STIGMA

by Philip Hawley Jr.

n Los Angeles, a young Mayan boy with a blue-crescent-moon tattoo dies mysteriously. In Central America, a puzzling illness is spreading among Mayan tribal villages.

And soon, E.R. physician Luke McKenna will discover the link between these events and demons from his dark past. The secrets that haunt Luke are about to pull him and the woman he loves into a terrifying house of mirrors where nothing is as it first appears. Time is running out, and only by reawakening the ghost of Luke McKenna’s past can they discover the truth.

His enemies may also discover a truth: When threatened, Luke McKenna is a very dangerous man.

Genres: Thriller, Mystery, Fiction, Medical, Suspense, Mystery Thriller, Action

482 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2007

About the author

Philip Hawley Jr. was born in Portland, Oregon, and grew up in southern California reading the stories of authors like Alistair MacLean, Frederick Forsyth, and Robert Ludlum—more often than not while hiding behind his parents' garage to escape the household chores that come with being one of eight children.

As one of the eldest, Philip usually got saddled with feeding and changing the diapers of his younger siblings, which probably had something to do with his later becoming a pediatrician.

Philip became an author to write novels that combine the authenticity and sharp edges of today's thrillers with the epic adventure elements found in works of the genre's early masters. His first novel, STIGMA, draws on his decades-long experience working among remote indigenous tribes in the rain forests of Central and South America.

Reviews

[Colette · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had a hard time getting into this book, especially as I didn't feel empathy for any of the characters. They seemed rather flat and predictable, and while the plot took some weird corners (which is really the reason I kept reading - to see where this thing was going) and occasionally just jumped some truely interesting plot holes (explained usually by "oh I have a guy that does this for me and we're friends from way back"), it was enjoyable enough so that I did finish the book.

My two main problems with the book are two of the main drivers of the plot: medical things and military things. They're just too far of a stretch, and the pseudo-science injected to explain things away has only a thin veneer of science and a ton of pseudo. It's almost like the author watched House for the medical references (plus maybe visited the wiki page on mosquitos) and spy movies for the military ones (ultra assassin crack squads? really? and he quit to be a doctor? and he's only in his 30s or something?).

[Rhonda Irving · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good writing. The characters are very well developed and 3-dimensional. Locations are described sufficiently for visualization without overdoing it. I enjoyed the adventure until the last fight scene, which was a little over the top for me. Megan's survival (while nice, because I liked her) was somewhat unbelievable as well. The plot was great and the pacing was near perfect. I did not lose interest at all.

This book is really clean, which is appreciated. There is very little coarse language and what is there is mild. There are no F-bombs at all. There is no sexual content. There is violence.

I recommend this title and would read more works by this author without hesitation

[Nancyspain · Rating 5 out of 5]

This novel grabs you by the throat (where your heart is lodged half the time whilst reading it!) and sets off at a fast pace and doesn't let up until the very end. In case you have missed the fact I can confirm that I loved this book! It was well written and was based around an amazing and somewhat frightening concept. The author's personal background in paediatric medicine and with groups in Guatemala shines through giving this an authenticity which enhances the novel. If you have never read a medical thriller then this would be a great place to start.

[Christina (Ensconced in Lit) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Being a pediatrician myself, I enjoyed the first part of the novel immensely. The description of the ER and the inner workings were accurate and I am a sucker for medical thrillers in general.

However, once the story dissolved into military territory, I thought it lost a bit of its verisimilitude. I felt the plot kind of got lost once the main character treks to a foreign country to save his loved one.

That said, it was very fast paced and an enjoyable read overall.

[FerkuMartinez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Honestamente creí que la trama del libro se iría para otro tipo de historia. Pensé que sería sobre alguna pandemia o algo así. Sin embargo, estaba totalmente equivocado, y creo que me alegro de que así fuera.
No arruinaré la sorpresa de quien quiera leer este libro, simplemente diré que esperen una historia con mucha intriga y misterio. Constantemente hay mucha especulación y hasta pone en duda ciertas posturas que uno mismo se va haciendo sobre los personajes ( específicamente los secundarios ) .
Considero que el autor manejó bien los tiempos y las situaciones planteadas en general. No obstante, sí hubo situaciones en las que definitivamente no pude evitar pensar que fueron demasiado convenientes para la trama y precisamente esos fallos son los que me hicieron bajarle a 4 de 5 en vez del 5 entero.
En conclusión, si buscas una historia sobre investigación , misterio, y hasta tintes de trama policial/investigación y ciertos tintes de ciencia ficción, dale una oportunidad, seguro que no te aburres leyendo esta novela, que, además tiene un estilo de lectura muy ameno.

[Soul · Rating 4 out of 5]

Estigma un drama interesante sobre una vacuna contra el cólera, todo lo que acarrea el poner a prueba para ver los efectos resultantes, pero esto ocasiona pérdidas humanas de indígenas sin recursos y..

[Tracey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Free Kindle download from Amazon.com

When science surrenders to man's darkest impulses, who will protect the innocents?

In Los Angeles, a young Mayan boy with a blue-crescent-moon tattoo dies mysteriously. In Central America, a puzzling illness is spreading among Mayan tribal villages.

And soon, E.R. physician Luke McKenna will discover the link between these events and demons from his dark past. The secrets that haunt Luke are about to pull him and the woman he loves into a terrifying house of mirrors where nothing is as it first appears. Time is running out, and only by reawakening the ghost of Luke McKenna's past can they discover the truth.

His enemies may also discover a truth: When threatened, Luke McKenna is a very dangerous man.

I love medical mystery/thrillers (HUGE fan of Robin Cook) so I jumped all over this Kindle freebie. With one plot twist after another, I was on the edge of my seat the entire time I was reading.

Luke McKenna, Navy-SEAL-turned-doctor, is an intriguing mixed bag of emotions. One minute he's fighting for a kid's life, and the next he's fighting a terrorist faction. He's the kind of hero character you can really get behind and cheer for.

I also loved the spunky kid Frankie. He reminded me of the Short Round character from Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.

Written by a pediatrician, there is a fair amount of medical jargon included in the story that is pretty much explained in layman's terms. But if you're not interested in that subject matter, it may get a little dry.

The ending is the perfect set-up for a sequel, but if it's out there I can't find it. So, Dr. Hawley, if you're listening, please give us more!

[Margaret (Margot) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had a hard time putting this down and spent the majority of my holiday finishing it. The plot was intricate and the twists and turns within the story kept me guessing. Character development was nicely intertwined with the story and allowed the reader to understand the inner demons of the characters, their weaknesses and strengths. I enjoyed the transition from the medical aspect to the action parts of the novel and felt it gave the book a nice pace. I was surprised to see that this is the author's first book because the story was beautifully written and engaging. Another surprise to me was that the author has no military training. His descriptions of tactics and covert operations seemed realistic (at least to this reader who has no military knowledge).

I've read a lot of reviews that did not care for the non-medical aspect of the book. I get it that the Heman storyline is over used and often difficult to believe. But I thought the background provided for the characters justified the action scenes and gave the book an extra layer of intensity. I am not one to question whether every movement by the characters is actually possible. If the story supports it and is well written, I generally allow my mind to play along. It is fiction after all.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow.

I got this book for FREE from Amazon almost a year ago. I kept putting off reading it because it was free. I mean, how good could it be, right?

Well, I should not have waited. I just started it a few days ago, and would have finished sooner if I hadn't had such a super busy week. I should have been sleeping last night but I couldn't put it down and this morning I should have been working, but just HAD to finish it.

Great plot - not too much medical jargon to bore those of us with no medical training. Lots of good characters (Frankie is my FAVE). Excellent pace - fast enough that it felt like a roller coaster, but slow enough that all the main characters could be fully realized.

I especially liked that I did not know for sure whose side ANYONE was really on until the very end.

This is a first book for this author, and I can tell you I will be adding his name to my watch list so when the next book comes out I will be buying it as soon as it is available for kindle!

[Jennie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Entertaining, though halfway through it became clear what was going on and it turned into a bit of a slog.

[Elizabeth · Rating 2 out of 5]

Just okay

[Shalonda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Luke MeKenna is a doctor. All he wanted to do was help people. Until one day when a Guatamalan boy comes into the ER with a strange illness that takes his life. His ex co-worker and girlfriend is killed. Another co-worker takes a job at their sister clinic in Guatamala and gets abducted. A mysterious (altered) vaccine which was originally created to cure malaria is taking the lives of young children. And to keep this secret someone is willing to wipe out an entire Guatamalan village. Who set this up? Who is making Luke look like a crazed vengeful ex-SEAL? Will Luke find out or will he take the fall?

[Sophie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really good action, adventure, mystery plot that moves right along except for the detailed descriptions of pathogens and how they work. But since it was written by an author with a great deal of knowledge on the subject, you can't fault for sharing. Yet I could not wait to pick up the book and continue reading.
The final fight scene was quite far fetched, with a description of every kick and punch and how the hero, in superhero mode, with an infected shoulder wound and broken ribs manages to repel a four-story building.
I really liked it and recommend to anyone who likes this genre.

[Lisa Brick · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really I give this book 3.5 stars. The plot was fast paced and exciting, but the ending...it felt rushed and left me feeling blah. I did love all the characters and I wish Frankie was more involved. There was more potential there. Eh, it was a good book and I’ll probably read another by this author.

[Cynthia Sprout · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book! It has everything-ex-special Ops guy is now a pediatrician working in an ER in Los Angeles and takes on evil Big Pharma conducting illegal experiments on Indigenous people in Central American. There are strong female characters too. It was published in 2007 but really isn’t dated. Only sad thing is that the author wrote only this one novel.

[Judy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this book a lot. It was interesting and entertaining. I laughed at how invincible our hero was yet managed to get shown up by a little boy. It was all kinds of silly and stupid and basically fun.

[Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this medical thriller and was disappointed to discover that he's not finished the promised sequel. As a pediatrician who's worked in Guatemala, Hawley is well-qualified in terms of background to write such a novel. This debut book begs a sequel and I'm patiently waiting.

[Jody · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not what I expected. A great page-turner. Wondering if it is the start of a series. If so, I can definitely see the main characters on continuing adventures. Love the globe traveling action.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cover-up all throughout!

[dianne Snow-Posner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting

It was very suspenseful Kind of far fetched at times but it kept my attention. Makes me want Togo get Frankie. Good book

[Melissa Herman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent read!!

[Kathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this book dragged on and there was too much medical jargon. I did like the story though.

[Claire Ruby · Rating 4 out of 5]

this would make such a fun movie / tv series. really kept me on the edge of my seat.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was good, fast moving.

[Monica's kindle fire · Rating 5 out of 5]

Doctors, cops, kids, mosquitoes, vaccines and big pharma.

Fast paced. Murder, medical experiments and conspiracies between a hospital in Los Angeles, clinics in Guatemala and a research facility in China. Excellent story.

[Billy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I forget where I even got this book, but I gave it a shot. Kind of medical mystery. Actually thoroughly enjoyed it. Good story. Some is a little far fetched but still a great read

[Kristin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm always open to intriguing medical fiction, and while I hadn't read a book by Hawley in the past, this one drew me in. Dr. Luke McKenna is a pediatric emergency room doctor whose secretive past in the U.S. military catches up to him first when he assault's a patient's father and again when he suspects a cover-up in the death of a young boy brought to his L.A. hospital direct from Guatemala. The assault of the father seems like a minor plot compared to the surroundings of the Guatemalan boy's rapid demise, but it serves to discredit McKenna with authorities as he looks into the child's death. With research help from his colleagues at the hospital, McKenna finds the boy's symptoms to be puzzling in that he died of respiratory distress, but his lung tissue showed none of the usual signs of suffocation. What little progess he makes often leads to dead ends when the boy's body is quickly returned to Guatemala before an autopsy can be done and other samples and records disappear too.
Concurrently, the author tells the story of a man known only as Calderon, who also served with McKenna on the secret team and seems to have an axe to grind with him, yet it is the boy who is Calderon's focus and McKenna's involvement seems incidental. Clearly, Calderon either knows what happened to the child or is working for someone who does, but the bottom line is it must be covered up, and quickly. Hawley introduces a whole host of other characters in telling the stories of McKenna and Calderon, and while some are clearly on one side or the other, many of these characters shift over time, that until the book wrapped up, I couldn't tell who was good and who was bad.
The book was very fast-paced, taking place both in L.A. and Guatemala, but not so much that I lost track of what was happening. The science behind it was solid and did leave me with a 'what if?' feeling by the end, which is a sign of good modern science writing, that readers believe the events are not outside the realm of possibility. What also helped was that the disease process was immunological, dealing with natural killer T-cells and apoptosis, which is part of what my job involves so I had a better understanding of it than the science advances proposed in other fictional works.
My lone disappointment with this book was finding out that it's the author's only work to date (thus the reason I'd never read his books in the past). He developed strong characters who could continue on in future works, and I'll have to keep watch to see if another book comes out in the near future, because it's definitely one I would be interested in reading.

[Elaine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Practiced doctors in a United States children’s hospital are stumped and cannot make a diagnosis when unbeknownst to them, a rogue vaccine is given to young Guatemalan patients. The company that released the vaccine will stop at nothing to keep it hush. Involved is someone working at the children’s hospital, someone who just about sold his soul in a weak moment and doesn’t know what he’s gotten himself into.

Because of Dr. Luke McKenna’s aggression, it would be easy for him to be framed for much of the crime and for local detectives to finger him as the guilty. He takes out a massive steroid-taking ex-football player in the hospital's ER among other Rambo-like scenes.

The events take some of the hospital’s doctors to Guatemala where a fire breaks out in one of the small villages and where one doctor discovers markings on people of one of the tribes is similar to the marking seen on a small Guatemalan boy in her ER room.

There were parts of the story that seemed to be missing and I found myself wondering “How did we get from there to here?” I’d go back and read it and discover that nope, I hadn’t missed anything. The reader is left a bit puzzled.

***SPOILER BELOW***

I very much enjoyed most of the book however further on, it became replete with a one-man Rambo-esque fight against the bad guys where the main character overtakes a small militia. Seriously? The author took what could have been an amazing book and turns it into something less with this. Why is it the "good" main characters always end up living while the bad guys die? Only in books and on television. Of course, too, Frankie ends up in the United States and Luke gets cleared of all laws that he's broken.

[Joan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Adventure at its most entertaining.

The hero, Dr. Luke McKenna, retired Navy Seal, was an experienced doctor, working at the University Children’s Hospital in L.A. His father Dr. Elmer McKenna had originally developed a flu vaccine that could be used world-wide but the main formula had been stolen by Dr. Kate Tartaglia employed by the Zenavax Co. in Guatemala where they used the native Mayans as guinea pigs to test the results on children there. University Children’s Hospital had an extension in Guatemala. Later Dr. Elmer developed an anti-malarial vaccine given through deliberately infected mosquitoes. A most unusual procedure, but it worked.

The story had about four sub-plots, but the story-line that kept it alive was encompassed around these vaccines and included another Navy Seal who hated McKenna and who was the blackguard for Zenavax. Two women physicians were involved in the vaccine plus all of the different types of doctors necessary to carry on the duties of this hospital. They were unable to diagnose why a young boy and girl from Guatemala who were sent by plane to L.A. died. And then to create a new twist, add a street-wise youngster in Guatemala who attached himself to Luke and helped Luke to escape out of several dangerous conditions.

This was certainly an involved page turner and most everyone would enjoy it. I couldn’t put it down.

[Therese · Rating 4 out of 5]

$2.99

Dr. Luke McKenna (former Navy seal with a past) is currently a pediatric ER doctor at the fictitious University Children's Hospital in LA. He is all about saving lives and making things right until a young Guatemalan boy shows up in the ER and dies of some mysterious illness that nobody can make any sense out of. In the meantime he is treating a little girl who has been abused but her mother will not confirm this for him. When the father (a former football player) shows up, Luke snaps and takes him out.

People start dying and are killed and someone is after him, along with a young resident, Megan, he had dated previously. As much as he wants to save lives, someone else wants to change and eliminate certain ones unless he can put a stop to whoever is running these experiments...

I used to read medical thrillers but hadn't come across any for a while, so this is a nice change because although it is a little complicated in some places with all the medical jargon, it moves fast -- even in the jungles of Guatemala.