Mortal Remains

Dr. Earl Garnet #4

by Peter Clement

In a small upstate New York town, an idyllic lake yields a ghastly discovery when the skeletal remains of a young woman missing for twenty-seven years are pulled from the icy depths&; along with unmistakable evidence of her murder. Suddenly, the long-dormant case of Kelly McShane Braden’s mysterious disappearance is reactivated. And for two devastated men, dark emotions and disturbing secrets will also rise to the surface.

For local coroner Dr. Mark Roper, the murder is more than just a grim interruption of his general practice in sleepy Hampton Junction. Kelly Braden had been a surrogate sister. When the police insist the trail of Kelly’s disappearance is too cold to pick up again, he vows to find the missing pieces of the past that will lead him to a killer. Because that’s what cracks cold cases: “One guy who can’t get it out of his head.”

Yet Mark isn’t the only one with Kelly’s murder on his mind. Dr. Earl Garnet, chief of staff at Buffalo’s St. Paul’s Hospital, was once Kelly’s secret lover . . . and would-be savior. Until his plans to rescue her from an abusive marriage were cut short by her vanishing. Now, as the last person to see Kelly alive, he’s in danger of becoming the prime suspect, unless he can unmask the murderer first.

But neither man knows about the twisted chain of lies and corruption that led to Kelly’s death—or the shocking revelations that were meant to go with her to a watery grave. And the harder they push for answers, the easier they make it for their lethal quarry to zero in on them—and push back with deadly force.

With Mortal Remains, Peter Clement remains in total control of readers’ nerves from the very first page, once more wielding heart-racing suspense and scalpel-sharp terror with a master surgeon’s skill.

Genres: Thriller, Medical, Fiction, Suspense

368 pages, Hardcover

First published August 26, 2003

Reviews

[Jenna · Rating 3 out of 5]

A pretty good medical thriller, certainly a cut above Robin Cook et alia in terms of believable characters and plotting. Great vacation reading -- light, quick, fun.

Medical thrillers a genre I crave like cheap candy -- the reality is rarely as satisfying as the anticipation, but I eat it anyway. Mortal Remains was my first Clement novel, and it was satisfying enough for me to go back to the library for more Clement.

[Shelley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one kept me guessing until the end. Lots of possible motives from several suspects. Upstate New York rural setting, good character development, and strong storylines made this an excellent read. Lots of small-town gossip and drama, as well as near-drownings, shootings, death by medical professionals, baby switching, explosions, etc. Enough action and suspense that you shouldn’t start it late at night unless you don’t need sleep!

[Kristin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book had a lot of twists and turns such that I didn't quite know what was coming next, though I did figure out one of the main secrets about halfway through the book. When a search for a missing person instead turns up the body of Kelly McShane Braden, a medical school student who disappeared nearly 3 decades ago, it seems like a new lead in a cold case, but the authorities don't see it that way, save for the small-town coroner who was part of the dive team who found her body. Turns out, the coroner, Dr. Roper, was very close to the woman during his childhood and finding her body unlocks emotions he'd kept tucked away for years. Similarly, Dr. Earl Garnet, a Buffalo ER doctor and main character in other works by this author, was in medical school with Kelly and may have been the last person to see her alive, a secret he's been keeping this whole time in case Kelly was still alive and in hiding from her controlling husband, whose family holds great power and influence in the area. Together, the two men are determined to get to the bottom of Kelly's death, one to close the wounds of his past and the other to uphold his stellar reputation.
Like many medical thrillers, there was a fair amount of coincidence that allows the plot to continue to roll along, but it all seems fairly believable. From what I recall of the other book by Clement that I've read, Garnet seems to have a knack for finding himself in situations requiring him to put on his amateur sleuth hat. In this case, he knows eventually his secret will come out, so confiding in Roper allows him to pass along what information he has, without alerting the NYC cops or media who could blow his role out of proportion. Clement did well by weaving medical subplots into the main storyline without turning the story predictable and tired. I look forward to reading the remaining books in the Earl Garnet series if I can find them at local used book sales or libraries.

[PRINCESS · Rating 4 out of 5]

Medical.
Mystery.
Fiction.
Suspense.
Agatha Christie in ER.
When all what you love gets together in one place that’s the time you will finish the book within 6 consecutive hours.
One of the shortest sentences that can illustrate this book was “A compelling read.” By Publishers Weekly.

Kelly got disappeared under mysterious circumstances 27 years ago. Dr Garnet was once her secret lover. Dr Charles - The abusive Husband - does not have a clue about the issue. Sheriff Evans is trying his best to resolve the case. Dr Roper is taking the case personally and apparently no one knows what had happened. Now after 27 years a body is found in their small town’s lake.

I loved the small yet deep details that were mentioned by the author such as: Monday, October 22, 10:00A.M. Near Hampton Junction in the southern Adirondack Mountains… The book keeps you tensed and on your toe from the first couple of pages. Your total nerve system is under the control of author while reading each paragraph of Mortal Remains.

Well developed characters. My first medical thriller, my first Clement read and certainly my craving genre.

[Pat · Rating 4 out of 5]

This much older mystery (2003!) still had a story to tell.A long involved intrigue starting with a body in a lake. Missing woman gone 27 years. Kelly was a promising young doctor. Chaz, her less talented but wealthy husband was long a suspect . Medical corruption? The coroner is trying hard to puzzle out the old facts knowing only that a murderer remains at large. Affair with Neil remains in shadows. Adoption scam? How? Abuse? Overbearing rich father. Complicated but a decent story.
Very much a dawn of DNA story though, harder to relate to now.

[The Devine Ms Em · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dr Earl Garnet #4 of 5 in the series. I haven't read the previous 3 and didn't feel like I was missing anything.
This is the first Peter Clement I've read. I like the character development and the book moved along quickly. Learned lots of medical info without it being heavy or preachy.
Someone commented this wasn't as good as the others in the series. Well then, I'm in for the others since I enjoyed this one.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finding the remains of someone you loved 27 years after she disappeared is a shock for anyone. Let alone those that loved her. This mysterious case takes many twists and turns and involves many who had known her 27 years ago. But is this 27 year old mystery of who killer her the reason so many are now starting to die from accidents? Very involved but enjoyable who dun it.

[Sheri Spears · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked up this book at a used book sale, not knowing anything about the author or medical mysteries. I loved it. Fun to read, interesting, kept me guessing and suspecting most of the way. Glad to have found another genre to read.

[Marianne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Can't quite put my finger why I couldn't give this book more than three stars. The plot was good but nothing about it really grabbed me. Writing.....so-so.

[Teryll C. Higgins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Certainly held my attention!

Another book featuring Dr. Earl Garnet whom I am loving more and more.
I am looking forward to book 5.

[Janel Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

Numerous characters.

[Peggy Walker · Rating 1 out of 5]

I think they may have used this as the basis for an episode of "Cold Case" on TV. A body is discovered of someone who disappeared many years ago, and everyone involved with her becomes a suspect. Most of Clement's books are better than this. Too many obvious bad guys. No one who really seemed "real". Skip it.

[Karla]

Medical Thriller

[Ellen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dr Earl Garnet series

[Monika · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this years ago... but still remember it today. It was a fun, quick, suspenseful read. I enjoyed it quite a bit.

[Ken Fredette · Rating 4 out of 5]

He did a pretty good job of putting together a book that describes how after 27 years they figured out who had killed this woman.

[Nicki · Rating 5 out of 5]

I did not expect to like this book so much. But I found this book to be full of suspects and secrets. The book was an enjoyable read.