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Fatal
by
Michael Palmer (Goodreads Author)
From The Sisterhood, Michael Palmer's first New York Times bestseller, to The Patient, his ninth, reviewers have proclaimed him a master of medical suspense. Recognized around the world for original, topical, nail-biting suspense, emergency physician Palmer'swork has been translated into more than thirty-five languages. Now he reaches controversial and startling new height...more
Hardcover, 387 pages
Published
April 30th 2002
by Bantam
(first published 2002)
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Five years ago, emergency physician Matt Rutledge returned to Belinda, West Virginia to Marry Ginny and to open his practice. Things were not all that rosy, however. Ginny succumbed to an unusual cancer. Furthermore, Matt’s father died in Belinda’s coal mines. Thus Matt has made it a mission to expose the Belinda Coal and Coke Company’s health and safety conditions.
Matt has identified two bizarre cases of what he has dubbed the Belinda Syndrome--caused, he is certain, by the mine’s careless dis...more
Matt has identified two bizarre cases of what he has dubbed the Belinda Syndrome--caused, he is certain, by the mine’s careless dis...more
I loved this books as I love all of Michael Palmer's books that I read. As Palmer trained as an ER physician and I'm a medical writer, I ate up all the medical detail, including his hero's performing dicey surgical procedures on the fly. This book follows the adventures of ER doctor Matt Rutledge, who returned to his hometown of Belinda, West Virginia, to marry his high school sweetheart and open a practice. After his wife Ginny dies from an unusual cancer, he starts to suspect that some unusual...more
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Michael Palmer is a medical doctor with vast experience in Emergency medicine and currently practicing in addiction. He is also the gifted writer.
This novel focuses on lead character Matt Rutledge M.D. Dr. R has been suspicious of mining practices causing fatal disease outbreaks for years.
Another story is that of a new vaccine that is fast tracked through studies to get to market. With the help of the first lady and police chiefs on the take, the drug Omnivax will be administered to thousands a...more
This novel focuses on lead character Matt Rutledge M.D. Dr. R has been suspicious of mining practices causing fatal disease outbreaks for years.
Another story is that of a new vaccine that is fast tracked through studies to get to market. With the help of the first lady and police chiefs on the take, the drug Omnivax will be administered to thousands a...more
It took me quite a while to really get into this novel - probably somewhere around the 100 page mark. There is a possibility that what kind of through me off in the prologue was the bit about "explosive diarrhea"... I had dinner shortly before I began the story. Anyways, of the three lead characters I particularly enjoyed reading Matt and Nikki; I found that I wasn't really all that interested in Ellen; she did grow on me to some extent near the end. However, one thing that irked me about Matt a...more
A medical thriller in coal mining country, bringing together a pathologist, an bereaved widower who is the local er/primary care doctor and an anti-vaccine activist. Seemingly unconnected victims suddenly develop a fevers, facial tumors and a raging paranoia and an illness similar to mad cow. The local doc thinks it's related to toxic chemicals hidden by the mining company and poisoning the victims. A quick, page turning read (except for a few sections where descriptions of bureaucratic process...more
I listened to 'Fatal' as an audiobook and loved it. Compared to Palmer's other books, this had only a fraction of the medical thriller genre used in its composition, replaced instead by more all-out action-thriller genre instead. It was a "I want to find out what happens next" type of book, but wasn't quite a "I can't stand to set it down" read, if that makes sense. Some parts of the book were well written and fit the story line perfectly, but had serious "is it believable" issues. Overall I lov...more
I was very impressed with how Palmer weaved such great and interesting stories into one big plot. I couldn't put down the book because I wanted to uncover how these different characters from different parts of the U.S. were connected. I also appreciated Palmer including some of his medical knowledge into the book. It was interesting to read about Lewis's chest tube insertion with a condom (not sure if it's 100% true, but I was entertained nonetheless.) I would definitely be reading more Michael...more
Well what can I say? I had heard a lot about Michael Palmer’s books over the years, so when I found this one in my stacks I picked it up. I was extremely disappointed in this book.
The story starts out with a good premise, the possibility that toxic waste in a mine is causing serious illness in a number of people. Dr. Matt Ruttledge has an axe to grind with the mine owner’s and is bound and determined to prove his theory. When a doctor from Boston comes to town for a friend’s funeral an attempt i...more
The story starts out with a good premise, the possibility that toxic waste in a mine is causing serious illness in a number of people. Dr. Matt Ruttledge has an axe to grind with the mine owner’s and is bound and determined to prove his theory. When a doctor from Boston comes to town for a friend’s funeral an attempt i...more
An internist and emergency specialist heads home to marry his high-school sweetheart. His father died while working for the coal mine and now his bride has an unusual cancer and dies. Now his campaign becomes intense aginst the coal company, but he has no proof--at least not yet.
J. Robert Ewbank author "John Wesley, Natural Man, and the 'Isms'"
J. Robert Ewbank author "John Wesley, Natural Man, and the 'Isms'"
This was my first Michael Palmer novel. I'd put this into the "cookie cutter thriller" category. Some of the plot was predictable and the story line follows a similar path as 100 other paperbacks I've found lying around but it was an enjoyable read. I would recommend to a friend and will read more from Palmer.
I have read Michael Palmer before and was not disappointed with this one. It was a medical thriller. Some of the plot was very predictable; others not so much. It was a very easy read; good for sitting on the deck in the summer. Now I am off to The Postmistress for book club!
This one put me in mink of Silkwood - nasty corporations dumping their toxic waste for people to get sick. Some surprising twist though and some pretty delightful mountain-people characters. Dr. Michael is very good with these medical thrillers.
The book Fatal is didactic, but doable for what it is. Notwithstanding, Palmer does a nice job of suspense despite some obvious holes in the story, and some of the characters are a bit overdone. It's still a decent read if one doesn't engage the brain too much.
A good story, medical in nature of course, as Palmer is a physician. Each of our three protagonists holds a piece of a jigsaw puzzle that they must solve quickly. Complex and action packed but dialog is simplistic and occasionally juvenile.
Three different story lines are adroitly brought together and the mystery behind a disfiguring, complex illness is finally revealed. A good medical thriller involving greed and the supposed dangers of immunization keep the pages turning.
Take the stuff about vaccines with a grain of salt. It makes for a good plot but the book was written at the height of "vaccine scare" that turned out to be a combination of junk science and hoaxes. If you can read through all that without getting too distracted then it's a pretty good adventure.
Dr. Matt Rutledge suspects that the local coal mine is behind a series of strange illnesses in his West Virginia town. Grandmother Ellen Kroft fights against a super-vaccine that's about to be implemented as the standard of care. Dr. Nikki Solari mourns the loss of her best friend and travels to West Virginia for her funeral... All of their stories come together as they are thrust into a deadly adventure to find the truth behind the disfiguring disease that's popping up in Belinda, WV. An action...more
Another great old find from Palmer. I wish I'd been reading him longer, but at least I have a lot of older titles to check out if I can't find anything new at the library. A great story!
Excellent; two doctors work to determine what is causing disfigurement and death in people in a small town, and wind up challenging a new vaccine being pushed by the First Lady
Very interesting info about how tainted water can cause mystery illnesses and how corporations conspire to cover up their mistakes. The main characters are likable and believable.
Sep 08, 2011
Luckngrace
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
mystery-thriller,
medical
Fatal is not just a thriller. It offers valuable information on the danger of childhood immunizations to harm children. It also explored mining dangers and toxic chemical spills. It all came together well with plenty of action.
The cave scenes, rather than invoking fear, made me want to go caving again. Seemed disjointed at first but Palmer tied the medical mysteries together well enough.
Oh, I like a good thriller, especially if it has a medical one! I read this while flying back from Europe. It was great distraction and the flight went real fast...
Feb 25, 2009
Marti
added it
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
people who like medical thrillers
Michael Palmer and Michael Crischton can be depended upon for a good yarn, and possibly a really scary story dealing with medical complications.
Read this book in 2009 and that's the last book of his I read but intend to read some more. Interesting books and he is a good writer.
I tried three of Michael Palmer book because of recommendation by friends. These are medical thrillers. I like mas or menos
I didn't know what to expect as I'd never read or listened to this author but this book went by quickly and was over before I knew it.
Another page turner from Michael Palmer! He wove two mysteries into one story & brought them together perfectly.
coal mine containation along with vaccinations are somehow causing fatal diseases in this small appalachian town.
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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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