Terro.R.

The perfect title for a perfectly terrifying novel

As a professional who has worked in three major medical centers as well as being a patient, I appreciate that this is a book that only a medical professional could have written. In addition to being a genuine page turner, it will give you insight into the activities of the thoughts and activities of a doctor in whose hands you literally place your life when you undergo surgery. While the story is definitely scary, you will develop an appreciation of the professionalism and skill of the anesthesiologist. The author, a retired anesthesiologist, weaves a story that is so cleverly contrived that I plan to re-read it to recognize the clues as they appear. I had difficulty putting the book down. When I finished it I was sorry it was over!

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

A Braciing, Bright, Unique Insight into Terrorism's Possible Variations

Joseph J. Neuschatz has a decided edge in writing this highly intriguing and frightening novel about the insidious invasion of terrorist activity within the field of American Medicine. As a practicing anesthesiologist he witnesses those moments of life/death decisions and crises from the vantage of sitting at the head of a surgical patient, a stance that obviously has opened his imagination to some frightening possibilities. He has the tenor of the OR down pat and the vocabulary and knowledge of medicine as tools on which to build a credible story. And he happens to write VERY well! Phillip Newman, MD is the kind of anesthesiologist everyone admires: he is bright, thoroughly trained and experienced physician, an excellent technician and a warm human being with a keen sense of humor. Married to a supportive nurse wife Kyra, he seems to have it all. On a seemingly routine case of a tattoo removal by a plastic surgeon on a 19-year-old kid under pressure from his father, Newman approaches the case with his usual excellent skills, until the patient abruptly goes into ventricular fibrillation and dies on the table. Stunned, Newman must inform the patient's father who refuses an autopsy and within hours is suing Newman and the hospital for the death. Pandora's Box is opened, and because Newman is an astute thinker, he ponders every aspect of the case, looking for the cause of the surprising death, only to discover that similar deaths plus autopsy refusals plus law suits AND fairly new life insurance policies taken out by the families of the deceased create a startling pattern. Research on the internet, email communication with other anesthesiologists (one of whom has a brother who is connected with the FBI), and interaction with the hospitals, insurance companies, and lawyers open the pathway to discover a unique mode of fundraising for terrorist organizations: 'suicide bombers' in the form of freshly tattooed young men with savvy knowledge as to medication interactions come sharply into focus! While there are many post 911 terrorist suspense thrillers on the bookshelves, Neuschatz has cornered a topic that is not only compelling, but also one that is delivered in a writing style that makes it wholly convincing. This is his first novel and in addition to Neuschatz' already present ability to use 'medical speak' in a manner that is sophisticated and never 'dumbs down' the reader, and to blend tense reality atmosphere with a good natured sense of humor when appropriate, he does encounter some problems that experience will easily alter. Some of the OR characters need to be fleshed out to allow the reader some insights that seem to belong solely to Newman the timing of the last third of the novel seems to drop the tension in favor of making sure the reader gets exposure to Newman's love life with his wife and there are too many typos that cry for an astute editor's eye. But these are minor considerations when the impact of this immensely interesting and conceived page-turner is addressed. Neuschatz has a sparkling wit and enviable vocabulary and knows how to unfold a storyline as well as many of the best authors out there. Let's hope there will be more novels from him! Grady Harp

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

a perfect gift 4 someone u luv

I am not an aficionado of medical thrillers. Sure, I have read more than half a dozen of the obligatory Robin Cook thrillers, been enamored by the screen version of Coma (directed by yet another doctor- author- director Michael Crichton) ¿ but as a whole I am not exactly a loyal follower of medical thrillers. But when my uncle¿s (an anesthesiologist by profession) 25th wedding anniversary approached, I decided on getting him a book. And the book that captivated my attention was this novel, TerrO.R written by an anesthesiologist. And if you guys believe that a book given as present should be handed over unread- please do not read any further¿.I read the book, and boy-oh- boy was it ever so chilling. There are no frills, fantasy or for that matter fictional suspense elements in TerrO.R¿.what I read was a gritty, factually suspenseful, plausible and possible story¿that¿s so rooted in reality. Philip Newman is a gas passer- don¿t get me wrong, that¿s the slang jargon for Anesthesiologist. An easy going, dedicated doctor with a fine sense of humour, life seems pretty normal for Newman. You know the `perfect American life¿. However, the day he decides to help out as an anesthesiologist in a regular tattoo removal surgery on a 19 year old boy- things turn chaotic. Something has gone wrong and the boy has now succumbed to cardiac arrest. And guess who the first scapegoat of the surgery is- the anesthesiologist. The author herein subtly presents another interesting aspect. The role of an anesthesiologist is often undermined. Usually, if everything goes well, the principal doctor gets all the credit¿and if anything goes wrong- the first to be blamed is the anesthesiologist. And Newman is faced with a huge malpractice suit. However, when the doctor begins to conduct his own investigation and he finds that there have been similar deaths linked to tattoo removal operations in the past also. What follows is a good read, a good chiller ride one that I am sure would excite and interest the connoisseur of good medical mysteries. And if I can think of anything unsavory to say about the book- well- it is the portrayal of law and lawyers in the novel. As a lawyer myself, I was a bit peeved¿.but the author is justified by truth- that I must grudgingly accept. And oh¿.yes, my uncle really loved the book- and I think he might start work on his own medical thriller inspired by TerrO.R.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

A reviewer

I am a registered nurse and I worked in the O.R. area for 2 years. Never have I read a more truly terrifying novel than this. Dr. Neuschatz makes it so real that I recognize moments from my own career. My husband, a Pathologist, said that this book is a potential, if not actual, real life situation. The dialog was so true to the O.R I felt that I was standing there. Also, my husband has received 100's of midnight calls, and we know what it feels like when you are called in the middle of the night. It is Never good news! This book is a page turner, and a 'keep you up until finished' novel. I think that Dr. Neuschatz's novel should be 'required' reading for medical students, and nurses. This novel is only a Prelude to what will , or has, happened in the O.R. Please read this wonderful book for not just the terrifying story line, but to also understand the real world of Physicians like Dr. Neuschatz. This books rates 5 stars for story line, and 5 stars for absolute terrO.R.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

A reviewer

Anesthesiologist, Philip Newman is sued when a patient under his care dies on the operating table. The young healthy man was having tattoos removed, not usually a lethal operation. But where is the real danger? The anesthetic? Or the tattoo? Or was it something else? As it turns out there are other unexplained deaths of young men with tattoos. Are they connected? If so, how? The answer is there--you just know it is, but it's elusive and you'll have to read all the way to the end to see just what you've missed. Dr. Joseph J. Neuschatz is amazing. He's able to give the reader the inside information on the art of the medical practice, the drugs, and the world of the anesthesiologist without losing the reader in the details. At the same time he weaves a tale that, as he notes in his preface 'I hope this timely novel is fiction'. So do I. Review by Wanda C. Keesey

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

A reviewer

Just the title alone is going to grab attention. What to expect? Plus it only takes place within 160 flimsy pages! Is this really going to be interesting, or is this self-published author just putting a few words on some paper with a word so simple as 'TerrO.R.' on the cover just for kicks? Well, if you think that this is just for kicks, then I dare you to open the first page! Read on. Dr. Philip Newman, Anesthesiologist, has a problem. This kid, who got a couple of tattoos, dies under his watch after being put out. So it is undoubtedly the Doctor's fault, RIGHT? On top of that, dear old dad, who made his sonny boy get the operation in the first place, doesn't want an autopsy. But he does want a settlement out of court! WELCOME TO THE O.R.!! We learn rather quickly that what seems to be an uncommon bone to be picked, isn't so uncommon after all. Maybe Phil doesn't want to be a gas passer ANYMORE!!! This is indeed surrounded with a few maybes. Hey, MAYBE it isn't fiction. What do you think? MAYBE the ending isn't at easy as we readers think! This was interesting from the first page, and it paced itself with wit, and it bandaged itself up when it needed to. I consider this taking a new shot. But I'm taking it at one Joseph Neuschatz, M.D. I personally thank him for the opportunity to sample this great tale! Or is it just a tale?

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

An excellent medical thriller that keeps you guessing until the end.

Doctor Philip Newman is an anesthesiologist with a lot of experience in his field, but he is hit with a traumatic death of a young man who dies on the operating table while undergoing a simple removal of skin tattoos. The man's father refuses an autopsy for religious reasons and immediately sues everyone involved. Dr. Newman is devastated by the malpractice law suit and tries to come up with the answer to why his patient died for no apparent reason. Research and a chance encounter with another physician who had the same problem makes Dr. Newman suspicious of the real reason the young man died. Both patients had been overseas and both had tattoos to be removed and both died without a postmortem exam. As the book progresses we finally find out the actual reasons for their deaths. I won't give away the ending, but you won't want to put the book down until you finish it. The plot and the characters were crafted by an outstanding medical author.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Frightening Possibilities

For wisecracking anesthesiologist Philip Newman, life is good. If all goes well at work, he'll be finished up in plenty of time to make the tennis courts. He can even overlook the fact that his ex-mistress, Peggy, is the operating room supervisor. His wife Kyra is a pediatric nurse and their symbiotic relationship provides a comfortable routine day after day. His first patient of the day is a nineteen-year-old man in need of a tattoo removal, accompanied by his restrictive father. It's a relatively simple surgery with few expected complications. When the otherwise healthy patient goes into cardiac arrest on the operating table, Newman's life comes crashing down around him. The father refuses an autopsy based on religious reasons, then comes back with a lawsuit. Something about the situation doesn't sit well with Dr. Newman: he cannot find reason that any of his anesthetics would have negatively affected his patient. Newman begins exploring possible theories for the death while his insurance company is in the process of settling out of court. He cannot bring himself to admit guilt. His research pays off when he discovers a pattern across the country of young men going into cardiac arrest while having their tattoos removed. Could it be the ingredients in the tattoo ink interacting with the anesthesia? Or is it something far more sinister? terrO.R., which is Dr. Joseph J. Neuschatz's first novel, is 150 pages long, and most chapters are four to five pages long at the most, which makes for quick reading. The reader settles into the mindset of 'one more chapter because it's so short,' and before they realize it, the book is finished. Each chapter affords a new development in the plot or a teasing cliffhanger that keeps the reader interested. Dr. Neuschatz offers a privileged view of the stressors that medical professionals encounter on a daily basis, even when mystery is not afoot. This is a side that patients rarely see that could greatly improve doctor/patient relationships if publicized. An anesthesiologist himself, he provides the story with firsthand experience that makes the plot incredibly plausible. There are a few small issues: the editing is loose, as it hasn't been through the rigors of a major publisher, and the reader will trip over a few typos and misspellings and a loose end in the plot remains at the close of the book. The deaths of two O.R. associates are hinted upon as foul play, but never actually explained or correlated with the story. Overall, Dr. Joseph J. Neuschatz has provided a valuable piece of literature that gives the reader a glimpse into the medical industry and leaves the possibilities of medical sabatoge frighteningly wide open.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

An Award Winning Medical Mystery

It is rare that I cannot guess what a book is about and where it is going to take me with the plot however, author and real life anesthesiologist, Joseph J. Neuschatz M.D., took me on a suspenseful journey into new territory. His novel 'terrO.R.' breaks new ground in the medical mystery thriller genre. He definitely put the 'O.R.' in definition of terror! The basic plot seems simply enough at first. I had suspects and the motives all figured out, the only problem was that I was wrong. The hero of this tale is an anesthesiologist named Philip Newman who loses a seemly healthy 19 year old man to a cardiac arrest on the operating table for a procedure to remove tattoos from his arms. The young man got these over seas and his father wanted the removed surgically. The plot thickens as the doctor has lingering doubts about what happened. Those are only reinforced more when he learns that the young man had terminal cancer that he hid from the doctors at that hospital. Newman's paranoia becomes full blown when he learns that his ex-mistress, who is one of the operating nurses, is dating the father of the dead boy and that there is a rather large life insurance policy that was recently taken out. Not only did she have a connection with the family but she also knew about the cancer and had the young man treated at another medical facility for it. There are many strange things that prompt the doctor to wonder about what really happened including the families reaction, the request for no autopsy because of religious beliefs, the life insurance, and the malpractice lawsuit he gets hit with. He is contacted by another anesthesiologist on the west coast who had a similar death on the operating table. His patient was there for removal of tattoos that were put on in another country. Newman starts to question all kinds of things like the fact that both of these dead young men had a beards and longer hair style and had been overseas. So the doctor resorts to the internet looking at how tattoos are done and the dangers of the inks. But all this will just lead the reader around in mental circles guessing as it did me. The least obvious plot scheme emerges and takes the reader on a much more creative and bolder possibility. The change of direction is brilliant and really much more satisfying then where I thought it was going to go. This book is one of a kind. It is a clever plot with more than enough twists for any good ole 'who-done-it' medical story. I loved the story and read this book in one complete sitting. It is a nice and comfortable 150 page book. It has 'classic' possibilities written all over it. Author Neuschatz has crafted himself a great story. This is worthy of a FIVE STAR Rating by any organization. This book is a 2006 Winner of one of The American Authors Association's Distinguished Book Awards - for Thriller Novels! I personally endorse this book and recommend that you buy and read it. Bill McDonald American Authors Association President Military Writer's Society of America President

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Great Read!

In this outstanding read by Joseph J. Neuschatz, M.D., we are introduced to an anesthesiologist by the name of Philip Newman, and taken into his life, both personal and professional. I liked Dr.Newman right away his true concern for patients shone from the beginning of this work and made the character quite endearing and approachable. A large part of the storyline takes place in the OR room of a modern hospital where we are taken through the day to day duties of an anesthesiologist, his challenges and the pressure of keeping his patients alive through any operation from large to small. As you read this work you will learn much of the ins and outs of the procedures done before, after and during surgery. I found this to be quite interesting, although a little unnerving. I never realized how much weight for the patients well-being is placed on an anesthesiologist and it was quite an eye-opener. As the story unfolds, Dr. Newman loses one of his patients from cardiac arrest during a routine tattoo-removal. He can't seem to shake the question of why this seemingly young man died. It also troubles him why his father seemed almost aloof over the news of his son's death, why the family refused an autopsy and on top of that he feared he would be facing a malpractice lawsuit. When this becomes a reality, Newman decides to follow his instincts that something just isn't right and begins to investigate whether other deaths of similar circumstances have been reported at hospitals across the country. He enlists the help of the internet and soon has a network of fellow anesthesiologists and some very interesting, and downright suspicious facts before him. Learning this is not an isolated incident, the cards are stacked in the favor that perhaps there is TerrO.R. in the OR room, a terror that would effect the very core of our country's security. Our author, Joseph J. Neuschatz definitely brings to the table his expertise as an anesthesiologist in this read, taking you right into the heart of the characters and the world in which he lives, and the world that we live in as well. I don't want to give away any more of the storyline but I have to tell you it is quite ingenious and definitely has a conclusion that you just won't be looking for. I will say this, Terr.O.R. does have a name, and definitely does have a purpose in this book. Dr. Neuschatz does an outstanding job on his character development, local descriptions and storyline. The read is flowing and quick paced, with just the right amount of intrigue to keep you guessing and pressing on to find out the answer . This is one outstanding medical 'chill' read that I certainly hope will be followed by another. Hats off to our author and let's hope this story never becomes a reality.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

A New Type of Medical Thriller

In TerrO.R., Joseph J. Neuschatz brings his considerable expertise as an anesthesiologist to add a different slant to the medical thriller. Dr. Philip Newman is a conscientious anesthesiologist who is sued for malpractice when a young man inexplicably dies following administration of anesthesia for what should have been a minor procedure to remove a tattoo. In his quest to find out what happened to his patient, Newman realizes that his case is part of a pattern of cases across the U.S. Newman is a likable character and his dedication to his patients is admirable. The reader will empathize with his frustration at being sued and the vagaries of medical malpractice laws. Neuschatz puts an interesting twist at the end of the book that will catch readers by surprise. The intricate attention to medical details in this book will appeal to the readers of medical thrillers and hospital dramas. Having an anesthesiologist as the main character is a unique perspective for the medical thriller, and one that more authors ought to explore.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

FICTION ?

This first novel is impressing without being perfect. When patients die unexplainable in operating rooms, when medical malpractice law-suits start, a new york anesthesiologist becomes medical detective. After eliminating, pharmacological, pathological, chemical and other possible causes, his timely discovery is not only scary, but also super conceivable. On the front cover a good question: 'fiction ?' i recommend this novel.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Death on the Operating Table

The author is an anesthesiologist who gives us a close glimpse at the life of a physician. He begins with the situation of a doctor driving to an emergency and who must stop at red lights and obey traffic laws the doctor does not have the advantage of emergency sirens and lights even though life and death are at stake. Most of us lay people don't think about such complications. The book is an interesting mixture of everyday life with its joys and pains. For example, the joys are described as breakfast in bed, going on trips to New York and its delicious delicatessen restaurants, making love to one's loving and caring wife. The pains are many, one of them being the loss of a child. In the mixture, we also find technical medical information including names of medical conditions, pharmaceuticals used in anesthesia, and medical procedures. At the very beginning of the book, the reader is captivated by a gripping account of the loss of a young patient on the operating table and the vain efforts to save him. The medical terminology and everyday family life events are two elements of the book to which are added the characteristics of a mystery novel. The reader is now presented with legalities, with histories of unexpected deaths in the operating room, and with the effort to understand if the deaths are unexplainable or if there is a plausible cause. The mystery novel becomes the main thread of the book. It involves doctors in many parts of the country reporting similar cases of apparently unexplainable operating room deaths. A flavor of novelty and diversion is added even in the medico-legal segments of the book with accounts of dinners, food, and French wine. And then, there are the plays on words: the orthopedic surgeon is nicknamed 'Napoleon Bones-Apart,'and the question of the tattoo ink gives 'mink, pink, sink, link.' An interesting character is introduced in the person of the nurse Margaret Kane. We learn that she was a former girlfriend of Dr. Phil Newman's, the book's main character. The past makes their working together difficult. The relationship between Phil Newman and Margaret Kane could be the subject of an entirely new story. Unfortunately, Margaret Kane is killed in a car collision between her Volkswagen and a Hummer driven by another doctor in the nurses'parking lot. The accident is described in a brief but poignant account in chapter eighteen. The metaphor of the death of the nurse in a Volkswagen being hit by the doctor in a Hummer, in the nurses' parking lot, gives some food for thought. The reader is brought back to the main thread of the book, the legal and detective aspects. There is a glimpse at the complications of legal maneuvers, malpractice court filings, and the involvement of insurance agents all of which are so time consuming, expensive, and exasperating to a physician that he considers changing professions. The involvement of anesthesiologists from around the world by internet to review 'complications and/or death under anesthesia' becomes a fascinating topic. The book is subtitled 'fiction?' The question mark is significant because the reader wonders whether these internet connections among doctors and library research in legal matters by physicians is an actual occurence. Even more so, the question mark points to the possibility that Dr. Philip Newman's findings regarding the connection among the apparently unrelated cases of deaths under anesthesia are real. Without giving away the solution to the mystery, this reviewer can say that if the findings are real, they have very grave implications in today's world. This reviewer will also say that Terr.O.R is a fascinating book which offers interesting medical information against a background of touching human relationships. All of this is placed in the setting of a detective novel. The expression 'good things come in small packages' can be applied to Terr.O.R. This reviewer recommends the 150-page book most high

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

A Bracing, Bright, Unique Insight into Terrorism's Possible Variations

Joseph J. Neuschatz has a decided edge in writing this highly intriguing and frightening novel about the insidious invasion of terrorist activity within the field of American Medicine. As a practicing anesthesiologist he witnesses those moments of life/death decisions and crises from the vantage of sitting at the head of a surgical patient, a stance that obviously has opened his imagination to some frightening possibilities. He has the tenor of the OR down pat and the vocabulary and knowledge of medicine as tools on which to build a credible story. And he happens to write VERY well!

Phillip Newman, MD is the kind of anesthesiologist everyone admires: he is bright, thoroughly trained and experienced physician, an excellent technician and a warm human being with a keen sense of humor. Married to a supportive nurse wife Kyra, he seems to have it all. On a seemingly routine case of a tattoo removal by a plastic surgeon on a 19-year-old kid under pressure from his father, Newman approaches the case with his usual excellent skills, until the patient abruptly goes into ventricular fibrillation and dies on the table. Stunned, Newman must inform the patient's father who refuses an autopsy and within hours is suing Newman and the hospital for the death. Pandora's Box is opened, and because Newman is an astute thinker, he ponders every aspect of the case, looking for the cause of the surprising death, only to discover that similar deaths plus autopsy refusals plus law suits AND fairly new life insurance policies taken out by the families of the deceased create a startling pattern. Research on the internet, email communication with other anesthesiologists (one of whom has a brother who is connected with the FBI), and interaction with the hospitals, insurance companies, and lawyers open the pathway to discover a unique mode of fundraising for terrorist organizations: 'suicide bombers' in the form of freshly tattooed young men with savvy knowledge as to medication interactions come sharply into focus!

While there are many post 911 terrorist suspense thrillers on the bookshelves, Neuschatz has cornered a topic that is not only compelling, but also one that is delivered in a writing style that makes it wholly convincing. This is his first novel and in addition to Neuschatz' already present ability to use 'medical speak' in a manner that is sophisticated and never 'dumbs down' the reader, and to blend tense reality atmosphere with a good natured sense of humor when appropriate, he does encounter some problems that experience will easily alter. Some of the OR characters need to be fleshed out to allow the reader some insights that seem to belong solely to Newman; the timing of the last third of the novel seems to drop the tension in favor of making sure the reader gets exposure to Newman's love life with his wife; and there are too many typos that cry for an astute editor's eye. But these are minor considerations when the impact of this immensely interesting and conceived page-turner is addressed. Neuschatz has a sparkling wit and enviable vocabulary and knows how to unfold a storyline as well as many of the best authors out there. Let's hope there will be more novels from him! Grady Harp

FICTION OR 21ST CENTURY REALITY ?

THIS FIRST NOVEL IS IMPRESSING WITHOUT BEING PERFECT.
WHEN PATIENTS DIE UNEXPLAINABLE IN OPERATING ROOMS, WHEN MEDICAL MALPRACTICE LAW-SUITS START, A NEW YORK ANESTHESIOLOGIST BECOMES MEDICAL DETECTIVE. AFTER ELIMINATING, PHARMACOLOGICAL, PATHOLOGICAL, CHEMICAL AND OTHER POSSIBLE CAUSES, HIS TIMELY DISCOVERY IS NOT ONLY SCARY, BUT ALSO SUPER CONCEIVABLE.
ON THE FRONT COVER A GOOD QUESTION: "FICTION ?"
I RECOMMEND THIS NOVEL.

Timely and Authentic Medical Thriller

Philip Newman, a Long Island anesthesiologist, loses one of his patients to an inexplicable cardiac arrest during a routine tattoo-removal procedure. When served with the inevitable malpractice lawsuit, Newman becomes determined to investigate whether other similar deaths at hospitals across the country can be attributed to a common cause. Using the vast information sharing tools available on the Internet and a network of fellow anesthesiologists, Newman mounts an impressive investigation into a variety of causes, all the while trying to maintain a healthy marriage and keep up with the intense demands of a critical profession that's under constant attack in our litigious society. Once they get past the uneven editing and the contrived feel of some of the dialogue, fans of the medical thriller genre will find much to like here. The author is at his best when describing medical procedures and opining about the host of modern challenges faced by the medical profession. The book is also well-paced and fairly well-plotted, save for the less-than-convincing eureka moment when Newman unravels the mystery. And its concept is certainly timely, leaving me fearful that the inadequate information sharing between hospitals in this country has created an environment in which this type of scheme could actually take place.

0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.