Almost Human [Mass Market Paperback]

Lillian Roberts (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 29, 1998

To Palm Springs veterinarian Andi Pauling, life is a precious commodity. That's why she is astonished when Gilda Hopkins makes an impassioned--and controversial--request. Gilda, dying painfully of cancer, asks Andi to kill her. But before Andi can recover from the shock, Gilda breathes her last.

Then Gilda's grown daughter suddenly accuses Andi of murder, forcing Andi to scramble for the truth. Striving to uphold her reputation, Andi soon confronts menace from a devious newspaperman, the distrust of her patients and staff, and a violent threat that could leave her stranded out in the desert with only the vultures for company. . . .

Editorial Reviews

From the Inside Flap

To Palm Springs veterinarian Andi Pauling, life is a precious commodity. That's why she is astonished when Gilda Hopkins makes an impassioned--and controversial--request. Gilda, dying painfully of cancer, asks Andi to kill her. But before Andi can recover from the shock, Gilda breathes her last.

Then Gilda's grown daughter suddenly accuses Andi of murder, forcing Andi to scramble for the truth. Striving to uphold her reputation, Andi soon confronts menace from a devious newspaperman, the distrust of her patients and staff, and a violent threat that could leave her stranded out in the desert with only the vultures for company. . . .

From the Back Cover

"Roberts is one new writer who delivers with the expertise of a veteran."
--RODERICK THORP

"Every animal lover wants a vet like Dr. Andi Pauling with her cool analytical mind and unfailingly warm heart."
--MARTHA C. LAWRENCE
Author of Murder in Scorpio

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 278 pages
• Publisher: Fawcett; 1st Ballantine Books Ed edition (August 29, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0449002284
• ISBN-13: 978-0449002285
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,900,764 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Entertaining Enough, September 29, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Almost Human (Mass Market Paperback)

Almost Human is an interesting, entertaining and quick read. As a mystery, however, the "mystery" aspect was not especially compelling. At times it seemed like Ms. Roberts felt too constrained by the mystery genre. I appreciated the fact that Ms. Roberts tackled a weighty, timely issue (suicides for the terminally ill), but she could have identified the guilty culprit early on (she nearly does anyway), focused on the exploding drama in Andi Pauling's formerly "normal life," and would have had a great book. I also found that the more engaging parts of the story focused on the "day in the life of the vet" and the kooky, very original chimpanzee sub-plot. Neither of these areas, though, is really mandatory for the mystery aspect. The tension does not build and any amount of "suspense" is really pro forma. More attention to plotting would have improved this mystery. Ms. Roberts is an excellent writer who creates wonderful characters. I get the sense she has many more great stories to tell, so I hope that she exercises a bit more creative freedom in her future books.

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Exceptional Animal Mystery, June 21, 2000

By 

Moe811 (New York USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Almost Human (Mass Market Paperback)

This is the first Andi Pauling mystery I've read and I can't wait to start my next. The characters are quirky yet real and the pace is relatively quick. The visit to the chimpanzee compound was really interesting. A very quick read!

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Almost readable, August 8, 2006

By 

K. A. Orr (Washington DC) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Almost Human (Mass Market Paperback)

Veterinarian Lillian Roberts needs to spend more time in reviewing practice management and researching facts. As a veterinarian,Cavalier King Charles owner and dog show attendee, I have never seen a tailess King Charles. They aren't Cocker Spaniels....And I certainly hope Dr. Roberts is more careful in her actual practice with controlled substances like morphine.....Not a bad read, but as a veterinarian I was appalled at the actions of the protagonist Dr. Pauling in providing anything other than acute emergency care in a non-human primate without adequate training.