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Miracle Drug
The infection wasn’t supposed to happen, but it did. The treatment was supposed to take care of it, but it didn’t. Then Dr. Josh Pearson discovers why—his patients, including the former President of the United States, have been dosed with a different strain of the original virus, one that is universally fatal. The only chance for survival is treatment with an experimental drug, but the manufacturer might already have discarded its supply.As if treating the President of the United States isn’t stressful enough, the situation goes from bad to worse when Rachel Moore, a nurse Josh is falling in love with, falls ill. With the nation’s eyes on him, Josh must pull off a miracle to save a man who holds a good deal of power and the woman who holds his heart.
306 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 15, 2015
26 people are currently reading
361 people want to read
About the author
Richard L. Mabry
30 books521 followersDr. Richard Mabry is a retired physician, past Vice-President of the American Christian Fiction Writers, and the author of twelve published novels of medical suspense and six novellas. His books have been finalists in competitions including ACFW’s Carol Award and Romantic Times’ Inspirational Book of the Year, and have won the Selah Award from the Blue Ridge Mountain Christian Writers Conference.
Richard’s non-fiction book, The Tender Scar: Life After The Death Of A Spouse (Kregel Publishers), has ministered to multiple thousands of grieving individuals. His meditations and short pieces have appeared in The Upper Room, In Touch, and several other periodicals.
When Richard is not writing, he spends his time reading, working fruitlessly to improve his golf game, and defending his title as the world’s best Granddad. He and his wife live in north Texas and are active members of Stonebriar Community Church, pastored by Dr. Chuck Swindoll.
Richard’s non-fiction book, The Tender Scar: Life After The Death Of A Spouse (Kregel Publishers), has ministered to multiple thousands of grieving individuals. His meditations and short pieces have appeared in The Upper Room, In Touch, and several other periodicals.
When Richard is not writing, he spends his time reading, working fruitlessly to improve his golf game, and defending his title as the world’s best Granddad. He and his wife live in north Texas and are active members of Stonebriar Community Church, pastored by Dr. Chuck Swindoll.
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September 18, 2015
fter a colleague dies of a heart attack, Dr Josh Pearson finds himself personal physician to David Madison, former President of the United States. And he’s sick. Very sick. And not responding to any of the usual treatments. If that wasn’t bad enough, Josh’s girlfriend, nurse Rachel Moore is showing the same symptoms as the ex-President …
Sounds simple enough. Two sick people: will the good doctor find a cure? But it wasn’t that straightforward.
Here’s where I got confused. The medicine came in liquid form, but it was measured in milligrams. I was raised on the decimal system of measurement: I know a milligram is one-thousandth of a gram (one gram is a little less than a quarter of a teaspoon, so one milligram is tiny).
However, grams are a measure of weight, not volume. Liquids are generally measured in litres, with a millilitre being one-thousandth of a litre. A litre of water weighs one kilogram, and is the amount of liquid that would fit in four metric cups. The doctors say they have 270 milligrams of medicine, but it’s clearly a liquid, so why are they measuring a liquid by weight, not volume? Do they actually mean millilitres?
But if the doctors actually have 270 millilitres of medicine, then that is just over a metric cup—which would be stored in a bottle, not a “small vial”. Later on they refer to bottles with 1000 millilitres (that's a litre, which is around a quarter of a gallon). Storing a litre of liquid in a bottle seems reasonable … if it’s millilitres, not milligrams. Because 1000 milligrams is just one gram—less than a quarter of a teaspoon.
Yes, this is getting pedantic and someone who grew up with pounds and fluid ounces probably wouldn’t notice. But doctors prescribing medicines should know that one gram is equal to one thousand millilitres (people, that’s the simplicity of the decimal system. A litre is the amount of water that fits in a 10cm x 10cm x 10cm container, and it weighs approximately one kilogram, 1000 grams. Everything is in 1’s, 10’s, 100’s and 1000’s, and it’s all related).
Another place I got confused was with the actual medical dosage (and here I hoped either I was reading it wrong or that this has been fixed in proofreading, because otherwise Dr Josh has some serious medical malpractice suits pending). Derek says the correct dosage of RP-78 is one milligram per kilogram of patient body weight per day.
The two patients have a combined body weight of 134 kilograms, which means 270 milligrams (or millilitres—I’m now going to take a leaf out of The Martian and call them milliwhatevers) of medicine is enough for TWO doses each, not one (equally, that 270 milliwhatevers is enough for three doses for just the President, or five doses for just Rachel).
I’ve got this horrible feeling they’ve mixed up pounds and kilos, because if the correct dose was 1 milliwhatever per pound of body weight, 270 milliwhatevers would be about right for one dose (technically, they’d need 290 milliwhatevers, but its obvious exact amounts aren’t important). Anyway, these simple conversion errors can happen to anyone. Just ask the people who did the calculations for the Mars Climate Orbiter and didn't get the conversion right. Yeah, so that didn’t go so well. Oops.
Also, we were supposed to believe that 270 milliwhatevers was only enough for one dose each, but 2000 milliwhatevers was enough for the other nine doses despite 2000 divided by 270 being just 7.4 doses … no, the maths simply doesn’t add up. We were also supposed to believe it was a major catastrophe when the last three doses of the President's medicine went missing, when it was obvious all along that they would have to give him some doses out of the second vial (Rachel's). (Sorry, that was a spoiler. But it was supposed to be a major source of tension—will the President get the medicine in time?—whereas the tension was actually when will this stupid doctor realise the obvious).
The net result of all this is I found the medical plot frustrating rather than thrilling, which just left the who-was-trying-to-kill-the-ex-President plot, and the romance and faith subplots. The murder plot had potential … until we found out whodunit, and on whose orders.
I wasn’t convinced.
If Mr X wanted the President dead, why didn’t he simply lie when asked if he had some of the medicine? (We’ll leave aside the complete cheese factor in the eventual identity of Mr Big who wanted the President dead. That came completely out of left field and broke one of the central rules of the whodunit: that it must be a character in the novel. Like, in the novel proper. Not appearing for the first time when the police arrive to arrest him. And as for question 6 in the Discussion Guide at the end … there are no words. Oh, yes there are. Cliché stereotype).
The romance subplot was fine, but not enough to redeem the other issues. The faith subplot was so-so, but I didn't understand why Rachel, a Christian, was going out with Josh in the first place, as he wasn't. No, I'm not a believer in mission dating.
This isn’t the best Richard Mabry medical thriller I've read. In fact, I think it’s the worst, which sounds awful (but, realistically, as soon as you read more than one book by an author, one has to be the worst). Miracle Drug was an excellent concept, and could have been a great medical thriller. But there were too many glitches which had a material effect on the plot, and those glitches ruined my ability to believe in the plot or care about the characters. Although I’m glad no fictional characters had to die because of Dr Josh’s bad maths.
P.S. In countries which use grams and litres, its maths (short for mathematics), not math.
Thanks to NetGalley and Abingdon Press for providing a free ebook for review.
Sounds simple enough. Two sick people: will the good doctor find a cure? But it wasn’t that straightforward.
Here’s where I got confused. The medicine came in liquid form, but it was measured in milligrams. I was raised on the decimal system of measurement: I know a milligram is one-thousandth of a gram (one gram is a little less than a quarter of a teaspoon, so one milligram is tiny).
However, grams are a measure of weight, not volume. Liquids are generally measured in litres, with a millilitre being one-thousandth of a litre. A litre of water weighs one kilogram, and is the amount of liquid that would fit in four metric cups. The doctors say they have 270 milligrams of medicine, but it’s clearly a liquid, so why are they measuring a liquid by weight, not volume? Do they actually mean millilitres?
But if the doctors actually have 270 millilitres of medicine, then that is just over a metric cup—which would be stored in a bottle, not a “small vial”. Later on they refer to bottles with 1000 millilitres (that's a litre, which is around a quarter of a gallon). Storing a litre of liquid in a bottle seems reasonable … if it’s millilitres, not milligrams. Because 1000 milligrams is just one gram—less than a quarter of a teaspoon.
Yes, this is getting pedantic and someone who grew up with pounds and fluid ounces probably wouldn’t notice. But doctors prescribing medicines should know that one gram is equal to one thousand millilitres (people, that’s the simplicity of the decimal system. A litre is the amount of water that fits in a 10cm x 10cm x 10cm container, and it weighs approximately one kilogram, 1000 grams. Everything is in 1’s, 10’s, 100’s and 1000’s, and it’s all related).
Another place I got confused was with the actual medical dosage (and here I hoped either I was reading it wrong or that this has been fixed in proofreading, because otherwise Dr Josh has some serious medical malpractice suits pending). Derek says the correct dosage of RP-78 is one milligram per kilogram of patient body weight per day.
The two patients have a combined body weight of 134 kilograms, which means 270 milligrams (or millilitres—I’m now going to take a leaf out of The Martian and call them milliwhatevers) of medicine is enough for TWO doses each, not one (equally, that 270 milliwhatevers is enough for three doses for just the President, or five doses for just Rachel).
I’ve got this horrible feeling they’ve mixed up pounds and kilos, because if the correct dose was 1 milliwhatever per pound of body weight, 270 milliwhatevers would be about right for one dose (technically, they’d need 290 milliwhatevers, but its obvious exact amounts aren’t important). Anyway, these simple conversion errors can happen to anyone. Just ask the people who did the calculations for the Mars Climate Orbiter and didn't get the conversion right. Yeah, so that didn’t go so well. Oops.
Also, we were supposed to believe that 270 milliwhatevers was only enough for one dose each, but 2000 milliwhatevers was enough for the other nine doses despite 2000 divided by 270 being just 7.4 doses … no, the maths simply doesn’t add up. We were also supposed to believe it was a major catastrophe when the last three doses of the President's medicine went missing, when it was obvious all along that they would have to give him some doses out of the second vial (Rachel's). (Sorry, that was a spoiler. But it was supposed to be a major source of tension—will the President get the medicine in time?—whereas the tension was actually when will this stupid doctor realise the obvious).
The net result of all this is I found the medical plot frustrating rather than thrilling, which just left the who-was-trying-to-kill-the-ex-President plot, and the romance and faith subplots. The murder plot had potential … until we found out whodunit, and on whose orders.
I wasn’t convinced.
If Mr X wanted the President dead, why didn’t he simply lie when asked if he had some of the medicine? (We’ll leave aside the complete cheese factor in the eventual identity of Mr Big who wanted the President dead. That came completely out of left field and broke one of the central rules of the whodunit: that it must be a character in the novel. Like, in the novel proper. Not appearing for the first time when the police arrive to arrest him. And as for question 6 in the Discussion Guide at the end … there are no words. Oh, yes there are. Cliché stereotype).
The romance subplot was fine, but not enough to redeem the other issues. The faith subplot was so-so, but I didn't understand why Rachel, a Christian, was going out with Josh in the first place, as he wasn't. No, I'm not a believer in mission dating.
This isn’t the best Richard Mabry medical thriller I've read. In fact, I think it’s the worst, which sounds awful (but, realistically, as soon as you read more than one book by an author, one has to be the worst). Miracle Drug was an excellent concept, and could have been a great medical thriller. But there were too many glitches which had a material effect on the plot, and those glitches ruined my ability to believe in the plot or care about the characters. Although I’m glad no fictional characters had to die because of Dr Josh’s bad maths.
P.S. In countries which use grams and litres, its maths (short for mathematics), not math.
Thanks to NetGalley and Abingdon Press for providing a free ebook for review.
September 7, 2015
Another good one by Dr. Mabry. Full review coming September 15. Release Day!!!
September 18, 2015
This is Christian fiction at its best. The author has written a compelling story of good versus evil without the use of profanity and other trashy stuff found in so many books. Yes, there were some seriously bad dudes in the story but that is true in this world we live in. There were also some very good and decent people who were trying to do the very best job they could. Several characters displayed a strong Christian faith and a life of prayer. The Christian message is more subtle rather than blatant and in-your-face. However, prayer plays an important role in helping the characters make wise choices and have the strength of courage to follow through. I had to ask myself what I would do if I found myself in Dr. Josh Pearson’s shoes and had to make the tough decisions that he was called on to make regarding the two patients, especially when there were so many unknown factors. Would I know the right thing to do and would I have the courage to do what was right? I would never want to be in the position of holding the life of a former president of the United States in my hands but it certainly made for some exciting and suspenseful reading. I would almost find myself holding my breath to see what was coming next. Fortunately for me, I was only dealing with some great fiction writing rather than the lives of the people in the story. I recommend that you read it for yourself to see what I mean. I received a complimentary copy of this book from the Abingdon Press in exchange for my honest review.
September 16, 2015
Miracle Drug is the first book I have read by Richard Mabry but will not be my last. It is obvious that Richard was an MD by the very detailed medical descriptions.
Dr Josh Pearson has just become the doctor of the former President of the United States which is stressful. It gets worse when he realizes that the former president has intentionally been exposed to a very rare virus. This virus is not supposed to exist in the US. The situation becomes even direr when his girlfriend has the same virus and there is not enough of the experimental drug for both of them.
There is a little bit of romance, some political intrigue and a large dose of suspense. I read the book in one day.
This book would be great for a book club. Josh is put into some interesting dilemmas that would be great discussion points.
You can see my full review at More Than a Review dot com where I rate the level of sex, violence, language and drug/alcohol use in books.
Dr Josh Pearson has just become the doctor of the former President of the United States which is stressful. It gets worse when he realizes that the former president has intentionally been exposed to a very rare virus. This virus is not supposed to exist in the US. The situation becomes even direr when his girlfriend has the same virus and there is not enough of the experimental drug for both of them.
There is a little bit of romance, some political intrigue and a large dose of suspense. I read the book in one day.
This book would be great for a book club. Josh is put into some interesting dilemmas that would be great discussion points.
You can see my full review at More Than a Review dot com where I rate the level of sex, violence, language and drug/alcohol use in books.
September 25, 2015
Richard L. Mabry has such an expertise at writing hardline medical suspense thrillers and his latest is exceptional. In Miracle Drug, we take a look at the world of a fictious pharmaceutical company that holds the only cure to a rare and fatal disease that has been launched against the former president of the United States as well as an innocent by-stander Rachel Moore. His only hope lies with his recently appointed personal physician Dr. Josh Pearson, who only obtained this position when his colleague passed away of an apparent heart attack. Now it's a race against time to figure out just what these two have been infected with before their symptoms quickly claim their lives.
But is it all really an elaborate assassination attempt, or it is a way to take an ailing pharmaceutical company and bring it back from the verge of going out of business by coming up with the only cure for the former president. What happens if they isn't enough of the antidote to cure them both. You might think it would be a no brainer until you realize that one is the former president and the other is the girl you have fallen in love with. Now the pressure is really on for Josh to figure out what to do as the body count begins to rise and the trail of clues begin to divide among quite a few possible theories.
I received Miracle Drug by Richard L. Mabry MD compliments of Abingdon Press and Litfuse Publicity for my honest review. Aside from a free copy of this book, I did not receive any monetary compensation and the opinions here are my own honest and personal ones. Because I have had the opportunity to read so many of Mabry's previous novels, I now automatically choose these because (1) based on his knowledge as a former physician, the medical terms and procedures will always be spot on without all the soap opera drama one might expect and (2) it will always take me to a place where you wonder just how true this could be, especially in light of the recent Ebola scare this year. It definitely gives the reader something to marinate about while you are reading this one. Most people don't have a clue to how far medical science has really advanced and the ways it can be used against others if it falls into the wrong hands. For me, another home room and a well deserved 4.5 out of 5 stars. There is a reader's discussion guide included at the conclusion as well as a sneak peek at the next novel coming out soon, Medical Judgement.
But is it all really an elaborate assassination attempt, or it is a way to take an ailing pharmaceutical company and bring it back from the verge of going out of business by coming up with the only cure for the former president. What happens if they isn't enough of the antidote to cure them both. You might think it would be a no brainer until you realize that one is the former president and the other is the girl you have fallen in love with. Now the pressure is really on for Josh to figure out what to do as the body count begins to rise and the trail of clues begin to divide among quite a few possible theories.
I received Miracle Drug by Richard L. Mabry MD compliments of Abingdon Press and Litfuse Publicity for my honest review. Aside from a free copy of this book, I did not receive any monetary compensation and the opinions here are my own honest and personal ones. Because I have had the opportunity to read so many of Mabry's previous novels, I now automatically choose these because (1) based on his knowledge as a former physician, the medical terms and procedures will always be spot on without all the soap opera drama one might expect and (2) it will always take me to a place where you wonder just how true this could be, especially in light of the recent Ebola scare this year. It definitely gives the reader something to marinate about while you are reading this one. Most people don't have a clue to how far medical science has really advanced and the ways it can be used against others if it falls into the wrong hands. For me, another home room and a well deserved 4.5 out of 5 stars. There is a reader's discussion guide included at the conclusion as well as a sneak peek at the next novel coming out soon, Medical Judgement.
October 12, 2015
My experience reading books written by retired doctor Richard L. Mabry has been enjoyable and a pleasure to recommend to others. As his latest book emerged, I looked forward to reading it. I was absolutely not disappointed! From the first page, the story was fast paced and interesting.
The need to find the source of an American ex-president's illness and treat him accelerates with the discovery that the initial diagnosis while correct is only a small part of the problem, and the race is critically paced to find a cure. The plot thickens as an assassin manages to slip past the armed guards and into the ex-president's room. He is discovered and killed in the nick of time. Who sent him? How wide-spread is the plot to kill this ex-president?
As Secret Service and local police protect the victim and analyze the crimes, and as they try to keep it from becoming public knowledge, the doctors and a smart lab technician fight the medical battle.
In this medical thriller the reader will wonder if this is an international plot, a ploy of a drug company, or a greedy individual who will stoop to the lowest low for their own corrupt gain.
I loved the interaction and fast thinking of the medical professionals and the ex-president's professional staff to facilitate safety, secure the rare cure, and assist in the solution of the multiple crimes committed in this saga.
The reader is reminded that this is a work of fiction. The infection is fictitious as is the rare drug. However, it reads like modern science and the skill of Dr. Mabry brings. a great level of medical professionalism and believability. Another good read from the pen of a medical professional turned professional writer.
I received a complimentary copy to facilitate this review. Opinions are my own and I was not compensated for this review.
The need to find the source of an American ex-president's illness and treat him accelerates with the discovery that the initial diagnosis while correct is only a small part of the problem, and the race is critically paced to find a cure. The plot thickens as an assassin manages to slip past the armed guards and into the ex-president's room. He is discovered and killed in the nick of time. Who sent him? How wide-spread is the plot to kill this ex-president?
As Secret Service and local police protect the victim and analyze the crimes, and as they try to keep it from becoming public knowledge, the doctors and a smart lab technician fight the medical battle.
In this medical thriller the reader will wonder if this is an international plot, a ploy of a drug company, or a greedy individual who will stoop to the lowest low for their own corrupt gain.
I loved the interaction and fast thinking of the medical professionals and the ex-president's professional staff to facilitate safety, secure the rare cure, and assist in the solution of the multiple crimes committed in this saga.
The reader is reminded that this is a work of fiction. The infection is fictitious as is the rare drug. However, it reads like modern science and the skill of Dr. Mabry brings. a great level of medical professionalism and believability. Another good read from the pen of a medical professional turned professional writer.
I received a complimentary copy to facilitate this review. Opinions are my own and I was not compensated for this review.
October 3, 2015
I love a good Medical Thriller and when Dr. Richard Mabry's name is on the cover I know I will be in for a wonderful edge-of-my-seat read. Dr. Mabry's newest book, Miracle Drug, kept me turning pages long into the night and I wasn't disappointed.
What would you do if you had a mysterious event happen and found yourself doused with an unknown substance. Then days later you start showing systems of diphtheria only to find out later there is an underlying disease and possibly no cure? That is the basis of MIracle Drug.
While in South America, two people are infected with a deadly disease, the former president of the United States, David Madison, and nurse Rachel Moore. Upon arriving home, Dr. Josh Pearson, finds himself the newly appointed physician to the former president. When he learns there is an experimental drug that may save the life of the former president and Ms. Moore he finds himself in a quandary as there may only be enough of the 'miracle drug' to save one life. Should he give all the drug to the former president or give it to Ms. Moore who happens to be his girlfriend?
Dr. Mabry has created one of his best books yet. The twists and turns he spread throughout the book caused me to keep guessing until the very end. It is definitely a book that will keep you on the edge of your seat.
I would highly recommend Miracle Drug to anyone who enjoys a good medical thriller or any suspenseful novel.
On a 5-Star scale - 5 Stars!!!!!
I would like to thank LitFuse Publicity and Abingdon Press for my copy of Miracle Drug. I received my copy for free in order to read it and give my honest review, which I have done.
What would you do if you had a mysterious event happen and found yourself doused with an unknown substance. Then days later you start showing systems of diphtheria only to find out later there is an underlying disease and possibly no cure? That is the basis of MIracle Drug.
While in South America, two people are infected with a deadly disease, the former president of the United States, David Madison, and nurse Rachel Moore. Upon arriving home, Dr. Josh Pearson, finds himself the newly appointed physician to the former president. When he learns there is an experimental drug that may save the life of the former president and Ms. Moore he finds himself in a quandary as there may only be enough of the 'miracle drug' to save one life. Should he give all the drug to the former president or give it to Ms. Moore who happens to be his girlfriend?
Dr. Mabry has created one of his best books yet. The twists and turns he spread throughout the book caused me to keep guessing until the very end. It is definitely a book that will keep you on the edge of your seat.
I would highly recommend Miracle Drug to anyone who enjoys a good medical thriller or any suspenseful novel.
On a 5-Star scale - 5 Stars!!!!!
I would like to thank LitFuse Publicity and Abingdon Press for my copy of Miracle Drug. I received my copy for free in order to read it and give my honest review, which I have done.
October 19, 2015
Miracle Drug starts off with an immediate murder that throws the reader right into this medical thriller where not only the former president of the United States is at risk, but so is the main character's girlfriend. There was a constant feel of underlying suspense, of knowing that something was going to happen, but not when or what or even who would be involved. The suspense continued all the way to the end with plenty of red herrings to confuse the reader as to who the villain(s) would be. With some elements of romance and inspiration mixed in, this story was an exciting read perfect for inspirational medical thriller, suspense, or romantic suspense fans.
The characters were well formed and likable. Dr. Josh Pearson was a good main character as he navigated a new situation for him in caring for a high-priority patient and dealing with a deadly disease. His girlfriend, Rachel Moore, was an easily-connectable character. She gives a different perspective and intensity as Josh's romantic interest, but also as a nurse herself. There were quite a few other characters, some of which who were hard to decide if they were friend or foe. The ability of the author to keep the exact purpose behind the plot and the individuals involved a mystery to just about the end was fantastic.
Miracle Drug was definitely an enjoyable suspense from beginning to end. Hopefully there will be a future story for Dr. Allison Neeves who was a strong side character in this one. She deserves her own happily-ever-after.
Content: Some violence, but clean.
Source: I would like to thank Abingdon Press for my complimentary review copy through Litfuse, which did not affect my review in any way.
The characters were well formed and likable. Dr. Josh Pearson was a good main character as he navigated a new situation for him in caring for a high-priority patient and dealing with a deadly disease. His girlfriend, Rachel Moore, was an easily-connectable character. She gives a different perspective and intensity as Josh's romantic interest, but also as a nurse herself. There were quite a few other characters, some of which who were hard to decide if they were friend or foe. The ability of the author to keep the exact purpose behind the plot and the individuals involved a mystery to just about the end was fantastic.
Miracle Drug was definitely an enjoyable suspense from beginning to end. Hopefully there will be a future story for Dr. Allison Neeves who was a strong side character in this one. She deserves her own happily-ever-after.
Content: Some violence, but clean.
Source: I would like to thank Abingdon Press for my complimentary review copy through Litfuse, which did not affect my review in any way.
August 21, 2015
An intriguing medical suspense drama with a small dose of romance!
Dr. Josh Pearson is handed a prestigious position unexpectedly--to be the personal physician to an ex-president of the United States--and is immediately put to the test: to save his patient's life from an unknown life-threatening virulent bacteria. Josh is thrown into an ethical medical dilemma, as his girlfriend, Rachel, is also exposed to the illness, and there isn't enough medicine for both patients. What he needs is a miracle!
This was an interesting plot driven book, reading like a political police drama at times. The author's medical expertise is evident from all of the details involving diagnosis, treatment, and patient care, as well as knowledge of government agencies, like the CDC and NIH; medical terms are explained well though, so it's easy to follow along. Plenty of action, and the mystery of the conspiracy theory underlying the story, kept me interested clear up to the unexpected ending. The interjection of faith helped keep the story feeling hopeful, and not too dark.
Recommend for readers who enjoy realistic medical suspense dramas with Christian overtones. 4.5 stars
(Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the book provided in exchange for my honest, unsolicited review.)
Dr. Josh Pearson is handed a prestigious position unexpectedly--to be the personal physician to an ex-president of the United States--and is immediately put to the test: to save his patient's life from an unknown life-threatening virulent bacteria. Josh is thrown into an ethical medical dilemma, as his girlfriend, Rachel, is also exposed to the illness, and there isn't enough medicine for both patients. What he needs is a miracle!
This was an interesting plot driven book, reading like a political police drama at times. The author's medical expertise is evident from all of the details involving diagnosis, treatment, and patient care, as well as knowledge of government agencies, like the CDC and NIH; medical terms are explained well though, so it's easy to follow along. Plenty of action, and the mystery of the conspiracy theory underlying the story, kept me interested clear up to the unexpected ending. The interjection of faith helped keep the story feeling hopeful, and not too dark.
Recommend for readers who enjoy realistic medical suspense dramas with Christian overtones. 4.5 stars
(Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the book provided in exchange for my honest, unsolicited review.)
August 17, 2015
Miracle Drug by Richard L. Mabry was captivating from beginning to end. This book was in the works before the Ebola scare, but because we did have a deadly, contagious disease in our recent memory, we can remember the anxiety and, therefore, feel for the characters even more since it didn't seem so far-fetched. Plus, it was an edge of the seat kind of book. ;-)
Dr Josh Pearson suddenly becomes the doctor to the former president of the United States after the former doctor died. Awed to be chosen, he immediately gives his new job most of his attention. But when his girlfriend, Rachel Moore, and the president both become deathly ill, Josh has to race the clock to find a cure for them both. Will Josh be able to find a miracle drug before time runs out?
This story was a fast-paced, thrilling read, and I enjoyed the premise of a mystery disease. I liked all the different plots going on at the same time because it added to the suspense and kept me guessing until the end. It was an enthralling story, and I'm sure any suspense fan will love it, too.
I was given this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Dr Josh Pearson suddenly becomes the doctor to the former president of the United States after the former doctor died. Awed to be chosen, he immediately gives his new job most of his attention. But when his girlfriend, Rachel Moore, and the president both become deathly ill, Josh has to race the clock to find a cure for them both. Will Josh be able to find a miracle drug before time runs out?
This story was a fast-paced, thrilling read, and I enjoyed the premise of a mystery disease. I liked all the different plots going on at the same time because it added to the suspense and kept me guessing until the end. It was an enthralling story, and I'm sure any suspense fan will love it, too.
I was given this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
December 30, 2015
Pressure-packed Medical Mystery...
A dead doctor, a very sick ex-president Madison who swears everyone to secrecy about his condition, a virtually unknown virus in the Northern Hemisphere...plus a moral decision for Dr. Josh Pearson on whom to treat, if the drug antibody is available-- the ex-president, or the love of his life, Rachel Moore. MIRACLE DRUG by Dr. Richard Mabry starts with a bang and like an avalanche down a mountain, picks up momentum and speed as it goes.
I loved the doctor's eye view in the novel. Describing himself while actually describing a character, Mabry says the person is "concise, without added verbiage." Scenes are presented matter-of-factly, and with the feel of the harried schedule of a doctor. Mabry has a dry wit that gives a little relief to the constant strain of the mystery that tumbles first one way, then another, like a tumbleweed that is caught up in an unruly wind. Indeed, there were plenty of suspects and possibilities presented and I was literally scratching my head as I furiously thumbed pages. This is a great medical mystery and I look forward to the next medical trauma Dr. Mabry can produce.
A dead doctor, a very sick ex-president Madison who swears everyone to secrecy about his condition, a virtually unknown virus in the Northern Hemisphere...plus a moral decision for Dr. Josh Pearson on whom to treat, if the drug antibody is available-- the ex-president, or the love of his life, Rachel Moore. MIRACLE DRUG by Dr. Richard Mabry starts with a bang and like an avalanche down a mountain, picks up momentum and speed as it goes.
I loved the doctor's eye view in the novel. Describing himself while actually describing a character, Mabry says the person is "concise, without added verbiage." Scenes are presented matter-of-factly, and with the feel of the harried schedule of a doctor. Mabry has a dry wit that gives a little relief to the constant strain of the mystery that tumbles first one way, then another, like a tumbleweed that is caught up in an unruly wind. Indeed, there were plenty of suspects and possibilities presented and I was literally scratching my head as I furiously thumbed pages. This is a great medical mystery and I look forward to the next medical trauma Dr. Mabry can produce.
February 2, 2016
Dr. Josh Pearson is shocked when he hears the news of the death of his colleague. He's also not prepared to hear that he is now the physician for the former president of the United States. But when his girlfriend and the former president return from South America with a mysterious infection he has his hands full. Someone is trying to kill the former president and his girlfriend was in the cross hairs. Now it's a rush to find a miracle drug to save the two, while also trying to solve a mystery.
I've enjoyed everything I've read by this author. This book was no exception. The characters have depth and the plot is well thought out. Despite the large amount of people and fast paced writing, I wasn't ever lost or confused. The author fuses medical drama, Christian fiction, and a tiny touch of romance together to make for a wonderful read. I would highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys a good clean suspense novel.
I received this book free of charge from Soul Inspiration in exchange for my honest review.
I've enjoyed everything I've read by this author. This book was no exception. The characters have depth and the plot is well thought out. Despite the large amount of people and fast paced writing, I wasn't ever lost or confused. The author fuses medical drama, Christian fiction, and a tiny touch of romance together to make for a wonderful read. I would highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys a good clean suspense novel.
I received this book free of charge from Soul Inspiration in exchange for my honest review.
September 13, 2015
Miracle Drug
by Richard L. Mabry, M.D.
Abingdon Press
Christian
Pub Date Sep 15, 2015
I was given an Arc copy of Miracle Drug through Abingdon’s press partnership with Netgalley for my honest review so here it is…
A strange illness, unexpected deaths and a missing body all tie together in Miracle Drug by Richard L Mabry.
Doctor Ben Carson falls sick with strange symptoms, a sharp pain in his left upper arm, Followed by a sharp pain in his extremities and Fuzzy Vision. At first people wonder if it’s a heart attack and then two more patients come with the same symptoms, former United States President David Madison, and a woman name Rachel Moore.
A race to save David Madison and Rachel Moore begins but the murder of a night nurse Barbara Carper and the accusations fall on Doctor Chavez.
Will they find out whose responsible for this outbreak?
If you are a fan of action packed medical suspense then Miracle Drug by Richard L Mabry is just the ticket.
I give this book five out of five Stars.
Happy Reading
by Richard L. Mabry, M.D.
Abingdon Press
Christian
Pub Date Sep 15, 2015
I was given an Arc copy of Miracle Drug through Abingdon’s press partnership with Netgalley for my honest review so here it is…
A strange illness, unexpected deaths and a missing body all tie together in Miracle Drug by Richard L Mabry.
Doctor Ben Carson falls sick with strange symptoms, a sharp pain in his left upper arm, Followed by a sharp pain in his extremities and Fuzzy Vision. At first people wonder if it’s a heart attack and then two more patients come with the same symptoms, former United States President David Madison, and a woman name Rachel Moore.
A race to save David Madison and Rachel Moore begins but the murder of a night nurse Barbara Carper and the accusations fall on Doctor Chavez.
Will they find out whose responsible for this outbreak?
If you are a fan of action packed medical suspense then Miracle Drug by Richard L Mabry is just the ticket.
I give this book five out of five Stars.
Happy Reading
December 9, 2017
I hate to say this but I thought the writing was amateurish, yet I still enjoyed it. Somehow the writing or the editing just wasn't polished. After a slow start, I got into the book easily. The characters were ok, not paper thin but not very endearing or notable either. I would just say bland. The plot was also just ok. But the writing was so effortless to read that I easily followed along.
I was going to say that I thought the author's writing would get better with time but I checked the book and it looks like he's written quite a few books already. Overall, I would say this is a good airport book, something easy to read while waiting but easily forgettable too.
I got this book as a free ARC.
I was going to say that I thought the author's writing would get better with time but I checked the book and it looks like he's written quite a few books already. Overall, I would say this is a good airport book, something easy to read while waiting but easily forgettable too.
I got this book as a free ARC.
October 27, 2015
Let me begin by thanking Netgalley for the digital copy of Richard Mabry's book Miracle Drug. If you enjoy the medical genre then I know you will enjoy reading this book. It is Christian fiction and has its share of disease, a missing body and deaths. Characters were believable and realistic. Great descriptive scenes. I am a retired nurse so needless to say this genre is one of my favorites. Thank you Dr. Mabry and Netgalley for the opportunity to read & review this book in exchange for an unbiased review. No compensation was received.
May 28, 2025
Aside from the extremely subtle racism I felt that this book was giving, it was extremely good. The suspense was perfect, the build-up was perfect, the character development was perfect, and I love a good twist and a "wait it was them the whole time?" It's what makes me so in love with thrillers. I'm not too keen on medical or political themes, but I suppose I made an exception for this one and I'm glad I did. Although, it had me worried it'd end in a cliffhanger as there was a lot of conflict towards the end that seemed to need a lot of time to be resolved. Thankfully, no cliffhanger. I despise books with cliffhangers. Something I find extremely intriguing as well is the fact that the author of this book, Richard L. Mabry, is a retired physician. It just makes the book feel a lot more real in the medical department which I find to be an amazing detail.
Unrelated, but when I checked this out at the library, according to the due by stamp dates, it hadn't been checked out since November 9th of 2016. This poor book has been neglected for 9 years.
Unrelated, but when I checked this out at the library, according to the due by stamp dates, it hadn't been checked out since November 9th of 2016. This poor book has been neglected for 9 years.
January 21, 2018
This was just a good read just not my favorite of his. I liked the main character, Josh. He was determined, refused to give up, and loyal to those around him. He's faced with a real dilemma when his girlfriend and the former president of the United States are both infected with a strange new disease and there's only enough antidote to treat one of them. Of course that isn't good enough for Josh and he races against time to save them.
If you like medical thrillers then put this on your to-be-read list.
If you like medical thrillers then put this on your to-be-read list.
October 2, 2017
A good suspenseful story. The ex-president and Dr. Pearson's girlfriend have been exposed to some type of infection. Dr. Pearson is treating them but the infection is not getting better. Will he be able to discover what is going on and find a way to treat them before it's too late? Why were they infected? What was the purpose? Someone is bent on killing the ex-president and possibly anyone in his way.
October 25, 2024
This book didn’t snag my interest. It was a really slow pace through the first 24 percent. If felt like the story could have been great if the pace was quicker and the medical jargon was scaled back. Also, there were a lot of names to remember.
The premise was good, which is why I tried this one and gave it such a long chunk of pages to wow me.
The premise was good, which is why I tried this one and gave it such a long chunk of pages to wow me.
January 26, 2018
More a mystery story than a medical thriller. Plenty of potential suspects and suspicious activities kept me guessing. A romantic relationship included. A good representation of the hospital setting - lab, administration, uncomfortable seats, etc.
May 17, 2017
Gripping, hard to put down.
June 22, 2017
Μ'άρεσε, περιμένω να το αγοράσω και σαν κανονικό βιβλίο, όχι μόνο σε kindle - ebook μορφή.
August 10, 2017
A little medical mystery/drama diversion for a few days.
January 31, 2018
A riveting mystery that kept you on the edge of your seat until the last page!
September 5, 2018
Another great book by Dr. Mabry! Keeps you guessing all the way through
April 12, 2019
Excellent medical Christian fiction
December 3, 2016
This is the second novel I have read by Richard L. Mabry, M.D., and I have to say this doctor is a really good writer. If he is is as good a physician as author, I hope he continues in his first profession, as well.
The story opens with the murder of Ben Lambert, personal physician of the former President of the United States, David Madison. That definitely got my attention! As a consequence, we meet the main character, Dr. Josh Pearson, a former colleague of Dr. Lambert who learns that he has been named as the doctor who should take Lambert's place. Shortly, thereafter, Josh's girlfriend, Rachel Moore, arrives at a Dallas airport with the body of the late Dr. Lambert, where someone posing as a funeral home director steals the body and cremates it--destroying any potential evidence that the doctor was killed by anything but natural causes. After the President returns from a trip to South America, both Rachel and Mr. Madison become gravely ill, and Dr. Pearson quickly finds himself involved in two mysteries: With what has the former President and Josh's girlfriend been infected, and who murdered Lambert, stole his body, and has tried to kill the former Commander-in-Chief?
The plot unfolds in spurts, with some surprise events, the disclosure of certain facts, the touch-and-go condition of the two patients and the responses of everyone concerned. A series of coincidences makes Josh wonder if he has been set up to fail or succeed in his treatment of the President for someone's benefit. With a limited supply of an experimentally drug that may or may not save his patients, Josh has to make some tough decisions: Should he dose only the President to maximize his survival, or treat Rachel as well, risking losing them both? Should he continue investigating the mystery, even after he is taken off the President's case? Whom should he trust or believe?
The author does a nice job of developing not only the story, but also his characters. They are believable and interesting. He does a good job of limiting his point-of-view story-telling to a few key characters through whose eyes we need to see the story unfold. He also makes you wonder which characters are the "good guys" and which are bad.
The story had me guessing until the last quarter of the book. Then everything fell together quickly. There was a lot of suspense, some evidence of faith and the hand of God at work, and a bit of romance--including one I didn't expect. You also get a taste of the bureaucracy involved in the Center for Disease Control, Food and Drug Administration and other agencies. The faith aspects of the story were subtle and appropriate. All-in-all, I recommend this book to just about anyone who enjoys a good medical mystery.
The story opens with the murder of Ben Lambert, personal physician of the former President of the United States, David Madison. That definitely got my attention! As a consequence, we meet the main character, Dr. Josh Pearson, a former colleague of Dr. Lambert who learns that he has been named as the doctor who should take Lambert's place. Shortly, thereafter, Josh's girlfriend, Rachel Moore, arrives at a Dallas airport with the body of the late Dr. Lambert, where someone posing as a funeral home director steals the body and cremates it--destroying any potential evidence that the doctor was killed by anything but natural causes. After the President returns from a trip to South America, both Rachel and Mr. Madison become gravely ill, and Dr. Pearson quickly finds himself involved in two mysteries: With what has the former President and Josh's girlfriend been infected, and who murdered Lambert, stole his body, and has tried to kill the former Commander-in-Chief?
The plot unfolds in spurts, with some surprise events, the disclosure of certain facts, the touch-and-go condition of the two patients and the responses of everyone concerned. A series of coincidences makes Josh wonder if he has been set up to fail or succeed in his treatment of the President for someone's benefit. With a limited supply of an experimentally drug that may or may not save his patients, Josh has to make some tough decisions: Should he dose only the President to maximize his survival, or treat Rachel as well, risking losing them both? Should he continue investigating the mystery, even after he is taken off the President's case? Whom should he trust or believe?
The author does a nice job of developing not only the story, but also his characters. They are believable and interesting. He does a good job of limiting his point-of-view story-telling to a few key characters through whose eyes we need to see the story unfold. He also makes you wonder which characters are the "good guys" and which are bad.
The story had me guessing until the last quarter of the book. Then everything fell together quickly. There was a lot of suspense, some evidence of faith and the hand of God at work, and a bit of romance--including one I didn't expect. You also get a taste of the bureaucracy involved in the Center for Disease Control, Food and Drug Administration and other agencies. The faith aspects of the story were subtle and appropriate. All-in-all, I recommend this book to just about anyone who enjoys a good medical mystery.
October 14, 2015
I am not a medical person. I tend to get woozy at the mere thought of medical procedures. The TV shows ER or House... not my thing. (My mom, on the other hand, is a nurse. She lives for this kind of thing!) That said, Miracle Drug is the kind of medical thriller I enjoy reading. Just enough terminology to remind you that a doctor wrote it, not so much that you feel you need a Johns Hopkins degree just to get to the next chapter. Quite timely in light of events that took place just after Mabry finished writing the book, the "universally fatal" disease and its scarce cure will keep you on the edge of your seat. At least, they did for me - this was my first book to read by Dr. Mabry so I wasn't 100% sure how things were going to play out. Is he a happily-ever-after kind of author? Does he lean more toward realism and kill people off for the sake of medical accuracy? I didn't know, so that added to the suspense for me.
The political intrigue kept me guessing as well - I had so many possible suspects at one point that I wasn't sure I could trust any of the characters! The ending sorta came out of nowhere, and I'm still not sure how I feel about parts of it. But I will say this - Miracle Drug would make a fascinating & riveting movie!! Someone, somewhere needs to read this and get on that project - stat!
Rounding out the plot were the elements of faith and romance. I very much appreciated the glimpses of everyday belief that occurred naturally in the appropriate characters. It didn't feel forced - it was just part of who they were. The hint of romance added to the compelling and even agonizing decisions that Josh faced over the course of the novel but it was never too sappy as to take away from the edgy tension of the thriller.
Bottom Line: Clear out enough time in your day to read Miracle Drug because once you start this book, you won't want to put it down until you've finished. A plot fraught with possibilities and suspects, a whisper of romance, and a gentle nudge of faith make this an excellent choice for fans of Lee Child, Dee Henderson or Terri Blackstock... or even House.
(I received a copy of this book in exchange for only my honest review.)
The political intrigue kept me guessing as well - I had so many possible suspects at one point that I wasn't sure I could trust any of the characters! The ending sorta came out of nowhere, and I'm still not sure how I feel about parts of it. But I will say this - Miracle Drug would make a fascinating & riveting movie!! Someone, somewhere needs to read this and get on that project - stat!
Rounding out the plot were the elements of faith and romance. I very much appreciated the glimpses of everyday belief that occurred naturally in the appropriate characters. It didn't feel forced - it was just part of who they were. The hint of romance added to the compelling and even agonizing decisions that Josh faced over the course of the novel but it was never too sappy as to take away from the edgy tension of the thriller.
Bottom Line: Clear out enough time in your day to read Miracle Drug because once you start this book, you won't want to put it down until you've finished. A plot fraught with possibilities and suspects, a whisper of romance, and a gentle nudge of faith make this an excellent choice for fans of Lee Child, Dee Henderson or Terri Blackstock... or even House.
(I received a copy of this book in exchange for only my honest review.)
October 28, 2015
In Miracle Drug, Dr. Ben Lambert tragically died from an apparent heart attack. His body turns up missing and is later recovered cremated before they could perform an autopsy on him. Dr. Lambert is the personal physician to the former President of the United States, David Madison. Before he died, Lambert recommend Dr. Josh Pearson if something was to happen to him. Dr. Josh Pearson becomes former President Madison new physician. Josh’s girlfriend, Rachel went to South America for a special trip along with the Madison and a small group of people. Rachel and Madison develop a cough and had a raw throat. Dr. Pearson believed they both have diphtheria and they were supposedly given immune shots before their trip. They are in both need of a miracle drug to heal their bodies. Meanwhile someone is trying to kill the former president. Will they succeed? Will they have enough antidote for the both of them? Will Dr. Pearson have to make a difficult choice on who gets it? Who killed Dr. Lambert? Many questions will be answered in this book!
I would recommend this amazing book to anyone who enjoys medical mystery novels and they love a good adventure. I liked how Dr. Richard L. Mabry, M.D. explains the medical terminology in way a non-medical background can understand what occurs. I also loved how he described the steps and process it takes for the FDC to approve new drugs. I have read a few books by Dr. Mabry and let me tell you, his stories keep getting better and better. His new book is very fast paced and it will grab the reader’s attention until the case is solved. I liked how Dr. Mabry was able to keep me guessing on who was behind the crime and who was attempting to assassinate the former president. I also liked how the book enclosed discussion questions to assist readers into digging deeper into the meaning of the story. I also liked how they included the first chapter of his next book, “Medical Judgement”. I can’t wait to read his next book! If you’re seeking a new mystery book, then read this one!
“I received a review copy of Miracle Drug from Litfuse for this review.”
I would recommend this amazing book to anyone who enjoys medical mystery novels and they love a good adventure. I liked how Dr. Richard L. Mabry, M.D. explains the medical terminology in way a non-medical background can understand what occurs. I also loved how he described the steps and process it takes for the FDC to approve new drugs. I have read a few books by Dr. Mabry and let me tell you, his stories keep getting better and better. His new book is very fast paced and it will grab the reader’s attention until the case is solved. I liked how Dr. Mabry was able to keep me guessing on who was behind the crime and who was attempting to assassinate the former president. I also liked how the book enclosed discussion questions to assist readers into digging deeper into the meaning of the story. I also liked how they included the first chapter of his next book, “Medical Judgement”. I can’t wait to read his next book! If you’re seeking a new mystery book, then read this one!
“I received a review copy of Miracle Drug from Litfuse for this review.”
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