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42 of 43 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
"This is a wondrous age.", February 3, 2008
This review is from: The Anatomy of Deception (Hardcover)
Lawrence Goldstone's "The Anatomy of Deception" opens in 1889. As the nineteenth century is drawing to a close, physicians are employing the principles of analytic detection to make diagnoses and heal sickness. In addition, the world is on the brink of a number of thrilling discoveries that will save many lives. The first chapter is set in the Blockley Dead House, a morgue at the University Hospital in West Philadelphia, described by the author as "a squat, solitary brick building [and] a fetid vault filled with cadavers in various states of putrefaction." In this grim edifice, Dr. William Osler, head of Clinical Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania Medical School, teaches his students morbid anatomy. Among his acolytes is Dr. Ephraim Carroll, who left his private practice in Chicago to learn from "the Professor." To Carroll and his colleagues, Osler is a "modern-day Hippocrates," an astounding man with a tremendous breadth of knowledge and a willingness to share his expertise with the next generation of doctors. Some vocal protesters still oppose autopsy, which they consider to be a ghoulish and unholy practice. Osler is forced to bribe a morgue attendant to absent himself when a fresh supply of cadavers becomes available for dissection.
One day, a session in the morgue ends abruptly when Osler opens up an ice chest containing the corpse of a young, light-haired and once beautiful female whose body had been abandoned in the street. Both Osler and a disreputable medical student named Turk are visibly shocked when they see her, and the Professor quickly slams the lid shut. Ephraim will soon find himself knee deep in a puzzle involving this woman: Who was she? Who or what killed her? When, shortly thereafter, one of his acquaintances dies unexpectedly, Carroll decides to pursue the matter. By the time he learns the shocking truth about this case, Carroll will lose many of his illusions about the integrity and moral values of so-called "honorable" men.
Goldstone skillfully recreates the giddy excitement that forward-looking scientists felt as they faced a new century filled with seemingly unlimited possibilities. Surgical techniques that could reduce shock and infection were no longer pipe dreams. This richly detailed book is filled with fascinating information about the pioneers of medicine during this transitional decade. The author smoothly incorporates historical figures into his narrative. In addition to the aforementioned William Osler, both the famed surgeon, William Stewart Halstead, and the great American painter, Thomas Eakins, play key roles. Osler is unquestionably brilliant, but is he also venal and overly ambitious? Halstead is rumored to be a drug addict. Is there any foundation to the destructive gossip that threatens to destroy his reputation? Also worth noting: Abigail Benedict, a lovely and wealthy bohemian who wins Ephraim's heart but hesitates to give hers in return; Mary Simpson, a courageous doctor who is dedicated not only to healing the sick but also to helping women in trouble; and Jonas Lachtmann, an affluent and influential individual who threatens to destroy Carroll if his investigation takes him down the wrong path. There are also nicely drawn minor players including women of ill-repute, a tenacious Pinkerton detective, a burly henchman, and a detective named Borst, who is none too pleased with Ephraim's interference.
This is an absorbing work that brings a bygone era to life; it is also a suspenseful and engrossing thriller. The author explores a number of themes that intersect seamlessly: the dilemma of whether to follow one's conscience when doing so might not serve the greater good; the limited choices open to women who are treated as men's private possessions; the close-mindedness that makes scientific progress an uphill battle; and the impossibility of achieving perfect justice in an inequitable world. Goldstone's stylish prose, engaging dialogue, and riveting plot combine to make this a first-rate novel.
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22 of 24 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Well-done historical mystery, February 4, 2008
This review is from: The Anatomy of Deception (Hardcover)
This is a good, solid effort, and it works very well in giving a sense of time and place in Philadelphia in 1889 and of a medical profession in transition. Goldstone successfully intertwines the lives of real and fictional people--Eakins, Halstead, and Osler (and others) with a fictional protagonist. Medical treatment could be a mixed bag: invasive surgical procedures could be done relatively safely, or could be done in horribly septic conditions. The upper crust of Philadelphia and the lower crust sometimes had much closer connections than you might have thought.
Goldstone has a flair for writing--this becomes evident after just a few pages in the book. The historical flavor is fine. But I was not always convinced about the characters. Carroll (the protagonist) comes to Philadelphia from working in slum areas in Chicago: I would expect him to be much more comfortable, more at ease, in the seedier areas of Philadelphia. Drugs and illegal operations would not surprise him. At the same time, there were many strong social conventions in place. This was, after all the time of the Four Hundred in New York. Being a good physician or surgeon was one thing, but that didn't open all doors.
This is also a book about moral choices, choices made by Carroll and others. The decisions that are made may not always seem right, but these are, after all, individual human choices. It's a satisfying and enjoyable novel, and hopefully just the first of more novels to come by the author.
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10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Interesting historical mystery with a medical twist, February 2, 2008
This review is from: The Anatomy of Deception (Hardcover)
Philadelphia in the late 1800s is the setting for this interesting historical mystery novel, which follows the adventures of Ephraim Carroll as he tries to figure out who has killed one of his classmates, a doctor studying with him under William Ohsler, one of the great physicians of the 19th century. Ohsler was a real figure in history, as are several of the other characters in the story, and they provide color for the narrative.
Carroll is an unsophisticated country boy who is somewhat overwhelmed by Philadelphia. At the beginning of the book he's befriended by one of his classmates, a more worldly character named Turk. Turk later turns up dead, and Carroll swiftly makes the deduction that he's been poisoned. When this proves true, Carroll must find out who the killer is and why he did it. As things progress, the plot gets murkier and moral questions arise, some of which don't appear to have a real answer.
I enjoyed this book a great deal. The author does a very good job with the characters and the sense of place. At times it almost seems as if Philadelphia from more than a hundred years ago is real. I really enjoyed this book, and would recommend it.
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