Sunday, September 23, 2012

Sunday Salon: DEAD RINGER by Allen Wyler


It's time once again for Sunday Salon where we can relax and talk about the wonderful books we've discovered during the past week.

As some of you already know, my computer crashed recently and I was away from blogdom more than normal. The book I have to share with you today, I had planned to post about last week. It's a gripping thriller I hope you will enjoy learning about.

DEAD RINGER by Allen Wyler
 
Writers are always told to ‘write about what you know’ and in the case of author Allen Wyler, that phrase hits its mark.
 
Dead Ringer_cvrWyler is an internationally renowned neurosurgeon and he has created a realistic and likeable protagonist in the form of neurosurgeon Dr. Lucas McCrae, the lead character in his latest release, DEAD RINGER. McCrae is a well-developed character with flaws and issues giving him a more ‘average guy’ feel that superior surgeon.

The story begins with a typical medical conference in Hong Kong where McCrae is scheduled to demonstrate his latest surgical techniques. When he removes the cloth from the cadaver to begin the procedure, however, he discovers the body of his best friend, Andy Baer.

Once back in Seattle, McCrae learns his friend is missing and may have been killed by a gang of body snatchers. The gang, operating a legitimate funeral business, is suspected of selling body parts to medical researchers.

Determined to find his friend’s killers, McCrae sets out to expose the body snatching ring that goes much deeper than he ever imaged. He’s helped in his endeavor by a feisty female cop and a gang member whose family was victimized by the body snatchers.

DEAD RINGER is a fast-action read that will hold you captive from the opening page to the unexpected ending. The gripping story is plausible and could have been taken from recent headlines making it a chilling read. Filled with suspense and tension, the story flows at a smooth pace. Wyler includes enough medical procedures to be informative but not so much to make it a medical journal. An eye for detail, Wyler keeps the action moving as he draws the reader in for this fascinating thriller.

Author Allen Wyler’s website is http://www.allenwyler.com/

Dead Ringer by Allen Wyler, Astor + Blue Editions LLC, @2012, ISBN: 978-1938231148, Paperback, 334 Pages

FTC Full Disclosure - This eBook was sent to me by the publisher in hopes I would review it. However, receiving the complimentary copy did not influence my review.
 
Wyler has earned an international reputation for pioneering surgical techniques to record brain activity. He has served on the faculties of both the University of Washington and the University of Tennessee, and in 1992 was recruited by the prestigious Swedish Medical Center to develop a neuroscience institute. In 2002, he left active practice to become Medical Director for a startup med-tech company (that went public in 2006) and he now chairs the Institutional Review Board of a major medical center in the Pacific Northwest.

Leveraging a love for thrillers since the early 70’s, Wyler devoted himself to fiction writing in earnest, eventually serving as Vice President of the International Thriller Writers organization for several years. After publishing his first two medical thrillers Deadly Errors (2005) and Dead Head (2007), he officially retired from medicine to devote himself to writing full time.

He and his wife, Lily, divide their time between Seattle and the San Juan Islands.

Do you enjoy thriller ripped from the headlines? Thanks so much for stopping by today.
 

1 comment:

  1. Mason - Thanks for this review. Sometimes what's happening in the headlines really can make for a very compelling read and it sounds as though it does in this case. Glad you enjoyed this.

    ReplyDelete

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