Doctored Evidence: A Suspense Novel [Hardcover]

Michael Biehl (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 8, 2002

This legal/medical thriller, written by a health-care industry insider, is set in a Midwest hospital. When the hospital's chief financial officer dies during a normally routine surgical procedure, Karen Hayes, the hospital's staff lawyer, begins to investigate. She soon finds herself in the middle of a web of intrigue involving an ambitious hospital administrator, scheming doctors, a Medicare fraud conspiracy--and threats, intimidation, blackmail and violence.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Occasionally, the solution to a good mystery such as this one will actually make the whole story more interesting. In Biehl's first novel, this is true in a number of ways, for not only do the killer's identity and motive come as appropriate surprises, but these revelations heighten the reality and deepen the humanity of the book. The killer here, however, is not the prime target of our detective's investigation. Courageous and morally upright Karen Hayes, a staff lawyer at Shoreview Memorial in Jefferson, Ill., faces a crisis when the hospital's chief financial officer dies during an operation, apparently the result of a defective catheter. Anticipating a lawsuit, Karen discovers that the victim was engaged in his own investigation. A number of prominent physicians on the staff are involved in performing utterly unnecessary but profitable procedures on unsuspecting patients and billing Medicare and Medicaid for patients who have died. Karen finds herself in a difficult situation facing the wrath of both staff and administration as well as the possibility of death at the hands of the murderer. A lawyer familiar with hospitals and the kind of fraud that costs the taxpayer $100 billion annually, the author knows how to use his insider's knowledge to tell an engrossing, nicely paced tale, with credible and engaging characters. This harrowing expos‚ of medical fraud will chill as well as infuriate.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

An appealing protagonist and a suspenseful plot win the day for this flawed but promising debut novel. Karen Hayes, staff lawyer for Shoreview Memorial Hospital in Illinois, discovers that the death, during surgery, of the hospital's CFO was not an accident. As she investigates further, a complex web of deceit involving several prominent doctors emerges. Biehl is at his best when the engaging Karen is following clues, and the tension is building. Unfortunately, he has trouble when he tries to integrate backstory into the main plot, and his supporting characters lack the depth and appeal of the protagonist (Jake, Karen's husband, says "no problema" way too much to be likable). As John Grisham and Mary Higgins Clark have proved, however, narrative drive can overcome a plethora of weaknesses for plot-driven readers. This should raise the blood pressure of Grisham and Robin Cook fans. Jenny McLarin
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 288 pages
• Publisher: Bridgeworks; 1st edition (April 8, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1882593553
• ISBN-13: 978-1882593552
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.8 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.7 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,850,802 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Compelling medical mystery!, May 22, 2002

By 

Barbara Bartlein (Milwaukee,, WI USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Doctored Evidence: A Suspense Novel (Hardcover)

If you are looking for a great read that is hard to put down, check out Doctored Evidence. From the opening scene to the unraveling of the evidence, it captures the imagination and leaves you wondering about your own medical and hospital experiences. With detailed information on the inner workings of large healthcare systems, Biehl presents a believable story of suspense and deception. Don't miss this one!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars absorbing medical-legal plot, July 22, 2002

By 

Lynn Harnett (Marathon, FL USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Doctored Evidence: A Suspense Novel (Hardcover)

A perky, orderly and determined hospital attorney, happily married to a laid-back jazz musician, makes for a likeable protagonist. But the real draw in this first novel by a health-care attorney is the inside view of fraud, greed, lousy doctors and covered-up mistakes in our healthcare industry.

When Shoreview Hospital's CFO dies on the operating table due to a series of equipment failures and medical judgment errors, Karen Hayes is hard pressed to keep the hospital out of the lawsuit. Especially when she uncovers evidence that the victim was on the verge of exposing a huge fraud involving a clinic affiliated with the hospital.

A variety of subplots involving surgeon arrogance, drug-addicted doctors, sexual assault of patients and greedy administrators serve to show the strange and narrow view of hospital liability as well as complicating the murder plot. There are some flaws in the resolution, but likable Karen and her professional conscientiousness bode well for future books.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great mystery--most authentic medical novel I've ever read, May 25, 2002

By 

Robert S. Viel M.D. (Delafield Wi.) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Doctored Evidence: A Suspense Novel (Hardcover)

Doctored Evidence has everything that makes for a superb mystery: engaging characters, a gripping plot, crisp dialogue, a touch of humor, and a tremendously satisfying solution. It is consistently entertaining. But beyond being a great read, it is a chilling and realistic portrayal of corruption in the medical business. Everyone should read this book before they next set foot in a hospital. Seriously.