Customer Reviews

Peggy Sue Got Murdered (Harper Monogram)

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

 

 

I am a big fan of Harvest which is why I bought Peggy Sue. I have to say I was a bit disappointed. Apparently Tess tried out romance before she moved over to medical thrillers and this is a sad mix of Harlequin romance with just a little bit of thrill worked in the story. If you are looking for a book that is more romance than I would rec. reading this one. But if you are searching for a larger quantity of medical info & thrills...keep on searching. Tess is heading in the right direction (as seen in Harvest & Bloodstream) but needs to get past the mushy romance angle. Final thought: It's not her best work, but with paperbacks it's worth the price.

Assistant coroner MJ Novak is terrified that she's discovered a lethal designer drug that the pushers have turned loose on the streets of her city. One death is just another footnote to big city life, a day-to-day drug overdose. The second death might constitute a coincidence. But three deaths are a full-blown epidemic with the promise of many more deaths to come if nothing is done about it. When Novak goes to the police and the mayor to alert the public, she's confronted with, at best, an uncaring administration that sees drug deaths as an entirely legal and convenient way to rid the streets of junkies, druggies, prostitutes, pot heads and low-lifes. At worst, Novak fears a potential conspiracy and cover-up of a drug leaked from research trials at a local pharmaceutical company.

The plot device of a sole practitioner, be it a GP, physician with hospital privileges, medical examiner, coroner or forensic pathologist, tilting against a corporation or government conspiracy is old hat (and, if I may say so, spectacularly overworked) for medical thrillers. But this is one of Tess Gerritsen's earliest works and, as such, can be accepted as a ground-breaking pioneer as opposed to a derivative copycat.

There is also the issue of the "romance". Other readers have suggested that this is a weakness that makes PEGGY SUE GOT MURDERED less successful. It's only my opinion, of course, but, for my money, the romantic interludes (well written without being the least bit Hollywood or syrupy) are entirely entertaining and make PEGGY SUE GOT MURDERED a perfectly legitimate contender for 4-stars even in today's crowded medical thriller field. I have to admit that I also like the fact that the ending is not in the least predictable.

Great job, Ms Gerritsen. I've been a fan for a long time and it was a treat to go back and fill the hole that I missed in your body of work. Highly recommended.

Paul Weiss

M.J. Novak is a medical examiner in the city of Albion. On her table is an unidentified overdose victim clutching a matchbook in her hand with a telephone number written inside. M.J. calls the number hoping to identify her Jane Doe. On the other end of the line is Adam Quantrell, the rich and handsome owner of a pharmaceuticals company, and he rushes to the morgue fearing the Jane Doe may be his stepdaughter. He is relieved to find it is not her, but, in an odd turn of events, he is linked to the death in another way. When several other junkies turn up dead, M.J. and Adam join forces to figure out what is going on.

Peggy Sue Got Murdered has just the right amount of romance, action, and intrigue. I wouldn't change a thing!

A medical examiner, discovers an eerie trend to the victims of a unknown drug overdose. A journey in search of truth leads to a discovery of deception and manipulation.

Gerritsen constructs this thriller skillfully and delves into the vulnerabilities of the character. An enjoyable read!!!!