In the middle of a New Year's Eve blizzard, the staff and patients of Angels of Mercy Hospital are held hostage by armed gunmen. Their target is Dr. Gina Freeman, who is holding vigil over her wounded fiancé, Detective Jerry Boyle. Stranded outside the hospital is ER physician Linda Fiore, whose past holds the secret the hitmen are willing to kill for. With the cold-blooded killers in control, no one may live to see the New Year.
Critical Condition: A Novel (Angels of Mercy)
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Editorial Reviews
From the Author
Chaos is good! Chaos is our friend--at least it is, if you're a thriller writer.
As a pediatric ER doc who practiced for seventeen years before becoming a full-time thriller writer, you'd think I'd be used to chaos, thrive on it.
Usually I do, I love nothing more than to embrace my inner chaos and unleash it on my poor unsuspecting characters. But this new book, the fourth in my Angels of Mercy series, quite frankly kicked my butt!
Here's the premise: Die Hard in a hospital on New Year's Eve.
Sounds like fun, doesn't it? And believe me, it is--this book has everything!
Which is part of the problem--because my series centers on four main characters, every book is a juggling act with four complete stories in one book, all converging together at the climax (or during the multi-climaxes, lol). Plus, I'm known for my "breathtakingly fast-paced" plots.
So, with each book, I've upped the bar as far as intensity and giving the reader an adrenalin rush of a thrill ride. Book #1, LIFELINES, was pretty much pure thriller with increasing stakes until the entire city of Pittsburgh was at risk.
Book #2, WARNING SIGNS, was a different kind of challenge: combining a coming of age story about a medical student suffering from mysterious symptoms with the whodunnit mystery behind the deadly symptoms.
URGENT CARE, book #3, was a true book of my heart and the toughest to write--in it, I explore the psychological effects of surviving a trauma. It's a dark, gritty suspense, very emotionally honest.
So for book #4, CRITICAL CONDITION, the finale of the Angels' quadrilogy, I wanted to go back to the intense pacing of the first book. Only I set myself an even bigger challenge--instead of taking place over 4 days, this book takes place over four HOURS!
Yep, you got it--you'll pretty much read this book in real time--which means juggling not only four characters and their story arcs but down to the second timing between each scene.
Plus, after the dark intensity of URGENT CARE, I wanted to give readers a bit of a smile, so there are all sorts of unexpected happenings (unexpected even to me, lol! Don't you love it when that happens, you're just writing along and you surprise even yourself? Talk about chaos!) and fun twists and turns.
The only way I could figure out how to perform this juggling act was to....write the book backwards!
I've always been a seat of the pants writer, often writing out of order, but never have I pushed it this far.
I've done more than embracing my inner chaos, I'm eating, sleeping, drinking, breathing it every second...and you know what? It's been a heck of a ride.
Not just because it's been a fun book to write and I'm so excited to see these characters come into their own and earn their happily-ever-afters, but also because I know I pushed myself not just to the limits, but past them.....
Of course, my main worry is, how the heck am I going to raise the bar even higher for the next book?!?
Oh well, whatever I come up with, it will be tons of fun!!!
So go for it, embrace your inner chaos today and check out CRITICAL CONDITION!
Thanks for reading!
CJ --This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.
As a pediatric ER doc who practiced for seventeen years before becoming a full-time thriller writer, you'd think I'd be used to chaos, thrive on it.
Usually I do, I love nothing more than to embrace my inner chaos and unleash it on my poor unsuspecting characters. But this new book, the fourth in my Angels of Mercy series, quite frankly kicked my butt!
Here's the premise: Die Hard in a hospital on New Year's Eve.
Sounds like fun, doesn't it? And believe me, it is--this book has everything!
Which is part of the problem--because my series centers on four main characters, every book is a juggling act with four complete stories in one book, all converging together at the climax (or during the multi-climaxes, lol). Plus, I'm known for my "breathtakingly fast-paced" plots.
So, with each book, I've upped the bar as far as intensity and giving the reader an adrenalin rush of a thrill ride. Book #1, LIFELINES, was pretty much pure thriller with increasing stakes until the entire city of Pittsburgh was at risk.
Book #2, WARNING SIGNS, was a different kind of challenge: combining a coming of age story about a medical student suffering from mysterious symptoms with the whodunnit mystery behind the deadly symptoms.
URGENT CARE, book #3, was a true book of my heart and the toughest to write--in it, I explore the psychological effects of surviving a trauma. It's a dark, gritty suspense, very emotionally honest.
So for book #4, CRITICAL CONDITION, the finale of the Angels' quadrilogy, I wanted to go back to the intense pacing of the first book. Only I set myself an even bigger challenge--instead of taking place over 4 days, this book takes place over four HOURS!
Yep, you got it--you'll pretty much read this book in real time--which means juggling not only four characters and their story arcs but down to the second timing between each scene.
Plus, after the dark intensity of URGENT CARE, I wanted to give readers a bit of a smile, so there are all sorts of unexpected happenings (unexpected even to me, lol! Don't you love it when that happens, you're just writing along and you surprise even yourself? Talk about chaos!) and fun twists and turns.
The only way I could figure out how to perform this juggling act was to....write the book backwards!
I've always been a seat of the pants writer, often writing out of order, but never have I pushed it this far.
I've done more than embracing my inner chaos, I'm eating, sleeping, drinking, breathing it every second...and you know what? It's been a heck of a ride.
Not just because it's been a fun book to write and I'm so excited to see these characters come into their own and earn their happily-ever-afters, but also because I know I pushed myself not just to the limits, but past them.....
Of course, my main worry is, how the heck am I going to raise the bar even higher for the next book?!?
Oh well, whatever I come up with, it will be tons of fun!!!
So go for it, embrace your inner chaos today and check out CRITICAL CONDITION!
Thanks for reading!
CJ --This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.
From the Back Cover
This New Year's resolution? Stay alive....
"Harrowing...irresistible."
--New York Times bestselling author Susan Wiggs on LIFELINES
Critics praised the national bestseller LIFELINES as "breathtakingly fast-paced" (Publishers Weekly), WARNING SIGNS as "exhilarating" (Genre Go Round), and URGENT CARE as "riveting" (Pittsburgh Magazine). Now CJ Lyons returns to an ER under attack as the lives of four very special women hang in the balance...
With Pittsburgh snarled by a New Year's Eve blizzard and Angels of Mercy Hospital cut off from the outside world, staff and patients are at the mercy of armed gunmen. Their target is Dr. Gina Freeman, who is holding vigil over her wounded fiancé, Detective Jerry Boyle.
Trapped inside with her are ER charge nurse Nora Halloran and fourth-year medical student Amanda Mason, on the last night of her ICU rotation--if not her life. Stranded outside the hospital walls is ER physician Lydia Fiore, whose past holds the secret the hitmen are willing to kill for.
With patients, staff, and loved ones held as hostages, the power out, and cold-blooded killers in control, no one may live to see the New Year... --This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.
"Harrowing...irresistible."
--New York Times bestselling author Susan Wiggs on LIFELINES
Critics praised the national bestseller LIFELINES as "breathtakingly fast-paced" (Publishers Weekly), WARNING SIGNS as "exhilarating" (Genre Go Round), and URGENT CARE as "riveting" (Pittsburgh Magazine). Now CJ Lyons returns to an ER under attack as the lives of four very special women hang in the balance...
With Pittsburgh snarled by a New Year's Eve blizzard and Angels of Mercy Hospital cut off from the outside world, staff and patients are at the mercy of armed gunmen. Their target is Dr. Gina Freeman, who is holding vigil over her wounded fiancé, Detective Jerry Boyle.
Trapped inside with her are ER charge nurse Nora Halloran and fourth-year medical student Amanda Mason, on the last night of her ICU rotation--if not her life. Stranded outside the hospital walls is ER physician Lydia Fiore, whose past holds the secret the hitmen are willing to kill for.
With patients, staff, and loved ones held as hostages, the power out, and cold-blooded killers in control, no one may live to see the New Year... --This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.
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More About the Author
Questions from Readers for C. J. Lyons
Q
When will Shadow Ops #3 be available? I can't wait to see what develops between Rose and Billy
Bea
asked
13 days ago
Thanks for asking! I'm hard at work on EDGE OF SHADOWS and hope to have it ready for you guys this summer--it's soooo much fun torturing Rose and Billy on their way to their happily-ever-after, but if anyone deserves a great ending, they do!
C. J. Lyons answered
12 days ago
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
fantastic fast-paced finish,
This review is from: Critical Condition: A Novel (Angels of Mercy) (Paperback)
In Pittsburgh several staff and visitors at Angels of Mercy Hospital were shot by a hit man. Detective Jerry Boyle received the worst injury. The killer escaped, but also failed to kill his intended victim. Boyle's girlfriend Dr. Gina Freeman worries about him because he is not same since he took the shot to the head.
On New Year's Eve, a blizzard shuts down the streets and strands everyone at the hospital. The trapped includes the killer and his cohorts who plan to finish the job even if it means leaving a blood bath behind. These predators take charge with hostages. ER Charge Nurse Nora Halloran and medical rotational student Amanda Mason worry inside the facility, outside the hospital remains frantic ER Dr. Linda Fiore The latest Angels of Mercy medical thriller (See Urgent Care, Warning signs and Lifelines) is a fantastic fast-paced finish to a strong hospital saga. Loaded with action but a bit over the top of PNC Park, readers will be hooked from the moment the killers begin taking over the hospital. With a neat late twist, fans will appreciate this terrific tale that inside an exciting plot showcases how far four women have come since CJ Lyons introduced them to fans two years ago. Perhaps a four-novella sequel to see where each is in five to ten years would be wonderful. Harriet Klausner
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Critical Condition: A Top Notch Book!,
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This review is from: Critical Condition: A Novel (Angels of Mercy) (Paperback)
Cj Lyons has done it again with Critical Condition. Critical Condition is fact paced and more with continuing the stories of the four women that make the medical field their life. We find out what happened to them all in this last book in the series and though it is sad about some of the characters, at least we know the main characters survive and so forth. I am glad that I discovered Cj Lyons and look forward to her next book.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Awesome,
By Brenda (Greensburg, PA United States) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Critical Condition: A Novel (Angels of Mercy) (Paperback)
C. J. has done it again. I read the first three and couldn't wait for the fourth one. Needless to say after purchasing it I read it in one day!!! Love the characters and what an ending!!! Surprised me!!! Can't wait for C. J. next book.
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