Review: Turnabout
Norm Goldman
December 12, 2008
Author: Bruce Kaler, M.D.
ISBN: 978-1-4392-0556-3
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. Kalerīs 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, including both family practice and emergency medicine in rural and urban settings.
CLICK HERE TO READ NORM'S INTERVIEW WITH DR. BRUCE KALER
ISBN: 978-1-4392-0556-3
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. Kalerīs 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, including both family practice and emergency medicine in rural and urban settings.
CLICK HERE TO READ NORM'S INTERVIEW WITH DR. BRUCE KALER
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