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Final Mercy

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Dr. Jack Forester, director of the New Canterbury University Hospital emergency department, is about to win an ongoing battle to modernize the ED when he's stymied by the power-hungry dean, Bryson Witner. Then someone tries to murder Jack's mentor and the former dean, setting it up to look like suicide. Bit by bit, Jack uncovers facts that suggest several other recent tragic accidents may not have been in the least accidental. The deeper he digs, the closer danger creeps, and the phrase "life or death" begins to take on a new and very personal meaning.

302 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 30, 2010

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About the author

Frank J. Edwards

8 books114 followers
Frank J. Edwards is a writer and emergency physician. He has published three thrillers (the Jack Forester series), a collection of stories and poems, and a volume of poetry. He has had two nonfiction books published on medical topics, and is a winner of the Louisiana State University's New Delta Review Eyster Prize in short fiction. He served as a US Army helicopter pilot in Vietnam, returning home to finish college and medical school and later earning an MFA in writing. Frank lives in western New York State with his wife Mary Ann, an emergency nurse.

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5 stars
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
Profile Image for Monnie.
1,637 reviews790 followers
September 9, 2014
As a huge fan of medical mysteries, I jumped at the chance to read this free with my Kindle Unlimited trial subscription. And when I learned it takes place in the Finger Lakes region of New York -- one of my favorite places to visit -- I was even more excited.

I'm pretty sure, though, that neither the town of New Canterbury nor Stanwick Lake are real - there are 11 Finger Lakes, and Stanwick isn't among them (our usual stopping place is somewhere along Seneca Lake in the Watkins Glen area, where, to our great delight, there must be at least 30 wineries within a 10-mile radius). But it's the thought that counts - and this story is set mostly at the New Canterbury University Hospital, where Dr. Jack Forester is director of the emergency department and trying to bring it into the 20th century in terms of services and equipment.

The prologue, which I understand has been rewritten since the first edition was published (this is the second), was intriguing; but after I'd read the first couple of chapters, I was a little concerned; the writing seemed a bit simplistic. Oh well, I said, I'll keep going and see how it goes. And I'm happy to say it turned much better and stayed that way right to the end (which didn't take long since it's just 302 pages).

Early on, it's clear there's a leadership battle going on; the new dean, Bryson Witmer, is a dude with an ego the size of Texas who won't tolerate a no from anyone, runs roughshod over the medical staff and takes no prisoners. Needless to say, that doesn't please Forester; and things go from bad to worse when his mentor (the former dean) is the victim of an apparent murder attempt that follows close on the heels of the deaths of two other key hospital professionals. All three, it seems, were not fond of Witmer and his practices, and their disposal conveniently clears his path to even greater power.

Enter the beautiful Zellie Andersen, an investigative reporter who has come to town do an in-depth story on the hospital. But as her interviews pick up steam, it's clear she's getting very different perspectives from Witmer and Forester. So who's telling the truth? The answer comes amid conspiracy and yes, more murders.

There were a few glitches along the way -- a handful of grammatical errors and what was described as a half-mile walk to a hotel that turned out to take considerably longer by car, for instance -- and the ending (where the action really picks up), leaned a bit toward the "you've got to be kidding" side. That said, I enjoyed the book and am looking forward to the sequel. At the end of this one, the author says it will be titled Bedside, but as of this writing I'm still looking. Hope it turns up soon!
Profile Image for Carole.
1,636 reviews
July 23, 2012
From the beginning the story pulled me in and kept me turning pages. It reminded me of the medical mysteries of Robin Cook. This book was every bit as good as Robin Cook's books. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who loves medical mysteries or just plain mysteries. The author is an emergency room doctor so he knows whereof he writes.
Profile Image for Justin Huggler.
Author 2 books17 followers
March 13, 2013
There’s something appealing about the idea of a madman being charge of a hospital and nobody realising it. That’s the premise of Frank J Edwards’ Final Mercy: everyone thinks Bryson Witner, the new dean of a once prestigious teaching hospital in rural New York that has fallen on hard times, is a breath of fresh air. But Dr Witner is seriously unhinged: he’s killed his way to the top job and he’s intent on killing anyone who threatens his grip on it.
The antidote is Dr Jack Forester, the likeable head of the Emergency Department, who finds himself confronted with the unenviable task of unravelling what’s really going on at the hospital.
Anyone who’s ever worked for a boss with narcissistic tendencies will find the early chapters all too familiar, as Dr Forester’s life is made miserable by Dr Witner’s demands. What sets Final Mercy apart is the glee with which Edwards sets about deliberately blowing office politics out of all proportion, and asking: what if the boss really is a sociopath?
At first Dr Forester just faces his pet project being shelved. But when his mentor returns to town saying he’s heard something seriously disturbing about the new dean, only to fall mysteriously from a bridge hours later, Dr Forester starts to uncover the truth about Dr Witner. He’s aided in this by Zellie Anderson, a reporter who’s in town to interview the new dean.
Edwards uses his own background in emergency medicine to great effect, and it’s no surprise that some of the novel’s best scenes play out in the Emergency Department, where he conveys the real drama of patients being brought in hovering between life and death, and doctors having to make near instant decisions.
One scene, where the experienced doctor on duty can’t be found, and a student is faced with diagnosing a patient who is dying before his eyes, and can’t work it out, is particularly compelling.
But Edwards brings across also the routine frustrations behind the drama too: the office politics and petty bickering, especially in a committee meeting where rival department heads combine to block a much-needed overhaul of the Emergency Department for no better reason that their own egos and ambition.
The more conventional thriller plot which takes over toward the end is perhaps not as enticing or different as the hospital drama, but it holds up well enough.
The romantic subplot between Jack and Zellie is not quite so convincing. It’s not that they fall for each other too fast — who ever loved that loved not at first sight? — but more that they seem to take their powerful attraction for each other a little too much in their stride. That said, they’re an engaging pair.
It’s Dr Witner, though, who steals the show: a well crafted portrayal of a dangerously unhinged personality, full of telling little details.
A classy thriller that revels in its setting, and offers a more convincing view of hospital life than House or ER.
Profile Image for Jessica.
85 reviews7 followers
April 25, 2012
I won this book through Goodreads GIveaways!!!


I have never written a book review before, but here goes!

I enjoyed this book, its an easy read and most of the time you don't have to work hard to understand the plot, so it was a nice change of pace when I've been studying all day.
I'm a lover of grey's anatomy and other medical dramas so I guess you could say I had high expectations, and while Final Mercy didn't disappoint, I wouldn't say it blew me out of the park either.

The first page really hooked me in - Who was "Gavin?" Who was chasing him? And does he get away?? But after that I found my interest ebbed and flowed with the amount going on, I guess sometimes it felt like there really wasn't that much happening.
Having said that, I still enjoyed reading, I certainly never felt like putting the book down and not coming back to it. The story comes from multiple view points, Dr. Jack Forester, Dr. Bryson Witner, even Miss Zellie Anderson. And I enjoyed getting a feel of what was going on from each individual person, rather than being stuck behind the eyes of a single protagonist.

Overall I felt the story was well written, I enjoyed the twists and turns, and trying to work out what was really going on, was Dr. Gavin that sick, or was Witner playing a role? Was Daphne Gavin's behaviour with Zellie or with Witner the "real thing."

Maybe I am being picky but there were a few little things that bugged me when reading this book.
1. I know nothing about medicine or medical terminology, so when these things came into play I found myself wishing they had been better explained - i.e. what does that medicine do, what does that procedure involve...otherwise they just become words on a page with no real meaning for me. Having said that I will soon be going to check if a "lumpectomy" actually exists!
2. Grammatical errors. PET PEEVE! So if you are as sensitive to them as I am I am sure they will drive you insane. The word "build" instead of "built." Missing quotation marks, "dinner WITH Tim and Sonia's" instead of "dinner AT Tim and Sonia's." THey may seem like little things but they really stood out to me!


OVERALL I would recommend this book, it was easy and enjoyable reading, with a good plot that kept you guessing, if a little slow at times.
I look forward to reading more from Frank J. Edwards
Profile Image for Misty.
Author 13 books152 followers
December 19, 2011
Edwards' knowledge and experience in the medical profession will be the first thing you notice when you start reading Final Mercy. He narrates his story in a way only someone famliar with the inner workings of a medical center could. His setting and background are solidly constructed and pull the reader in so immediately and fully you feel like you could be a part of the "office politics" at New Canterbury, but the third person narrative makes it easy to just be glad you aren't.

It only took about two sentences for me to know I was going to like this book, the writing is that tight. Honestly, I'd almost forgotten that anyone still knew how to write like this. With natural, flowing dialogue, Edwards drops information in a steady stream of bait. And here is where I self-righteously attribute Edwards' skill at this to being a poet--being practiced at saying a lot in a very few words. Edwards keeps a very active voice, and his style shows the reader the intricacies of his story instead of tells them, which creates a much deeper connection with the characters and, in my opinion, a more fulfilling read.

Jack Forester is a compelling character, one you will definitely want to prevail. I often asked myself, at least in the beginning, why he did not just quit his job and move on (but that would just be me avoiding conflict--sidenote: sometimes I fast-forward through the major conflict in movies) and let Witner have the old hospital--because though Witner is very creepy in his private scenes, he is completely personable and even charming when he is dealing with other characters (which is the real creepy part). But the conflict in this novel is the whole point of it, and Jack's determination to get to the bottom of things, along with the (thank you!) romantic element, keeps you curious and turning the pages.

Final Mercy is an excellent, intelligent read I would recommend to anyone
Profile Image for Todd Fonseca.
Author 3 books69 followers
December 29, 2011
Final Mercy – Castle Meets ER!

Rating: 4 of 5
Author: Frank Edwards
Format: Paperback, Kindle

After his mentor retired as dean, emergency department (ED) director Jack Forester found himself on the wrong side of a political battle with interim dean Bryson Winter, MD. What had been a foregone conclusion with the hospital directors regarding modernization of the ED, under Winter has become a battle that Jack is quickly losing putting his department and his career in jeopardy. Soon, however, Jack and an out of state reporter learn there may be more than just politics at work after a string of suspicious suicides of hospital staff occur. Will Jack discover the horrifying truth before he is added to the list of victims?

The strength of Frank Edwards – Final Mercy – is his intimate knowledge of the inner workings of hospital administration back room politics and medical expertise that shines in this novel. With just enough details to give credibility to the medical issues presented without being over the top technically, Edwards strikes just the right balance in his narrative. The pace is leisurely at the beginning of the book leading the reader to conclude this is perhaps just a story of hospital politics. About half way through, however things pick up speed nicely and the depth of Winter as a character is revealed. Edwards does an exceptionally good job showing how such a high intellect suffering from a bit of psychosis can be such a dangerous combination. Winter is the perfect manipulator playing chess with the lesser minds around him and Edwards conveys this prowess masterfully.

Overall, this reminded me of a nice mix of the television shows ER and Castle – good medical drama with murder mystery mixed in. This is a gem of a find and I urge readers to pick up a copy.

Note: A complimentary copy of this work was provided in return for a review.
Profile Image for Chandni.
1,490 reviews21 followers
January 10, 2015
You can’t help but enjoy this book! Initially, it starts out a little slowly by introducing all of the characters and the history and ownership of the medical buildings. Edwards is talented at showing the relationship between the doctors and each personality without describing anything – he is a master of “show me, don’t tell me” which is utterly refreshing for a new writer. I was initially a little wary of the medical jargon, but there was only a little and none of it was overwhelming.

The characters in this novel are extremely black and white and you either love them or hate them. It’s a little unfortunate because it makes all of them a little static. I don’t mind disliking characters, but when I despise them, it’s a little exhausting. However, something I liked was that the main protagonists, Jack and Zellie were flawed and not perfect, which made them extremely real to me.

Overall, this is a fantastic thriller and will keep you enthralled. If you’re anything like me, you’ll find yourself racing through it to get to the conclusion. Edwards is a very promising writer and I’ll definitely be reading more from him!

I received this book through the GoodReads FirstReads program.
Profile Image for Diana Hockley.
Author 9 books46 followers
April 24, 2013


Final Mercy is a well-written book with an exciting plot! I won't repeat the synopsis as anyone can read that, instead I will get into the review.
The two characters are well rounded people-except for the "baddie" of course-and likable without being flooded with testosterone or the female character being too feisty. The heroine having a disability was something new and this was handled with a minimum of drama. The manner in which the hero and heroine met and naturally developed their friendship was extremely well presented.

The plot concerned hospital politics into which is weaved a complex murder mystery. It moved at a good pace and was believable. I have worked in a hospital for a few years and politics are rife! It would have been pretty easy for the baddie to operate in the way he did.
I enjoyed this book very much and stayed reading far into the night.

Well done, Mr Edwards!
Profile Image for Cheryl.
267 reviews54 followers
February 24, 2011
I love thrillers, so I was excited that I got picked to read and review this book! I wasn't sure how this book would be because I saw that the author went to medical school, so I was kind of worried that there would be too much medical jargon that I wouldn't understand. I was pleasantly surprised that this was not the case.

I do admit that the book started a little slow for me. When I originally signed up to read this book, I was supposed to review it last month. I started it then found out it was being moved, so I put my reading on hold. I got going on it again and when I got up to about 48 or so pages, it started to pick up for me and I really became interested in this book Once this book got going, it really went quick and I couldn't put it down!

I would recommend this book for people that like to read a good thriller. There was plenty of action and it is a page turner!
162 reviews3 followers
February 13, 2011
The books is a real page turner.
The plots starts of with the not so friendly politics of a large and once very popular medical center which is now struggling to regain its place in the field. When the former dean comes back to town and someone attempts to murder him the story then makes lots of twist and turns. What I found most exciting about the story was we know who is behind the wrong doings so it is not so much of a who did it, but a more of a why and how did they do it. All the characters are interesting and intelligent, and you what to know more about them and what makes them tick. I was disappointed when the book ended and hope that the character of Dr. Jack Forester shows up again in another novel.
Profile Image for Katrina.
35 reviews
April 23, 2012
Okay, so i really enjoyed this book. Working in the medical field myself i could relate to a lot of things in the book as far as attitudes of others i work with and to working short all the time and making due. It will be a great insight into the medical field for others as well.
The story line was terrific and believable. Zellie and Jack of course were my favorite characters. There were a couple of times where i didn't think they were gonna make it through.
I did noticed quite a few mistakes as far as words repeating or words not making sense where they are like instead of them it says the. All in all the book kept me reading and entertained.
Keep up the good work Frank J. Edwards!
Profile Image for Darren Gallagher.
Author 12 books29 followers
September 23, 2015
I won this from the "Goodreads - First Reads" giveaways!

This is not my usual type of read, but I'm glad I won it. I really enjoyed reading it.
It started off a little slow, but as soon as it got going it held my attention throughout and I couldn't wait to find out what was going to happen.

At times though I felt like it was overwritten, there was too much information given, and some of it unnecessary.

Apart from that, this is a good read! I recommend you pick up a copy!
Profile Image for Rosie Amber.
Author 1 book84 followers
April 8, 2013
Frank kindly asked me to read and review this book. I really enjoyed it! A murder mystery centred around a hospital. There is a lot of excellent medical information and the reader certainly gets to understand the pressures of staff shortages, budgets and the intensity of the emergency department. There are plenty of well written characters who revolve around a serious plot with its own twists. Certainly worth a read.
Profile Image for Jane.
284 reviews16 followers
April 28, 2015
Spine tingling read!

Thoroughly enjoyed this medical mystery. Just enough medical jargon to Keefe it spicy, but not so much that I was confused. The story bet it all was the best part. All in all a really good who dunnit.

4,374 reviews28 followers
December 4, 2014
Good

the way this hospital is taken over by mentally deranged Dr who was able to have people murdered.the ending was a surprise.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews

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