Customer Reviews

Manner of Death (Alan Gregory)

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Regardless of what some of the naysayers write about this novel here at Amazon, this book is a true mystery and a thriller all wrapped up in a neat and tidy package. Once again, Stephen White has done an outstanding job of providing a dilemma for Dr. Alan Gregory and the people he loves.

In this installment in what has rapidly become a very popular series, Dr. White reprises all of the characters fans of these books expect to meet again within the covers. White also introduces the legend of D.B Cooper into the storyline, not as a foil or complication, but as an inherent part of the plot and as a possible explanation for the murders and other mysterious deaths that are part of this story.

Oh yes, there are killings galore in this novel. The author makes use of a past love for Alan Gregory and does a masterful job in his use of flashbacks to explain where Alan Gregory was in 1982 (long before he met his wife Lauren, or Sam Purdy or even his first wife). His first love came while he was a psychology intern at the teaching hospital in Denver. It was there that he met Dr. (MD) Sawyer Sackett. The love affair that developed ended badly and Sawyer left without notice or apology. It has taken years for Dr. Gregory to get over her and when we flash back to the present, Alan and his wife are forced to confront the possibility that a former patient may have been killing off all of the staff members who treated him so many years before.

Not too far into this story, Alan is informed that one of his former colleagues has died under suspicious circumstances. Upon further investigation, he becomes aware that there hasn't been just one death among his former interns and residents, but many. In a comical scene in a restaurant, Alan and Lauren meet two former FBI agents who were retained by the most recently deceased Dr. Arnie Dresser's mother to discover if there was foul play. They believe there was and in almost all of the cases. They have plausible explanations, but almost no hard evidence and cannot seem to interest the FBI or local law enforcement agencies because the locales are so far apart and the M.O.s so different.

Throughout this fast paced and gripping thriller, White does an exceptional job of keeping the tension high and the fear factor elevated. Every time Alan or Sawyer leaves home, the hotel, the office or wherever, the reader finds himself wondering if the killer will strike right then and there. Although there are a couple of really close calls, especially for Alan, he must also come to grips with his unresolved feelings for his former lover, Sawyer.

Sawyer is one of those well developed characters that White uses as a foil for Alan Gregory. In her case, the author only provides enough information to keep the reader moving forward. When he finally reveals "her dark secret," I was so stunned, shocked and saddened that I finally understood why she could not and would not get close to Alan back in 1982. White handles that scene very well and with a high degree of empathy and compassion and he does that through the eyes of Dr. Alan Gregory.

In addition to Sawyer Sackett, White also introduces the two former FBI agents, A.J. Simes and Milton Custer. A.J. is also a Ph.d. in Psychology and was a profiler for the FBI before a medical disability forced her retirement. Custer, a former field agent retired after 25 years and became a consultant. Alan's wife Lauren, notices some of the symptoms A.J. is suffering from and tells Alan that A.J. too, is suffering from MS. White shows us her symptoms just as he does Lauren's. Throughout the story, despite her annoying mannerisms, we hope that A.J. and Custer really do have Alan and Lauren's best interests in mind. We hope they really are "the good guys."

Even with new characters, where would an Alan Gregory mystery be without his erstwhile sidekick Sam Purdy? Well, Sam's here, too and this time, suffering the effects of a temporary lay-up due to kidney stones. As he recovers and realizes he's going crazy on sick-leave, he stays by Alan's side as the home teams tries to solve this most vexing of puzzles.

The use of the legend of D.B. Cooper adds a certain 1970s cultural appeal to the entire story and Stephen White provides a plausible possible answer to who the actual skyjacker might have been. Throughout this book, I kept wondering if that little plot gimmick would lead to something and was pleased to see that the author left the answer somewhat ambiguous.

Contrary to what others may have said, MANNER OF DEATH is as good as any of the other Alan Gregory novels to date. Although I started the series out of order, I have never once been disappointed by any of these stories. I hope Dr. Stephen White keeps Alan, Lauren, Sam, Adrienne, Jonas and Emily around for many books in the future. Each time I open one of these novels, I feel like I am visiting with friends and that's what makes these books so enjoyable and comfortable.

Paul Connors

Denver Post reviewer Carol Kreck stated in her review that "Stephen White's 'Manner of Death' pulls readers along like a steam train. Don't crack this thing unless there's nothing else to do, because once started, nothing else is going to get done." I couldn't agree more, so I set aside a Sunday and read the book in one sitting, which makes it easier to keep track of names. I have read all Stephen White's mysteries and like them very much: Alan Gregory is a likeable, believable hero as is his wife Lauren. I was dismayed to read the Kirkus review above and find that it contains "spoilers": events that don't happen until more than 200 pages into the book. Also, Dr. Arnie Dresser's funeral took place in Evergreen, not Denver. I strongly recommend this book!

If you go to the Q. & A. section of White's web page you can read about his not really knowing what will happen in one of his books until the characters reveal that to him during his writing. Manner of Death was a good example of that revelation. The first 350 pages offered little in support of the culmination of the novel. If as a reader you hope to be able to put the pieces of the puzzle together along the way, you are out of luck here. There are no pieces to put together until the very end and unfortunately those that do get put together at the end are not at all intriguing or memorable.

The first half of this story was a little slow, but the pace picked up considerably by the half way point. The emergency plane landing was absolutely breath stopping. White is an expert with characterization and these characters were very colorful. I was glad to see Lauren play a bigger role in this story. Once the plot was established, the suspense was well maintained to a satisfying conclusion. An enjoyable read.

Having read all of Stephen White's Alan Gregory novels so far, I always look forward to the latest annual instalment. "Manner of Death", as always, is a well-written book: an exciting story and character developments.

Checking in with Alan Gregory and the other returning characters in the series is always a bit like visiting friends. It's amazing how Stephen White has managed to hold up the high standards throughout the years. "Manner of Death" is even better than its two predecessors!

I definitely don't expect much from books I pick up while waiting for airplanes, but I found this book interesting and genuinely frightening. Even after I made it off the plane, I had to finish reading before I attended to other business. It asks what would happen if a group of people you knew were being killed one by one and you had the distinct idea that you were next, but nobody could prove that murder was involved? There are holes I could pick in the plot, but I should say that they didn't bother me while I was reading it.

This was my first Stephen White read and I was thoroughly entertained. Just enough clinical sophistication melded with psychological suspense kept it interesting and believable. Although the time it took White to develop the relationship between Dr. Gregory and Sawyer in the beginning of the story could have been condensed and probably would have had the same effect. All in all, I would recommend reading it.

I have read five previous reader reviews and wonder if we all read the same book. I read more than I ever want to about psychology (the central character's internship particularily) and was utterly nauseated by his puppy dog devotion to his earlier lover, Sawyer. Reading about his panting over his upcoming meeting with her after 15 years got tiresome--what a wuss!!I don't want to spoil the ending for anyone, but it came out of the blue on page 340 (out of 350 total pages)This book was at least 100 pages too long, and most of those involved his mindless devotion to his earlier lover, Sawyer. Get a life!!

Reading a Stephen White book is the comfort of being reunited with old friends (Lauren, Sam, and, of course, Alan), falling in love with Colorado (even though you may or may not have ever been there) and getting fascinating lessons in psychology. In this book the reader is treated to a psychological glimpse into the psyche of our protagonist, Alan Gregory as well as being drawn into an intriguing mystery. The reader will also be educated on the difference between "manner of death" and "cause of death." A fascinating book that is pure heaven for fans of Stephen White and lovers of mysteries.

The seventh book in the series introduces the mystery very early on, and keeps the reader hanging on until the very end. White has once again written a novel full of suspense, with lots of twists and turns. The characters are likeable, especially Sam and Alan. There were a few loose ends or small holes in the plot, but the pace is such that readers don't really have time to notice.