Turnabout (Paperback)

~ Dr. Bruce Kaler (Author)
Key Phrases: Billy Germaine, Playa de Tortugas, Lake Union (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

In Turnabout, by Bruce Kaler, Dr. Fred Pomeroy, a respected Seattle general surgeon, finds himself the object of a malicious malpractice lawsuit, brought against him by his vengeful ex-girlfriend. Matters avalanche from bad to worse when Pomeroy learns that someone in his office is embezzling; his business partner wants to quit and walk away; and that he will likely lose his case because a piece of crucial evidence is missing. After an uphill battle navigating many obstacles to find answers, Dr. Fred Pomeroy is hardly prepared for the real truth. Kaler’s Turnabout grapples with real, present-day issues facing doctors, patients, and the heath care industry, weaving a tale of personal loss and courage that both inspires and intrigues. Told with wit, mystery, and with a narrative flare worthy of the best in the medical mystery genre, Turnabout tells a cautionary tale for modern times, one that both informs and entertains.

About the Author

Dr. Bruce Kaler has more than thirty years experience in general medicine, including both family practice and emergency medicine in rural and urban settings. He lives in Seattle, Washington, with his wife of thirty years and their two dogs. Turnabout is his first novel.

Product Details

• Paperback: 132 pages
• Publisher: BookSurge Publishing (November 10, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1439205566
• ISBN-13: 978-1439205563
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.2 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #176,203 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Entertaining quick read for those who love medical mysteries, December 18, 2008

By	Jessica Sawyer (Gig Harbor, WA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Thankfully, I have never been involved in a malpractice suit but author Bruce Kaler manages to capture the complete desolation and self-doubt being embroiled in one would feel like within his central character, Dr. Fred Pomeroy, in his debut book, Turnabout.
His writing style is succinct, compact and quick-paced but yet he still deftly manages to create a clear picture of time and place. The imagery he creates of Seattle and the Puget Sound region is spot on. He also breathes life into his characters with brief asides that provide enough depth and authenticity to have them seem real.
Though this book may be somewhat more accessible to those of us who work in the medical community, Kaler does an excellent job of breaking down the complexities of the medical and legal issues involved. His book is an instructive and intriguing insight into the daily mechanics of the medical profession, the working relationships that develop and the typical dialogue and inner thought processes that occur.
If you enjoy medical mysteries or are simply looking for a quick book to sink your teeth into, Turnabout is a fine selection. I, for one, look forward to future books from this author.

5.0 out of 5 stars A story of what many physicians face, April 12, 2009

By	Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

Being a healer can turn out to be so unhealthy. "Turnabout" follows Fred Pomeroy, a doctor who wishes all there was to his job was tending to the sick and injured. His life turns ever more chaotic, as his ex-girlfriend throws a malpractice suit at him, and the bureaucracy of the system may send Pomeroy to the poor house if he doesn't find someway to defend himself from the system. A story of what many physicians face, "Turnabout" is excellent reading and a highly recommended thriller.

5.0 out of 5 stars Dr. Kaler's wealth of medical expertise and first hand knowledge has helped fuel a novel that is very well rounded, December 11, 2008

By	Norman Goldman "Editor of Bookpleasures.com" (Montreal) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Dr. Fred Pomeroy, the Seattle Washington surgeon at the center of Dr. Bruce Kaler's debut medical thriller, Turnabout finds himself in quite a jam. His former lover, Joyce Downey and her father Bill are suing him for malpractice.

Pomeroy's predicament all begins when he is called upon to examine Joyce's mother, Anita Downey after she complained about her lingering cough. This had taken place when Anita and her husband Bill had been socializing with Pomeroy and Joyce. Pomeroy recommended that Anita drop into his office for a chest X-ray, as he had been concerned with the possibility that she had contacted pneumonia.

The X-ray turns out to be quite normal and Pomeroy doesn't notice anything unusual. He prescribes some antibiotics since Anita had probably developed a secondary bacterial infection. Within a few days Anita is feeling better. Unfortunately, seven weeks later she becomes terribly ill and within six months Anita passes away after being diagnosed with cancer.

Joyce and her father Bill launch a malpractice law suit against Pomeroy based on the fact that he did not recognize Anita's life-threatening condition. However, what is quite worth mentioning is that the key piece of evidence that should be the backbone of the plaintiff's case is that Anita's chest X-rays are missing.

While all of this is going on, Pomeroy along with his partner Dr. J.R. Reynolds are informed by their accountant that money that has been embezzled from their office bank account. The accountant doesn't know where the money is going or how it is being embezzled, but he is fairly confident that there is some foul play.

As the pre-trial proceedings proceed, the missing X-ray mysteriously turns up and, to the dismay of Pomeroy, it does reveal a cancerous lesion that he should have picked up.

Dr. Kaler has penned a short, easily digested debut novel that will grab readers by the jugular from the very first page and never let go. Deep questions pertaining to the emotional consequences of malpractice suits are explored along with a glimpse of the troubling issues pertaining to the rough and tumble world of attorneys and liability insurance companies.

As for character development, the author has effectively created a believable protagonist who experiences an internal change in the course of overcoming external opposition. In addition, Dr. Kaler's wealth of medical expertise and first hand knowledge has helped fuel a novel that is very well rounded with true-to-life dialogue, characters, emotions, and realistic scene situations, making it a very impressive first effort. Overall, Turnabout, written in a spare compact style, is a thoroughly satisfying medical thriller and an introduction to an author with a future.

Dr. Kaler has more than thirty years experience in general practice, including both family practice and emergency medicine, that also includes both family practice and emergency medicine in rural and urban settings.

Norm Goldman, Publisher & Editor Bookpleasures