The Last Surgeon

A timely book, destined to be embraced by book clubs...

"I know you can't believe this is happening, Ms. Coates, but I assure you it is. I have been paid, and paid very well, to kill you." - The Last Surgeon, Prologue, Page 1.

From the very first sentence, New York Times Bestselling Author Michael Palmer captures the reader's attention with no intention of release. In fact, it is advisable to keep water and food nearby as it is tempting to read "one more chapter" rather than to prepare dinner.

Palmer's latest medical thriller involves Dr. Nick Garrity, former trauma surgeon and victim of PTSD, searching for his missing friend, Lieutenant Umberto Vasquez, with whom he served in Afghanistan. Fate introduces him to psych nurse Jillian Coates, searching for the killer of her sister, Belle Coates, refusing to believe that Belle's death was a suicide. The combination of the two forces results in a story that stimulates the mind, challenges the emotions and satiates the imagination.

Among other factors, Palmer makes us realize that it is not the government we should be concerned with - it is the people within. The reader also questions the value of human life - more importantly, who has the right to decide.

A timely book destined to be embraced by book clubs, The Last Surgeon makes us question our loyalty - whether it be to our friends, to our patients or to our country.

The ending is nothing less than explosive - an ending, that is, to a masterful performance.

4 out of 5 people found this review helpful.

Medical mystery mixed with lots of thrilling plots

A killer that is contracted for non-kill killing? Sounds strange, but that is what someone is doing to seemingly unrelated people in different locations. Belle Coates is a beautiful top nurse and can't believe or realize that someone that has kept her mind working but refusing to allow her body to react has placed her in a dazed condition. "This can't be happening to me" goes through Belle's mind. The story is recreated in several more that also thought it couldn't be occurring to them; but it was. On the surface there seemed to be no connection to any of these deaths. The authorities didn't even connect any of them and the cause of death generally was termed to be suicide.

Nick Gerrity is one of many veterans that came home with P.T.S.D. (Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome) from war and was battling the bodily and mental disturbances it caused, usually when stress is involved but sometimes just on its own. Nick was an excellent surgeon but his life was not fulfilled just working in a hospital and, besides, his P.T.S.D. was telling him he needed to find a way to help others medically and other veterans attempt to regain a near normal life. Nick joined with a top nurse, Junie, who had been raised in the projects of Baltimore and wished to also help those less fortunate than she had been. They started a traveling RV when the foundation that Junie had worked for went under. She formed a corporation with Nick as CEO and Junie as Chair of the Board. She also arranged to purchase the RV for $1.00 so they could help unfortunates that needed medical attention. When Nick's best friend disappeared, his mind wondered and Junie did all she could to help Nick search for Umberto and still keep his mind on the traveling hospital.

The first person that we know of that was killed, Belle Coates, had an older sister, Jillian, who was devastated by the death of her sister and questioned how Belle could ever commit suicide. Nick and Jillian eventually get together and fell for each other. They also work together trying to solve the increasing murders that now seem to be connected by a few threads. Thus lays the groundwork for Michael Palmer's "The Last Surgeon" that is a very riveting suspense story containing many facets of medical conditions, care, research, and all working on finding those affected with P.T.S. D. and helping them, along with the poor and still keep the traveling hospital above ground financially.

If the minute description of this book above doesn't make you want to read this excellent story, nothing will move you to do much of anything! I have read several of Michael Palmer's books and enjoyed them very much but this one tops them all. He has put together so many subjects while keeping the reader informed so they do not get lost. Thank you Michael Palmer.

4 out of 5 people found this review helpful.

Deja PU

Nothing original, borrowed worn out story-line. Fast-paced, yeah, but so rehashed, literary cud. Save your money for a thriller with some intellectual appeal.

3 out of 7 people found this review helpful.

The Last Surgeon

"The Last Surgeon" by Michael Palmer is one fast-paced, action-packed thriller that had me not wanting to put the book down. Dr. Nick Garrity has been searching for a long lost war buddy when he meets Gillian Coates, whose sister Belle seemingly committed suicide, but Gillian thinks otherwise. A comic book clue "Nick Fury", led Gillian to Nick and together they find clues of a much bigger conspiracy. Soon they are on the hit-list and must not only find out who is behind it all, but keep themselves and others around them alive. Mr. Palmer has written a novel that kept me up into the middle of the night because it was that entertaining.

3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

enthralling conspiracy medical thriller

Former battlefield trauma surgeon Dr. Nick Garrity suffers from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder following a suicide attack on his field hospital in Afghanistan. Back home in Baltimore, Nick runs the Helping Hands RV mobile clinic that provides medical care to the homeless while struggling to contain his PTSD symptoms.

At the same time Nick drives the streets of the city, someone kills Central Charlotte Medical Center Cardiac Surgery ICU nurse Belle Coates in Charlotte, North Carolina. Belle's sister Jillian leaves her home in Virginia to uncover the identity of the person who killed her sibling. She soon finds a tie to Nick and his homeless clients; several of whom have abruptly vanished from the streets as if swept away; neither realizes who is spying on them.

The Last Surgeon is a fast-paced enthralling conspiracy medical thriller that grips the audience with a need to know why the homeless are vanishing and the professional hit man killed Belle. Nick is a fascinating protagonist who suffers from PTSD while Jill is a kick butt heroine. Fans will enjoy Michael Palmer's latest action-packed tale as the CIA secretly operates.

Harriet Klausner

3 out of 4 people found this review helpful.

Good

Enjoyable to read.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Gret Read!

Micheal Palmer has always been one of my favorite authors! This book captures your attention through the whole story and keeps you wanting to know more. While some of the plot was unrealistic it was still a great read! I could not put this book down and I think that anyone else that likes this kind of story will LOVE it because I know I did.

Reasonably good read. Probably lmited interest to anyone outside of fans of medical-related fiction.

A skilled surgeon experiences a traumatic experience while serving as a combat surgeon when his fiance is killed by a suicide bomber attack on their medical facility. The surgeon is left with PTSD and decides to use his medical skills to treat the downtroden in the Nation's capitol, while battling his own PTSD, rather than enter a lucritive practice in surgery. As he pursues his practice from a mobile home-type vehicle with is creative and supportive nurse, he also devotes consideable effort to assisting military veterans suffering from PTSD in obtaining medical benefits. Meanwhile, the fellow soldier (who also suffered from PTSD, who saved the surgeon's life during the suicide bombing attack, disappears. The surgeon, along with a couple of nurses, uncover a sinister plot while trying to determine what happened to the fellow soldier. The search endangers the key players while holding readers' interest in a series of sub-plots throughout the book. Readers who enjoy a mixture of drama and quick-paced action, will find this book an enjoyable diversion.

Not one of Michael's best

I was excited when I saw that Michael had come out with a new book. I always enjoy the topic of medical science combined with suspsense and intrique. But this one just did not cut the mustard. Weak plot, unrealistic characters and just too long to get to the end of the book. I would strongly suggest some of Palmer's earlier novels where he is able to combine strong storylines with characters that you care about. Take a pass on this one.

Awesome!

This book kept me guessing until the end. It was current and relevant. I will read more by this author.

The Last Surgeon

The Last Surgeon is Michael Palmer's best book to date. I have followed his books from the beginning; they have all been very good. This book is exceptional; it is a real page turner. I was sorry to see it end.

Another Great Read From Michael Palmer

I have read all of Michael Palmer's books and must say that each one brings another medical mystery twist. When you read the title, "The Last Surgeon", it leaves little or no clues as to what the book is about. That is until you start reading it. Palmer is a master at telling medical mysteries and involving the reader in the actual solving of the mystery. I was completely absorbed and found it difficult to put this book down. My compliments to Michael Palmer, he has done another fine job and I look forward to his next book.

The Last Surgeon

My husband and I love Michael Palmer. this book was somewhat disappointing and didn't hold oour interest like his other books.

Medical cloak and dagger

Not one of his best books but still worth reading.

Please, A Doctor Is Needed

A re-write book doctor, I mean. Palmer has written several novels now, and he has not improved with each of them. I know, as I have read them all. But here I find myself agreeing, in part, with the first reviewer:

"This is a great read by an excellent writer. It deserves five stars. (And for those who might look askance at my consistently high ratings, I'll confess--I just don't review books that deserve less. Matter of fact, I rarely even finish reading them. Life's too short.)"

Yes, life is too short to stick with a book that is not good, but why he thinks this book deserves five stars escapes me. The characters are not appealing to me, and I cringed when the substitute teacher fantasized about his students all falling dead. Yes, I know he is a bad guy in the book, but then he lusts for a young teen girl, and well, that kind of stuff isn't what I want to read.

Five stars should be reserved for the best books. There are so many good writers out there producing top notch reading, that to give a second-rate novel like this a five star award leaves you nowhere do go when you actually come across one. And I hope that you do...

So, I can see where one might have been entertained by this novel, but please do not confuse it with the best writing out there. Even measured against Palmer's earlier works, this is just not a very good book.

What a ride

What a great read. I sat down to read it in the afternoon when I had a few hours to spare, and THE LAST SURGEON ended up keeping me up well past my bedtime that same night. A terrifyingly plausible plot, compelling storyline, well-drawn characters...Palmer is the master of the thriller.

needed in ebook for the Nook.

The best new releases such as this should be available to the NOOK.

Stellar Edge of Your Seat Thriller

I have not read many medical thrillers. As much as I enjoy a good thriller or suspense book, I discovered that some medically themed books become tedious with so many medical terms and jargon, turning a relaxing pastime into a chore.

Not so with Michael Palmer's The Last Surgeon. I found Mr. Palmer's tale of a surgeon suffering from PTSD, intertwined with missing men, accidental deaths that may be murders and a character that has rightfully been compared with the ultimate literary sociopath, Hannibal Lecter, to be utterly engrossing and suspenseful.

Nick Garrity was a wonderful central character - - traumatized, yes, but strong, determined and most definitely worth rooting for. So well written and rounded was the character of Nick that I could easily visualize him in my mind and hear his voice throughout the story. (In fact, I continued reflecting throughout the story what a fantastic movie The Last Surgeon would make.)

Jillian Coates was a very good match for Nick, both in spirit and intelligence. In my reading experience I have found that some books that are primarily thrillers force feed the romance, causing it to feel overly scripted rather than a natural progression. Nick and Jillian, however, feel like a natural match and their relationship doesn't detract from the main story.

I also loved the character of Junie and found her to be a wonderful compliment to Nick. She was descriptive and fleshed out and other than the character of Franz Koller, possibly my favorite supporting character.

It may seem strange to feel that someone like Franz Koller would be a favorite character but Mr. Palmer has made such a vivid, frightening , fearful and fearless individual that surely deserves a place in literary infamy along with the aforementioned Hannibal Lector, Dracula and even Harry Potter's Voldemort, to name but a few. Franz is evil and he is completely free of conscious and yet he's a fascinating and complex character that steals the show from anyone else on the page. He brings to light our worst fears - - another human walking among us that is completely devoid of normal, human behaviors and makes certain scenes of The Last Surgeon a scary read.

This was my first book by Mr. Palmer and my first exposure to his writing. Despite the medical aspects of the writing and the intense scenes of war and violence, the writing flowed as easily as good wine. And like good wine, I thought The Last Surgeon was worth savoring.

I would highly recommend The Last Surgeon to anyone who enjoys a thriller or suspense novel and, most especially, an excellent read.

Suspenseful Psychological Thriller

A good plot, fast paced action through quick dialogue, and an entertaining and suspenseful read throughout.

A doctor with a heart of gold is pitted against a ruthless psychopath who has been hired as a contract killer by an unknown group. The killer thinks he is being humane by using bloodless and painless methods of dispatching his victims, but uses psychological terror nonetheless. Dr. Nick Garrity, in contrast, uses his talents to give medical care to the homeless and to war veterans. How their paths will cross, what far-reaching plot is behind the contract killings, and who will come out the winner are questions that kept me reading. Definitely an adults-only thriller, which builds suspense through psychological threats. Certainly not for the squeamish.

Palmer Just Keeps Getting Better

As a physician/writer I'm pretty particular about medical thrillers. From the first Michael Palmer book I picked up to THE LAST SURGEON, I've continued to be impressed with his ability to craft a book with just enough medical details to pique the reader's interest without getting lost in technicalities and medical jargon. Add to that his well-drawn characters and fast-paced plot, and he's set the bar pretty high. With THE LAST SURGEON, he continues the performance level he achieved with SECOND OPINION. This time the flaw in his lead character, a veteran trauma surgeon now devoting himself to caring for the disenfranchised, is post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). From the first time we encounter Dr. Nicholas Garrity, we find ourselves rooting for him. The female lead, Jillian Coates, has our sympathy before we even see her, as the book opens with the diabolical murder of her sister by one of the most terrifying villains I've ever encountered in a book.

This is a great read by an excellent writer. It deserves five stars. (And for those who might look askance at my consistently high ratings, I'll confess--I just don't review books that deserve less. Matter of fact, I rarely even finish reading them. Life's too short.)