Oath of office

A physician with a history of behavioral issues shoots and kills several people in his office before trying to take his own life. It falls to Dr. Lou Welcome, the assailant's friend and former colleague, to determine why the man went on his murderous rampage, but Welcome doesn't bargain for a conspiracy that could lead directly to the Oval Office. This is a weaker novel than Palmer's Last Surgeon (2010), but it's stronger than A Heartbeat Away (2011), leaving it in the midrange of Palmer's up-and-down swing. Its characters are sturdy, but the story doesn't have the spark that made his early work such a treat. Palmer doesn't seem all that interested in his plot. He seems content to let it be another frequently predictable conspiracy story, although there are places where it could have veered off in a new and surprising direction. This is one of those cases where there's nothing especially wrong with the book, but it isn't especially memorable, either. Not a complete misfire but, from an author with undeniable talent, a disappointment.--Pitt, David Copyright 2010 Booklist

Robert Petkoff delivers solid narration in this audio edition of the latest medical thriller from Palmer. When Dr. John Meacham, whose medical license was once suspended for alcohol abuse and anger issues, loses control and murders seven people before turning the gun on himself, much of the blame falls on Meacham's counselor, Dr. Lou Welcome, who approved his return to practice. But when Welcome begins to look into the incident, he unearths a dark conspiracy whose twisted roots stretch toward the highest office in the land and the fruits of which could grow into a deadly threat of global proportions. Petkoff's pacing is spot on and his reading often chilling. He infuses his performance with just enough melodrama to maintain suspense while keeping the novel grounded in reality. Petkoff deftly delivers Palmer's complex story, while providing unique voices for all the characters. The result is an enjoyable listen. A St. Martin's hardcover. (Feb.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

A Heartbeat Away, 2011, etc.) draws on his experience helping doctors with dependency and mental-health issues. Unable to convince his superiors that his late colleague, Meacham, was fully recovered and not in need of psychiatric counseling, Welcome is suspended. After Meacham's wife commits a strange, reckless act and a young man bizarrely causes himself physical harm in a trendy local diner, Welcome crosses paths with the First Lady, Darlene, whose husband has been acting with uncharacteristic rage. The First Lady has learned that the former agriculture secretary, a school friend of hers forced to resign after being videotaped in a motel room with a naked underage girl, was framed. The president orders his wife to stay away from him, but acting on the instructions of an unidentified source with knowledge of who did the framing and why, the First Lady becomes determined to clear the disgraced secretary's name. Ultimately, Welcome and the First Lady team up against bad guys who will do anything to keep secrets. This thriller raises compelling issues and features a likable hero, but the plot is dragged out and undercooked and the White House scenes ring false.]] Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

A physician with a history of behavioral issues shoots and kills several people in his office before trying to take his own life. It falls to Dr. Lou Welcome, the assailant's friend and former colleague, to determine why the man went on his murderous rampage, but Welcome doesn't bargain for a conspiracy that could lead directly to the Oval Office. This is a weaker novel than Palmer's Last Surgeon (2010), but it's stronger than A Heartbeat Away (2011), leaving it in the midrange of Palmer's up-and-down swing. Its characters are sturdy, but the story doesn't have the spark that made his early work such a treat. Palmer doesn't seem all that interested in his plot. He seems content to let it be another frequently predictable conspiracy story, although there are places where it could have veered off in a new and surprising direction. This is one of those cases where there's nothing especially wrong with the book, but it isn't especially memorable, either. Not a complete misfire but, from an author with undeniable talent, a disappointment. Copyright 2012 Booklist Reviews.

In this suspenseful thriller from bestseller Palmer (A Heartbeat Away), Dr. Lou Welcome, who nine years earlier lost his medical license "for self-prescribing amphetamines," now works for the organization that cured him of his addiction, the Physician Wellness Office, counseling doctors with similar problems in Kings Ridge, Va., outside Washington, D.C. When John Meacham, a client of Lou's who had "a better-than-decent recovery program," fatally shoots seven patients and staff members at his office before shooting himself, the PWO suspends Lou. Other strange anomalies in Kings Ridge that Lou uncovers lead him to the U.S. president's wife, who's received a mysterious warning from a man known only as Double M. An unusual corn crop, giant termites, and greed combine to create a grave threat. Palmer's easy mix of science and individual courage should please his many fans. Agent: Jane Rotrosen Agency. (Feb.)