Painkiller

by Steven G. Spruill

Dr. Sharon Francis is a young resident at Adams Memorial Hospital in Washington, D.C., where her mother is a schizophrenic patient. Sharon's mother has this crazy fear that other patients on the psychiatric ward are being persuaded to sign themselves out and are then being kidnapped. To pacify her mother, Dr. Francis checks on one of these "disappeared" patients. Then one of her own patients is missing, and she begins some serious investigating.

Once Sharon starts asking questions around the hospital, accidents begin happening to her. First someone tries to run her down as she bicycles home; then she is attacked, but escapes; finally she is knocked out and drugged, and finds herself a patient in the mental ward under the care of the hated Dr. Valois, who is sure Sharon has finally succumbed to schizophrenia, too.

Neither Mark Pendleton, handsome policeman and son of one of Adams Memorial's most respected doctors, nor Jeff Harrod, the charming young resident in love with her, are able to persuade Dr. Valois that Sharon is not delusional.

A harrowing escape from the hospital proves futile when Sharon and her mother are captured by an evil genius and the instruments of healing become the instruments of torture.

Genres: Fiction, Horror

272 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1990

Reviews

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whenever Spruill comes up in my life, my first thought is that he isn't getting the attention he should be; no matter who I ask about him, his name never seems to ring a bell, which is sad, because society is much poorer without knowing his genius, virtuous writings.

If it weren't for the weekdays, I would have read Painkiller in one go -- it was such a gripping thriller that got me from the very start that I even went ahead and read it during classes, too (under the desk). I couldn't put that book down (neither could I Before I Wake), and if I had to, I felt the teeniest-tiniest pang of pain in my chest for doing so. I've already re-read Painkiller just a couple weeks ago, and I'm planning to do the same with Blood Bank in the near future, but sadly I'm reading at least 7 books at a time, and I have even more awaiting...

Anyways, I can only recommend him, who is my role model author for crime/thriller books. I wish I could once write as thrilling a story as his are!

[Hannah Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my first book by Steven G. Spruill and it this was pretty good. There were mysterious times that I was sitting on the edge of my seat. He brought in the twist when it came to the antagonist, which is what earns this book being a mystery/thriller. I do have a couple of complaints of this, one being the ending. There could've been a little more. It fell short for me. Also, there are some of the medical terms that I did not know immediately. I wished there was a guide to what some of these terms meant.

[Brent Winslow · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty interesting early 1990s thriller in the vein of Crichton's Coma about a hospital with disappearing mental patients used by a nefarious doctor to extract brain chemicals during moments of intense terror as an extremely potent painkiller. While the premise was far-fetched, it was very interesting to reflect on the novel in light of the opioid epidemic pushed on society by nefarious pharmaceutical companies focused on profit above all else.

[it's ya boy harv · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well written, with strong, likable characters. Sharon makes a great heroine. I thought the ending was a bit abrupt, but it was ultimately satisfying.

[Natalie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great scary medical thriller! Started off a little slow but quickly picked up and literally ended with a bang! Very well written.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the first book by Spruill that I read. I found the action great, the thrills very frightening and the characters very interesting. This is one of those scary stories that make you think, "wow this might possibly happen". Got me interested in his other work. Just don't read it when you are alone..

[Justin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good book by one of my favorite authors, just not my favorite of his. Like all his novels this book has strong character's and a good story, I only rated it a 3 because I thought a Little to much of what was going on was explained by the bad guy at the end of the book. Still a good story that I would recommend though.