Medical Judgment

This suspense novel was just o.k. for me. I liked the main character Sarah and found the actions she took to be believable. I also enjoyed the medical details included in the story.<br /><br />What fell short for me was the writing and it was tough to believe who the villain turned out to be. The writing was not bad. It was just a bit simplistic.<br /><br />I would read other novels by this author.

Dr. Richard Mabry’s latest blend of mystery/suspense and medical drama – with a touch of romance – had me on the edge of my seat, trying to stay ahead of Sarah’s stalker and fend off all of her unwanted suitors for her!<br /><br />The plot and the suspense remained steady throughout – not so intense that you might find yourself in need of Dr. Sarah Gordon’s ER before it’s over but with enough twists and turns that it will keep you guessing. It was the right combination (for me) of a puzzle to solve, dramatic events to keep the blood hopping, and police procedural to calm things down and help with that puzzle. And the insights into Sarah’s stalker (scene snippets written from his perspective) successfully added to the thriller-creepiness quotient!<br /><br />Don’t relax while you’re reading Medical Judgment! I mean, if Sarah can’t, you really shouldn’t either out of solidarity. But even if you wanted to abandon poor Sarah since she lives in the book and you don’t, you still shouldn’t relax. Fires and gunshots and creepy stalkers. And then there are the emergency room scenes. Not to mention the trail of twitterpated men that Sarah leaves in her wake. From chapter one to “the end”, Richard L. Mabry’s latest novel may have you seeking medical attention for a raised pulse and insomnia, but it’s totally worth it!<br /><br />(I received a copy of this book in exchange for only my honest review.)<br /><br />Read my full review at <a href="http://readingismysuperpower.org/2016/06/18/book-review-giveaway-medical-judgment-richard-l-mabry/" rel="nofollow noopener">Reading Is My SuperPower</a>

This is the first book I've read by this author and there were a few things I liked and a few things I didn't care for. <br /><br />I felt like the mystery was fairly well done with plenty of situations and characters introduced that could be the stalker. And I liked the character of Dr. Sarah Gordon, who is struggling to move on with her life after the tragic death of her husband and daughter. After somewhat restoring her relationship with God, she also gets fed up with her stalker and shows her own strength by making a stand. I admired that about her character. <br /><br />However, I really didn't like the two main male characters. They both thought about having feelings for Sarah but the one was pushy about it and the other character was still thinking about getting back with his divorced wife. And the romance that happened toward the end of the book was almost unbelievable. It would have had more depth if it had started earlier in the book. <br /><br />There are a lot of 5 &amp; 4 star reviews for this book so others obviously enjoyed it more than I did but all in all, I guess this writing style just didn't appeal to me.<br /><br />*Thanks to Litfuse and the publisher for a complimentary copy of this book for review purposes. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions stated are my own.*

Dr. Sarah Gordon is being targeted and she has no idea why. She's still grieving the loss of her husband, Harry, and their daughter, Jenny. Both died in a car accident nine months ago. She lives alone and keeps busy with her work in the Emergency Room of a local hospital. Harry's best friend, Kyle Andrews, has been helping her cope with the aftermath of her family's deaths and she's called on him a couple of times since the trouble started. First, when a fire was deliberately started in her garage while she was sleeping. Second, when someone took a shot at her as she was entering her home.<br /><br />Detective Bill Larson, a recovering alcoholic, is assigned to investigate Sarah's case. He begins by looking into anyone who might have a grudge against her. Sarah can't think of anyone who might want to hurt her. Sure, she's upset a few people over the years she's been practicing medicine, but up until now she's never had anyone seeking revenge against her. And her personal life is the same. She doesn't have a lot of friends and gets along well with her coworkers.<br /><br />As things begin to escalate, both Kyle and Bill scramble to protect Sarah. Both have feelings for her, although Bill still holds out hope his wife and daughter will come back to him once they see he's staying sober. He's still tempted to take a drink on occasion and often calls his pastor when that happens. The man is also Kyle's and Sarah's pastor as all three attend the same church.<br /><br />There is a strong spiritual element to the story which only added to its appeal for me. I liked the fact the characters were vulnerable and sometimes needed help sorting through their feelings and emotions, as well as their circumstances.<br /><br />This was very well written. Its obvious the author did his research given his knowledge of police procedure and all it involves. There was also a very slight bit of romance towards the end that fit right into the flow of the story. I would love to see more of Detective Larson and am hoping he'll one day have his own story. All in all, a very enjoyable book, one I'm glad I took the time to read.

I do so love a creepy stalker story even if it leaves me feeling like I need to resurrect my childhood nightlight habit. Mabry has woven a clever suspense with plenty of potential suspects and a criminal with an imaginatively evil mind. There's an equal dose of sinister danger and police procedural along with the occasional menacing point of view courtesy of Sarah's stalker. Shudder. I had a great time trying fit the pieces of the puzzle together and eventually succeeded....sort of. :-)<br /><br />Then there's Sarah's 'ordinary' life. Her ER doctor persona is self-assured and decisive but that doesn't carry over into her off-duty hours. Not since she was widowed nearly a year ago. I loved the way she comes into her own as the story progresses. That old saying, "What doesn't kill you will make you stronger" seems to take on a whole new meaning when it comes to Sarah. And there's some great faith exploration as well, involving several characters. A captivating suspense that will keep you turning pages right to the end.

Good Suspense story, I really liked the main character and the parts about her dog. He was sweet. I could not guess who the stalker/tormentor/attempted murderer was and I liked all of the secondary characters and how you knew what the stalker/tormentor/attempted murderer was thinking by the way it was italicized in the book.

I have read two other books by this author that were fast-paced and easy to read. I was looking forward to this one. Unfortunately, this one fell flat for me. It was supposed to be a suspense but I felt like the book got bogged down by the feelings of the 3 main characters. It felt like most of the book was them thinking about their lives. It felt heavy and hard to get through. By the end, I was glad that the reveal of the whodunit was quick, yet it left a lot of questions about the characters, especially the 2 male characters. If you like a book that delves into the emotions of three people who are trying to move on with their lives through counseling of a pastor, you will like this book. I am not giving up on this author, but I hope he goes back to fast-paced suspense novels.

Medical Judgment by Richard Mabry is a Christian thriller and I loved it. I always love Richard Mabry's novels as they keep me guessing to the end. I never can correctly predict the 'baddie'.<br />Medical Judgment deals with the theme of loss and grief. Dr Sarah Gordon has suffered a double bereavement. Police chief Bill Larson has been through a divorce. Lawyer Kyle Andrews suffered a bereavement. All of them handle loss differently. Grief makes Sarah angry at both God for failing to prevent the tragedy and husband Harry for dying (before the book opens). In her grief Sarah turned away from God and stopped going to church. "It is important after a loss... to let God back into your life." Kyle immersed himself in work. And Bill is trying to be good and earn both the respect of his ex wife and God.<br />This links in with the theme of grace versus good works. Bill cannot ever be 'good enough' for God. None of us can. It is not about working your way into heaven. It is all about grace. Jesus has already paid the price for our sins so we don't have to. It is by grace that we don't deserve that we have been saved, not by good works.<br />Forgiveness ties in with grace. "She couldn't bring herself to forgive God." Sarah is hurting and lashes out at God. She is angry at being left alone, at her dreams dying. She needs to let God back into her life so He can minister to her hurt. "No matter what we experience, God's still in control." Whatever life throws at us, God never leaves us. He walks alongside us in our pain and grief.<br />Within the novel there is also the theme of survivors guilt. Sarah feels guilty for living. She feels guilty for thinking about moving on. She needs confirmation that it is ok to live and be happy.<br />Richard Mabry shows the importance of the role of a pastor in people's lives. Pastor Steve leads his flock well, dispensing advice when asked and giving support when needed.<br />The novel deals with the topic of alcoholism. "God is always there to help us when that baggage tries to drag us down." Being a Christian does not make us immune to temptations. When they come, it is important to have godly people around you to support you.<br />Medical Judgment is a fast paced thriller with more than a hint of menace. Richard Mabry writes the story from several viewpoints, including that of the 'baddie'. This allows the reader to get into the cold and calculating head. The reader wonders what has happened to drive this person to act in the way they do.<br />Within the novel there is a wonderful bond between a person and their dog. The loyalty of man's best friend is unwavering and beautifully written. It is a motif for God Who will never leave us nor forsake us. He is totally loyal to us and we can depend on Him completely.<br />I absolutely loved Medical Judgment. I loved the characters. I loved the storyline. Richard Mabry puts in just enough medical details for the untrained reader to follow. His plot is well constructed. The reader has questions, all of which are answered in the end.<br />Thank you Richard Mabry. Please keep writing as I want more, more, more!<br /><br />I received this book for free in exchange for a fair and honest review. No monetary compensation was received and all views expressed are my own.<br /><br />

Medical Judgement is a standalone medical thriller, but the focus is definitely on the thriller side rather than the medical (which is good news for all those who turn away from the gory parts on TV shows like House). <br /><br />Dr Sarah Gordon has recently lost her husband and daughter in a car accident, and is having trouble getting past the grief. She's woken one night by smoke in the house--someone has lit a pile of oily rags in her garage. It's more annoying than dangerous, but it's the start of a chain of events: someone is after her.<br /><br />As with all good thrillers, we get an early insight into the mind of the perpetrator so we know what he's planning while Sarah--his intended victim--doesn't. What we don't know is his identity, which means the tension ramps up every time a new male character is introduced and we ask if this is the whacko. Sarah is an excellent character, weak at first but who gradually grows stronger as she decides she's going to get past her grief and not let this guy win.<br /><br />There are some excellent supporting characters as well: Bill Larson, the recovering alchoholic detective with a broken marriage. Kyle Andrews, a friend of Sarah's husband who seems to want to get a little too close to Sarah. Steve Farber, Sarah's pastor and another recovering alcoholic. <br /><br />And the plot made sense (thankfully. The last Richard Mabry novel I read left me feeling confused as to the identity and motive of the perpetrator), and I enjoyed the subtle Christian themes woven into the story.<br /><br />Thanks to Abingdon Press and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review.

Dr. Mabry has done it again, and I had to page turn just to keep up with all that is going on. The story has a really sad happening with the deaths of Dr. Sarah Gordon’s husband and two year old daughter.<br />We find a woman angry with God, and trying to move on, but also trying to hang on to the past. While doing this something or someone so evil is stalking this poor woman, will anyone be able to help her before it is to late?<br />As this story goes one, I found myself not wanting to trust anyone, even her pastor; everyone is suspect to doing these horrible things to her. We have fires, gunshots, leaving the form of a body in her bed, a doll just like her daughters on her doorstep, on and on. Are they trying to drive her mad, or are they looking to kill her.<br />There are also men who you suspect to being the perpetrator, that seem to want to have a relationship with her, almost to a possessive nature. All I found myself wanting was peace for her, and a new life, but is that even going to be possible?<br />If you like to read books that keep you stomach in your throat, don’t miss this one!<br />I received this book through Litfuse, and the Publisher Abingdon, and was not required to give a positive review.<br />