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3rd out of 50 books
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The Anatomy of Deception
by
Lawrence Goldstone (Goodreads Author)
A mesmerizing forensic thriller that thrusts the reader into the operating rooms, drawing rooms, and back alleys of 1889 Philadelphia, as a young doctor grapples with the principles of scientific process to track a daring killer
In the morgue of a Philadelphia hospital, a group of physicians open a coffin and uncover the corpse of a beautiful young woman. What they see tak...more
In the morgue of a Philadelphia hospital, a group of physicians open a coffin and uncover the corpse of a beautiful young woman. What they see tak...more
Hardcover, 352 pages
Published
January 29th 2008
by Delacorte Press
(first published 2008)
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How long does a famous person have to be dead before a writer can concoct a "fictional" story about his supposed involvement in murder and its cover-up? Not just one, but two famous people are major implicated characters in this story. Is it okay to just say, "fiction", and, "it's not based on anything"? Does it make sense, after the fiction solves the supposed case, to write a last chapter that follows the fictional and non-fictional characters into the next years?...more
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If you are looking for a period piece that cen be liken to Caleb Carr's, "The Alienist", I strongly recommend, "The Anatomy of Deception". The story takes place in the late 1800's in Philadelphia. In a morgue, called the Dead House, several physicians are doing autopsies on bodies found on the streets. When uncovering the last body, the primary physician quickly requests that the body be covered up and sent back to the morgue. The body was of a young girl from a prominent...more
I found the author's writing style to be excellent. However, the comparison at the beginning of the novel to the mysteries of Sherlock Holmes is ambitious to say the least, and unfortunately made the rest of the story seem like an excercise in unfulfilled promise. Not that it didn't have it's exciting moments, but Sherlock Holmes still seems a little too epic of a comparison for this particular story.The details that appealed to me most were actually the dialogue and the fascinating state of med...more
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Anatomy of Deception is an enjoyable, light murder mystery, speckled throughout with social historical nuggets. I love that Goldstone uses real people in his intrigue, in this case famous physician William Osler who is known as the father of modern medicine, and William Halstead, a pioneer of surgical technique. Others reviewers have frowned upon this, but in what is obviously a work of fiction the reader should know not to take what the men say and do as some type of truth. It's important to r...more
This was an entertaining read, but I found the factual bits about the history of medicine (especially at Johns Hopkins)more interesting than the actual plot. If I didn't already know of the actual doctors, I might not have found the book as interesting.
As a period mystery, this was a good one. I had one small problem with the plot - and maybe it's from recently reading about cholera in Ghost Map - but it was an impossibility that a doctor of that time would not treat what he believed to be cholera with the proven treatment of drinking untainted water to rehydrate. The author even referenced the discovery of the cause. I found myself screaming at the book things like, "No, no, nooo! You don't understand cholera at allllll!"
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Nancy
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I guess this is how murders were solved before CSI. Historical characters placed in a fictional murder mystery during the Sherlock Holmes era. An earnest young doctor is asked to assist a beautiful society girl to find out what happened to her friend who has disappeared. He finds himself at odds with mean of power, money, and means. As he discovers what happened to the girl and whose life it will effect to expose the truth I believe that he learns a great deal about himself. Interesting and...more
I would give this a 2 1/2, but I didn't like it quite enough for a 3. It was an interesting mystery, but not interesting enough for my taste. It was slow to get started, and then there were only brief moments of excitement between periods of flowery description and long words, detailed descriptions of autopsy procedures (bad choice for lunch reading), and medical politics. There wasn't even really an exciting climax, just a moment of realization. I found the ending kind of unsatisfying, and ...more
Found this one to be a really compelling story, and an interesting look at the early days of modern dissection and the medical knowledge some progressive doctors sought from the practice. Based on historical events, the book explores some interesting characters but not really anything significant in terms of theme. I guess there's supposed to be something there about what human weakness with their potential for harm we're willing to stand in the name of new scientific knowledge-but it's not real...more
I tend to read forewords and author's notes, etc. before I getting down to reading the book itself and the latter here contained a spoiler that gave away much of the mystery for me. I enjoyed the period setting and info on the history of medical developments. A nice look at upper class privilege vs poverty's powerlessness; honor within the underworld vs corruption among those with power and influence. The parts dealing with the underworld had the most life- the medical got a tad boring at times...more
Lawrence Goldstone's "The Anatomy of Deception" is that rare example of fiction that illuminates an obscure but important bit of history, while at the same time managing to capture the reader in suspense and intrigue more typically associated with a contemporary thriller/mystery. Goldstone takes us back to Philadelphia, circa 1889, to the clinics of University Hospital and Philadelphia General; more specifically to "The Dead House" - the morgue - that serves both. Here, with ...more
This suspense/mystery novel is similiar to The Alienist in that it takes well-known historical figures and prominantly features them in a historically accurate, but thoroughly fictional plot. Here, the novel centers around the emerging state of medicine and medical training circa the late 19th century. A young doctor finds himself out of his element when he investigates the mysterious demise of a fellow student turned backstreet abortionist.
I thought the main character a little wea...more
I thought the main character a little wea...more
I was really sucked into this book. I've always liked this time period and especially the mystery and barbarism of medicine at that time. This was a great thriller and kept me hanging until the very end. Not only is the story interesting, but the author gives us fantastic insight as to what life was actually like in that time. The characters were believable and likable and each I was drawn into each one in different ways. Med students, morgues, and murder...a difficult combination to put do...more
The story of a student doctor in the early 20th century who, involuntarily, gets involved in a murder investigation. The story was a good one, but for me, I enjoyed the "background" items in the story as much as the story itself. I was intrigued by the tidbits of medical history interspersed throughout the book. Personal note: I find this happens to me often in fictional books based on historical facts such as in DEVIL IN THE WHITE CITY by Eric Larson.
A good murder mystery in a well developed historical context. It is set at the medical college and hospital in Philadelphia in the 1890's. The historical context about the state of surgery, the very recent repeal of the laws that forbid autopsies, and the apprenticeship system of medical education is correct and fascinating. The book seems inspired by the well known American painting of Dr. Gross in his surgical theater. A great murder mystery!
Ok to be perfectly honest I'm a bit of a geek when it comes to the historical practice of medicine. So that alone earned this book three stars. I have to agree with other reviewers that the ending was clunky, but I was so wrapped up in the other aspects of the book, the mystery fell to a distant second.
Is this a gripping mystery? Nah. I'd be more likely to call it historical factual fiction with elements of mystery. But, ya know what? I didn't care. I love a good mystery. So had this been ...more
Is this a gripping mystery? Nah. I'd be more likely to call it historical factual fiction with elements of mystery. But, ya know what? I didn't care. I love a good mystery. So had this been ...more
A solid entry in the historical mystery genre. The setting, the period and the social details (Philadelphia, the 19th c., medicine, abortion respectively) are the strength here, though he could've done more with it. I mean, why include a fascinating figure like Weir Mitchell if you're not going to make use of him? The characterization is a bit thin and the narrative a bit clunky here and there but a good read if you're inclined to this sort of thing.
Interesting. Enjoyed the period setting very much. Learned a lot.
As for the mystery, did not feel that there was a climax though. The end was... um... I found myself trying to hurry it up just so that I can finish the book rather then to know the end. Don't want to give anything away but it was a bit "oh... sooo. Ohhhh. Tsk, *sigh* on well, moving on.
Maybe it was me, but I found the ending unsatisfying
As for the mystery, did not feel that there was a climax though. The end was... um... I found myself trying to hurry it up just so that I can finish the book rather then to know the end. Don't want to give anything away but it was a bit "oh... sooo. Ohhhh. Tsk, *sigh* on well, moving on.
Maybe it was me, but I found the ending unsatisfying
Dr. Ephraim Carroll moves to Philadelphia in 1889, to study with the brilliant professor, Dr. William Ostler, on new techniques of medicine and the emerging science of forensics. He works in the hospital’s Dead House, performing autopsies to better understand how their manner of death affects the victims. I found it fascinating to read about the science of 1889, before computers... or even electricity.
I enjoyed this book. The author did a good job of feeding you just enough information at one time to have you guessing in the many different directions that you could go with this story. I enjoyed the ending also. No matter who you were rooting for in the end, there was a little something for everyone. The characters were well developed and I had to check several times on the date the book was written. The author did a great job keeping to the time period. All in all a great read!
A bit disappointing. Interesting medical information (this takes place in 1880s or so) but I didn't really get into the story much - too boring in spots and his characters are fairly bland (other than the main character who is very interesting). Still, I was interested enought to finish the book which is more than I can say about many that I've been picking out lately.
Doesn't live up to its billing as a "novel of suspense" and "a mesmerizing forensic thriller." The book is really slow starting, rather than hooking the reader into the action, it starts out with a group of doctors performing autopsies. The book continues its slow progress and ends up being mostly padding. Not much happens, and what does happen isn't exactly riveting stuff.
This books is absolutely stunning. Set in the late 1800s (1880, i think, or maybe a few years later) in Philadelphia, it is a very interesting look into the medical profession and science at the time. It is a mystery, and already I am entranced. Someone said it's like CSI in the 1880s and I like that description. I should add that the writing flows beautifully. I appreciate books with vocabulary that isn't dumbed down, but this isn't so esoteric that you have to read it with a dictionary. T...more
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bleeeh. i kept reading b/c it's the victorian era and i love historicals that take place in that period, but i did not like the main character... he was very judgmental and also seemed hopelessly naive. also, i did not like his treatment of women-- which doesn't really get any better by the end of the book, although he is less naive by that time.
I found this book in the used section at BN, it must have passed hand a number of times based on the condition of the cover and binding. I recognized the picture as a Thomas Eakins the fanous Philadelphia painter. I really liked this one. Historical fiction but great if you love that stuff and especially if you enjoy medicine and art.
The setting for this was Philadelphia in the late 1800's. The author gave considerable historical information regarding the practice of medicine and the religious views regarding autopsy. I appreciated all the true information and felt the mystery was good. I thought the author did a good job with the character development.
I love a good mystery and one that is detailed about the medical aspects of death I thought would be right up my alley! It was a little bit Sherlock Holmes"ie" but not as exciting as I had hoped it would be. There were some serious parts that dragged but overall I was impressed with how the whole mystery was solved in the end.
Emily
added it
It was a good read. It had good pacing, solid characters, and the mystery of it all was well done. I thought I had it figured out early on, but it didn't turn out the way I expected. The time period was an interesting pick and seemed well researched for the life and medical ways of 1889.
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Lawrence Goldstone is the author of fourteen books of both fiction and non-fiction. Six of those books were co-authored with his wife, Nancy, but they now write separately to save what is left of their dishes.
Goldstone's articles, reviews, and opinion pieces have appeared in, among other publications, the Boston Globe, Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, Miami Herald, Hartford Courant, and B...more
More about Lawrence Goldstone...
Goldstone's articles, reviews, and opinion pieces have appeared in, among other publications, the Boston Globe, Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, Miami Herald, Hartford Courant, and B...more
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