Ramblings From A Migraine Addled Mind

It has been far too long since I have typed out the thoughts all jumbled up in my migraine addled brain. Mainly because I have been far too busy reading and writing reviews (and no, that is not a complaint). I know, me not complaining, fancy that!

Most noteworthy, we finally received snow in my small part of the Midwest. I was resigned to a winter of greenish brown and living vicariously through those with snow. Now I have some of my very own. Pictures will be posted Wednesday. I get all giddy when I see snow, I cannot help it.

My family is well for which I am thankful. The teens are teens, thankfully they are excellent sons, pity they have an attitude with me. I assume it is all part of being the mum.

My pampered, spoiled cat, is cold and not at all amused with the snowfall as it means colder temperatures and lack of sun. Interestingly enough she is an indoor cat and one would think the weather outside would not dictate her mood, yet it does.

My reading is going quite well, I am enjoying my new-found niche as a book reviewer. With that said, I feel I have very little connection with other book reviewers, sort of like being picked last in gym class because everyone must play. Do not interpret my words to say anyone has been cruel, just the opposite, book reviewers are kind and passionate about books and ready to help fellow readers and reviewers. Rather, I am a reclusive book reviewer, as well as being a relatively new book reviewer on the blog block and therefore do not know the other reviewers very well. I truly miss connecting with other reviewers. I visit their blogs, and they visit mine, yet I miss the connections and hopefully time will build those connections. Or quite possibly I am over-analyzing the entire situation. I am only working with about 1% of my brain at the moment.

There has been a lot of discussion as of late about eReaders. My thoughts, for what it is worth (which truly is not much). I am neither for nor against them, they simply are not for me. I have a very difficult time reading things online and eReaders pose the same problem. My strokes and continual TIA’s do not help. Medical issues aside I am a sensory reader (save taste!) I love books! I cannot imagine not having piles of books, being able to touch them, smell them (yes I am one of those readers who does indeed enjoy the smell of new books), turn the pages, look at the detailed covers, it all delights me.

I sort of got myself derailed as the boys came in after clearing the end of the driveway the snowplow re-blocked. I am certain I had more useless, rambling thoughts to share. The thoughts have a way of looping around, so maybe next time.

Time to go back to reading and enjoying a relaxing day of not doing much at all. My favourite kind of day. May the books keep arriving and the coffee always be strong.

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The Last Surgeon by Michael Palmer : A Book Review

Title: The Last Surgeon
Author: Michael Palmer
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Publication Date: February 10, 2010
Hardcover: 384 pages
ISBN: 978-0312587499
Genre: Medical Mystery/Thriller

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From the Publisher:

The New York Times bestselling author and master of medical suspense delivers another shocker of a thriller filled with insider details and a terrifying psychopath

Four murders.

Three accidents.

Two suicides.

One left…

THE LAST SURGEON

Michael Palmer’s latest novel pits a flawed doctor against a ruthless psychopath, who has made murder his art form. Dr. Nick Garrity, a vet suffering from PTSD—post traumatic stress disorder—spends his days and nights dispensing medical treatment from a mobile clinic to the homeless and disenfranchised in D.C. and Baltimore. In addition, he is constantly on the lookout for his war buddy Umberto Vasquez, who was plucked from the streets by the military four years ago for a secret mission and has not been seen since.

Psych nurse Gillian Coates wants to find her sister’s killer. She does not believe that Belle Coates, an ICU nurse, took her own life, even though every bit of evidence indicates that she did—every bit save one. Belle has left Gillian a subtle clue that connects her with Nick Garrity.

Together, Nick and Gillian determine that one-by-one, each of those in the operating room for a fatally botched case is dying. Their discoveries pit them against genius Franz Koller–the highly-paid master of the “non-kill”—the art of murder that does not look like murder. As Doctor and nurse move closer to finding the terrifying secret behind these killings, Koller has been given a new directive: his mission will not be complete until Gillian Coates and Garrity, the last surgeon, are dead.

My Review:

The Last Surgeon
by Michael Palmer is an action-packed medical thriller that will keep the reader engaged and guessing until the very end. Dr. Nick Garrity, a war veteran battling with his own demons, was told his best friend and fellow PTSD sufferer, simply disappeared. Nick refuses to believe his long-time friend, Umberto Vasquez, would just vanish into thin air. Meanwhile, Gillian Coates is trying to uncover what truly happened to her sister Belle, as she does not believe her sister would commit suicide. Nurses are being killed and soon several homeless people are missing as well, and it appears there is a psychopath on the loose. With such a diverse section of the population being targeted could this be the work of one madman or are there others as well? Nick and Gillian, while searching for answers to their own questions, stumble across a clue that eventually leads them to each other, confirming that the apparent suicide of Belle and the disappearance of Umberto Vasquez are indeed not isolated incidents but rather part of a larger diabolical plot. Who is calling the shots and covering up the evidence? The Last Surgeon will take the reader on a fast-paced medical suspense-filled thrill ride where nothing is as it seems and there are forces at work far greater than anyone ever imagined. I would recommend this novel to anyone who is looking for an intense medical thriller with a clever plot complete with several twists and turns along the way.

About the Author
:

MICHAEL PALMER is the author of fourteen previous novels of medical suspense, all international bestsellers. In addition to his writing, Palmer is an associate director of the Massachusetts Medical Society Physician Health Services, devoted to helping physicians troubled by mental illness, physical illness, behavioral issues, and chemical dependency. He lives in eastern Massachusetts.
Visit Michael Palmer’s Website.
Read the Prologue to The Last Surgeon.
View the interactive content on Facebook.
Follow Michael Palmer on Twitter.

I received a complimentary copy of The Last Surgeon by Michael Palmer from the author, Michael Palmer. Receiving a free copy in no way reflected my review of aforementioned novel.

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