Customer Reviews

Grave Concerns (Dr. Rhea Lynch Novels)

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In this, the fourth book in the series featuring Dr. Rhea Lynch, many girls in the rural county in South Carolina have gone missing. When a mass grave is discovered, Rhea is deputized as the coroner on a temporary basis and she must adjust to dealing with dead bodies rather than healing the living. As in the previous books, the ER scenes are riveting. The characters are engaging, especially the newest addition, mysterious Eli Cordell. But most of all, it's because Hunter is such a good storyteller that I enjoy her books so much. There are a few things left unresolved at the end of this story, but I'm sure they will be addressed in the next book. I can hardly wait!

Dr. Rhea Lynch was an E.R. physician in a small South Carolina town. When gun shots erupted down the street from her home, Rhea grabbed her medical bag and sprinted to help. The chief coroner was shot during the episode and Rhea found herself, unwillingly, deputized as an assistant coroner. Just another item to pay back Mark Stafford, local law enforcer, for. And pay him back she would. In spades!

It was not long before a mass grave was uncovered. All were young girls, all high school ages, some black and some white, and all posed in the grave to make a message. It seemed the area had a serial killer on the loose and he had been killing for quite awhile.

***** Hmmm, seems Dr. Rhea-Rhea and Mark are going through a severe rough patch in romance. (This was a loose end from the last book.) Enter dangerous and sexy man Eli Cordell. This ex-military commando-man will give Mark a serious run for Rhea's affection. This novel has more action, adventure, and romance than the predecessors. So hold onto your seat.

There are a couple of sub-plots around the young girls and Marisa that I do not mention for fear of spoiling something. All-in-all, this medical/police thriller is well worth the price. Readers, be sure to email or write the author telling her that you want Eli to get his own story told! *****

Reviewed by Detra Fitch of Huntress Reviews.

Promotions can be murder; at least in some cases. When the chief coroner is gunned down, Rhea Lynch finds herself having to step in as assistant coroner on a baffling case. A mass grave opens up a huge can of worms, personally and professionally. Rhea is challenged to find the killer before more deaths are racked up, but she is being forced to work with Mark, the guy who two timed her, and with Eli, the man who wants her now. On top of that, her dear friend Risa is being courted by a smooth talking cowboy who may be Rhea's friend, but that won't keep her from murder if he hurts brain damaged Risa.

*** Fans will be glad to catch up with Dr. Rhea's life. The town is taking on added depth with each volume relating this gutsy lady's life. With danger and romance, you will be drawn into and thoroughly involved in the plot. ***
Amanda Killgore

I just wish the quality of writing was a bit better -- particularly the dialogue, which (to me) sounded a bit soap opera-ish at times, particularly when characters start trying to explain their feelings -- made me impatient to get back to the crime-solving part. But then I realized that actually, it's not much of a mystery -- you learn half-way through the book who-dun-it and then are only waiting to catch them before deaths occur. And while I must confess to liking the emergency room scenes, I think perhaps they took up too much of the early pages and the number and injury of levels of patients within one shift in a one-doctor ER was more than a little unbelievable.

The story involves an emergency room doctor, Rhea Lynch, in a small Southern town, who ends up being deputized as a coroner through a chain of events that leaves the county without a coroner. At the same time, there is a serial killer out there -- something that the public doesn't know (but ought to?). Rhea finds herself involved in the investigation of this case because she is called in as bodies are discovered or people go missing.

Rhea's romantic and personal life takes up a lot of this book. We meet her estranged boyfriend Mark, who is a police officer involved in the investigation, as well as a "Ranger" type character called Eli, who exudes sex but could be dangerous. Who will she end up with? And then there's Rhea's good friend Marisa, who received a brain injury (in a previous book?) and for whom Rhea feels responsible.

I really did enjoy getting back to this book, and read it fairly quickly (although it didn't keep me up all night like some mysteries do). At the same time, I am not as enthused about the book as other reviewers seem to have been. If you love romance novels with a mystery, this will definitely be a favorite author, I think, because there's a lot of romance in this mystery. I think I like my mysteries with not quite so much romance.

I just simply can't get enough of Dr. Rhea Lynch novels. Ms. Gwen Hunter has hit the mother lode with this character. She has done a superb job in creating warm, believable, caring, fun characters. Each with their own individual personality, and she never deviates from that. Each character stays true to itself and you can tell who is doing the talking without the characters name being mentioned just by the way the dialog moves and the choice of words used.

The county coroner is accidently shot and Rhea is chosen to fill in. This is not something that makes Rhea happy, and when she finds out that the person responsible is none other than her two timing sometimes boyfriend and cop, Mark Stafford, well, all hell breaks loose. You see, Mark had a one night stand during a time when he and Rhea were on the outs, and now the woman is pregnant and claiming Mark is the father. How will Rhea ever get over this? Can she and Mark patch things up? We may never know, first they have to survive a couple of serial killers. Young girls are being kidnapped, tortured, raped and murdered. The bodies are then buried in a strange arrangement.....well, I don't want to spoil all the fun.

Dawkins County is lucky to have a doctor like Rhea Lynch. She's smart, funny, and talented. She's warm and friendly. She also seems to attract trouble. Ms Hunter has written herself another great novel. Pick this one up, you won't be disappointed. The only complaint I could come up with was I got tired of the supposed rivalry between Mark and Eli. They both want Rhea, who will win? It got to the point where I didn't care. Otherwise, this is a first rate story.

In Dawkins County, South Carolina, Dr. Rhea Lynch hears the volley of bullets and goes out to see if she can help. Though she almost ended up being hurt in a crossfire that is not what made her reconsider her Good Samaritan efforts. The county coroner Dr. Anita Yarborough was badly hurt in the fray and Rhea has been drafted to temporarily serve as a deputy completing the medical examination of the murder of John Pendergrass by his foster son Wayne Geter, who claims sexual abuse and that his sister was sold to someone who will abuse her abuse.

Rhea works alongside police captain Mark Stafford, a person she is in love with, but who abruptly ended their relationship when he allegedly impregnated someone else. As Rhea learns more about the case, she finds out that other girls are missing, leading the FBI into the investigation. Soon Rhea will risk her life trying to bring down a sexual predator using, abusing, and killing young females.

In her latest appearance (see DEADLY REMEDY), Rhea remains a delightful protagonist; whose refreshed with her new more bureaucratic role. That assignment also forces Rhea to deal with Mark. The story line is loaded with action as Rhea slowly becomes involved with stopping a sexual predator. Fans of the series will take pleasure in Rhea's latest medical romantic thriller.

Harriet Klausner

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Harriet Klausner

As far as I can tell this is the final book in the Dr. Rhea Lynch series. I will really miss the cast of characters after reading all four of the novels. This time out Rhea is chosen as the acting coroner of Dawkins County SC. There are many girls (both white and Afro-American) that have gone missing. Mark and Rhea discover the Triangle Graveyard with lots of female bodies there. New character Eli Cordell (security specialist) who takes a real shine to Rhea. It is time for Rhea to decide who she has a "passion" for - Mark or Eli.

I work in the medical profession. I enjoy reading fiction about emergency doctors and situations. I could not find any obvious mistakes. Kept me guessing thoughout the entire book. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would recommend anything by Gwen Hunter.