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Oath of Office (Dr. Lou Welcome #1)

by Michael Palmer (Goodreads Author)

3.61 of 5 stars 3.61 · rating details · 964 ratings · 197 reviews

Michael Palmer,the New York Times bestselling author of A Heartbeat Away and The Last Surgeonbrings usa shocking new thriller at the crossroads of politics and medicine.

What if a well respected doctor inexplicably goes on a murderous rampage?

When Dr. John Meacham goes on a shooting spree the office, his business partner, staff, and two patients are killed in the bloodbath....more

Hardcover, 384 pages

Published February 14th 2012 by St. Martin's Press

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Mar 06, 2012 Papercuts1 rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: killer-thrillers

It's been a while since I've enjoyed a thriller as immensely as I did this one. Maybe because after reading about so many psychopaths and supernaturally touched murderers, one kill more horrifying and graphic than the other, it was refreshing to read a thriller written the classical way. We have an intelligent, likable protagonist, a plausible, fast-paced plot, perfectly timed action sequences and a highly dramatic finale. A page turner of the traditional sort, with a very modern, scarily realis...more It's been a while since I've enjoyed a thriller as immensely as I did this one. Maybe because after reading about so many psychopaths and supernaturally touched murderers, one kill more horrifying and graphic than the other, it was refreshing to read a thriller written the classical way. We have an intelligent, likable protagonist, a plausible, fast-paced plot, perfectly timed action sequences and a highly dramatic finale. A page turner of the traditional sort, with a very modern, scarily realistic scenario.

The fact that OATH OF OFFICE is a medical thriller had me braced for scientific monologues and medical lingo that would drown out part of the actual plot. How wonderful that neither was the case! The medical/scientific aspects of the story are well-embedded into the plot, and the fact that the main character, Dr. Lou Welcome, works in an ER only gives the whole thing even more plausibility. Lou's calmness in the eye of the storm directly correlates to the life-and-death decisions he has to make in the ER, and the reader readily believes in his mental strength in dire situations.

OATH OF OFFICE also covers the modern day power play of politics and business. The conspiracy goes all the way up to the White House, and Palmer touches on a highly sensitive issue when it comes to the clashing business interests in and health risks of GMO.

Be warned: After reading OATH OF OFFICE, you'll most likely exclude certain types of food from your diet. At least for a while.

The one thing I could criticize: The common denominator, the link between the victims was very obvious very soon. I couldn't quite believe how Lou didn't put two and two together there. But he's forgiven, and so is Michael Palmer. We've all been there and overlooked the most obvious, haven't we?

What an enjoyable read! And the audio version I listened to was perfectly narrated by Robert Petkoff. A professional, well-paced narration with subtle vocal differentiation of the different characters. Petkoff never over-dramatizes, and never pushes his voice into the foreground. His narration does nothing but completely serve the story and give the characters their unique voices. Couldn't have been done better!(less)

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Feb 26, 2012 Jennifer rated it 1 of 5 stars

Imagine, if you will, that Michael Crichton did not die from cancer, but from a zombie attack. Also, imagine that prior to his death at the relentless jaws of the undead, he read Stephen King's Tommyknockers. Now, suppose the reanimated corpse of Michael Crichton lumbered about for some time. Eventually, it remembered having read the King book and decided to write a book of its own, with only the rotted stumps left where hands used to be.

This book would be the result.

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Jan 09, 2012 Tom Mueller marked it as to-read

Shelves: advanced-reader, 1stedition

I LOVE this place!
I just won an AR copy of this. Being a Michael Palmer fan, I'll dig into this as soon as it arrives, and will certainly post a review.
Thank You! to the publisher for making copies available for us, and especially for Michael Palmer for making it happen!

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Mar 24, 2013 Sandie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013-books, thrillers-and-mystery, contemporary-lit

Whether you call Michael Palmer's OATH OF OFFICE a suspense thriller or a medical mystery doesn't matter much. Just know that this book is an intelligent look at what science has come up with when it comes to genetically engineered or chemically altered foods and the lack of oversight of these operations. It would seem that if one has enough money and greases the right palms anything is possible.

Hooked from the first page by the "doctor gone mad" scene, I found myself thoroughly engrossed in the...more Whether you call Michael Palmer's OATH OF OFFICE a suspense thriller or a medical mystery doesn't matter much. Just know that this book is an intelligent look at what science has come up with when it comes to genetically engineered or chemically altered foods and the lack of oversight of these operations. It would seem that if one has enough money and greases the right palms anything is possible.

Hooked from the first page by the "doctor gone mad" scene, I found myself thoroughly engrossed in the books premise and began to wonder exactly what the effect of scientific engineering on those bigger and supposedly better fruits and veggies that we consume on a daily basis might also have on our genetic make-up. Could the reason for the mass murders that took place at Virginia Tech, Newton, Connecticut, and Aurora, Colorado in the U.S. as well as the multiple murders committed in other countries like Scotland, Ireland, England, etc. be as simple as "it was something he ate"? In many cases there was no apparent motive for the mass killings and the perpetrator ended up committing suicide so the question of motive remains largely unanswered. The theory that a chemical alteration in the person's biology drove them to commit a crime seems just as plausible an assumption as "it was because he had access to a gun".

With the actions of several characters, from hospital staff members to the sheriff to several townsfolk becoming more and more bizarre you will find yourself quickly turning the pages in order to ascertain just what new discoveries our protagonist, Dr. Lou Welcome, has come up with and how they will impact his life and the lives of those he cares about.

Also interesting was the discovery that the Physicians Wellness office described in the book is in fact based on actual programs that help doctors recovering from various forms of addiction to re-assimilate into the medical community. (Can I get a list of those doctors before I make my next appointment?)

The secondary plot line concerning the friend of the President's wife who was framed in a sex scandal appears to be there primarily to bring a touch of romance into the tale. In general, this is a cracking good read and Michael Palmer has once again proven that not only does he write an absorbing story he is also able to present medical subject matter in a clear and concise way that adds to the story rather than placing the reader in a catatonic state.
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Nov 03, 2012 Robert Carraher rated it 4 of 5 stars

Though only peripherally a “medical thriller”. Michael Palmer has managed to write a gripping and topical political/science thriller revolving around the controversial subject of genetically engineered food crops. Dr. John Meacham has just allowed himself to lose his temper, and verbally abuse a patient for the first time in years. The first time since he nearly lost his medical license for doing the exact same thing. All those years ago, years of good behavior and a professional approach are lo...more Though only peripherally a “medical thriller”. Michael Palmer has managed to write a gripping and topical political/science thriller revolving around the controversial subject of genetically engineered food crops. Dr. John Meacham has just allowed himself to lose his temper, and verbally abuse a patient for the first time in years. The first time since he nearly lost his medical license for doing the exact same thing. All those years ago, years of good behavior and a professional approach are lost. Then, he blew up at a patient for continuing to smoke despite a massive heart attack. The medical board gave him a six month suspension and sent him for treatment. The first time his anger was fueled by an honest motive of caring for his patients continued health, booze and working too many hours. And he snapped and let lose a tirade of words that struck to the core and the patient reported him. But now, he has been through anger management, he has been through AA and he has managed to control that temper….until now.

But now, working at a small rural practice, Roberta Jennings has managed to make him snap. She is obese, morbidly so yet she continues to over eat, continues to not even take serious any of a number of diets he has prescribed. And even without the booze, even without the long hours, he has snapped again and let lose with another profanity laced tirade. Right after Jennings left, threatening to call the board again, he realizes that his entire staff heard him. He realizes that every patient in the waiting room could not have helped baring witness to his verbal abuse. He sees no way out, the board will surely take away his license to practice medicine and no excuse will spare him. The thought enters his mind that if he eliminates the witnesses, his staff and the waiting patients, if he leaves ‘no witnesses’, it’ll only be Jennings’ word against his. He takes the pistol from the locked drawer in his office. The pistol he placed there after a fellow doctors practice was robbed. And he empties it. Seven people are left dead, and then Meacham realizes he has done a very bad thing. The board will never let him keep his license now. So he turns the gun on himself.

Michael Palmer Interview “Oath Of Office”
Seven people dead. But not Meacham, he is still alive. Meacham’s sponsor in the ‘Physicians Wellness Office’ (a group modeled on real life programs to help and monitor doctors recover from addiction, and become once again a functioning and vital part of the medical community.) is ER Doctor, Lou Welcome, himself a recovering addict. Welcome gets the call from the head of the PWO, who never agrees with Welcome’s treatment plan for addicts, that his star client has gone over the edge and killed seven people, but himself still survives and is in the ER at another hospital close by. Meacham jumps in his car and starts the trip to rural Deland Regional. Upon his arrival, he takes note that the ER staff is acting strangely for having a gunshot head wound patient, and the attending has started a procedure in the ER that should never be performed there. before he can intervene Meacham himself is dead.

Dr. Welcome, who in the four years he has been Meacham’s sponsor has gotten to know Meacham’s wife. He offers to drive her home and comfort her, but as inexplicable as Meacham’s action were, and as shocking as his sudden death is Mrs. Meacham insists on driving so Welcome goes along as the passenger. On the drive, Mrs. Meacham causes an accident because of eradicate driving brought on by an obsession with a driver with a busted tail light.

Meanwhile, in near by Washington D.C. the President of the United States is going through a crisis of his own. His polls are at an all-time low, partially because his wife's friend, and his Secretary Of Agriculture was caught in a sex scandal with an under age prostitute. The first lady Darlene Malory is caught in the middle as the Secretary was a childhood friend. When she has a private and in promptitude meeting with the Secretary, who swears to her that he was setup but he doesn’t know why. Because of this the President is angry with his wife and is acting short tempered in ways that are new to their relationship. Then when a “deep throat” type of character also tells her that there is more to the story than meets the eye, she starts, against her husbands demand, a clandestine investigation.

Meanwhile, Welcome notices that a good number of people in the rural community where Meacham lived, are also acting oddly at times, loosing their inhibitions and committing acts that defy common sense, he starts digging as well and their investigations are bound to meet in the middle.

Palmer has put together not only a very topical plot (see these recent news articles here & here) but a complex plot that stretches from small rural farms and road side dinners to the highest branches of power within the government. Along the way we meet some very human and real characters, including Dr. Welcome who could be any brilliant and talented doctor today, who has had his personal and professional life marred by addiction, and has recovered, dealt with it, and made the best of the lessons his mistakes cost him.

Palmer also succeeds in introducing some likeable and believable supporting cast of characters, from city minorities to rural waitresses. Even the antagonists aren’t one dimensional. There are a couple of minor glitches in the logic of the story, but they are very minor and most readers won’t even notice them. The story also requires the reader to stretch their imagination and realm of believability, but though the story is filled with ‘conspiracy theory’ topics, they are backed by the current science of today, with a warning of what could and probably will, be tomorrow. All in all, another great thriller that is more politics than medical and Palmer proves he is still on top of his game after 16 previous great books.

Michael Palmer, M.D., trained in internal medicine at Boston City and Massachusetts General Hospitals, spent twenty years as a full-time practitioner of internal and emergency medicine, and is now an associate director of the Massachusetts Medical Society’s physician health program. In 1978 he read Robin Cook’s classic thriller Coma . Cook was an upper classmen at Wesleyan and Palmer figured if Cook could write a best seller, so could he. And he did. His first nine medical thrillers all hit the New York Times Best Seller List. Quite an accomplishment for someone whose writing in college was considered dull. An avid read of escapist fiction and a huge fan of authors like Robert Ludlum, Alistair McLean, Eric Ambler, John D. MacDonald, Agatha Christie he’d read a book or two a week. When he’s not writing he still works part-time at Massachusetts Medical Society as an Associate Director of their physician health program, helping doctors with physical illness, mental illness, or substance abuse put their lives together.

Article first published as Book Review: Oath Of Office by Michael Palmer on Blogcritics.

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Jun 02, 2012 Nancy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Dr. Lou Welcome had been to his own personal hell and back. Addicted to booze, his license revoked, losing his wife and nearly his daughter; Lou had nothing else to lose but millions to gain if he could just stay sober. A friend named Cap helped as his AA sponsor and boxing buddy. Due to his lapse Welcome was committed to helping other docs who were suffering the same issues. Through a group called Physician Wellness Office, Lou shores his stories and helps. Or so he thought.
Dr. John Meacham, so...more

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May 22, 2012 Heidi rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2012

I am the first one to love a good medical thriller, and have indulged in many prior Michael Palmer thrillers (as one would indulge in an entertaining TV soapie), but this one did not do it for me at all. The beginning of the novel starts plausible enough - a reputable doctor suddenly goes on a shooting rampage, killing several of his staff and patients. When his friend Dr Lou Welcome, an ER doctor, looks into the case, he discovers similar incidents involving other residents of the same town. So...more

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Mar 27, 2012 Ricki Lewis rated it 2 of 5 stars

I've read everything Michael Palmer has written, but I didn't finish this one, for several reasons. The most compelling is that I am reading Steve Jobs (Walter Isaacson) at the same time, and for the first time ever, I put down fiction to continue reading non-fiction -- because the non-fiction is great, the fiction, not so much.

At first, in Oath of Office, I did not like the too-many-characters who were not very well defined. Then I sensed clues of impending science-bashing, and genetics bashing...more

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Mar 13, 2012 Pamela Kramer rated it 4 of 5 stars

'Oath of Office' by Michael Palmer is still another example of an author's use of his own occupational background to write a good novel in which the hero shares much of that background.

Palmer is an associate director of the Massachusetts Physician Health Services, an organization which helps physicians who are themselves troubled by illnesses both emotional and physical.

And that is exactly what his main character, Lou Welcome, does in this novel. The hero is a recovering alcoholic who has been t...more

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Feb 19, 2012 Amy Lignor rated it 4 of 5 stars

Written by one of the world’s most stellar suspense authors, this book is a complete shock to any reader’s system. Keeping you completely on edge, this story starts out rapidly…and never lets you take a breath.

A very honored physician in a town near Washington, DC, goes on a violent rampage in his office and, before he’s through, he fatally wounds his staff, his associate and two patients. Then, turning the gun on himself, he shouts the words over and over again: No Witnesses.

The doctor, John Me...more
Written by one of the world’s most stellar suspense authors, this book is a complete shock to any reader’s system. Keeping you completely on edge, this story starts out rapidly…and never lets you take a breath.

A very honored physician in a town near Washington, DC, goes on a violent rampage in his office and, before he’s through, he fatally wounds his staff, his associate and two patients. Then, turning the gun on himself, he shouts the words over and over again: No Witnesses.

The doctor, John Meacham, was a respected member of the medical community. However, he had lost his license and been suspended for alcoholism, as well as losing his temper with a patient that did not follow his instructions. A colleague, Dr. Lou Welcome, had worked with Meacham in the past through an organization called, “Physicians Wellness Office.” Dr. Welcome had done a great deal to help . Meacham through his problems, even sending him to AA meetings and psychiatric visits until, finally, Dr. Meacham had been able to return to the practice of medicine. When Dr. Welcome hears the news of this horrible slaughter in his colleague’s office, he practically goes into shock, seeing as that everything had been going so well.

Dr. Welcome immediately rushes to the aid of Meacham’s wife, offering to take her home after viewing her husband’s body. But on the way, Mrs. Meacham begins to develop some very strange symptoms, and almost causes an accident on the highway because she begins to chase a car with a broken tail light for no reason. Definitely out of her mind, Doctor Welcome decides to look more deeply into these sudden ‘strange’ occurrences to see if there is perhaps something in common that sent these perfectly normal people into homicidal rages in mere seconds.

When Dr. Welcome begins his investigation, he stumbles upon a horrendous conspiracy that will lead him to some very wealthy people; people who may or may not include the leader of the free world.

Delving deeply into the significant and very real fact that all people in authority take oaths to protect, to defend and to obey, this author reveals various individuals who will break those powerful oaths, no matter what the cost.

Mr. Palmer is well-known for writing about the medical profession and really knows his subject to the core. An eye-opener when it comes to keeping said ‘eye’ on the people who are in charge of all citizens, Mr. Palmer has delivered a perfect, chilling read.(less)

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Feb 19, 2012 Michelle rated it 5 of 5 stars

I’ll admit that although I love TV shows and movies that deal with political scandals and medical mysteries and dramas, I have not read many books in this type of genre. However, when I read the synopsis for Oath of Office, I was intrigued and requested an Advanced Reader Copy of the book. I thought it was interesting that the book was released on Valentine’s Day because it is definitely not a Valentine’s story!! It is a thought-provoking page turner with amazing twists and unexpected revelation...more

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Feb 13, 2012 Beverly rated it 5 of 5 stars

My thoughts:
This is an incredible story! The beginning is stunning, gripping, and terrifying. Once I read the prologue I was hooked. This is a masterfully crafted story of corruption and greed as well as compassion and the driving belief in doing the right thing.
The characters are wonderfully constructed, each with a complex life and belief system that makes them come alive from the pages. Lou is fabulous. His profound sense of right and wrong as well as his willingness to see life from all an...more

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Feb 13, 2012 Reader's Paradise rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: review, favorite-things

Headline: BANG BANG POW!

What makes a Dr. sworn to “First Do No Harm,” take a gun and kill everyone in his office and then turn it on himself? What diagnosis could send him on such a murderous rampage?
Why is the President of The United States numbers dropping in the popularity poll, and he’s avoiding the people he’s supposed to serve?
The First Lady, whose advocating for better health for our youth, seems to be covering for her suddenly cantankerous husband. Maybe it’s the resignation surrounded b...more

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Jan 27, 2012 Linda B rated it 5 of 5 stars

Michael Palmer is the author of sixteen medical mystery/suspense novels. It is no secret that he has been one of my favorite authors for years, and Oath of Office is another outstanding book by this author.

The character of Dr. Lou Welcome brings us an area of medicine that patients do not like to think about. He is a medical doctor that has fought his way back from addiction and is now helping other troubled doctors. Unexpectedly, one of his doctors suddenly goes on a shooting spree. He kills p...more

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Jan 15, 2012 Alla rated it 5 of 5 stars

In Michael Palmer’s newest thriller, “Oath of Office,” Dr. John Meacham goes through a violent shooting spree in his office—killing himself and his staff after a patient threatens to contact the medical board about his anger issues—while odd incidents continue to occur among folks in King’s Ridge: a worker at a local restaurant nearly loses his thumb, Meacham’s wife nearly gets herself killed in a car accident over a random road situation, and Dr. Meacham’s patient Roberta Jennings attempts to l...more

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Jan 07, 2012 Krystal rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc

Dr. John Meacham appears to be going about business when something odd happens-he kills two patients, his business partner, and staff. Dr. Welcome is blamed as he helped Dr. Meacham earn back his medical license after losing it to alcohol abuse. Dr. Welcome believed in Dr. Meacham's capability as a doctor. As a result, Dr. Welcome is under inspection himself. Dr. Welcome still believes in Dr. Meacham even after the horrible shooting, he resolves to dig deeper into the occurrence and uncover the...more

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May 18, 2012 Valerie rated it 5 of 5 stars

I have enjoyed Michael Palmer's medical thrillers for quite some time now. This one is especially interesting to me because much of the story line deals with genetically modified organisms used in food and other products. Of course, the news today is filled with stories of and controversy over what is happening in this area; i.e., corn being the most talked about one in recent news. The story is great and it has its share of suspense and frightening moments. When it comes right down to the basic...more

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Mar 17, 2012 Randy rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

OATH OF OFFICE is the first of Michael Palmer's works I've read. I do like a good thriller and this one satisfies on all fronts. It sounds authoritative on subjects involved. That's all I require. There's way more subjects I'm ignorant of that of which I have working knowledge. But I am smart enough to know BS when I hear it. Mr. Palmer knows of what he speaks. Or he disguises it well. In either case, I don't care.

Doctor Lou Welcome is shocked when he learns of one of his patients from the Physi...more

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Dec 08, 2011 Paul Pessolano rated it 4 of 5 stars

“Oath of Office” by Michael Palmer, published by St. Martin’s Press.

Category – Mystery/Thriller

If you have not read Michael Palmer before, “Oath of Office” would be a good start. Palmer has 17 books and they are all top notch reads. His novels are medical suspense and many have a Presidential and/or political theme to them.

The author is an associate director of the Massachusetts Medical Society Physician Health Services. This Society is devoted to physicians that are or have been troubled by men...more

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Feb 16, 2012 Michael rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 110-books-in-2012-and-do-it-again, advanced-copy-review, family-relationships, free-book-for-honest-review, mystery, read-in-2012, reviewed, thriller

When stressed out Dr. John Meacham goes on a killing spree and shoots a number of his patients and co-workers, Dr. Lou Welcome is blamed.

Lou had been overseeing his friend, Dr. Meacham at Physicians Wellness. This organization helps doctors who have developed pyschological problems resulting in loss of anger. They also counsil doctors who over-medicate themselves with drugs and alcohol.

As the story progresses, we observe Lou's compassionate nature while a number of other characters exhibit unexp...more

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Feb 14, 2012 The Loopy Librarian rated it 4 of 5 stars

If ever there was a cautionary tale against genetic food modification, Oath of Office is it. The author combines medical mystery with political corruption in a suspenseful, fast-paced thriller that is a real page turner. I was stepping outside my usual genres by picking up this book, and I’m ever so glad that I did. I particularly enjoy books that take me outside of my realm of knowledge and experience and teach me something new while entertaining me. I found that Oath of Office did that very we...more

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Oct 21, 2012 Kristin rated it 3 of 5 stars

I started off enjoying this book more than Palmer's last few because it was more medically rooted than political, though as the book progressed, the political took over. A doctor with a history of substance abuse goes into the office one day and, after a particularly frustrating appointment with a patient, shoots his staff, fellow doctor, essentially anyone who was unlucky enough to be in the building that day, before turning the gun on himself. When Dr. Lou Welcome finds out about the murders,...more I started off enjoying this book more than Palmer's last few because it was more medically rooted than political, though as the book progressed, the political took over. A doctor with a history of substance abuse goes into the office one day and, after a particularly frustrating appointment with a patient, shoots his staff, fellow doctor, essentially anyone who was unlucky enough to be in the building that day, before turning the gun on himself. When Dr. Lou Welcome finds out about the murders, his judgement is called into question immediately, as he was the doctor responsible for allowing his friend and colleague to return to practice after treatment for his addiction. Welcome knows he must get to the root of what went wrong in the doctor's brain to provide answers for his family and preserve his own integrity.
Concurrently, the First Lady of the United States, is engaged in a no-win situation when her childhood friend, who she convinced her husband to appoint as Secretary of Agriculture, is apparently caught in a child pornography scandal. A mystery man contacts her with evidence that it was all a setup, but the President wants to hear none of it, as he is in the midst of a tough re-election campaign and the more distance from the former Secretary, the better.
The two plotlines eventually converge, but I didn't feel satisfied by the ending. Palmer left a lot of strings untied with this one, and knowing that he tends to write books without recurring characters or plots, the conclusion could have used a bit more work in order to satisfy or at least forumlate a long-term plan for others who may eventually meet the same fate as the doctor. Again, I liked the medical lean the book opened with, but I felt like Welcome's position and commitments as an ER physician got forgotten after a couple chapters. Palmer could have made Welcome a former alcoholic turned sponsor and professional boxer and there would have been minimal effect on the overall plot. I do like his books, but I'm hoping that soon Michael Palmer returns to the medical thrillers I came to love him for, without the political spin the last few have taken.(less)

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Jan 16, 2012 Ray Palen rated it 4 of 5 stars

Michael Palmer has been writing edge-of-your-set medical thrillers for several decades and firmly taken the place of Robin Cook in that genre. His last few novels have ventured out into pure thriller territory and with a nice political spin!

His latest effort, OATH OF OFFICE, combines both the medicine and politics to create a novel that has very current and relevant themes at its core. The story opens with a well-respected but curiously troubled Doctor named John Meacham going on a shooting spre...more Michael Palmer has been writing edge-of-your-set medical thrillers for several decades and firmly taken the place of Robin Cook in that genre. His last few novels have ventured out into pure thriller territory and with a nice political spin!

His latest effort, OATH OF OFFICE, combines both the medicine and politics to create a novel that has very current and relevant themes at its core. The story opens with a well-respected but curiously troubled Doctor named John Meacham going on a shooting spree in his own office and killing several people before taking his own life.

The results of this tragedy are placed at the feet of Dr. Lou Welcome, the counselor who had worked to get Dr. Meacham’s medical license restored after it was revoked due to prescription drug addiction. Welcome does not want to believe that the two acts are related so he begins to look into the homicidal act to find out what the actual root cause was.

Welcome’s search quickly pits him against powerful opponents. He uses his position as a physician with the PWO --- Physician Wellness Office --- to look further into the Meacham case. When a few other cases of people acting out sorts or maniacal occur, Welcome suspects that this is no mere coincidence and delves further into the investigation.

His journey leads him to a small town named Kings Ridge where the residents have been acting odder than usual. Ironically, this is also the town of multi-millionaire William Chester, the head of Chester Enterprises. Chester is a major food magnate and Lou and the colleagues he enlists to aid him in his efforts find out first-hand just how powerful Chester is when they find themselves nearly mowed down in one of his huge corn-fields.

Death by a corn thrasher is more than just a sick coincidence when it turns out that this very corn (and other produce being manufactured by Chester Enterprises) may have been genetically tampered with. Could this tampered food be behind the behavioral changes of the local residents and possibly have brought about the homicidal reactions of Dr. Meacham?

As frightening as this premise is for Welcome, it does not come near the greater revelation that he uncovers. Could the White House itself have been behind the genetically tampered food products? If yes, the next question would have to be to what end was this being done? That answer is one that Welcome is definitely not prepared for and will terrify readers with how eerily plausible this discovery is.

Michael Palmer continues to evolve as a writer and his ability to leap from purely medically driven thrillers into novels that pack such strong political overtones like OATH OF OFFICE shows of an author at the top of his game. With well-researched and shockingly relevant fiction like this it scares me as to what Mr. Palmer will think up next!

Reviewed by Ray Palen for New Mystery Reader

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Jan 27, 2012 LORI CASWELL rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-2012

When Dr. John Meacham goes on a shooting spree killing his partner, staff and two patients and then turns the gun on himself all the blames falls to Dr. Lou Welcome. Dr. Welcome was working with a group that helps doctors regain their licenses. In this case the doctor’s license had been removed for alcoholism and losing his temper with a patient. He had worked with Meacham for years and knew Dr. Meacham was an excellent doctor and advocated strongly to have his license returned. When he learns a...more When Dr. John Meacham goes on a shooting spree killing his partner, staff and two patients and then turns the gun on himself all the blames falls to Dr. Lou Welcome. Dr. Welcome was working with a group that helps doctors regain their licenses. In this case the doctor’s license had been removed for alcoholism and losing his temper with a patient. He had worked with Meacham for years and knew Dr. Meacham was an excellent doctor and advocated strongly to have his license returned. When he learns about what happened he is shocked like everyone else but he believes the authorities are missing something. Dr. Welcome just can’t let it go so he starts to investigate himself. What he discovers is truly terrifying.

Dollycas’s Thoughts

This is quite a suspense thriller. I used the terms “scary good” back in 2010 to describe The 19th Element by John L. Betcher and this story tops that. Betcher’s story was about Al Quada terrorists striking in the Midwestern United States. Oath of Office is about Americans terrorizing other Americans through products we need to survive. All in the name of greed and the path leads directly to the White House.

I would say it is Spine-Chillingly Excellent!!!

The truly scary part is that if you do an internet search for the scientific terms in this book they are out there. Hopefully we can trust that they are being used for good and there are regulations in place to save us from something like this occurring. But with all the deregulation talk spinning around Washington could make this story more fact the fiction.

Michael Palmer is a bestselling author for very good reason. He writes an extraordinary story. This book will hold you in its grasp tightly from the first page until the very last word.

I never thought of myself as a squeamish person but chapter 39 almost did me in. That’s my only caution about this book. The book is fabulous and I give it my highest recommendation. I can honestly say this is the best book I have read in a very long time.(less)

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Feb 03, 2012 Ems (Ems Reviews Books) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, thriller, contemporary, medical-thrillers, adult-fiction

*I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review. Book will be published February 14, 2012.*

From Goodreads: From the New York Times bestselling author of A Heartbeat Away and The Last Surgeon comes a shocking new novel at the crossroads of politics and medicine.
What if a well respected doctor inexplicably goes on a murderous rampage?

When Dr. John Meacham goes on a shooting spree the office, his business partner, staff, and two patients are killed in the bloodbath. Then Meacham...more

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May 09, 2012 Shirley rated it 4 of 5 stars

The crazier, the more hazardous the situation, the more difficult it was to put down Oath of Office. Dr. Lou Welcome is tough, intelligent, handsome, kind and incredibly likeable. He is the perfect protagonist. His relationships are genuine and deep; his commitments to come to the aid of others, without fail; and it is perfectly understandable the attraction that develops between him and a certain other beautiful lady.

The entire premise of the novel, which I cannot share without revealing too m...more

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Apr 26, 2012 Nancy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Good story. Interesting concept. Wonder how much it could be true???

When Dr. John Meacham goes on a shooting spree the office, his business partner, staff, and two patients are killed in the bloodbath. Then Meacham turns the gun on himself.
The blame falls on Dr. Lou Welcome. Welcome worked with Meacham years before as a counselor after John's medical license had been revoked for drug addiction. Lou knew that John was an excellent doctor and deserved to be practicing medicine and fought hard for...more

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Apr 04, 2012 Amy rated it 3 of 5 stars

Michael Palmer, master of the medical thriller, tries his hand at political drama. Dr. Lou Welcome, a recovering addict and mentor to other physircians, discovers that one of the docs he's counsoled has gone on a killing spree in his office. When confronted with his decision to recommend the doctor return to practice, Lou maintains that something else was at play in the killing spree. Something that causes rational people to behave bizarrely.

Meanwhile the First Lady is contacted about suspicious...more

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Feb 24, 2012 Pam rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: palmer-michael

This book is a fast-paced adventure/thriller that is very timely. Although it is a little predictable in spots, it held my interest throughout and it only took me two days to finish it. I am a big fan of Michael Palmer's books and this is one of his better ones. It didn't end the way I wanted it to but it probably ended as it should have.

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Feb 13, 2013 Tom Tischler rated it 4 of 5 stars

Dr John Welcome had worked years before with Dr John
Merriman as a counselor after he had lost his license to
practice due to drug addiction. Dr Welcome worked very hard
to get his license restored because he thought that he was an excellent doctor. He gets a phone call one afternoon that
Dr Meecham had gone on a shooting spree ln his office killing
his partner, his staff and two patients. After the news he
is in shock along with everyone else, then he goes into
deeper shock when he learns that he is...more

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About Michael Palmer

Michael Palmer, M.D., is the author of the forthcoming A Heartbeat Away (2011), The Last Surgeon, The First Patient, The Fifth Vial, The Society, Fatal, The Patient, Miracle Cure, Critical Judgment, Silent Treatment, Natural Causes, Extreme Measures, Flashback, Side Effects, and The Sisterhood. His books have been translated into thirty-five languages. He trained in internal medicine at Boston Cit...more

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Oath of Office (Dr. Lou Welcome #1)

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