Tag: Medical Thriller

Quote from Emergency Case: Jack, come here. There's a dead man in our driveway.

Book Review | Emergency Case by Richard L Mabry

You know your day is off to a bad start when you back over a body in your driveway.

The only thing that’s worse? When your wife backs over a body in your driveway … and you’re a lawyer who recognises the victim as a shady client. The kind who pays in cash, doesn’t want a receipt, and chats about the illegal gun deal he has going down.

So Jack Harbaugh day doesn’t start well, and it doesn’t get better. His handgun is missing, and it fires the same kind of bullets that killed the dead guy. He didn’t do it, so who is setting him up? How can he persuade the police he’s innocent? And what’s he going to tell his wife?

Emergency Case is a strong thriller that’s a mix of Richard L Mabry’s traditional medical thriller, and another personal favourite: the legal thriller. It also has a touch of marriage guidance—another of Mabry’s trademarks. He prefers to write about married couples rather than write romances. That’s good.

There are precious few Christian novels that feature married couples, whether happily married or otherwise. Mabry’s couples—including Leah and Jack—are what I call realistically married. There are good days and bad days (although I’m glad my bad days don’t include backing over a dead body in my driveway).

Emergency Case is a short novella, recommended for medical suspense fans.

Thanks to the author for providing a free ebook for review.

About Richard Mabry

I’m a retired physician who, in addition to writing, is a husband and grandfather, plays (and enjoys) golf, and does the hundred-and-one other things that retired people do.

I got into non-medical writing after the death of my first wife with my book, THE TENDER SCAR: LIFE AFTER THE DEATH OF A SPOUSE. I’m gratified that it continues to help those who have lost a loved one.

Now I’m writing what I call “medical suspense with heart.” My novels have been finalists for the ACFW Carol Award, Romantic Times’ Best Inspirational Novel and their Reviewer’s Choice Award, have won the Selah award, and been named by Christian Retailing as the best in the mystery/suspense/thriller category. My latest novel is CARDIAC EVENT, which has been given a 4 1/2 star rating and a “Top Pick” by Romantic Times. I’ve also published three novellas, the latest one DOCTOR’S DILEMMA.

You can find Dr Richard Mabry online at:

Website | Facebook | Twitter

About Emergency Case

Killer or Target?

Dr. Kelly Irving knew her husband, attorney Jack Harbaugh, was acting strangely, but figured they’d get through it. When she backed out of her garage that morning, she thought her car hit a bump. Instead, its progress was stopped by the body of a man her husband recently represented. Not only that, the dead man had been shot by her husband’s gun. The police who investigated made it clear that Jack was a primary suspect.

Kelly couldn’t decide if Jack was a murderer or marked as the next victim. As things continued to escalate, they were forced to put their marital differences aside and concentrate on keeping Jack alive while discovering who was behind the whole thing.

Find Emergency Case online at:

Amazon US | Amazon AU | Goodreads

Read the introduction to Emergency Case below:

Book Recommendation | Ghost Heart by Lisa Harris and Lynne Gentry

Amazon Description


 A brilliant transplant surgeon. A rogue organ broker. A ghost child.
And the legend that could destroy them all.

 A brutal murder convinces surgeon Mia Kendall there’s more than she imagined to the mysterious spike in heart transplant rejections. Determined to find answers before she loses another patient, Mia gets sucked into a dangerous international medical web. With time running out for her youngest transplant recipient, Mia is forced to partner with a disillusioned ex-military pilot who flies brokered organs across East Africa. But searching for the truth will prove costly for the unlikely duo racing to stop a madman before he annihilates a rare and cursed bloodline.

 From best-selling author Lisa Harris and award-winning author Lynne Gentry comes a chilling, hypnotic medical thriller that will take you from the suburbs of Cincinnati to the jungles of Africa.

My Review

Ghost Heart is medical thriller. I have a love-hate relationship with medical thrillers. I love it because I love the suspense aspects. I hate it because it highlights the inequalities in medical profession both within countries like America, and globally. A million dollars for a heart transplant? The mind boggles.Yes, there is some blood and gore (gore = anything that can’t be fixed with an Elastoplast. There are some good reasons why I didn’t go into a medical profession). The worst of it is actually in the Prologue, so if you read the sample and are afraid it’s going to get worse, don’t worry. It doesn’t.

Kelsey Taylor is five years old, and needs a heart transplant stop urgently. Her mother, Catherine, is prepared to do anything to save her daughter. Even going to Africa to for a heart transplant. The only way she save her daughter is to ask her father for help—which could destroy her relationship with her husband.

Mia Kendall is a heart surgeon in the public hospital in Tanzania. She finds her heart transplant patients are dying. But the transplant patients from the nearby private hospital not. She’s suspicious. What is happening? Is there a problem with her surgical methods? Her post-operative care? Or is there a problem with the transplant organs?

Jeme is a Tanzanian wife and mother. Her husband has recently had a heart transplant, but he’s sick again. And she’s trying to protect her daughter—an albino, at risk of being kidnapped and murdered by hunters for her white skin and blue eyes. Unfortunately, this part of the story is based on fact. Albinos are considered cursed, yet at that same time, their body parts are considered good luck charms.

Ghost Heart focuses on the people who are trying to save lives. Catherine and Jeme, trying to save the lives of their daughters from two very different threats. Mia, trying to save her patients, and to make up for one mistake long ago. Organ transplant pilot Race Daniels, trying to save lives to make up for the two he couldn’t save.

It also highlights the tragedy of our modern medical system, and the way it favours the haves over the have-nots. Those who have insurance or money or who live in a country with a good public health system vs. those who don’t. The tragedy of transplants—the fact one person has to die in order for another to receive a new heart. The tragedy of greed—that where money is involved, someone will find a way to get rich at the expense of others.

The novel is suspense from start to finish, with several unexpected twists. Don’t do what I did and start it when you should be going to bed! Recommended for all medical suspense lovers.

Thanks to the authors for providing a free ebook for review.

This review originally appeared at Suspense Sisters Reviews.

First Line Friday

First Line Friday | Week 3 | Ghost Heart

It’s Friday, which means it’s time to open the book nearest you and share the first line.

Today I’m sharing from Ghost Heart by Lisa Harris and Lynne Gentry.

According to legend, their kind could never die.

It’s an intriguing first line, and let me assure you: the rest of Ghost Heart is both intriguing and nail-biting. It’s a must-read for medical suspense fans. My full review will post next week.

About the Book

A brilliant transplant surgeon. A rogue organ broker. A ghost child.
And the legend that could destroy them all.

A brutal murder convinces surgeon Mia Kendall there’s more than she imagined to the mysterious spike in heart transplant rejections. Determined to find answers before she loses another patient, Mia gets sucked into a dangerous international medical web. With time running out for her youngest transplant recipient, Mia is forced to partner with a disillusioned ex-military pilot who flies brokered organs across East Africa. But searching for the truth will prove costly for the unlikely duo racing to stop a madman before he annihilates a rare and cursed bloodline.

From best-selling author Lisa Harris and award-winning author Lynne Gentry comes a chilling, hypnotic medical thriller that will take you from the suburbs of Cincinnati to the jungles of Africa.

Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon AU | Goodreads

You can check out what some of these lovely FirstLineFriday bloggers are sharing today:

Bookworm Mama | Singing Librarian Books | Faithfully Bookish

Radiant Light | Encouraging Words from the Tea Queen

All the Book Blog Names are Taken | Robin’s Nest

Fiction Aficionado | Bibliophile Reviews | Kathleen Denly

Lauraine’s Notes | With A Joyful Noise | A Baker’s Perspective

Joy of Reading | C Jane Read | Moments Dipped in Ink

Molly’s Cafinated Reads | Romances of the Cross | Christian Fiction Girl

Reviews by Van Daniker | Reading Is My SuperPower

If you would like to join FirstLineFriday, contact Carrie at at Reading Is My SuperPower. Or check out my previous FirstLineFriday posts.

Share your first line in the comments, and happy reading!