Customer Reviews

Lethal Remedy (Prescription for Trouble, Book 4)

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This review was originally posted on my Girl Who Reads blogspot 6/4/2011.

After getting my Nook, I signed up for Netgalley.com. It is a place where reviewers can request ARCs from publishers. I browsed through the list of books (it's a bit overwhelming) and came across a Christian medical suspense novel. I'm always trying to find new Christian books that aren't romances so I thought I would give it a try. I was not disappointed.

If you combined the medical investigations of House with the amateur sleuthing of Diagnosis Murder, Christian principles of Facing the Giants, and the feel good vibes of a Hallmark movie in written form, you would have Lethal Remedy. All the things I best liked from the shows/movies were rolled up in this book. The writing style was excellent, making it an easy and relatively quick read. The mystery elements were just enough to keep you intrigued, while not making you have to think super hard to follow along. For a mystery/suspense lover, Lethal Remedy would be a wonderful beach read, unfortunately you have to wait until October to get your copy.

I made a rather odd observation while reading this medical story. I read a lot of medical set stories (the possible tragedy, the compassion of the characters in such a set up, etc always seems to draw me in). I don't know why I have been taking note of this because it is just odd. But in several recent stories that I have read there has been a similar phrase. If the patient has an IV it is always noted when someone would hold the patient's hand they were careful (or similar phrasing) of the IV. It was mentioned at least twice in this book. I just find it funny that authors would add in this detail.

My only complaint with Lethal Remedy... I didn't feel the author tied up the story line about the digital recorder well enough. Maybe it was a plot point that was suppose to distract the reader from what was really happening in the story, but I would have liked for it to have been resolved a bit more.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed Lethal Remedy. It's probably a book I would read again. It was a nice change from the pulse racing, blood pumping thrillers I had been reading. But at the same time it engaged me in a good whodunit plot line. I recommend this book to any reader who likes a bit lighter mystery/suspense novel.

*Note: I sent my review to the publisher prior to it appearing on my blog. I received an email from the author Richard Mabry. In the email he addressed my concern over the digital recorder and said in the final version there is more resolution to this point. I thank Dr. Mabry for taking the time to email me.

Lethal Remedy by Dr. Richard L. Mabry

Ok, so this new drug can cure a deadly staph infection, one even worse than MRSA, and it is perfectly safe, no side effects, just all good stuff? That should throw a red flag right there! Yet Jandra Pharmaceutical was using Dr. Ingersol to convince Doctors and patients that this experimental drug is the wonder drug of all times. But someone somewhere is not telling all, and Dr. Rip Pearson is determined to find some answers. As I was reading the book I had to wonder if things like this happen today. The way people are always trying to get ahead and make the big money, you have to wonder. Is it all about the patient or all about the money?

Being a huge fan of Dr. Mabry's books, I was anxious to read this forth book in the Prescription for Trouble Series. Though Lethal Remedy was a lighter read than the other three books, I was still glued to the pages until the last word! Again, he created a cast of characters that were unique and played their part so well to make the book a fast-paced, easy read enjoyable thriller. Throughout the book was the big question of whodoneit. And Dr. Ingersol's character was very well written but he was a jerk! It sure wouldn't do for him to be my Doctor! And the way it all ended was interesting, and good old doc Ingersol wasn't as great as he wanted people to believe he was. But you need to read the book to find out all about that! And I can't leave out the way the author writes the faith of his characters into the story, not so it jumps out of the book at you, but so we can see Christ in the lives of the characters. I appreciate the way God is using Dr Mabry to spread the gospel to a group of people that may not hear it otherwise.

I'm glad Abingdon Press and Dr Mabry decided to add a fourth book to this series. I thoroughly enjoyed reading Lethal Remedy and highly recommend it to anyone who likes medical fiction, thrillers, mystery and just a good book to read!

I rec'd this book from the publisher Abingdon Press through F.I.R.S.T. WildCard Tours. I was not expected or required to write a positive review. The opinions in this review are mine only.

LETHAL REMEDY was a bit of a disappointment. I say "a bit" because there were still parts that I enjoyed, but unfortunately it still left me wanting. While I really enjoyed books one and two in the Prescription for Trouble series, the last two were not as well rounded. Now- I am reviewing this book from a female perspective, and the parts of the book I felt were lacking were the relational influence between characters, but I also am a suspense reader and I felt the tie-up in this novel was rushed and lackluster.

Dr. Sarah Miles is struggling on many fronts. The collapse of her marriage, the loss of a child, and now, one of her patients is under attack by a deadly disease that only her ex-husband's research can help her with. But the more Sarah researches this new wonder drug, the more she realizes it's a potential killer and someone is willing to silence her before she can make her findings known. As she teams up with fellow physicians, personal attractions arise, but that is where they are left.

The first third of this book was difficult to get into. In fact, when I read the forward and realized book four was an add-on, I felt that answered a lot of questions. It just didn't have the impact as books one and two. Multiple characters were introduced, but none of them, other than Sarah were really fleshed out. Mabry tugged on heartstrings here and there, but that only left me wanting more. But, that is something I've come to realize with male authors. Sometimes they lack on the emotional front. The conclusion was a bit anticlimactic and rushed. In fact, I read the wrap-up without even realizing it.

All that to say, I haven't given up on Richard Mabry, I would still probably buy his future books, hoping they have the intensity of his first two installments.

I picked up this book in New Books section of the library, thinking that it was a medical thriller along the lines of the Robin Cook series. However, I began encountering flaky religious statements early in the book, so I examined the back cover and saw FICTION/Christian/Suspense. Whoops - my bad! I briefly considered abandoning the book, but decided to plow on ahead despite the 'Christian' warning label. It's interesting that any competent editor could have easily red-lined the overt religious statements in this book, turning it into a somewhat pedestrian but nevertheless entertaining secular medical thriller. This book suggests that there are people who reflexively turn to their favorite deity for emotional comfort whenever they are faced with a situation which they perceive to be out of their direct control. Well, OK, to each their own.

On page 70, the author writes, "Maybe [Dr. Sara Miles would] give up her practice at the medical school and be a real stay-at-home mom. That was something a lot of her female colleagues talked about, and although none of them had actually made that move, it was obvious to Sara that deep down, most of them would like nothing better." The author could turn this basic idea into a great new novel. Imagine a Christian fundamentalist senior hospital administrator who aggressively engages in sexual discrimination against his female subordinates because he believes that his God wants them at home, in the kitchen, barefoot, and pregnant. Of course, some Christians may not be amused at this exposure of the dirty underbelly of fundamentalist Christianity, but in the interests of full disclosure it seems to me that Christian authors have a moral obligation to describe the many antiquated notions that often co-exist so beautifully with the Christian faith-based worldview.

I received a copy of this book free of charge from NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

I love medical mysteries, so when I saw this book listed on NetGalley I knew I had to read it. I wasn't aware at that time that this was the fourth book in a series (Prescription for Trouble) but luckily it can be read as a stand alone as well.

From Goodreads: "What happens when the race to stop a lethal bacteria becomes a race to stop a killer?"

That sentence alone was enough to interest me in this book! Intriguing, no? I am very happy to say that Dr. Richard Mabry did not disappoint! This is a very fast paced medical mystery, with characters who you can relate to and care about. The author keeps you guessing until the end, trying to figure out who is involved and who isn't in this globe spanning conspiracy.

The subject matter was very interesting as you hear all the time about drug companies putting so much money into developing new drugs in the cut throat industry of pharmaceutical research. One of the reasons I really enjoyed reading this thriller is because you can actually imagine this scenario occurring in real life, and that is definitely scary!!

The book moved along at a quick pace and there was good character growth, especially in the female MC, Dr. Sara Miles, who learns to trust again after a bitter divorce and the loss of a child, and Dr. John Ramsey, who finally starts to move on after the death of his wife. There were a few side plots that I think the book could have done without as they didn't really add anything to the story, but nothing that detracted from my ability to enjoy the book. I liked the Christian tone of the book as well.

All in all, I thought this was a very interesting book, and I look forward to going back and reading the first three books in the series :D

An addition to the Prescription for Death series, Dr. Mabry will force you to look into the microscope of contemporary drug companies challenging each other in the race for power, glory and riches.

The scare of the infection that can't be cured gives academic medical facilities a reason to use hospital patients facing frightening illnesses in drug study tests that will find a cure for the particular ailment without causing worse harm.

The research sometimes has...fatal consequences to more than the patient's health.

Dizzy with the amount of storylines all coming together, I occasionally lost track of where I was, and what had been happening. Told in an almost scene-by-scene cut and action method, the reader is compelled by ramping tension to follow Drs. Sara Stiles, Rip Pearson, Mark Wilcox, John Ramsey, and Lillian Goodman as they unravel the devastating treatment of a deadly fictional staph infection with an experimental drug that leaves patients with damaging side effects, or death.

This was my first Dr. Mabry book, and I suspect that Dr. John Ramsey was the main thread in the earlier books, although he wasn't introduced until well into the story, and then felt like an accompanying character. Mabry also set up a love triangle between Drs. Stiles, Rip and Wilcox that was rife with red herrings, doubts, and heroics that did leave me guessing on occasion, even as I wondered if there was going to be any culmination to the drama. A loose end left me hanging and made me despise the main bad guy worse than Mabry wanted me to, and some too tidy tie-ups in Europe and at home wasn't what I expected. As an ensemble who-dun-it, I found Lethal Remedy to be a fast-paced thriller. Those who love all the medical tech jargon and the excitement of the rich and famous lifestyle will be satisfied by Mabry's natural and common use of scientific terminology.

What happens when the race to stop a lethal bacteria becomes a race to stop a killer vaccine?

Dr. Richard Mabry's book, Lethal Remedy, is a suspense that includes high-level managerial participants, with one anonymous snitch. A vaccine, Jandramyacin, is claimed to be the miracle cure for Staph luciferus, a world-wide epidemic that has killed hundreds around the world. This book has been my favorite so far based on the number of scenarios, the conflicting participants, and how quickly the circumstances change. It's fast-paced and multi-leveled from the first page to the last.

Richard shows how money, greed, and status can become center stage instead of healing people, and that some people are willing to kill to get it all! Secrets, mysterious testing, and missing data are the impetus of distrust between some of the doctors and the pharmaceutical companies. As the international convention is convening, will the crucial missing methodology puzzle piece that creates the intensity of the lethal side effects data be exposed?

The story makes one wonder how much of this goes on today in the medical world. Can we trust the drug companies and their employees? How about our own doctor? Is he/she really looking out for our best interests, or are money, power and prestige driving the use of certain medications? Find out at the end what the author's experience has been.

The gentle romance took some of the intensity off the situation, and I was surprised with the outcome of the relationships!

The faith of several of the characters made a huge impact on the end results. I was surprised with who was willing to put prayer to the test.

Special thanks to Julie Dowd (Abingdon Press) for sending me a review copy. No monetary compensation was exchanged.

While I know next to nothing when it comes to the medical industry, every so often I do enjoy picking up a medical suspense or mystery. Doctor Richard Mabry brings to readers the fourth and final book in the Prescription for Trouble series. While I have only read one other in the series (book 3, Diagnosis Death), I was looking forward to more by this author who is, obviously, very knowledgeable in this area.

There were a lot of characters in this book. Moreso then in his previous book. The first few chapters I was a bit confused as I tried to remember all the different characters and, as the story progressed, what their motives were. Sarah and Rip were two characters I really got to like but, as a result of all the added characters, I didn't get to know them as well as I had liked.

The whole suspenseful plot surrounding the wonder-drug, Jandramycin, was really good and kept me reading. I think the `mysterious person' behind the plot to take down Jandra was almost kept too mysterious. At the end, when all was revealed, I was surprised--but not in the way I usually am surprised when the bad guy is discovered. It was just...different, I guess.

In all, Lethal Remedy was a nice, mildly suspenseful read. The scenes were all relatively short, and I found myself easily flying through the pages, making this an easy read. The ending felt a bit rushed and quickly wrapped up. I would've liked to have read more on where Sara's relationship with Rip and Mark went. But, all in all, Lethal Remedy is a great conclusion to the Prescription for Trouble series. Richard knows his stuff when it comes to medicine!

I reviewed this book for FIRST Wild Card Tour. Special thanks to Julie Dowd (Abingdon Press) for sending me a review copy. It was not required that I give a positive review, but solely to express my own thoughts and opinions of this book, which I have done.

Dr. Mabry did not disappoint this fan of medical intrigue!

A new drug that can cure a killer virus? With NO side effects? At least that's what the drug company wants us to believe. But, then folks get sick. There's a part of me that thinks this stuff might actually happen, it seems so real. Does Dr. Mabry know something we don't? :)

We get a good look at drug companies and the pressure that comes along with creating the drugs and getting them on the market. Kind of scary! Makes all sorts of questions come to mind but the most obvious is - Who can we trust? Ultimately...there's only One!

This is the 4th book in his Prescription for Trouble series. I always enjoy the way faith and trust in God is woven into these stories. You can read this one without having read the others but I highly recommend reading all of them, especially if you enjoy a good medical mystery along with intriguing characters and a little romance to sweeten the deal.

Special thanks to Julie Dowd (Abingdon Press) for sending me a review copy. I was not required to write a positive review. No other compensation was received.

Great fast read! Keeps your attention right to the end...including the epilogue!

There is a new staph, deadlier than MRSA attacking the world, and Dr Sara Miles has a young teenage girl who has it. She knows the only way to get the drug that will give the girl her life back, is to go to her former husband Dr Jack Ingersol.

Dr Ingersol appears to be selling his soul to the devil in the name of the drug company Jandra Pharmaceutical. What a tangled web comes to light throughout this book. You won't be able to put this book down, there are shootings, car crashes, explosions, and more. The company will stop at nothing to get the FDA approval.

When Dr John Ramsey decides to return to work after the death of his beloved wife, he gets stuck by a needle, and he gets the horrible deadly staph infection. His friends rally around him and the great minds and the power of prayer, set about to find a alternate drug to counter act the side effects of the wonder drug.

I highly recommend this Christian mystery, you won't regret it!

I received this book from the Publisher Abingdon Press, and was not required to give a positive review.