autographed copy of the book to one reader through the giveaway.

31 comments:

Anonymous said...

My favorite author is Ann Rule. I love ALL of her true crime books.

deborahcraft at yahoo dot com

Anonymous said...

I enjoy books by Jodi Piccoult. I also love anything by Nicholas Sparks.
Deb
ardenpostma@aol.com

Anonymous said...

My favorite author is David Sedaris, and my favorite book of his is "Me Talk Pretty One Day". So funny!

ossmcalc said...

My favorite author is James Patterson. My favorite book is "Bury My Heart At Wounded Knee."

Thank you,

Christine
womackcm@sbcglobal.net

ossmcalc said...

I have shared this giveaway with family and friends on Facebook under the name of Christine Womack.

Thank you,

Christine
womackcm@sbcglobal.net

ossmcalc said...

I have shared about this giveaway with family and friends through email with a cc to you.

Thank you,

Christine
womackcm@sbcglobal.net

ossmcalc said...

I follow @ABusyMomofTwo and @MichaelPalmer on Twitter and tweeted about this giveaway http://twitter.com/ossmcalc/status/7573894840

Thank you,

Christine
womackcm@sbcglobal.net

ossmcalc said...

I follow A Busy Mom of Two and subscribe via email.

Thank you,

Christine
womackcm@sbcglobal.net

ossmcalc said...

01/10

I tweeted about this giveaway http://twitter.com/ossmcalc/status/7619850397

Thank you,

Christine
womackcm@sbcglobal.net

Anonymous said...

I love Tracie Patterson.

lauralearussell@aol.com

Anonymous said...

Charlie Huston is my favorite author, and my favorite book is "Good Omens". Jackie hotbunz81@hotmail.com

NeedANap2 said...

Favorite author is probably Dee Henderson though she hasn't written anything recently! I'm not sure of my favorite book (Christian thing to say would be the Bible). :)

NeedANap2 said...

you're on my bloglines

ossmcalc said...

01/13

I tweeted about this giveaway http://twitter.com/ossmcalc/status/7699383388

Thank you,

Christine
womackcm@sbcglobal.net

bison61 said...

my favorite author is Stephen King and I like the book The Stand

tiramisu392 (at) yahoo.com

Anonymous said...

Honestly, my favorite author is Julie Garwood and my favorite book is "Say Goodnight, Gracie" (not by her)

Darrell
miamichickens at yahoo dot com

ossmcalc said...

01/15

I tweeted about this giveaway http://twitter.com/ossmcalc/status/7780178781

Thank you,

Christine
womackcm@sbcglobal.net

Anita Yancey said...

My favorite author is Janet Evanovich. I love all of her Stephanie Plum series, but her last one Finger Lickin' Fifteen is my favorite book so far. Please enter me. Thanks!

ayancey(at)dishmail(dot)net

ossmcalc said...

01/15

I tweeted about this giveaway http://twitter.com/ossmcalc/status/7801260163

Thank you,

Christine
womackcm@sbcglobal.net

Kathryn said...

I am really loving the Outlander series by Gabaldon. Thanks for the giveaway.

kathrynbaby2004@yahoo.com

Heather O'Donnell said...

I am currently reading anything I can get my hands on by Jodi Picoult. She is fantastic. My favorite book of all time is The Island of the Blue Dolphins. I read it in 6th grade.
heatherinaz at gmail dot com

Sarah G said...

I go through phases of loving various authors - right now, I'm reading all of Agatha Cristie's works. My favorite so far is the collection of Hercule Poirot stories.

hawaiismn(at)gmail(dot)com

Sarah G said...

I'm following you and Michael Palmer on Twitter and tweeted: http://twitter.com/hawaiismn/status/7991182972

hawaiismn(at)gmail(dot)com

Sarah G said...

I'm a subscriber via Google Reader.

hawaiismn(at)gmail(dot)com

Unknown said...

I'm subscribed by RSS feed and enjoy your posts. Thanks for a great giveaway. There's nothing better than a good book!

Unknown said...

My favorite author is Beth Moore, Christian writer and educator, whose best book yet is "Breaking Free."

Maggie M.- maggiebugjuice@aol.com said...

I use to love John Grisham but I haven't read anything much by him. I am reading "Map to Holland" right now and love it
thanks,
Maggie M.

Maggie M.- maggiebugjuice@aol.com said...

follow you via email,
thanks
maggie m.

Shelly Leatham said...

My favorite author is James Patterson! My favorite book is
7th Heaven!
thanks
bleatham(at)gmail.com

Shelly Leatham said...

following both on twitter and tweeted
bleatham(at)gmail.com
http://twitter.com/sleatham1/status/8019564889

Melissa said...

My favorite author is John Grisham, however my favorite book ever is The Color Purple.