Critical

Cook tackled the potential corruption inherent in concierge medicine in Crisis (2006), and now delves into the world of specialty hospitals owned by the doctors who staff them. Angela Dawson is a brilliant doctor who lost her private practice and, with the help of her ex-husband, founded Angels Hospitals, a group of three specialty hospitals in New York City. Just weeks before the group's stock is set to go public, Angela and her colleagues are desperately trying to raise more capital and cover up the fact that a virulent infection has killed several patients hospitalized for routine operations. Medical examiner Laurie Montgomery connects the dots after examining David Jeffries, a healthy man who went to Angels for a simple knee surgery and died within hours of the operation. Laurie has a personal stake in the investigation: her husband, fellow medical examiner Jack Stapleton, is scheduled for a similar surgery on his knee at Angels in a few days. When Laurie visits one of the hospitals, Angela panics and calls her ex-husband for help, and he in turn goes to the hospitals' chief investor, a powerful mobster determined to protect his investment. If Cook's latest isn't quite as thrilling as some of his earlier works, the medical mysteries and dangers the characters face should keep readers invested.--Huntley, Kristine Copyright 2007 Booklist

Last seen in 2006's Crisis, New York City medical examiner Laurie Montgomery diligently investigates an abrupt rise in infection deaths at the start of bestseller Cook's lively new thriller. All the deaths can be traced to three Manhattan hospitals owned by Angels Healthcare. Unbeknownst to Montgomery, Angels, which specializes in high-profit surgeries of amply insured patients, is on the verge of going public and can't risk any bad publicity. She's also unaware that Angels' main financial backer is a local Mafia don, who's prepared to kill anyone standing in the way of his investment. Cook smoothly juggles several subplots-one involving Montgomery's husband and fellow coroner, Jack Stapleton, who's suffered a serious knee injury playing basketball-and ekes out maximum value from one of his regular standbys, bumbling hoods. It all adds up to an entertaining mix of suspense, action and education about medical issues. (Aug.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved

Really successful doctor Angela Dawson has acquired not just a second home but an MBA, allowing her to found Angels Healthcare. Then a staph infection wreaks havoc at three hospitals served by the company, and medical examiner Laurie Montgomery wants to investigate-not just because husband Jack is facing surgery. (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Flesh-eating staph germs and for-profit hospitals share billing as the top villains in this year's medical thriller from Cook (Marker, 2005, etc.). Angela Dawson, M.D., MBA, is close to redeeming herself from the humiliation she suffered when her inner-city clinic went into bankruptcy. Armed with the best business knowledge money can buy, she has established a string of free-standing surgical hospitals for the perfectly insured, where the poor and those in need of emergency medicine need not apply. So successful and so profitable had been Angels Healthcare L.L.C. that Dr. Dawson and the colleagues who bought into her concept are about to make a fortune as the firm goes public. Except that the wheels are coming off fast enough to give the toughest business and medical professional world-class acid reflux. Patient after patient undergoing surgery in Angels hospitals has been succumbing to incredibly fast-acting staph infections, and no amount of scrubbing, disinfecting or filtering can put a stop to the bacterial invasion. Angela's business plan is in the tank as elective surgeries have dried up until the surgeons can be satisfied that their liposuctions won't lead to the grave. Surely the Securities and Exchange Commission or the IRS or whoever will understand why Angela and her accountant haven't tattled on themselves as the IPO draws close. It's nothing but germs, right? Not so, says recurring pathologist Laurie Montgomery, whose hubby and New York City pathology colleague Jack Stapleton is due to get his ACL replaced at one of Angela's luxurious hospitals. Laurie wants to get to the bottom of the medical mystery before Jack goes under the knife. She would be even more worried if she knew that mobsters were in the mix, or that Angela's chief accountant is the unidentified floater who bobbed to the surface off Manhattan and is now lying on a gurney in her morgue. Mild tension, easily relieved. Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Cook tackled the potential corruption inherent in concierge medicine in Crisis (2006), and now delves into the world of specialty hospitals owned by the doctors who staff them. Angela Dawson is a brilliant doctor who lost her private practice and, with the help of her ex-husband, founded Angels Hospitals, a group of three specialty hospitals in New York City. Just weeks before the group's stock is set to go public, Angela and her colleagues are desperately trying to raise more capital and cover up the fact that a virulent infection has killed several patients hospitalized for routine operations. Medical examiner Laurie Montgomery connects the dots after examining David Jeffries, a healthy man who went to Angels for a simple knee surgery and died within hours of the operation. Laurie has a personal stake in the investigation: her husband, fellow medical examiner Jack Stapleton, is scheduled for a similar surgery on his knee at Angels in a few days. When Laurie visits one of the hospitals, Angela panics and calls her ex-husband for help, and he in turn goes to the hospitals' chief investor, a powerful mobster determined to protect his investment. If Cook's latest isn't quite as thrilling as some of his earlier works, the medical mysteries and dangers the characters face should keep readers invested.

Really successful doctor Angela Dawson has acquired not just a second home but an MBA, allowing her to found Angels Healthcare. Then a staph infection wreaks havoc at three hospitals served by the company, and medical examiner Laurie Montgomery wants to investigate-not just because husband Jack is facing surgery. Copyright 2007 Reed Business Information.

What do you have when you combine husband-and-wife NYC medical examiners, a very nasty strain of staph infection, two sets of assassins, and a physician-owned chain of specialty hospitals on the verge of a public stock offering? What else but the 27th novel by the father of the medical thriller? As in Crisis and Seizure , Drs. Jack Stapleton and Laurie Montgomery put their forensic skills to work as they attempt to unravel a puzzling medical crisis. A number of patients at Angels Healthcare's three specialty facilities have died suddenly from a virulent strain of staph. Meanwhile, two employees of the firm have been murdered as a crime family tries to protect its investment in the chain. Can events get more frantic? Yes! Operating behind the scenes is a vast conspiracy. Once again, Cook combines many standard elements of the genre: individual crusading physicians, a disease threat, large and intimidating public and private health institutions, plenty of jargon, and criminal conspiracies. Although not a master stylist, Cook does create enough interest in the characters and the story lines to keep readers interested. Recommended where Cook and medical thrillers are popular. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 4/1/07.]—A.J. Wright, Univ. of Alabama at Birmingham Lib.

Last seen in 2006's Crisis , New York City medical examiner Laurie Montgomery diligently investigates an abrupt rise in infection deaths at the start of bestseller Cook's lively new thriller. All the deaths can be traced to three Manhattan hospitals owned by Angels Healthcare. Unbeknownst to Montgomery, Angels, which specializes in high-profit surgeries of amply insured patients, is on the verge of going public and can't risk any bad publicity. She's also unaware that Angels' main financial backer is a local Mafia don, who's prepared to kill anyone standing in the way of his investment. Cook smoothly juggles several subplots—one involving Montgomery's husband and fellow coroner, Jack Stapleton, who's suffered a serious knee injury playing basketball—and ekes out maximum value from one of his regular standbys, bumbling hoods. It all adds up to an entertaining mix of suspense, action and education about medical issues. (Aug.)