The Death Merchant (Diagnosis Murder #2) [Paperback]

Lee Goldberg (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 3, 2004

A dream vacation in Hawaii turns into a nightmare for Dr. Mark Sloan and his son, Steve, when a man they've befriended falls victim to a shark attack. But when Mark discovers evidence indicating the victim was murdered prior to becoming shark food, he and Steve comb the beaches to find a different kind of predator...

Editorial Reviews

Review

Long live Dr. Mark Sloan! (Janet Evanovich) A nifty creative take on the tradition of great amateur sleuths with a cast of quirky characters. (Stuart M. Kaminsky)

About the Author

Writer/producer Lee Goldberg is a two-time Edgar Award nominee who served as head writer and executive producer of the "Diagnosis Murder" TV series. His many other TV credits include "SeaQuest," "Martial Law," "Spenser For Hire," and "Monk." He's also the author of "Successful Television Writing," "The Man With The Iron-On Badge," and the "Monk" series of original novels.

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Signet (February 3, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0451211308
• ISBN-13: 978-0451211309
• Product Dimensions: 6.6 x 4.1 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #925,012 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Race Against the Clock to Stop a Killer, February 27, 2004

By 

Mark Baker (Santa Clarita, CA United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Death Merchant (Diagnosis Murder #2) (Paperback)

Mark and Steve are enjoying a vacation in Hawaii. Well, Steve is, but Mark is missing his work and solving mysteries. While Steve sight-sees, Mark spends his time helping fellow guests with their minor injuries. In this way, he befriends Danny Royal, a local who just swam through a school of jelly fish. Mark is shocked to see Danny attacked by a shark the next day. But when the body is recovered, Mark suspects that it was really murder. Steve is reluctantly drawn into the investigation. Mark and Steve are surprised to learn that Danny was not who they thought he was. In fact, they don't know who he was. Can they solve this bizarre crime in time to stop the killer from striking again?

Once again, Lee Goldberg has captured the heart and sole of this TV show. Just what you'd expect from one of the former producers. The plot of this book is original. We know most of what's going on and why before Mark does, even spending time in the villain's point of view. But this only makes the suspense mount as we watched Mark try to figure things out before the killer strikes again. My only real complaint is that Jesse and Amanda have greatly reduced roles. I always loved the ensemble feel of the show. Still, their appearances are great, and I especially loved their first scene at BBQ Bob's.

Any fan of this TV show should do themselves a favor and get this book. Even if you didn't watch the show, you'll still enjoy this thrilling tale of detection starring a wonderful amateur sleuth.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Edge of your seat reading, February 4, 2004

By 

"barrionettebabe" (Long Island, NY, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Death Merchant (Diagnosis Murder #2) (Paperback)

The Death Merchant is the type of book you can't put down. Once you start you can't stop! It has some light comedy in it but a lot of drama. Lee you once again proved yourself the BEST! The Death Merchant blows away The Silent Partner. I recommend this to all the Diagnosis Murder Fans out there! Again thanks Lee for a great story! :-)

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Captures the Humor from the show, March 1, 2004

By 

V. Pennington (Odessa, MO USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Death Merchant (Diagnosis Murder #2) (Paperback)

and more. It isn't a mystery, as you already know who the killer is from the beginning-as it tells his point of view. The chase however, is the story and you get to see a little bit of what drives Mark Sloan to do the things he does. The story is a quick read, but enjoyable throughout each page. I liked the mystery of the first one a little better, but this one had a lot of the humor elements that I loved from the show. I could actually picture Mark in the chair at the end!