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Dead Ringer
While speaking at a Hong Kong medical conference, neurosurgeon Dr. Lucas McCrae slips the cloth off a cadaver’s head during a routine medical demonstration, and is overwhelmed with the shock by what’s staring back at His best friend, Andy Baer.
Stunned, McCrae races back to Seattle to discover that Andy is in fact missing and may have been murdered by a gang of body snatchers who operate a legit funeral business and make a fortune by selling recovered body parts to medical researchers.
McCrae teams up with an unlikely pair—a beautiful but hardnosed female cop and a gang member whose family was victimized by the body parts ring—to try and expose a macabre web of corruption that involves law enforcement, politicians, funeral home curators and murdered prostitutes.
Internationally renowned neurosurgeon Allen Wyler takes us deep into a nightmarish scenario, shockingly ripped from recent headlines, and delivers a horrifically plausible, page-turning thriller.
Stunned, McCrae races back to Seattle to discover that Andy is in fact missing and may have been murdered by a gang of body snatchers who operate a legit funeral business and make a fortune by selling recovered body parts to medical researchers.
McCrae teams up with an unlikely pair—a beautiful but hardnosed female cop and a gang member whose family was victimized by the body parts ring—to try and expose a macabre web of corruption that involves law enforcement, politicians, funeral home curators and murdered prostitutes.
Internationally renowned neurosurgeon Allen Wyler takes us deep into a nightmarish scenario, shockingly ripped from recent headlines, and delivers a horrifically plausible, page-turning thriller.
286 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 1, 2012
13 people are currently reading
3100 people want to read
About the author
Allen Wyler
17 books60 followersAllen's thrillers have twice been nominated for the prestigious Thriller Award. He has served on the Board of Directors of the International Thriller Writers and is also an active member of the North American Crime Writers and Mystery Writers of America. He lives in Seattle.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
January 26, 2015
Check out the complete review at Dead Ringer > Review
Dead Ringer is a thriller with a different concept of crime. The concept of crime goes to a different level and a different logic altogether. The story is nice but it could have been better. It felt a bit slow with not too much action, but only a lot of thoughts and planning. With a bit more of action, it could have been so much better.
The story does not start till almost 60% of the book. Till then, the characters are just speculating and throwing theories in the air. It is too much late in the book when the protagonist meets the detective and it goes somewhere forward. But by that time, the reader has lost interest and almost ready to quit. A bit on the passable side.
September 24, 2012
Writers are always told to ‘write about what you know’ and in the case of author Allen Wyler, that phrase hits its mark.
Wyler is an internationally renowned neurosurgeon and he has created a realistic and likeable protagonist in the form of neurosurgeon Dr. Lucas McCrae, the lead character in his latest release, DEAD RINGER. McCrae is a well-developed character with flaws and issues giving him a more ‘average guy’ feel that superior surgeon.
The story begins with a typical medical conference in Hong Kong where McCrae is scheduled to demonstrate his latest surgical techniques. When he removes the cloth from the cadaver to begin the procedure, however, he discovers the body of his best friend, Andy Baer.
Once back in Seattle, McCrae learns his friend is missing and may have been killed by a gang of body snatchers. The gang, operating a legitimate funeral business, is suspected of selling body parts to medical researchers.
Determined to find his friend’s killers, McCrae sets out to expose the body snatching ring that goes much deeper than he ever imaged. He’s helped in his endeavor by a feisty female cop and a gang member whose family was victimized by the body snatchers.
DEAD RINGER is a fast-action read that will hold you captive from the opening page to the unexpected ending. The gripping story is plausible and could have been taken from recent headlines making it a chilling read. Filled with suspense and tension, the story flows at a smooth pace. Wyler includes enough medical procedures to be informative but not so much to make it a medical journal. An eye for detail, Wyler keeps the action moving as he draws the reader in for this fascinating thriller.
Author Allen Wyler’s website is http://www.allenwyler.com/
Dead Ringer by Allen Wyler, Astor + Blue Editions LLC, @2012, ISBN: 978-1938231148, Paperback, 334 Pages
FTC Full Disclosure - This eBook was sent to me by the publisher in hopes I would review it. However, receiving the complimentary copy did not influence my review.
Wyler is an internationally renowned neurosurgeon and he has created a realistic and likeable protagonist in the form of neurosurgeon Dr. Lucas McCrae, the lead character in his latest release, DEAD RINGER. McCrae is a well-developed character with flaws and issues giving him a more ‘average guy’ feel that superior surgeon.
The story begins with a typical medical conference in Hong Kong where McCrae is scheduled to demonstrate his latest surgical techniques. When he removes the cloth from the cadaver to begin the procedure, however, he discovers the body of his best friend, Andy Baer.
Once back in Seattle, McCrae learns his friend is missing and may have been killed by a gang of body snatchers. The gang, operating a legitimate funeral business, is suspected of selling body parts to medical researchers.
Determined to find his friend’s killers, McCrae sets out to expose the body snatching ring that goes much deeper than he ever imaged. He’s helped in his endeavor by a feisty female cop and a gang member whose family was victimized by the body snatchers.
DEAD RINGER is a fast-action read that will hold you captive from the opening page to the unexpected ending. The gripping story is plausible and could have been taken from recent headlines making it a chilling read. Filled with suspense and tension, the story flows at a smooth pace. Wyler includes enough medical procedures to be informative but not so much to make it a medical journal. An eye for detail, Wyler keeps the action moving as he draws the reader in for this fascinating thriller.
Author Allen Wyler’s website is http://www.allenwyler.com/
Dead Ringer by Allen Wyler, Astor + Blue Editions LLC, @2012, ISBN: 978-1938231148, Paperback, 334 Pages
FTC Full Disclosure - This eBook was sent to me by the publisher in hopes I would review it. However, receiving the complimentary copy did not influence my review.
August 30, 2012
We start when Lucas is preparing to use a cadaver’s head to teach other neurologists a specific technique. When he uncovers the head, he is looking at his best friend, Andy. Becoming obsessed, he questions the courier about where the head came from. He also tries to get his wife and Andy’s ex-wife to check on Andy since he cannot seem to get him on the phone. When Lucas gets back to Seattle, he keeps looking for Andy. Not finding anything, he finally goes to the police to report a missing person.
Detective Wendy Elliot used to work the streets as an undercover prostitute to catch John’s. While on the street, she become close to one of the girls, Lupita, when she was saved from a possible rape. Something has happened and Lupita has disappeared. There was a strange SUV that was called in to the police in an alley by where Lupita was working. The SUV belongs to Ditto’s Funeral Home. After interviewing Robert Ditto, something about him catches her eye. Wendy knows he had something to do with Lupita’s disappearance and is going to find out what.
Robert Ditto came from a family of undertakers that had little. He is obsessed with not wasting anything and money. Since he runs a funeral home, he discovered that you can get good money for a cadaver. He has a plan where people can sign up to have the body donated to science for whatever experiment. When done, the body will be returned and cremated for free for the people. He targets low-income people with little money to help build business. But business is good and he has more requests for bodies than he can fill.
This is a really good thriller. I feel for Lucas and Wendy. They are both trying to find someone that they care about that no one else does. Lucas also has been fighting with his wife and this just adds more fuel to the fire of things that are pushing her away.
The only thing that I didn’t really like was the ending. It was very abrupt and probably would happen in real life. But it felt too abrupt. It almost felt like there was no other option to end the book.
Beyond that, this is a really good book. I read Dead End Deal and really liked it. I enjoyed Dead Ringer and will probably read more of Allen Wyler’s books. If you like medical mysteries/thrillers, check out both of these books.
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review.
Detective Wendy Elliot used to work the streets as an undercover prostitute to catch John’s. While on the street, she become close to one of the girls, Lupita, when she was saved from a possible rape. Something has happened and Lupita has disappeared. There was a strange SUV that was called in to the police in an alley by where Lupita was working. The SUV belongs to Ditto’s Funeral Home. After interviewing Robert Ditto, something about him catches her eye. Wendy knows he had something to do with Lupita’s disappearance and is going to find out what.
Robert Ditto came from a family of undertakers that had little. He is obsessed with not wasting anything and money. Since he runs a funeral home, he discovered that you can get good money for a cadaver. He has a plan where people can sign up to have the body donated to science for whatever experiment. When done, the body will be returned and cremated for free for the people. He targets low-income people with little money to help build business. But business is good and he has more requests for bodies than he can fill.
This is a really good thriller. I feel for Lucas and Wendy. They are both trying to find someone that they care about that no one else does. Lucas also has been fighting with his wife and this just adds more fuel to the fire of things that are pushing her away.
The only thing that I didn’t really like was the ending. It was very abrupt and probably would happen in real life. But it felt too abrupt. It almost felt like there was no other option to end the book.
Beyond that, this is a really good book. I read Dead End Deal and really liked it. I enjoyed Dead Ringer and will probably read more of Allen Wyler’s books. If you like medical mysteries/thrillers, check out both of these books.
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review.
November 2, 2012
Review:
After reading Allen Wyler's previous novel, Dead End Deal, I was excited to sample another thriller fit for the big-screen - Dead Ringer - and I was not disappointed! Wyler's ability to capture the reader's attention with the first sentence and hold it until the last is remarkable. I almost did not want to put the book down for trivial things - like sleeping or eating - because I might have lost out on the tension that had been building up. The characters and plot-line were well-developed and expertly crafted; even though I figured out most of the twists before they occurred, I was never bored or annoyed by where the plot was going. I enjoyed reading about Lucas and Wendy's search for proof against DSH, as well as their opposing personalities; I just wish that there had been a sort of comic/ romance aspect between them to cut through some of the intensity and expose some of their emotions. I found the points-of-view and flashbacks interesting, although odd, but I felt that they added some extra depth. I also liked the believable quality of the dialogue and the medical jargon - not too technical for most readers. Overall, I found Dead Ringer to be a unique and well-written medical thriller that held enough suspense to keep me eagerly entertained. Recommended for adult readers seeking a medical thriller/ mystery full of shocks, chills, and assorted body parts.
Rating: On the Run (4/5)
*** I received this book from the author (Astor + Blue Editions) in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
After reading Allen Wyler's previous novel, Dead End Deal, I was excited to sample another thriller fit for the big-screen - Dead Ringer - and I was not disappointed! Wyler's ability to capture the reader's attention with the first sentence and hold it until the last is remarkable. I almost did not want to put the book down for trivial things - like sleeping or eating - because I might have lost out on the tension that had been building up. The characters and plot-line were well-developed and expertly crafted; even though I figured out most of the twists before they occurred, I was never bored or annoyed by where the plot was going. I enjoyed reading about Lucas and Wendy's search for proof against DSH, as well as their opposing personalities; I just wish that there had been a sort of comic/ romance aspect between them to cut through some of the intensity and expose some of their emotions. I found the points-of-view and flashbacks interesting, although odd, but I felt that they added some extra depth. I also liked the believable quality of the dialogue and the medical jargon - not too technical for most readers. Overall, I found Dead Ringer to be a unique and well-written medical thriller that held enough suspense to keep me eagerly entertained. Recommended for adult readers seeking a medical thriller/ mystery full of shocks, chills, and assorted body parts.
Rating: On the Run (4/5)
*** I received this book from the author (Astor + Blue Editions) in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
August 23, 2012
The story begins with neurosurgeon Lucas McCrae in Hong Kong, about to perform a medical demonstration. Lucas soon discovers that the head that he is using for the demonstration is that of his best friend, Andy Baer. Lucas doesn’t believe what he sees before his eyes, and when returns to Seattle, it’s confirm that his friend is indeed missing.
Meanwhile, Seattle Police Department’s Sergeant Wendy Elliott is searching for her friend who has also gone missing. Wendy wishes she had a better lead than a partial license plate. With very little to go on, both Lucas and Wendy follow their leads to the same location, Ditto’s Funeral Homes, where they discover that the two cases are related...
My favorite aspect of Dead Ringer was the back stories of both main characters, Lucas and Wendy. I really enjoyed learning more about them as the story progressed; they both had their own issues to deal with in addition to the cases they are trying to solve. Both setting and characters were well developed even with the story being fast-paced. The characters were relatable which I also appreciated.
The premise was a unique take on a medical thriller, and Allen Wyler should be commended for executing it brilliantly. Dead Ringer was an entertaining and fascinating read that will suck readers in and take them for one wild ride!
I definitely recommend Dead Ringer to those who enjoy Suspense and Thrillers with lots of action.
Must Read! Highly Recommended!
Meanwhile, Seattle Police Department’s Sergeant Wendy Elliott is searching for her friend who has also gone missing. Wendy wishes she had a better lead than a partial license plate. With very little to go on, both Lucas and Wendy follow their leads to the same location, Ditto’s Funeral Homes, where they discover that the two cases are related...
My favorite aspect of Dead Ringer was the back stories of both main characters, Lucas and Wendy. I really enjoyed learning more about them as the story progressed; they both had their own issues to deal with in addition to the cases they are trying to solve. Both setting and characters were well developed even with the story being fast-paced. The characters were relatable which I also appreciated.
The premise was a unique take on a medical thriller, and Allen Wyler should be commended for executing it brilliantly. Dead Ringer was an entertaining and fascinating read that will suck readers in and take them for one wild ride!
I definitely recommend Dead Ringer to those who enjoy Suspense and Thrillers with lots of action.
Must Read! Highly Recommended!
February 10, 2015
When neurosurgeon Lucas McRae goes to demonstrate specialist procedures at a symposium in Hong Kong, he is horrified to identify one of the cadaver heads as belonging to his best-friend, Andy. Could this really be Andy whom he saw a couple of weeks ago looking healthy? On returning to the U.S. he can't get hold of Andy and no one seems to care that he's missing, until he meets Detective Sergeant Wendy, who has been following a trail of missing prostitutes. Could these disappearances be linked?
This fast-paced highly enjoyable thriller had me hooked from the very first page. Not only was the premise thrilling but the character development was thorough for a fast-paced thriller. The seedy underbelly of human body parts for sale is a terribly horrifying prospect and one written to its best advantage in this book to have you at the edge of your seat.
A medical thriller with bite and suspense, a definite must read this year for thriller fans.
This fast-paced highly enjoyable thriller had me hooked from the very first page. Not only was the premise thrilling but the character development was thorough for a fast-paced thriller. The seedy underbelly of human body parts for sale is a terribly horrifying prospect and one written to its best advantage in this book to have you at the edge of your seat.
A medical thriller with bite and suspense, a definite must read this year for thriller fans.
January 29, 2013
This subject matter is beyond deplorable yet Wyler handles the situation with ease. The pages just seemed to turn themself as Lucas McCrae's world is literally ripped away from under him. The characters are believable and I found myself despising the bad guys (exactly what you want to do when you read a good book!)
I loved the fact that Wyler is also a Sandford fan and he mentioned him several times in the book.
I highly recommend reading this book!!
I loved the fact that Wyler is also a Sandford fan and he mentioned him several times in the book.
I highly recommend reading this book!!
December 30, 2023
This was my second book by Allen Wyler and I'm glad I didn't give up after the first book! I listened to "Deadly odds" first and I gave up after 90 minutes.
This book was very different. Lucas McCrae is a neurosurgeon who finds his friend's head at a demonstration in Hong Kong! He questions the man who brought the heads from the US. He denies that they got the head from someone called Andy Baer. When Lucas gets back home he finds out that Andy has been missing for over a week!
We know who the bad guys are from the beginning, the questions are will the police be able to stop them and will Lucas survive. I liked the story but I have a few problems with technical issues.
Lucas car is destroyed by a car bomb. How can the police know right away that the body in the car is a woman!? The car didn't just blow up it was on fire!
Lucas suspects that Ditto had tried to kill him with the bomb. The smart thing to do would have been to stay at a hotel or at least get a security system. But Lucas takes an Ambien so he can sleep! Luckily he's still awake when the bad guy unlocks his door. There is no explanation for how he can have a key to the house!
Lucas finally remembers that the demonstration in Hong Kong had been filmed. The doctor agrees to send what they had recorded. Why not send the video in an email!? Somehow the DVDs get from Hong Kong to the US overnight!
There is an other problem as well! You can't play a DVD from an other country in the US!
Apart from these details I did like the book. This book and a few others are free on Audible.
This book was very different. Lucas McCrae is a neurosurgeon who finds his friend's head at a demonstration in Hong Kong! He questions the man who brought the heads from the US. He denies that they got the head from someone called Andy Baer. When Lucas gets back home he finds out that Andy has been missing for over a week!
We know who the bad guys are from the beginning, the questions are will the police be able to stop them and will Lucas survive. I liked the story but I have a few problems with technical issues.
Lucas car is destroyed by a car bomb. How can the police know right away that the body in the car is a woman!? The car didn't just blow up it was on fire!
Lucas suspects that Ditto had tried to kill him with the bomb. The smart thing to do would have been to stay at a hotel or at least get a security system. But Lucas takes an Ambien so he can sleep! Luckily he's still awake when the bad guy unlocks his door. There is no explanation for how he can have a key to the house!
Lucas finally remembers that the demonstration in Hong Kong had been filmed. The doctor agrees to send what they had recorded. Why not send the video in an email!? Somehow the DVDs get from Hong Kong to the US overnight!
There is an other problem as well! You can't play a DVD from an other country in the US!
Apart from these details I did like the book. This book and a few others are free on Audible.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 8, 2012
Allen Wyler is a neurosurgeon and teacher of neuroscience and has now decided to try his hand at a medical thriller that will have you questioning what happens to your body after you die:
Dr. Lucas McCrae is a well respected neurosurgeon who has managed to specialize in some very difficult specific surgeries, therefore, he is often sought after to give demonstrations world wide. Right now Lucas is in Hong Kong getting ready to demonstrate the techniques he has mastered, but he has felt a pit in his stomach since he got there, he knows something is wrong, but he must do the demonstration. Lucas requires a fresh dead human head to demonstrate his techniques and Lucas never expected to know the person whose head he was going to demonstrate on, but when he removes the sheet he finds himself staring at his best friend Andy. Lucas does not understand maybe it was just a trick of the light or someone who looks similar to him but when he returns home to Seattle he is unable to find Andy and discovers that he has been missing over a week. Lucas starts to ask questions to the wrong people, which put him and those he loves in danger of being an unwillingly participant on the operating table.
I have never heard of Wyler before reading this novel, but he appears to have published quite a few books. Dead Ringer is his fourth book and a fifth that has just been released. These books a definitely medical thriller books, which not surprising as Wyler is writing what he knows about, which is the medical world more specifically the world of a neurosurgeon. Now I know that a few of you have already decided this book is not for you as soon as you saw the word neurosurgeon think that this novel is going to be filled with medical terms and jargon that individuals outside of the medical community would not be able to understand. Do not worry, Wyler does a very good job in keeping the medical terminology and techniques to a minimum. The medical side is not at the forefront of the novel, it is a means for discovery, by the mystery aspect of this book is what is focused on. This book will creep you out right from the first chapter and it will make you think twice about what has happened to your love ones once they have been shipped off to the funeral home. I know if I was in Lucas' shoes at that beginning of the book I would have reacted the same way.
Wyler has taken a 1800s murders and tale (Goggle the Burke & Hare Murdersfor more information) and revamped and modernized it, but the premise has essentially stayed the same; body parts1 living or dead are worth money, lots of money and why shouldn’t someone capitalize on that. I think that Wyler did a good job adapting to the current times and the changes that has occurred within a society in regards to the changes in religious beliefs as well as the increased popularity of cremation. I think that the way in which Diller and Gerhard’s run their business is really genius, as there is very little chance of detection.
When an author writes a novel where the reader knows the killer before the detective it can be seen as a positive or negative to the reader and I think that this is based around personal preference. For me it goes on a book by book basis, however, my overall preference is to attempt to discover the killer myself. In this novel you do know who the killing team is right from the beginning, but the investigator also has an eye on the same target, so you are not waiting for the investigation to catch up to what you already know. You are more waiting for the investigators to discover enough evidence to arrest the killer. This aspect did have some positives and negatives around it as well. I enjoyed learning about Diller and Gerhard as a killing team and their separate motives for what they do as well as their interactions with each other. However, it took a very long time for Lucas to determine a key piece of evidence that would help them out (one that I was able to think of right off the bat), so I was a little bit frustrated with this part of the investigative part. But overall I do not think that the book was hindered by kowning who the killers were upfront
I think this was an interesting read that will make you think twice about what will happen to you or your loved one's body at the funeral home. I found that Wyler was able to keep my attention but there were a few cliché aspects in the book and overall it is a good book and quick read. I think that those individuals who are fans of the medical thriller/mystery genre would enjoy Dead Ringer and I personally would read another novel by Wyler.
Enjoy!!!!
Dr. Lucas McCrae is a well respected neurosurgeon who has managed to specialize in some very difficult specific surgeries, therefore, he is often sought after to give demonstrations world wide. Right now Lucas is in Hong Kong getting ready to demonstrate the techniques he has mastered, but he has felt a pit in his stomach since he got there, he knows something is wrong, but he must do the demonstration. Lucas requires a fresh dead human head to demonstrate his techniques and Lucas never expected to know the person whose head he was going to demonstrate on, but when he removes the sheet he finds himself staring at his best friend Andy. Lucas does not understand maybe it was just a trick of the light or someone who looks similar to him but when he returns home to Seattle he is unable to find Andy and discovers that he has been missing over a week. Lucas starts to ask questions to the wrong people, which put him and those he loves in danger of being an unwillingly participant on the operating table.
I have never heard of Wyler before reading this novel, but he appears to have published quite a few books. Dead Ringer is his fourth book and a fifth that has just been released. These books a definitely medical thriller books, which not surprising as Wyler is writing what he knows about, which is the medical world more specifically the world of a neurosurgeon. Now I know that a few of you have already decided this book is not for you as soon as you saw the word neurosurgeon think that this novel is going to be filled with medical terms and jargon that individuals outside of the medical community would not be able to understand. Do not worry, Wyler does a very good job in keeping the medical terminology and techniques to a minimum. The medical side is not at the forefront of the novel, it is a means for discovery, by the mystery aspect of this book is what is focused on. This book will creep you out right from the first chapter and it will make you think twice about what has happened to your love ones once they have been shipped off to the funeral home. I know if I was in Lucas' shoes at that beginning of the book I would have reacted the same way.
Wyler has taken a 1800s murders and tale (Goggle the Burke & Hare Murdersfor more information) and revamped and modernized it, but the premise has essentially stayed the same; body parts1 living or dead are worth money, lots of money and why shouldn’t someone capitalize on that. I think that Wyler did a good job adapting to the current times and the changes that has occurred within a society in regards to the changes in religious beliefs as well as the increased popularity of cremation. I think that the way in which Diller and Gerhard’s run their business is really genius, as there is very little chance of detection.
When an author writes a novel where the reader knows the killer before the detective it can be seen as a positive or negative to the reader and I think that this is based around personal preference. For me it goes on a book by book basis, however, my overall preference is to attempt to discover the killer myself. In this novel you do know who the killing team is right from the beginning, but the investigator also has an eye on the same target, so you are not waiting for the investigation to catch up to what you already know. You are more waiting for the investigators to discover enough evidence to arrest the killer. This aspect did have some positives and negatives around it as well. I enjoyed learning about Diller and Gerhard as a killing team and their separate motives for what they do as well as their interactions with each other. However, it took a very long time for Lucas to determine a key piece of evidence that would help them out (one that I was able to think of right off the bat), so I was a little bit frustrated with this part of the investigative part. But overall I do not think that the book was hindered by kowning who the killers were upfront
I think this was an interesting read that will make you think twice about what will happen to you or your loved one's body at the funeral home. I found that Wyler was able to keep my attention but there were a few cliché aspects in the book and overall it is a good book and quick read. I think that those individuals who are fans of the medical thriller/mystery genre would enjoy Dead Ringer and I personally would read another novel by Wyler.
Enjoy!!!!
September 6, 2012
May have slight spoilers.
I kind of went out on a limb when agreeing to read Dead Ringer and I really wanted to like it. It is not really a genre I read much of (not unless there is a lot of romance in the main plot). I didn’t dislike this book. I want to say that first of all, if you are looking for a straight forward mystery novel I think you might really like this but for me the book was just okay.
The basis of the plot is that there are people (mostly homeless people and working girls) disappearing but no one really takes notice except for a female undercover vice officer who worked the streets to lure men into, well, you get the point and then when the deal was made she would call in the cops who was backing her up. But then our bad guys accidentally grabs a john with one of the working girls and in a one-and-a-million chance the johns severed head ends up on the doctors table of his best friend during a medical conference.
DFH is our bad guys they are a funeral business and besides just burying and cremating people they also have the option for people to donate their body to science. These bodies would go to people who need cadavers (think medical school) but even with the great deal DFH has for this it is obvious that a lot of people do not want strange people poking and prodding at their body for the sake of science even after they are dead.
DFH is one of, if not the most prosperous business of its kind in Seattle but with the lack of people donating to science….there is no way they can be meeting the demands of people who need cadavers, especially for people who require fresh cadavers.
From here we basically go through our main characters Lucas and Wendy trying to get the bad guys who we know without a doubt are guilty, but they can find no solid proof to arrest them. We have a couple important supporting characters in this book as well that help along the plot.
While I did not love or really like this novel, again I did not dislike it either. I found Dead Ringer an okay read and did not have a hard time finishing it; it just was not for me. I had a really hard time connecting with any of the characters, so I was just reading them; I never felt anything toward them as I do usually with books. No sympathy, anger, excitement. It was just... reading.
We have four points of view and they are not hard to follow at all, we also get some in the past scenes with characters ‘remembering’ things that happened in the past (this is just from our head bad guy and Lucas though).
Not only could I not connect with the character but the mystery itself kind of fell flat for me too. We know who the bad guys are as we get their POV, we know they did it, and the on the whole the ending was very anticlimactic and kind of, I do not mean to sound rude, but there was no suspense to it, no omg-on-the-edge-of-my-seat for me.
Honestly one thing I really liked about this book was a supporting character, Wendy’s ex. I am really curious about him and what he does, he presented an air intrigue to me (not to mention he sounded really hot).
Overall Dead Ringer was an okay read, it is easy to follow and very straight forward. Anyone that is looking for a straight forward mystery novel might really enjoy it, I know it has some wonderful reviews and if that is something you like then I urge you to give it a try and to not let my thoughts influence you. Dead Ringer just did not do it for me though. It lacked the emotion, the passion that makes me really love a book and connect with its characters. I do not think that is a refection on the authors writing, again it has honestly has really good reviews, so that is probably more of a reflection on me.
*I received a hardcover/paperback/eBook copy/ARC of this book for free to review from the author/publisher/tour site; this in no way influenced my review, all opinions are 100% honest and my own.
I kind of went out on a limb when agreeing to read Dead Ringer and I really wanted to like it. It is not really a genre I read much of (not unless there is a lot of romance in the main plot). I didn’t dislike this book. I want to say that first of all, if you are looking for a straight forward mystery novel I think you might really like this but for me the book was just okay.
The basis of the plot is that there are people (mostly homeless people and working girls) disappearing but no one really takes notice except for a female undercover vice officer who worked the streets to lure men into, well, you get the point and then when the deal was made she would call in the cops who was backing her up. But then our bad guys accidentally grabs a john with one of the working girls and in a one-and-a-million chance the johns severed head ends up on the doctors table of his best friend during a medical conference.
DFH is our bad guys they are a funeral business and besides just burying and cremating people they also have the option for people to donate their body to science. These bodies would go to people who need cadavers (think medical school) but even with the great deal DFH has for this it is obvious that a lot of people do not want strange people poking and prodding at their body for the sake of science even after they are dead.
DFH is one of, if not the most prosperous business of its kind in Seattle but with the lack of people donating to science….there is no way they can be meeting the demands of people who need cadavers, especially for people who require fresh cadavers.
From here we basically go through our main characters Lucas and Wendy trying to get the bad guys who we know without a doubt are guilty, but they can find no solid proof to arrest them. We have a couple important supporting characters in this book as well that help along the plot.
While I did not love or really like this novel, again I did not dislike it either. I found Dead Ringer an okay read and did not have a hard time finishing it; it just was not for me. I had a really hard time connecting with any of the characters, so I was just reading them; I never felt anything toward them as I do usually with books. No sympathy, anger, excitement. It was just... reading.
We have four points of view and they are not hard to follow at all, we also get some in the past scenes with characters ‘remembering’ things that happened in the past (this is just from our head bad guy and Lucas though).
Not only could I not connect with the character but the mystery itself kind of fell flat for me too. We know who the bad guys are as we get their POV, we know they did it, and the on the whole the ending was very anticlimactic and kind of, I do not mean to sound rude, but there was no suspense to it, no omg-on-the-edge-of-my-seat for me.
Honestly one thing I really liked about this book was a supporting character, Wendy’s ex. I am really curious about him and what he does, he presented an air intrigue to me (not to mention he sounded really hot).
Overall Dead Ringer was an okay read, it is easy to follow and very straight forward. Anyone that is looking for a straight forward mystery novel might really enjoy it, I know it has some wonderful reviews and if that is something you like then I urge you to give it a try and to not let my thoughts influence you. Dead Ringer just did not do it for me though. It lacked the emotion, the passion that makes me really love a book and connect with its characters. I do not think that is a refection on the authors writing, again it has honestly has really good reviews, so that is probably more of a reflection on me.
*I received a hardcover/paperback/eBook copy/ARC of this book for free to review from the author/publisher/tour site; this in no way influenced my review, all opinions are 100% honest and my own.
August 16, 2015
Every once in awhile, a book comes along that gives you the creeps, right from the start. Dead Ringer is just that kind of book.
"A dark, ill-formed premonition punched Lucas McRae in the gut so hard it stole his breath."
This is the novel's first sentence, and it means trouble for McRae, who finds the severed head of his best friend waiting for him on a dissection table in Hong Kong. McRae is from Seattle, and he just saw Andy not 24 hours before flying to Hong Kong to stage this surgical demonstration for Chinese specialists.
So begins this grim and suspenseful tale of a greedy mortician and his unholy practice of selling the body parts of loved ones to medical institutions -- before they're cremated. The box of ashes he gives to bereaved family members consists often of recycled homeless people's remains.
It's a ghastly premise for a book, and the author pulls no punches on details, leaving the reader to wonder how he gets so much of the medical and anatomical detail right. It's eerie, and the desired effect is one of horror that this sort of thing might really be going on somewhere.
In any case, the undertaker involved in Andy's death has fallen under police suspicion -- not for Andy's death, but for the disappearance of the prostitute Andy had been with the night before McRae made his grisly discovery in Hong Kong.
A tightly interwoven game of cat-and-mouse has begun, and the reader gets to know the mortician and his assistant better than he wants. Indeed, these are characters you might meet at your local Rotary club breakfast, so practiced are their public personas.
Still, Detective Sergeant Wendy Elliott is on the case, and quickly puts the mortician, Robert Ditto, in the cross-hairs. The problem? Tying the disappearances back to this sleazy criminal.
As the story unfolds, Elliott teams up with gang member Luis Ruiz -- the prostitute's brother. Together, they start trying to put together the pieces necessary to bring Ditto to justice.
Meanwhile, Dr.McRae is doing the same thing, but working the case from the angle of trying to find out what happened to his friend Andy. Again, all roads seem to lead to the funeral director.
There's a bit of added spice when McRae and Wendy inevitably get together to compare notes. It's a welcome interlude to the gruesome business they are investigating.
The ending -- in which a surprising turn of events unfolds -- is both satisfying and, well, fitting, considering the nature of the book's premise. This is a first-rate who-dun-it -- even when the perpetrators are never in doubt.
I give Dead Ringer five stars, and will think twice before donating my body to science after I'm gone.
"A dark, ill-formed premonition punched Lucas McRae in the gut so hard it stole his breath."
This is the novel's first sentence, and it means trouble for McRae, who finds the severed head of his best friend waiting for him on a dissection table in Hong Kong. McRae is from Seattle, and he just saw Andy not 24 hours before flying to Hong Kong to stage this surgical demonstration for Chinese specialists.
So begins this grim and suspenseful tale of a greedy mortician and his unholy practice of selling the body parts of loved ones to medical institutions -- before they're cremated. The box of ashes he gives to bereaved family members consists often of recycled homeless people's remains.
It's a ghastly premise for a book, and the author pulls no punches on details, leaving the reader to wonder how he gets so much of the medical and anatomical detail right. It's eerie, and the desired effect is one of horror that this sort of thing might really be going on somewhere.
In any case, the undertaker involved in Andy's death has fallen under police suspicion -- not for Andy's death, but for the disappearance of the prostitute Andy had been with the night before McRae made his grisly discovery in Hong Kong.
A tightly interwoven game of cat-and-mouse has begun, and the reader gets to know the mortician and his assistant better than he wants. Indeed, these are characters you might meet at your local Rotary club breakfast, so practiced are their public personas.
Still, Detective Sergeant Wendy Elliott is on the case, and quickly puts the mortician, Robert Ditto, in the cross-hairs. The problem? Tying the disappearances back to this sleazy criminal.
As the story unfolds, Elliott teams up with gang member Luis Ruiz -- the prostitute's brother. Together, they start trying to put together the pieces necessary to bring Ditto to justice.
Meanwhile, Dr.McRae is doing the same thing, but working the case from the angle of trying to find out what happened to his friend Andy. Again, all roads seem to lead to the funeral director.
There's a bit of added spice when McRae and Wendy inevitably get together to compare notes. It's a welcome interlude to the gruesome business they are investigating.
The ending -- in which a surprising turn of events unfolds -- is both satisfying and, well, fitting, considering the nature of the book's premise. This is a first-rate who-dun-it -- even when the perpetrators are never in doubt.
I give Dead Ringer five stars, and will think twice before donating my body to science after I'm gone.
July 21, 2012
This was a very engaging and readable mystery. It begins with neurosurgeon Lucas McCrae doing a demonstration in Hong Kong and seeing that the head he is using is that of his best friend Andy. He can't believe that this is possible and the man who brought the heads from Seattle insists that it is not his friend. When Lucas gets home, he immediately begins trying to contact Andy with no success. Andy doesn't have anyone else to care about him. Lucas' wife hates him, his ex-wife hates him, his employers are on the verge of firing him because of his sex addiction. Only Lucas cares.
Meanwhile, Sergeant Wendy Elliott of the Seattle Police Department is looking for a friend who has disappeared. The friend was a hooker that Wendy met while she was working Vice. Her only clue is a partial license plate of a black Suburban that was near where Lupita disappeared. The Suburban is owned by Ditto's Funeral Homes Inc. owned by Bobby Ditto. Ditto is also the largest supplier of anatomical parts on the West Coast. When Wendy interviews him she knows he is lying but doesn't know what he is lying about.
Lucas also finds his way to Ditto's Funeral Homes when he learns that they supplied the heads for the demonstration in Hong Kong. Bobby tries to convince him that he is mistaken and has all sorts of paperwork to prove it. When Lucas files a missing person report the two cases come together and so do Lucas and Wendy. Lucas is agonizing over a failing marriage. He and his wife no longer have anything in common. Lucas wants to try to save the marriage but she isn't interested in couple's counseling or dealing with her depression. When he meets Wendy, he is attracted to her as she is to him.
Bobby Ditto is a really creepy villain. He manages to justify his body snatching and murder as a kind of recycling. He is one of those scary villains who seem really sane but are completely out of touch with reality and any sort of morality. His henchman Leo Gerhard is his willing accomplice in the murders and is equally immoral.
Following along as Lucas and Wendy try to prove that Bobby Ditto had something to do with the disappearance of his and her friends was entertaining. Mystery lovers will enjoy this fast-paced story with an engaging hero and heroine.
Meanwhile, Sergeant Wendy Elliott of the Seattle Police Department is looking for a friend who has disappeared. The friend was a hooker that Wendy met while she was working Vice. Her only clue is a partial license plate of a black Suburban that was near where Lupita disappeared. The Suburban is owned by Ditto's Funeral Homes Inc. owned by Bobby Ditto. Ditto is also the largest supplier of anatomical parts on the West Coast. When Wendy interviews him she knows he is lying but doesn't know what he is lying about.
Lucas also finds his way to Ditto's Funeral Homes when he learns that they supplied the heads for the demonstration in Hong Kong. Bobby tries to convince him that he is mistaken and has all sorts of paperwork to prove it. When Lucas files a missing person report the two cases come together and so do Lucas and Wendy. Lucas is agonizing over a failing marriage. He and his wife no longer have anything in common. Lucas wants to try to save the marriage but she isn't interested in couple's counseling or dealing with her depression. When he meets Wendy, he is attracted to her as she is to him.
Bobby Ditto is a really creepy villain. He manages to justify his body snatching and murder as a kind of recycling. He is one of those scary villains who seem really sane but are completely out of touch with reality and any sort of morality. His henchman Leo Gerhard is his willing accomplice in the murders and is equally immoral.
Following along as Lucas and Wendy try to prove that Bobby Ditto had something to do with the disappearance of his and her friends was entertaining. Mystery lovers will enjoy this fast-paced story with an engaging hero and heroine.
August 2, 2012
Neurosurgeon Dr Lucas McCrae is in Hong Kong to carry out what should be a routine medical demonstration. When he uncovers the cadaver head he is to perform the demonstration on he is shocked to discover it is his best friend Andy Baer. He convinces himself he must be wrong but a niggling concern grows out of control when he returns to Seattle to discover Andy is missing. Elsewhere Detective Sergeant Elliott is looking into the disappearance of a prostitute she has befriended while working undercover. The trail leads to DFH Inc, a funeral home that also provides body parts for medical research. When the pair's paths cross it seems clear there is a link between the missing people and that DFH's involvement is more than just a coincidence. Their problem is proving it, especially when there appears to be a leak in Wendy's department.
The author is a renowned neurosurgeon and his background is a clear benefit as this book is a grisly but worryingly plausible thriller. The reader is thrown into the story from the very start and I was compelled to read on to discover whether the duo would be able to link DFH to the disappearances or whether all the evidence would go up in smoke before they could find a way to prove their suspicions.
While the main plot moves at quite a pace there is still time for the author to develop the main characters. We discover Lucas is trying to salvage a crumbling marriage and Wendy working with her ex-husband. As two intelligent attractive people thrown together in stark circumstances it's no surprise when the sparks start flying. This provides a welcome relief from the gruesome business at hand. The bad guy, DFH boss Bobby Ditto was seriously creepy, and almost convincing in his justifications for what his company is doing. The balance between moving the plot on and building characters with some depth has been well done.
This is very much the sort of thriller I enjoy and although there is a lot to the story it is progressed in a nice linear fashion, it was not difficult to follow and for me it reached a satisfying conclusion. I think had it not been for a couple of parts which seemed to push the boundaries of what was likely this would have been a definite 5* book.
The author is a renowned neurosurgeon and his background is a clear benefit as this book is a grisly but worryingly plausible thriller. The reader is thrown into the story from the very start and I was compelled to read on to discover whether the duo would be able to link DFH to the disappearances or whether all the evidence would go up in smoke before they could find a way to prove their suspicions.
While the main plot moves at quite a pace there is still time for the author to develop the main characters. We discover Lucas is trying to salvage a crumbling marriage and Wendy working with her ex-husband. As two intelligent attractive people thrown together in stark circumstances it's no surprise when the sparks start flying. This provides a welcome relief from the gruesome business at hand. The bad guy, DFH boss Bobby Ditto was seriously creepy, and almost convincing in his justifications for what his company is doing. The balance between moving the plot on and building characters with some depth has been well done.
This is very much the sort of thriller I enjoy and although there is a lot to the story it is progressed in a nice linear fashion, it was not difficult to follow and for me it reached a satisfying conclusion. I think had it not been for a couple of parts which seemed to push the boundaries of what was likely this would have been a definite 5* book.
September 3, 2017
Unlike Dead End Deal, another Wyler book I have read and reviewed for this blog, this story doesn't wait to let loose. From chapter one the mystery begins. Finding your best friend's head or really anyone's head that you care about on your demonstration table is such a frightening and brilliant plot idea. Add the fact that the main character is having distracting marital problems and you have a very interesting book that ties all the side stories to the main plot perfectly. The buildup of suspense is ideal; it doesn't go overboard to get your attention and it's perfectly spaced out through the book. I was really excited that this book didn't have the same problems I thought Dead End Deal had, and you really see Wyler's talent for combining his medical knowledge with creative writing in this book.
However, this nearly perfect book utterly fails in the conclusion. Wyler creates this intricate storyline for how the funeral home and the missing people all relate to each other. It also has been a huge struggle for the main character and his allies to find proof of the funeral home's crimes. And then in one quick and easy moment, it's all over. Compared to the rest of the story, the conclusion is just not that creative. My issue is that based on the way the conclusion played out, this could've happened at anytime in the story. It's the obvious, easy-out to wrap up the story. I don't think the buildup of the story made it that complex to the point that the author couldn't have found a decent way to end it.
As I read through the story, I thought I had finally found a 5/5 star Allen Wyler book. I couldn't put it down and I really wanted to see how the author would end the story. It's very disappointing because the book is great except for the last twenty pages. However, the conclusion of the book is just as important as any other part, and you can't skimp on the writing at this point unless you want the novel to fall flat at the grand finale.
*I received a free copy of this book for this review from the author.
However, this nearly perfect book utterly fails in the conclusion. Wyler creates this intricate storyline for how the funeral home and the missing people all relate to each other. It also has been a huge struggle for the main character and his allies to find proof of the funeral home's crimes. And then in one quick and easy moment, it's all over. Compared to the rest of the story, the conclusion is just not that creative. My issue is that based on the way the conclusion played out, this could've happened at anytime in the story. It's the obvious, easy-out to wrap up the story. I don't think the buildup of the story made it that complex to the point that the author couldn't have found a decent way to end it.
As I read through the story, I thought I had finally found a 5/5 star Allen Wyler book. I couldn't put it down and I really wanted to see how the author would end the story. It's very disappointing because the book is great except for the last twenty pages. However, the conclusion of the book is just as important as any other part, and you can't skimp on the writing at this point unless you want the novel to fall flat at the grand finale.
*I received a free copy of this book for this review from the author.
August 28, 2012
MY Rating 4.5 STARS
The book opens with gifted Neurosurgeon Lucas McCrae at a conference in Hong Kong. He is there to demonstrate a new procedure he developed and perfected. However, he gets a severe jolt when he discovers what appears to be his best friend’s head on his demonstration table. Lucas returns home only to find his friend Andy missing and nobody but Lucas seems concerned about this disturbing news.
This story was easy to read and highly addictive. Once I began I did not want to put the book down because I was kept fully engaged. Lucas quickly became obsessed with finding Andy. This obsession led him finally to put together enough of the puzzle that one police detective began to suspect a correlation between a case she was investigating and Andy’s disappearance. Before long, Lucas and Sergeant Wendy Elliott are working jointly to unravel the baffling case. Meanwhile, Lucas must also contend with an unhappy marital situation that is swiftly deteriorating.
The main villain in this story is positively inspired. Never have I encountered a fictional character so utterly slimy. Bobbie Ditto is an odd duck who works out an ingenious money-making system that perfectly fills a high-demand niche service. He takes recycling seriously and believes whole-heartedly that he is actually providing a much-needed service to society. He will terrify you.
Lucas is a loyal friend, and as the narrative unfolds bits of his past come to light that help us understand his tenaciousness. In fact, all the main characters get similar treatments. Not to excess, but enough so that motivations and personality conflicts do become better understood. The story ended well; I felt satisfied and replete by the end.
I received this book free from the author’s publicist in return for my honest review. Except for the free digital book, I received no additional compensation of any kind.
Reviewed by Laurie-J
The book opens with gifted Neurosurgeon Lucas McCrae at a conference in Hong Kong. He is there to demonstrate a new procedure he developed and perfected. However, he gets a severe jolt when he discovers what appears to be his best friend’s head on his demonstration table. Lucas returns home only to find his friend Andy missing and nobody but Lucas seems concerned about this disturbing news.
This story was easy to read and highly addictive. Once I began I did not want to put the book down because I was kept fully engaged. Lucas quickly became obsessed with finding Andy. This obsession led him finally to put together enough of the puzzle that one police detective began to suspect a correlation between a case she was investigating and Andy’s disappearance. Before long, Lucas and Sergeant Wendy Elliott are working jointly to unravel the baffling case. Meanwhile, Lucas must also contend with an unhappy marital situation that is swiftly deteriorating.
The main villain in this story is positively inspired. Never have I encountered a fictional character so utterly slimy. Bobbie Ditto is an odd duck who works out an ingenious money-making system that perfectly fills a high-demand niche service. He takes recycling seriously and believes whole-heartedly that he is actually providing a much-needed service to society. He will terrify you.
Lucas is a loyal friend, and as the narrative unfolds bits of his past come to light that help us understand his tenaciousness. In fact, all the main characters get similar treatments. Not to excess, but enough so that motivations and personality conflicts do become better understood. The story ended well; I felt satisfied and replete by the end.
I received this book free from the author’s publicist in return for my honest review. Except for the free digital book, I received no additional compensation of any kind.
Reviewed by Laurie-J
September 3, 2012
From the premise alone I was excited to read Dead Ringer, and I’m glad to report that I wasn’t left disappointed.
You’re pulled into the story from the first page. There isn’t a horrific back-story info dump, or drawn out, worthless descriptions of the setting. From the first page you’re met with a story in motion, nicely blended with description, dialogue, inner monologue, and setting. It was a pleasant change to read a book that moved at a good pace from the beginning.
Writers write best when they write what they know, and Wyler did a superb job of doing just that. He has taken his expertise as a neurosurgeon and his love of thriller novels and used it to help craft a fantastic novel. The characters were wonderfully sculpted from the first page, showing us just enough to have the sense that we know them, without boring us with their entire life story. They all have their own voice and mannerisms, their own history and pain. They’re diverse, yet not so much that it would seem impossible for people like that to ever actually interact with each other.
The plot pace was spot on, and that of a pro. Never once did I feel a lull in the plot or a moment where I lost my focus on the story. Not having read any of Wyler’s previous works, from his writing I can tell you that he’s a man that studies the craft, and puts what he has learned to good use. The twists come at the precise moment, and some even managed to surprise me.
Overall this was a fantastic read. Wyler is a lover of this genre, and has the potential to rise above the rest as an author of the genre. I loved the character development, the plot twists, and idea of the story as a whole. Wyler has taken what, done poorly, could be a very cheesy idea and molded it into what should be a bestselling novel. I would recommend this book to any fan of thrillers, suspense, and even mystery.
**I received a free copy for review
You’re pulled into the story from the first page. There isn’t a horrific back-story info dump, or drawn out, worthless descriptions of the setting. From the first page you’re met with a story in motion, nicely blended with description, dialogue, inner monologue, and setting. It was a pleasant change to read a book that moved at a good pace from the beginning.
Writers write best when they write what they know, and Wyler did a superb job of doing just that. He has taken his expertise as a neurosurgeon and his love of thriller novels and used it to help craft a fantastic novel. The characters were wonderfully sculpted from the first page, showing us just enough to have the sense that we know them, without boring us with their entire life story. They all have their own voice and mannerisms, their own history and pain. They’re diverse, yet not so much that it would seem impossible for people like that to ever actually interact with each other.
The plot pace was spot on, and that of a pro. Never once did I feel a lull in the plot or a moment where I lost my focus on the story. Not having read any of Wyler’s previous works, from his writing I can tell you that he’s a man that studies the craft, and puts what he has learned to good use. The twists come at the precise moment, and some even managed to surprise me.
Overall this was a fantastic read. Wyler is a lover of this genre, and has the potential to rise above the rest as an author of the genre. I loved the character development, the plot twists, and idea of the story as a whole. Wyler has taken what, done poorly, could be a very cheesy idea and molded it into what should be a bestselling novel. I would recommend this book to any fan of thrillers, suspense, and even mystery.
**I received a free copy for review
August 6, 2012
Dead Ringer was gripping, entertaining and a welcome addition to the medical thrillers family.
Lucas McCrae is one neurosurgeon you don't want to mess with. Not only is he brilliant, but he's also fiercely loyal to his friends. After the shock of seeing his best friend's head on the demonstration table he's determined to find out not only why his friend is dead, buy also how he died. Lucas is the type of character that you admire. He is down to earth, caring and compassionate. He's your everyday good guy and someone you'd want on your side if things went downhill.
The premises of this novel was intriguing. The unusualness and slightly morbid idea of killing prostitutes to sell their body parts was like watching a wreck....you can't look away no matter how horrible it is. I enjoyed this fresh take on a medical thriller, especially the partnership between Lucas, the investigating officer, Wendy Elliot, and Luis, a gang member looking for revenge for his sister's death. It's unexpected, tension filled, and at times a bit saucy, but still fun and exciting.
While I did really enjoy this novel, I felt the ending was a bit rushed and it left me unsatisfied. Don't get me wrong, it was actioned packed and thrilling, but there was something missing from it. I would have liked to seen a more detailed and thought out plan. There were some loose ends that didn't seem to get tied up and left me wondering.
Despite the ending I liked Dead Ringer and I'll be looking forward to more novels from Allen Wyler.
Lucas McCrae is one neurosurgeon you don't want to mess with. Not only is he brilliant, but he's also fiercely loyal to his friends. After the shock of seeing his best friend's head on the demonstration table he's determined to find out not only why his friend is dead, buy also how he died. Lucas is the type of character that you admire. He is down to earth, caring and compassionate. He's your everyday good guy and someone you'd want on your side if things went downhill.
The premises of this novel was intriguing. The unusualness and slightly morbid idea of killing prostitutes to sell their body parts was like watching a wreck....you can't look away no matter how horrible it is. I enjoyed this fresh take on a medical thriller, especially the partnership between Lucas, the investigating officer, Wendy Elliot, and Luis, a gang member looking for revenge for his sister's death. It's unexpected, tension filled, and at times a bit saucy, but still fun and exciting.
While I did really enjoy this novel, I felt the ending was a bit rushed and it left me unsatisfied. Don't get me wrong, it was actioned packed and thrilling, but there was something missing from it. I would have liked to seen a more detailed and thought out plan. There were some loose ends that didn't seem to get tied up and left me wondering.
Despite the ending I liked Dead Ringer and I'll be looking forward to more novels from Allen Wyler.
October 13, 2012
First the pharmaceutical companies now the body parts business. Wyler once again has made me a little freaked out about what goes on within the business of medicine. This is the second book by Allen Wyler that I have read and my favorite. It starts off with quite a surprise.
What happens when not enough people are donating themselves to science? Where do the cadavers and body parts for research and education come from? Dead Ringer shows how easy it is for people to disappear off the streets and end up on a table in a school anatomy lab. Or in the case of Andy Baer, his head finds its way to a demonstration table in Hong Kong where his best friend, neurosurgeon Lucas McRae, is about to perform a craniotomy.
McRae, with the help of Detective Wendy Elliot, who has also lost a friend, set out to find answers and get justice for the deaths of their friends and the hundreds of others who have met their ends for the sole purpose of making a Funeral Director some extra money through selling body parts to researchers, medical schools, etc.
This time, knowing "who did it" didn't hurt the story/suspense since it was more about how to prove the crime and get justice for the almost perfect murders. No bodies, almost perfect records, and the sad truth that those who have been killed are those who will not be missed- makes for a difficult case to make when all they have is circumstantial evidence.
If you like medical thrillers, this is a book you should pick up.
What happens when not enough people are donating themselves to science? Where do the cadavers and body parts for research and education come from? Dead Ringer shows how easy it is for people to disappear off the streets and end up on a table in a school anatomy lab. Or in the case of Andy Baer, his head finds its way to a demonstration table in Hong Kong where his best friend, neurosurgeon Lucas McRae, is about to perform a craniotomy.
McRae, with the help of Detective Wendy Elliot, who has also lost a friend, set out to find answers and get justice for the deaths of their friends and the hundreds of others who have met their ends for the sole purpose of making a Funeral Director some extra money through selling body parts to researchers, medical schools, etc.
This time, knowing "who did it" didn't hurt the story/suspense since it was more about how to prove the crime and get justice for the almost perfect murders. No bodies, almost perfect records, and the sad truth that those who have been killed are those who will not be missed- makes for a difficult case to make when all they have is circumstantial evidence.
If you like medical thrillers, this is a book you should pick up.
November 11, 2012
This is the first book I have read by Allen Wyler. It was an interesting story and does make a reader think about how easy it could be for someone to harvest body parts for medical schools for the purpose of teaching.
Neurosurgeon Lucas McRae discovers his best friend Andy Baer’s head is on his demonstration table in Hong Kong. At first Lucas thinks he is imagining it but when he gets home he is unable to locate him. His wife and Andy’s ex-wife could care less about what has happened to Andy; Lucas owes Andy to find out what happened. Also on the case is Detective Wendy Elliot who is already hot on the trail of a corrupt funeral director who might just have something to do with not only Andy’s disappearance but a whole slew of prostitutes. How can a small time funeral home be able to provide the amount of cadavers demanded by these huge corporations?
The reader is aware just who the killer is and this does not take away from the plot but instead adds intensity. Wyler never goes in depth with the medical details making it appealing to novice readers yet a somewhat complex plot line that will attract even the advanced readers of medical thrillers. The characters are relatable to an average person and while I thought that some parts were a bit weak and the flashing back and forth from past to present to explain some relationships was distracting, I did enjoy the overall story.
(ebook was provided by publicist for an honest review)
Neurosurgeon Lucas McRae discovers his best friend Andy Baer’s head is on his demonstration table in Hong Kong. At first Lucas thinks he is imagining it but when he gets home he is unable to locate him. His wife and Andy’s ex-wife could care less about what has happened to Andy; Lucas owes Andy to find out what happened. Also on the case is Detective Wendy Elliot who is already hot on the trail of a corrupt funeral director who might just have something to do with not only Andy’s disappearance but a whole slew of prostitutes. How can a small time funeral home be able to provide the amount of cadavers demanded by these huge corporations?
The reader is aware just who the killer is and this does not take away from the plot but instead adds intensity. Wyler never goes in depth with the medical details making it appealing to novice readers yet a somewhat complex plot line that will attract even the advanced readers of medical thrillers. The characters are relatable to an average person and while I thought that some parts were a bit weak and the flashing back and forth from past to present to explain some relationships was distracting, I did enjoy the overall story.
(ebook was provided by publicist for an honest review)
July 22, 2012
I didn’t know what to expect with this book, the author is a neurosurgeon and that sounded…well boring to me. I was wrong….BOOM the book started with a splash and just got better from there. You know what it’s like to run into people you know when on vacation? Strange and yet somehow interesting…well this is even more interesting and yet disturbing at the same time.
Have you even seen someone that looks just like someone else and yet they aren’t that person you know? Strange and yes it happens, we call them Dead Ringers….well this is a twist of that and let me say that it is freaky.
A fast paced mystery that kept me turning the page and staying up way too late. I wanted to know what happened to the bad guys and to the good guys for that matter. If you like murder mysteries then this is the book for you. Even when you know Who-dunnit- you have to figure out a way to prove it without getting yourself killed in the process. The cops can only do so much and then it is up to you to finish it.
Give this book a chance and I don’t think you will be disappointed.
Have you even seen someone that looks just like someone else and yet they aren’t that person you know? Strange and yes it happens, we call them Dead Ringers….well this is a twist of that and let me say that it is freaky.
A fast paced mystery that kept me turning the page and staying up way too late. I wanted to know what happened to the bad guys and to the good guys for that matter. If you like murder mysteries then this is the book for you. Even when you know Who-dunnit- you have to figure out a way to prove it without getting yourself killed in the process. The cops can only do so much and then it is up to you to finish it.
Give this book a chance and I don’t think you will be disappointed.
September 3, 2012
Dead Ringer is one of those books that grabs you right from the beginning and does not let you go until the last page has been turned. I started reading Robin Cook many years ago and got hooked on this type of story. Dead Ringer is about the body part business and how a good thing that can help many people with legally donated body parts, turns to something sinister and evil. All for someones greed for money. Allen Wyler is a gifted writer who is able to tell a great story with the knowledge that comes from experience. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, as a matter of fact as soon as I finished it, I went and bought the author's first book. Definitely a 5 star in my book!!
August 16, 2012
I wasn't quite sure I was going to like this book. I thought the medical side of it might turn me off, however this book was great. I received it as an ARC from the publisher, and it needs a bit of finishing work, there is a few places where the wrong word is used (the instead of they for example) but I'm sure that will get picked up in final edits. This book was definitely a little outside what I would normally pick up, but I really enjoyed it, and will consider Wyler's other novels as future reads. I think when this comes out I will buy one for my mother-in-law.
October 7, 2012
DEAD RINGER was a great medical thriller. I was hooked right from the first page. It was definitely a page turner and the author did a fantastic job keeping my interest. The characters were well developed and I felt a part of them. It was a tough book to put down but I did need to sleep. One of the first books that I have ever wanted to stay up and read all night. It is a definite “must read”
Rating: 4.5
Reviewed by: KellyR
RECEIVED FROM THE PUBLISHER FOR AN HONEST REVIEW BY MY BOOK ADDICTION AND MORE
Rating: 4.5
Reviewed by: KellyR
RECEIVED FROM THE PUBLISHER FOR AN HONEST REVIEW BY MY BOOK ADDICTION AND MORE
April 17, 2014
Fun little mystery thriller, first I've read by this author.
Mr. Wyler starts out kind of rocky... with a repetitive boiler plate template to develop his character's personalities and idiosyncrasies. However, after the first couple of chapters he really hits his gears and the rest of the story has excellent writing quality.
I love how he gave the story a twist at the end. It's always fun when the unexpected happens.
Mr. Wyler starts out kind of rocky... with a repetitive boiler plate template to develop his character's personalities and idiosyncrasies. However, after the first couple of chapters he really hits his gears and the rest of the story has excellent writing quality.
I love how he gave the story a twist at the end. It's always fun when the unexpected happens.
September 18, 2012
A fabulous medical mystery thriller! This one is about the illegal harvesting of body parts. A neurosurgeon goes to Hong Kong for a demonstration of a procedure only to unwrap a "fresh head" and to find it's his best friend's! Thus starts his quest to find out how it got there...a fast-paced whodunit and much more. I loved this book.
April 19, 2014
Dead Ringer defines justice versus law.
This is a good medical mystery involving body harvesting via a murderous funeral director and his loyal henchman. The characters are believable in their hero or villain roles. The ending comes down to a pay back scenario rather than a drawn out court room showdown.
This is a good medical mystery involving body harvesting via a murderous funeral director and his loyal henchman. The characters are believable in their hero or villain roles. The ending comes down to a pay back scenario rather than a drawn out court room showdown.
June 8, 2014
Such a great idea... but so badly done. Ugh. I'm surprised I got through the entire thing.
September 4, 2014
average book I was left hoping for more medical mystery
August 14, 2014
an excellent read
July 3, 2015
One of WYLER's best
Moves right along You may think you have it figured out, but then again in the end, maybe not. Good summer read
Moves right along You may think you have it figured out, but then again in the end, maybe not. Good summer read
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