The Anatomy of Deception (Paperback)

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Key Phrases: The Anatomy of Deception, Lawrence Goldstone, Miss Benedict (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Starred Review. Goldstone, an acclaimed popular historian (Out of the Flames; The Friar and the Cipher), marks out new terrain with his compelling fiction debut, a medical thriller set in 1889 Philadelphia. The narrator, Ephraim Carroll, a young, idealistic and somewhat naïve doctor, works alongside the real-life William Osler, often described as the father of modern medicine. Carroll is troubled when Osler, the head of clinical medicine at the University of Pennsylvania medical school, forgoes an autopsy of a woman without explanation. Carroll's curiosity is further piqued after George Turk, a colleague who also seemed unsettled by Osler's actions, dies, apparently of cholera. When Turk's autopsy reveals trace amounts of arsenic, Carroll's suspicions of foul play are confirmed. Goldstone artfully integrates a manuscript the actual Dr. Osler wrote and ordered sealed for half a century after his death. With this top-notch historical page-turner and his proven versatility in nonfiction, Goldstone can expect to win over many new fans. (Feb.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Review

"You’ll be gripped by this haunting and atmospheric thriller.” —Tess Gerritsen

“Compelling…. [A] top-notch historical page-turner.”—Publishers Weekly, starred review

“What makes his book so fascinating is the attention to the medical procedures and innovations of the time ... Readers who enjoy Anne Perry’s and Caleb Carr’s psychological thrillers will welcome Goldstone’s brooding, paranoiac addition to the genre.”—Booklist

“Packed with historical asides and real-life figures.”—Entertainment Weekly

“A clever and entertaining tale…. set in the surgical theaters and medical research halls of late-19th century Philadelphia and Baltimore.”—Los Angeles Times Book Review

"Colorful and highly informative.... Evokes the evolving medical profession and the art world in late-19th-century America."—USA Today

“Long before CSI, the dead were offering up their clues…. will thrill lovers of history, medicine, forensics and, of course, a good mystery.”—Parade


From the Hardcover edition. --This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Delta; Reprint edition (February 24, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0385341350
• ISBN-13: 978-0385341356
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.2 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (31 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #124,151 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

28 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "This is a wondrous age.", February 3, 2008

By	E. Bukowsky "booklover10" (NY United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This review is from: The Anatomy of Deception (Hardcover)

Lawrence Goldstone's "The Anatomy of Deception" opens in 1889. As the nineteenth century is drawing to a close, physicians are employing the principles of analytic detection to make diagnoses and heal sickness. In addition, the world is on the brink of a number of thrilling discoveries that will save many lives. The first chapter is set in the Blockley Dead House, a morgue at the University Hospital in West Philadelphia, described by the author as "a squat, solitary brick building [and] a fetid vault filled with cadavers in various states of putrefaction." In this grim edifice, Dr. William Osler, head of Clinical Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania Medical School, teaches his students morbid anatomy. Among his acolytes is Dr. Ephraim Carroll, who left his private practice in Chicago to learn from "the Professor." To Carroll and his colleagues, Osler is a "modern-day Hippocrates," an astounding man with a tremendous breadth of knowledge and a willingness to share his expertise with the next generation of doctors. Some vocal protesters still oppose autopsy, which they consider to be a ghoulish and unholy practice. Osler is forced to bribe a morgue attendant to absent himself when a fresh supply of cadavers becomes available for dissection.

One day, a session in the morgue ends abruptly when Osler opens up an ice chest containing the corpse of a young, light-haired and once beautiful female whose body had been abandoned in the street. Both Osler and a disreputable medical student named Turk are visibly shocked when they see her, and the Professor quickly slams the lid shut. Ephraim will soon find himself knee deep in a puzzle involving this woman: Who was she? Who or what killed her? When, shortly thereafter, one of his acquaintances dies unexpectedly, Carroll decides to pursue the matter. By the time he learns the shocking truth about this case, Carroll will lose many of his illusions about the integrity and moral values of so-called "honorable" men.

Goldstone skillfully recreates the giddy excitement that forward-looking scientists felt as they faced a new century filled with seemingly unlimited possibilities. Surgical techniques that could reduce shock and infection were no longer pipe dreams. This richly detailed book is filled with fascinating information about the pioneers of medicine during this transitional decade. The author smoothly incorporates historical figures into his narrative. In addition to the aforementioned William Osler, both the famed surgeon, William Stewart Halstead, and the great American painter, Thomas Eakins, play key roles. Osler is unquestionably brilliant, but is he also venal and overly ambitious? Halstead is rumored to be a drug addict. Is there any foundation to the destructive gossip that threatens to destroy his reputation? Also worth noting: Abigail Benedict, a lovely and wealthy bohemian who wins Ephraim's heart but hesitates to give hers in return; Mary Simpson, a courageous doctor who is dedicated not only to healing the sick but also to helping women in trouble; and Jonas Lachtmann, an affluent and influential individual who threatens to destroy Carroll if his investigation takes him down the wrong path. There are also nicely drawn minor players including women of ill-repute, a tenacious Pinkerton detective, a burly henchman, and a detective named Borst, who is none too pleased with Ephraim's interference.

This is an absorbing work that brings a bygone era to life; it is also a suspenseful and engrossing thriller. The author explores a number of themes that intersect seamlessly: the dilemma of whether to follow one's conscience when doing so might not serve the greater good; the limited choices open to women who are treated as men's private possessions; the close-mindedness that makes scientific progress an uphill battle; and the impossibility of achieving perfect justice in an inequitable world. Goldstone's stylish prose, engaging dialogue, and riveting plot combine to make this a first-rate novel.

18 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Well-done historical mystery, February 4, 2008

By	David W. Straight (knoxville, tennessee United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This review is from: The Anatomy of Deception (Hardcover)

This is a good, solid effort, and it works very well in giving a sense of time and place in Philadelphia in 1889 and of a medical profession in transition. Goldstone successfully intertwines the lives of real and fictional people--Eakins, Halstead, and Osler (and others) with a fictional protagonist. Medical treatment could be a mixed bag: invasive surgical procedures could be done relatively safely, or could be done in horribly septic conditions. The upper crust of Philadelphia and the lower crust sometimes had much closer connections than you might have thought.

Goldstone has a flair for writing--this becomes evident after just a few pages in the book. The historical flavor is fine. But I was not always convinced about the characters. Carroll (the protagonist) comes to Philadelphia from working in slum areas in Chicago: I would expect him to be much more comfortable, more at ease, in the seedier areas of Philadelphia. Drugs and illegal operations would not surprise him. At the same time, there were many strong social conventions in place. This was, after all the time of the Four Hundred in New York. Being a good physician or surgeon was one thing, but that didn't open all doors.

This is also a book about moral choices, choices made by Carroll and others. The decisions that are made may not always seem right, but these are, after all, individual human choices. It's a satisfying and enjoyable novel, and hopefully just the first of more novels to come by the author.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Interesting historical mystery with a medical twist, February 2, 2008

By	David W. Nicholas (Montrose, CA USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This review is from: The Anatomy of Deception (Hardcover)

Philadelphia in the late 1800s is the setting for this interesting historical mystery novel, which follows the adventures of Ephraim Carroll as he tries to figure out who has killed one of his classmates, a doctor studying with him under William Ohsler, one of the great physicians of the 19th century. Ohsler was a real figure in history, as are several of the other characters in the story, and they provide color for the narrative.

Carroll is an unsophisticated country boy who is somewhat overwhelmed by Philadelphia. At the beginning of the book he's befriended by one of his classmates, a more worldly character named Turk. Turk later turns up dead, and Carroll swiftly makes the deduction that he's been poisoned. When this proves true, Carroll must find out who the killer is and why he did it. As things progress, the plot gets murkier and moral questions arise, some of which don't appear to have a real answer.

I enjoyed this book a great deal. The author does a very good job with the characters and the sense of place. At times it almost seems as if Philadelphia from more than a hundred years ago is real. I really enjoyed this book, and would recommend it.