John Benedict (2)

Wow! I'm not at all disappointed this wasn't the sci-fi thriller I expected. If I'd read the fine print under the title, A high tech medical thriller, I'd have probably passed it by and that would have been my loss. As it is, all I lost was half a night's sleep since I couldn't put this down until I got to the last page.

A special thank you to Oceanview Publishing and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

John Benedict delivers an action-packed, psycho-crime-medical thriller, FATAL COMPLICATIONS -- a series of bizarre anesthetic deaths, a conspiracy, a deadly game of revenge, and a madman – putting everyone is danger, crossing his path.

Trust No One.

The book opens fifteen years earlier, with a fire (an inferno). A man is asking a woman where is David? A missing dog and son. He can hear show more his son crying out for help. A dad is trying to save his son—he is so close.

Flash forward, we meet Dr. Luke Daulton, a young anesthesiologist at Swatara Regional Hospital in Hershey, Pennsylvania. During a C-Section, the patient succumbs due to a rare anesthetic complication.

He is also reprimanded by Dr Jason Katz the head of Anesthesiology at the hospital who places blame on Luke's procedure for the loss of the patient, and he is the one who helped. He has his suspicions; however, not sure the motive, or why. Several other unexplained happenings in the OR, and Luke is highly concerned. Who can he tell. He needs someone to confide in. Possibly Rob.

Other things begin happening; and he has some suspicions but unsure the motive. At the same time, he is too busy worrying about being a father, and fears his wife will also need a C-section. Could there be a murderer operating in his hospital? His wife has been worried about her husband lately, as something was clearly troubling him. She was not sure if it was the new job, the baby, or what.

This part turns to psycho-thriller: The Killer is an evil mastermind out for revenge. Instead of the God-loving man he once was, he has turned to the devil as his master. Filled with demons. Creepy. Spine-tingling. Spiritual Satanism. Pure evil. Hatred. He thinks souls are his for the taking. He enjoys taking people to the dark side and playing on human weaknesses. Greed, pride, political power, egos, sex, adultery, drugs, alcohol…blackmail; there are many ways to destroy; he knows just how to get to them. To control them. Big egos need big cash. Human Flaws. Absolute Power. (Satanic demon worship- A trip to the supernatural). Think The Devil’s Advocate.

As the book moves on we learn the connection with the tidbits of information at the beginning of the book about the fire.

Then there is Rob Gentry, a 50 year-old OB/GYN doc who is in the throes of marital woes, as he finds himself tempted by the beautiful Gwen Miller. As his personal life spins out of control, he stumbles upon a murder for hire ring. He has to make several life-altering decisions which will ultimately determine his fate.

The feds start snipping around Swantara Regional. The mastermind killer is mildly concerned about Daulton and Gentry. The two of them together could be dangerous. However, he has a plan. A bigger one. He will rule. He pulls the strings.

When his wife, Kim’s procedure takes a wrong turn, they are placed in danger, Luke must do whatever it takes. He needs a carefully crafted plan of attack. He has no clue how big this is.

When you reach the 50% mark, things are tense and the suspense high. Adrenaline fueled!

Readers get updates by month and time, a race against time for a riveting page-turner. From Sept – Nov we get play by play. Benedict, the author knows his way around a hospital and operating room-- Each heart-pounding moment is vivid, fearful, dangerous. Lives are at stake and one wrong move could kill the people he loves.

Meanwhile Bart Hinkle, is running for another term as senator-- He learns that there is a way that his problem could be solved, permanently. Senator Pierce is having his gallbladder out—what is the plan?

A plot to kill. Bodies are piling up. Clues- a puzzle SUDOKU. Luke has to save his wife and unborn baby. A fatal complication. Good versus evil.

My neck was in a knot by the time I finished…what a roller-coaster ride. The pace never ceases until the final moment.

I have two friends which are anesthesiologists, and can only image the stress and the high stakes environment. I hear their stories. Lives are in their hands and for someone such as myself with pages of severe allergies and anaphylaxis. . . equipped with an Epi-pen at all times, have little trust in them, doctors, or hospitals.

However, I do love fiction crime medical thrillers and let me say, this is one to read! If you enjoyed Trauma Michael & Daniel Palmer (one of my top books of 2015), you will enjoy this well-plotted psycho-suspense. There is a lot packed into one book.

A number of unique comparisons between the two strong forces. Father and son relationships. Good versus evil. Spirituality and faith. How grief gets out of hand, and can cross into a deep complex psychological disorder with deadly consequences. show less

I'm a huge fan of the medical thriller, but the plot and action within these pages was quite far-fetched and left me a bit underwhelmed.

This is the first in a series featuring anesthesiologist Dr. Luke Daulton. He's just starting a new job and is also trying to make friends and prepare himself for the imminent birth of his daughter. During one of his first days in the OR, a colleague's patient dies from malignant hyperthermia. The experience makes Luke suspicious but he's unable to pinpoint show more the source of his concern. Meanwhile, there's a lot going on behind the scenes with a large cast of characters.

Many subplots and plenty of good and bad characters fill this story. The narrative jumps from person to person with Luke being the main character. Almost too much going on with limited detail as to how it all really ties together. Luke and others are put in extreme peril as the climax is reached. The story will require a great deal of suspension of disbelief. I do enjoy the medical details about conditions and treatment, but that whole side bar of the weird supernatural stuff and the excessive amount of religion were not aspects that intrigued me. The conspiracy stuff was just too far off an unexplained.

Will I read another by this author -- well I'm tied to the first 3 in this series so I guess I will give the second a try and hope for the best.

Thank you to NetGalley and Oceanview Publishing for this e-book ARC to read and review. show less

ADRENALINE BY JOHN BENEDICT is literally a heart stopping thriller! Its a good thing I am not having anesthesia any time soon! Anesthesiologist literally hold a patients life in their hands. And in ADRENALINE,patients are dying because someone is messing with the anesthesia in surgeries.

ADRENALINE is a heart stopping thrill ride. Just when you think you have got the killer figured out,the twist and turns start in and you are sitting there saying , what happened? I love these kind of show more thriller/mysteries. ADRENALINE has very solid characters and this is what kept me reading . The author took something that we all think of as "routine" surgery setting and twisted it into one of our worst nightmares!

I received this book free in exchange for an honest review. show less