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The Last Surgeon

by Michael Palmer (Goodreads Author)

3.82 of 5 stars 3.82 · rating details · 2,054 ratings · 185 reviews

The New York Times bestselling author and master of medical suspense delivers another shocker of a thriller filled with insider details and a terrifying psychopath

Four murders.

Three accidents.

Two suicides.

One left…

THE LAST SURGEON

Michael Palmer’s latest novel pits a flawed doctor against a ruthless psychopath, who has made murder his art form. Dr. Nick Garrity, a vet s...more

Hardcover, 384 pages

Published February 16th 2010 by St. Martin's Press

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Feb 11, 2013 Tom Tischler rated it 5 of 5 stars

Dr Nick Garrity is a vet suffering from traumatic stress
disorder. He spends his days and nights dispensing medical
treatment from a mobile clinic to the homeless and disen-
franchised in DC and Baltimore. He is constantly looking
for his war buddy Umberto Vasquez who was taken from the
streets by the military four years ago for a secret mission.
Psyche nurse Gillian Coates is looking for her sisters killer.
She was an ICU nurse who took her own life so everyone believes
except Gillian. She has one clu...more

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Jan 28, 2013 Roberta rated it 5 of 5 stars

Although we're told that our gov't. never negotiates with terrorists, this work of fiction tells a story otherwise. They locate a vet with no relatives & similar physical characteristics of a terrorist in custody. They tell the vet they need him for a classified job, which includes a little plastic surgery & learning a little Arabic. When that's completed, they tell the vet that he's developed a medical condition, requiring surgery. The vet is placed on the table in the surgical room, no...more

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Jan 09, 2011 Shelley aka Gizmo's Reviews rated it 3 of 5 stars

Four murders. Three accidents. Two suicides. One left.

Summary: Dr. Nick Garrity, a vet suffering from PTSD; post traumatic stress disorder; spends his days and nights dispensing medical treatment from a mobile clinic to the homeless and disenfranchised in D.C. and Baltimore. In addition, he is constantly on the lookout for his war buddy Umberto Vasquez, who was plucked from the streets by the military four years ago for a secret mission and has not been seen since.

Psych nurse Gillian Coates wan...more Four murders. Three accidents. Two suicides. One left.

Summary: Dr. Nick Garrity, a vet suffering from PTSD; post traumatic stress disorder; spends his days and nights dispensing medical treatment from a mobile clinic to the homeless and disenfranchised in D.C. and Baltimore. In addition, he is constantly on the lookout for his war buddy Umberto Vasquez, who was plucked from the streets by the military four years ago for a secret mission and has not been seen since.

Psych nurse Gillian Coates wants to find her sister's killer. She does not believe that Belle Coates, an ICU nurse, took her own life, even though every bit of evidence indicates that she did - every bit save one. Belle has left Gillian a subtle clue that connects her with Nick Garrity.

Together, Nick and Gillian determine that one-by-one, each of those in the operating room for a fatally botched case is dying. Their discoveries pit them against genius Franz Koller--the highly-paid master of the 'non-kill' - the art of murder that does not look like murder. As Doctor and nurse move closer to finding the terrifying secret behind these killings, Koller has been given a new directive: his mission will not be complete until Gillian Coates and Garrity, the last surgeon, are dead.

The three central players are Jillian Coates, a nurse who refuses to believe her sister would kill herself; Nick Garrity, a physician still haunted by the disappearance of his best friend three years ago; and Franz Koller, a ruthless hired killer who has several victims to dispatch, only none of them can look like murder. Palmer teams up Nick and Jillian, uniting them in a common purpose: to find out how Jillian’s dead sister and Nick’s missing friend seem to have come in contact with one another. Palmer keeps his two leads—and us, too—in the dark for a good portion of the book, dispensing the occasional tantalizing hint of some horrible secret lying just below the surface. When we discover the truth behind the mystery, we’re shocked and exhilarated and bewildered, all at the same time.

This book, in short, is more of a mystery that happens to involve a doctor and a nurse and an unscrupulous plastic surgery clinic and the CIA and well, you get the picture, than his previous books that took place in medical settings like hospitals etc.(less)

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Apr 03, 2010 Kathleen Hagen added it

Shelves: 2010-audio-books, 2010-mysteries

The Last Surgeon, by Michael Palmer, A-minus, narrated by John Bedford Lloyd, produced by Macmillan Audio, downloaded from audible.com.

This is a medical thriller. I haven’t read any of Palmer’s books before, but that will be a mistake soon mended. This book takes many leaps away from credibility with its continued coincidences, but it is a wonderful read. I can’t say it’s an escapist read because you are on the edge of your chair for the entire time, or, if you are reading in bed, about as far a...more

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Feb 26, 2010 Jenny rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2010

The Last Surgeon is Michael Palmer's latest medical thriller. This book kept me intrigued and creeped out at the same time! In this latest work, a psychopathic serial killer is out to get random victims in the name of "work" for which he is highly compensated. The killer has medical skills of his own which only compounds his ability to senselessly murder innocent people and, yet, keep himself clear of any accusations.

Meanwhile, Dr. Nick Garrity, a young war vet suffering from a severe case of po...more The Last Surgeon is Michael Palmer's latest medical thriller. This book kept me intrigued and creeped out at the same time! In this latest work, a psychopathic serial killer is out to get random victims in the name of "work" for which he is highly compensated. The killer has medical skills of his own which only compounds his ability to senselessly murder innocent people and, yet, keep himself clear of any accusations.

Meanwhile, Dr. Nick Garrity, a young war vet suffering from a severe case of post traumatic stress disorder is running a mobile health clinic to help those with less resources receive the medical care they need. Nick is battling with the demons of PTSD on a daily basis. This is made worse by the fact that his best friend, Umberto Vasquez, who also saved his life from a suicide bomber, mysteriously disappeared 4 years ago. Nick makes it his mission to find Vasquez as he feels he owes his life to this man.

Nick then meets Jillian Coates, a psychiatric nurse, who is investigating her sister's recent death -- a death that was ruled suicide but which Jillian believes was, in fact, murder. Her investigation leads her to Dr. Nick Garrity and in order to help her find out what really happened to her sister, she has to help Nick solve the mystery of Umberto's disappearance. Using her inside connections at the hospital, they race to find out what happened to their loved ones before they are targeted by the killer.

This was another great thriller by prolific author, Michael Palmer. It was a horrifying but smart mix of murder and medicine. I found myself completely disgusted and creeped out by the killer. You know who the killer is and what he is doing from the very beginning. The mystery in that is trying to find out who hired him and why he's killing these people. The creepiness is in the fact that this character is so completely evil and soulless and enjoys using his knowledge of medicine to kill. I found myself sometimes frustrated by Nick's inability to live his life fully due to his PTSD, but that frustration may have lent to the credibility and "realness" of his character. There were one or two things about the storyline that I thought were sort of convenient, such as the person behind the secret company, Jericho. But it still made sense in the storyline. In all, I really enjoyed this thriller. It had mystery, action, thrills, and a little dash of romance that add up to a great mystery/thriller. Any fan of this genre will enjoy this book! (less)

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Feb 05, 2010 Alvin Romer rated it 5 of 5 stars

Excellent read! Michael Palmer's medical thriller, THE LAST SURGEON follows the story of former trauma surgeon Dr. Nick Garrity, an Army veteran suffering from PTSD as the result of a terrorist suicidal attack on his military field hospital in Afghanistan. This sets the stage for drama and mayhem following the path of a serial killer on the payroll of a certain government department. The story opens with the killer murdering Belle Coates, a nurse in Charlotte, N.C. The plot thickens when Belle's...more

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Jan 11, 2010 Lenore Appelhans rated it 4 of 5 stars

Michael Palmer’s THE FIFTH VIAL is one of the most exciting and memorable thrillers I’ve ever read. Even though it’s been at least 3 years since I finished, I still have the plot and characters burned into my brain. Why? Palmer excels at creating scarily plausible medical nightmare premises that are part conspiracy theory, part engaging human drama. And he’s done it again with his latest, THE LAST SURGEON.

The drama here revolves around war hero Dr. Nick Garrity who suffers from severe PTSD. As h...more

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Jun 23, 2010 Denise rated it 3 of 5 stars

3.0 out of 5 stars Disappointing novel for a medical thriller fan..., June 23, 2010
By Denise "DC" (Missouri, USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)
This review is from: The Last Surgeon (Hardcover)
There was not much "medical" in this purported medical thriller novel by Michael Palmer. I've read his entire backlist, and indeed some of his novels are better than others, but this one was very much not one of his better ones. This book was about conspiracy and secret operations and veterans and only...more
3.0 out of 5 stars Disappointing novel for a medical thriller fan..., June 23, 2010
By Denise "DC" (Missouri, USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)
This review is from: The Last Surgeon (Hardcover)
There was not much "medical" in this purported medical thriller novel by Michael Palmer. I've read his entire backlist, and indeed some of his novels are better than others, but this one was very much not one of his better ones. This book was about conspiracy and secret operations and veterans and only marginally even about PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder). The characters in the book seemed flat and stereotypical -- the vet, a doctor, had a fiance who was brutally murdered by a terrorist and thus he suffers the survivor guilt and also the PTSD from the event. The typical beautiful psychiatric nurse, Jillian, who falls for him was such a cliche (far too perfect and the romance was so contrived as to be nauseating). Both of them mostly just annoyed me. I didn't need so much focus on the romance in this book and was looking for far more medicine and a lot more thriller. It just falls short in every respect.

The ex trauma surgeon, Dr. Nick Garrity, actually only works for one or maybe two nights during the whole of the novel in an RV that he and a nurse have developed into a charitable business delivering care to the poor of Baltimore and DC, and to veterans in particular -- Helping Hands Mobile Medical Unit. That is the sum total of the "medical" part in this book. After the second chapter, the story line focuses on his search for his Marine buddy, the guy who saved him from the terrorist, Umberto Vasquez. Apparently the staff sergeant disappeared about 4 years previously, supposedly called back to some secret special operation and has not been heard from since.

The nurse, Jillian Coates, works on the psychiatric unit in a hospital in Charlotte, North Carolina (I think she works maybe twice during the whole book too), when her sister is murdered in what appears to be a staged suicide. Of course she's suspicious. Starts her own investigation. Hooks up with Dr. Nick and then they both start investigating and of course the two events are connected in a vast conspiracy that ends up being pretty much exactly what the reader expects -- and basically sort of boring.

In short, this is one of Palmer's books that you can safely skip if you're looking for a medical thriller with lots of clinical details. It's basically not that at all -- more of a mystery that happens to involve a doctor and a nurse and an unscrupulous plastic surgery clinic and the CIA and well, you get the picture.

Readers -- tell me -- are there ANY good medical thrillers being written any more? If you find one, please let me know! (less)

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Dec 09, 2012 Dyana rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Well, this book kept me up reading late at night - couldn't stop. We have three main characters in this story. 1) Surgeon Nick Garrity is a vet suffering PTSD who drives around in a mobile medical unit dispensing medical treatment to the poor and homeless in D.C. and Baltimore. He is always on the lookout for his best friend from the war, Umberto Vasquez, who has disappeared. 2) Jillian Coates, a psychiatric nurse, who believes her sister Belle (an ICU nurse) was killed rather than the apparent...more

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Jan 05, 2010 J.R. rated it 5 of 5 stars

“I know you can’t believe this is happening, Ms. Coates, but I assure you it is. I have been paid, and paid very well, to kill you.” – The Last Surgeon, Prologue, Page 1.

From the very first sentence, New York Times Bestselling Author Michael Palmer captures the reader’s attention with no intention of release. In fact, it is advisable to keep water and food nearby as it is tempting to read “one more chapter” rather than to prepare dinner.

Palmer’s latest medical thriller involves Dr. Nick Garrity,...more

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Jun 13, 2012 Tess Mertens-Johnson rated it 4 of 5 stars

Dr. Gerrity is a doctor who is suffering from PTSD after his tour in Afghanistan. He works with the homeless on the street of Baltimore helping other service people with the same condition
Belle, a nurse is murdered, but the preliminary evidence points to suicide. Her sister takes on the system and brings Dr. Gerrity in the find her killer. In the meantime there are four more murder, kidnappings and mystery at every corner. The killer, who went through numerous plastic surgeries to alter his appe...more

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Mar 22, 2010 Bob rated it 4 of 5 stars

Dr. Nick Garrity was a trauma surgeon serving in Afghanistan when a suicide bomber drove into the hospital tent and blew up his car. Nick's fiancée was killed and only Nick and one other survived. He is now out of the service, battling PTSD and working a mobile clinic in the poor sections of Baltimore and Washington. He meets up with a nurse, Jillian Coates who is upset about her sisters death and doesn't accept the police ruling of a suicide. On the other side, there is a contract killer on the...more

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Jan 21, 2010 April rated it 4 of 5 stars

Mesmerizingly seductive in its intense psychological ploys, The Last Surgeon is a book that will grab the reader from the beginning, twisting itself within the reader's mind and not letting go until the very last page. Author, Michael Palmer, takes a glimpse into the world of "what-ifs" and brings the possibilities of the unthinkable to life. In this day and age, where technology is virtually infinite, the possibilities are endless, especially within the realm of terrorism, cover-ups and governm...more Mesmerizingly seductive in its intense psychological ploys, The Last Surgeon is a book that will grab the reader from the beginning, twisting itself within the reader's mind and not letting go until the very last page. Author, Michael Palmer, takes a glimpse into the world of "what-ifs" and brings the possibilities of the unthinkable to life. In this day and age, where technology is virtually infinite, the possibilities are endless, especially within the realm of terrorism, cover-ups and government secrecy.

The Last Surgeon takes such possibilities and brings them to life, within the pages and story of Dr. Nick Garrity and Jillian Coates. Two complete strangers, connected in a way that will soon be brought to light and change lives forever.

Without conscience or morals, a hired killer, who has honed his ability to exercise and carry out the perfect "non-kill", is striking people dead within the medical profession, in a seemingly unconnected way. Jillian seeks out Nick, after being told that her sister has committed suicide, a fact that Jillian refuses to believe. For some reason, Nick's name is written all over Dr. Nick Fury comic books, within her sister's belongings. This leads to her search and discovery of Nick and the realization that the nickname of Dr. Nick Fury was given to him by his best friend, who has been missing for the past four years. Could the two be connected in some way and if so how and why?

As pieces of the puzzle begin to fall into place, more murders are playing out, murders that look like suicide. The killer stalks his prey and delves within them, able to take lives in a horrible way that leaves no questions asked by police or authorities. Who will be his next victim and will Jillian and Nick be able to figure out exactly what is going on and why before it is too late?

The Last Surgeon is an intense ride that will leave readers flying through pages. Michael Palmer is a master of characterization, plots and thrills. I knew that I was going to be hooked within the story at the prologue, when Mr. Palmer's writing was actually able to make me feel the pain and agony emanating from Belle's voic,e as she watches the killer torture her sister, Jillian. The visuals that Mr. Palmer was able to instill within my mind, as I read, were remarkable and made me feel as though I was right there throughout the story. In addition, the story is tight, the characters well developed and the ending was perfect with all ends tied together.

This is actually the first work by Michael Palmer that I have had the pleasure to read and I anxiously look forward to reading more. For anyone who loves medical thrillers, or a great story of suspense and thrills, I highly recommend The Last Surgeon. It is sure to keep you up long into the night.
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Jan 26, 2010 Michelle rated it 3 of 5 stars

I have never been approached by an author or publisher directly for any ARCs. So, when I received an e-mail from Michael Palmer, the author, asking if I were interested in a copy of his latest book for review, I knew I was not going to turn down the opportunity to do so. Since I like thrillers and medical mysteries, it was not a hardship for me. Having never read any of Mr. Palmer's previous work, I did not know what to expect. On the whole, I enjoyed my foray into his work. There was a lot to l...more I have never been approached by an author or publisher directly for any ARCs. So, when I received an e-mail from Michael Palmer, the author, asking if I were interested in a copy of his latest book for review, I knew I was not going to turn down the opportunity to do so. Since I like thrillers and medical mysteries, it was not a hardship for me. Having never read any of Mr. Palmer's previous work, I did not know what to expect. On the whole, I enjoyed my foray into his work. There was a lot to like about it; unfortunately, there was also a lot to dislike.

For starters, I felt that the story itself was a tad too predictable. I had figured out the mystery behind Umberto Vazquez's disappearance well in advance of the disclosure of the answer. Remember, I am not one who actively tries to solve the mystery before the narrator reveals the answer, so any time I can predict the ending accurately does detract from my overall enjoyment.

In addition, at times, the story line is a bit unbelievable, or at least stretches the reader's imagination more than normal. While this is okay with science fiction or fantasy, this is not an admirable trait in a medical thriller. For example, a nurse and a surgeon are able to take on a sociopathic mass murderer who is a master of disguise and who earns his living murdering people while making it look like an accident or suicide? A child infiltrates the government's secrets that its own employees cannot unravel? It is a bit too farfetched, in my opinion.

Also, the characters are not well-established. Okay, that is not necessarily true. It is just that the minor characters are more entertaining, more likeable than the main two characters. Even Franz Koller, the sociopathic killer, is fascinating if only because one gets a glimpse into a mind that is most unusual. Junie and Reggie were far more enjoyable than Nick and Jillian, and I found myself more concerned about their well-being than I did for Nick and Jillian's plight.

That being said, there was a lot to like about The Last Surgeon. As mentioned above, Junie was a fun character, and Reggie provided some much-needed comic relief throughout the story. Nick's post traumatic stress disorder, as well as his struggles helping vets receive their VA benefits, is truly heartbreaking because of the truth behind them. How many of our soldiers are coming home facing these same issues with no help whatsoever?

Mr. Palmer writes a decent story. His physical descriptions of settings were detailed enough to help contribute to the action, and his descriptions of the characters were realistic enough that I could picture each one very clearly in my mind. Unfortunately, I felt he switched the narrator's point of view too often. Waffling between Franz, Nick, Jillian, and even Beth and Reggie as well as other minor characters made the story rather chaotic and interrupted the overall flow of the story. In fact, it helped prevent the reader from becoming too attached to any one character.

It may seem as if I did not like the story, but honestly, I did enjoy it! I read the entire novel in a matter of two days because I could not put it down in order to unravel the mystery. As interesting a character as he was, I truly wanted Franz to receive his comeuppance. I may not have been on the edge of my seat with concern about their fates, but I did want Jillian to receive some desperately-needed closure of her sister's death. More importantly, I wanted Nick to find his happily-ever-after and recover from his PTSD. I wanted him to stop living with the guilt and live to enjoy life. In the end, that is what an author hopes the reader will glean from their writing - genuine feelings for his characters. Mr. Palmer achieved that.

I will definitely be putting The Last Surgeon on my husband's TBR pile. In addition, I will be recommending it to all of my friends who enjoy thrillers. It is an enjoyable, fun, thrilling read with a very poignant understory that deserves more attention. Thank you to the author, Michael Palmer, for this Advanced Reading Copy. (less)

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May 07, 2011 Bonnie rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is one of those thrillers with a truly horrifying hitman. The hero is a surgeon suffering from post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) due to a terrorist attack that kills his fiancee and most of the other medical personnel in their medical unit in Afghanistan. He and his partner Junie, a nurse, run a medical van that cares for homeless people in D.C. and Baltimore. The heroine is a nurse whose sister is killed by the hitman. She is determined to prove that her sister's death wasn't the suici...more

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Feb 23, 2010 Lori rated it 4 of 5 stars

I have not read many medical thrillers. As much as I enjoy a good thriller or suspense book, I discovered that some medically themed books become tedious with so many medical terms and jargon, turning a relaxing pastime into a chore.

Not so with Michael Palmer’s The Last Surgeon. I found Mr. Palmer’s tale of a surgeon suffering from PTSD, intertwined with missing men, accidental deaths that may be murders and a character that has rightfully been compared with the ultimate literary sociopath, Han...more I have not read many medical thrillers. As much as I enjoy a good thriller or suspense book, I discovered that some medically themed books become tedious with so many medical terms and jargon, turning a relaxing pastime into a chore.

Not so with Michael Palmer’s The Last Surgeon. I found Mr. Palmer’s tale of a surgeon suffering from PTSD, intertwined with missing men, accidental deaths that may be murders and a character that has rightfully been compared with the ultimate literary sociopath, Hannibal Lecter, to be utterly engrossing and suspenseful.

Nick Garrity was a wonderful central character - - traumatized, yes, but strong, determined and most definitely worth rooting for. So well written and rounded was the character of Nick that I could easily visualize him in my mind and hear his voice throughout the story. (In fact, I continued reflecting throughout the story what a fantastic movie The Last Surgeon would make.)

Jillian Coates was a very good match for Nick, both in spirit and intelligence. In my reading experience I have found that some books that are primarily thrillers force feed the romance, causing it to feel overly scripted rather than a natural progression. Nick and Jillian, however, feel like a natural match and their relationship doesn’t detract from the main story.

I also loved the character of Junie and found her to be a wonderful compliment to Nick. She was descriptive and fleshed out and other than the character of Franz Koller, possibly my favorite supporting character.

It may seem strange to feel that someone like Franz Koller would be a favorite character but Mr. Palmer has made such a vivid, frightening , fearful and fearless individual that surely deserves a place in literary infamy along with the aforementioned Hannibal Lector, Dracula and even Harry Potter’s Voldemort, to name but a few. Franz is evil and he is completely free of conscious and yet he’s a fascinating and complex character that steals the show from anyone else on the page. He brings to light our worst fears - - another human walking among us that is completely devoid of normal, human behaviors and makes certain scenes of The Last Surgeon a scary read.

This was my first book by Mr. Palmer and my first exposure to his writing. Despite the medical aspects of the writing and the intense scenes of war and violence, the writing flowed as easily as good wine. And like good wine, I thought The Last Surgeon was worth savoring.

I would highly recommend The Last Surgeon to anyone who enjoys a thriller or suspense novel and, most especially, an excellent read.

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Nov 20, 2011 Adam Wilson rated it 3 of 5 stars

I am keeping this review short. There is no need for a description because you should have read it all before. I will explain it in incomplete sentences for you. Familiar plot. Medical murder mystery. Cool, efficient killer. Nothing new. Clone. Okay, this thing took me over a month to get through. I can read a book of this length in under four hours if I get into it but a month is unheard of for me. This falls into the category of reads for me that I like to call "I would have loved it if I hadn...more

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Sep 02, 2010 Cindy Meilink rated it 4 of 5 stars

I'm a big fan of medical thrillers, and Michael Palmer did a great job of keeping the book moving along.

Jillian, a nurse, and Nick Garrity, a doctor who spends his time helping out vets with PTSD, investigate the death of Jillian's sister--a death that also seems to be tied to the disappearance of Umberto, Nick's friend from the army.

As the plot unfolds,we discover that all of the individuals involved in a surgery four years ago are dying off one by one. Although all of the deaths have been made...more

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Apr 23, 2010 Susan Poling rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction

Pretty good book. I started it because I enjoy books about medical people. This turned into a mystery of sorts as the main character searched for his buddy who has been missing for 4 years. The main character is suffering from PTSD after having his field hospital bombed by a truck full of explosives. He sees his fiancee cut in half by the truck and is saved by the buddy who is now missing. His searches while manning a moving medical vehicle that serves the homeless and runs survival classes for...more

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Aug 28, 2012 Frederick Bingham rated it 2 of 5 stars

A rather predictable thriller. The main characters are a doctor haunted by PTSD from his time in Afghanistan and a nurse searching for her sister's killer. They come upon some kind of conspiracy to kill all the people involved in an operation on a terrorist 3 years before. I did not quite get what the conspiracy was about, but apparently the CIA and the Vice President were involved. There was also a hit man with a germanic name.

Spoiler alert: The good guys kill the German hit man and get the Vic...more

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Jan 30, 2010 Gaby rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: detective-and-mystery, thriller

This is my first time to read a medical thriller by Michael Palmer. In The Last Surgeon, Michael Palmer has created a dark villain who has made the artful masking of murder his life's work. The book is fast paced and the lead protagonists, Gillian Coates and Dr. Nick Garrity, work well
together.

I had hoped for a different ending - and would love to hear what others think of this book.

ISBN-10: 031258749X - Hardcover $26.99
Publisher: St. Martin's Press (February 16, 2010), 384 pages.
Review copy pro...more

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Mar 16, 2010 Kristen rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: new-additions-automatically-on-queu, 2010, medical-thriller

If you love great medical thrillers, you'll love Michael Palmer's latest novel, The Last Surgeon. Dr. Nick Garrity is suffering from PTSD from his war wounds and is searching for his friend, who vanished from the war. Jillian Coates is a psych nurse, who doesn't believe her sister committed suicide. Together, they join forces to discover a heinous plot that stems from the CIA and deals with the ongoing war, while they go head to head with Franz Koller, the mastermind of the "non-kill." Later, Ni...more

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Aug 31, 2011 Laura Cavazos rated it 4 of 5 stars

I liked this book A LOT. The plot made you turn the pages without noticing. I've to be honest, almost the first 100 pages bored me, it took me like a week getting through those pages... but after that wow I got surprised.

The characters... well, I liked them but not that much, in fact the character I liked the most was Umberto Vásquez even though he didn't appeared that much in the book. It would have been Franz Koller, because of his deadly-twisted mind except for one thing: The author never NEV...more

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Apr 15, 2010 Pbwritr rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: thriller

The first thing that I learned is that Michael Palmer is one of the nicest persons you could ever want to meet. I emailed him last year after finding a tiny discrepancy in one of his books, and he graciously replied. He then friended me on Facebook, and I got invited to his book launch party in Boston for The Last Surgeon. My husband and I rode up on the train and went to the party, which also featured about 9 other bestselling authors, many of whom whose books I'd read. The function also served...more

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Jan 14, 2010 Freda mans rated it 5 of 5 stars

What a suspenseful, thrilling and action packed read this is! I loved it, and honestly I didn't think I would. For me it was as if Jason Bourne joined ER.
I liked the characters in this story. I was really afraid of the killer in the book. His steeliness came through, and yet Nick Fury, the doctor, was the character that made it alright to endure the creepy guy. I really like Nick, and am secretly hoping the author writes more tales with him as the star.
A must read for any thriller or suspense ju...more

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Feb 09, 2010 Julie rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: codie

Recommended to Julie by: Michael Palmer

Shelves: arc, bostick-communication, medical-thriller

I'm not sure I've ever read a book that scares me...but I have now! I've always said I couldn't find a movie to scare me but I've *wanted* to be scared. I had some crazy nightmares while reading this book but they were also interesting! (insane, I know!)

Jillian's sister is dead and everyone says she committed suicide. Jillian knows better...she believes she was murdered. Jillian spends a great deal of time devoted to finding her sister's killer. Along the way, pieces begin to fall into place abo...more

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Feb 15, 2010 Jennifer (Crazy-for-Books.com) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Recommended to Jennifer by: Michael Palmer

Shelves: received-for-review, arc, mystery-suspense-thriller, read-in-2010

From the first sentence on the first page, I was entranced. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, with all of its twists and turns, ups and downs. It held my interest page to page. I normally don’t seek out political thrillers, but this one was really good! I’d actually classify it as a medical/political thriller. There wasn’t too much medical detail, but just enough for me to understand what was happening. The story centers around former Army trauma surgeon, Dr. Nick Garrity, who has been searching f...more

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May 08, 2010 Sarah Sammis rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: review-copy, read-in-2010, released

In The Last Surgeon by Michael Palmer, Nick "Fury" Garrity, veteran suffering from post traumatic stress disorder spends his days and nights helping people from a mobile clinic on the streets of Washington D.C. He is contacted by a nurse who wants to prove her sister was murdered even though the evidence points towards her death being a suicide. Together they go against a brilliant but evil foe, a man who has perfected the art of the "no-kill", making his murders appear like accidents and self-i...more

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Jan 08, 2011 Holly rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: action

This is a medical thriller concerning a surgeon suffering from ptsd. He and a nurse drive around the Baltimore/DC area in a medical RV giving care to vets and advising them on how to get their benefits. Enter Jillian, a nurse who is convinced her sister's suicide is really a murder. They team up together to uncover a government plot to kill a specific group of people. Throw in secret military missions, plastic surgery and a light love story and presto chango you have The Last Surgeon!

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Sep 26, 2012 Debra rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction-suspense, medical

A conspiracy involving the upper levels of government are behind a mysterious murder, which has been called a suicide. Jillian knows her sister, Belle would never have killed herself. She enlists the help of Dr. Nick "Fury" and, together, they work to find out what happened to Belle, and all the other innovent victims they discover along the way. I'm giving it only 4 stars because it was a little graphic for my taste, but it was a great read otherwise.

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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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