Miracle Cure by Michael Palmer

January 7th, 2008 at 12:43 pm (Fiction: General, Fiction: Modern, Fiction: Thrillers, Fiction: Thrillers: Medical)

Michael Palmer’s Miracle Cure is just one of several Michael Palmer books I’ve read lately, so I have a stack of reviews to add to this blog! This medical thriller is among the best Palmer books I have read so far, although they are all fantastic, and I eagerly await a few spare hours to read the latest releases!

The story of Miracle Cure is told, in third person narrative, largely from the point of view of its central character, Dr Brain Holbrook, a cardiologist who is on his way back from alcholism and addiction to prescription painkillers. Given a second chance, Holbrook starts work at Boston’s most prestigious heart unit – rapidly gaining even more Kudos for its involvement in drug testing for the new cardiovascular miracle cure, Vasclear, a substance the reportedly reverses arterial plaque and virtually eliminates heart attack risk within weeks. Holbrook is especially keen since his father has already had one bypass operation, and is deteriorating.

Holbrook is not in a position to risk his new job, afterall, it may be his one and only chance to still be a doctor. But he cannot help but notice when Vasclear patients begin to die – and not always from natural causes. Holbrook appears to be on to something sinister, and his suspicions are confirmed when first come the warnings, and then the threats, leading him to discover the sinister truth behind Vasclear…

I really enjoyed escaping into this long novel, and spent a couple of pleasant afternoons sunk into the story. Holbrook is a very believable character, certainly not two dimensional like many fictional character, with his own problems and foibles. The story is at times tragic, but always exciting, with plenty of twists and turns to keep even the most seasoned thriller reader guessing!

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Fatal by Michael Palmer

November 7th, 2007 at 1:16 pm (Fiction: Thrillers, Fiction: Thrillers: Medical)

Michael Palmer’s Fatal is a brick of a book and a rollercoaster of a read, taking us through sinister intrigue, political conspiracy, 2 love stories, extreme violence and plot twists that keep on on coming! It took me a few nights to read this excellent book, and I was hooked from the first few pages as the very believable and complex central character Matt Rutledge drew me into the narrative from the outset, as I cared about what happened to him, which is quite unusual sometimes with modern fiction. The novel begins with an explosive prologue, as a cafeteria worker with flu-like symptoms suddenly begins haemorrhaging from every part of her body, and then in Boston a brilliant musician of sound mind develops acute paranoia which proves fatal. In Matt Rutledge’s West Virginia town of Belinda, a mine worker suddenly goes berserk in the mine causing death and injury. What can the connection be between the mine, its owners, and the deaths from strange causes across the country, which appear to have no connection? And how does the new super vaccine, Omnivax, fit into the picture? Matt Rutledge is determined to find out, enlisting help from some unexpected quarters – but will his quest for the truth prove fatal?

All these question ran through my mind, and finding the answers was an enjoyable journey through the eyes of the central characters as they put the pieces of the puzzle together at great risk to themselves. This was the first Michael Palmer book I’d read – but just now I’ve been to Amazon and ordered 5 more, that’s how good a read this was, it was a book I could totally escape into and enjoy the story, looking forward to my next instalment each night, and in a way I was sad to finish it. Michael Palmer’s Fatal comes highly recommended by this book reviews blog!

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