To Sleep... Perchance to Die

by Donald R. Grippo

Tangled lives, tainted love, and a Shakespearean twist lead to deception, betrayal, and murder. In this sexy, psychological thriller, Eurasian beauty Mai Faca plots to marry Jake Warden, a successful oral surgeon forbidden to her because of family honor. In an unheard-of scheme, fellow surgeon, Bret Manley, falls victim to Mai’s seduction as she and Jake play a cruel trick to be together. Jake acts with surgical precision to clear the path to Mai’s happiness, threatening lives including his own. In a wake of turmoil and destruction, Bret’s uncle and well-known criminal attorney Hubie Santos attempts to find out if a surgeon would use his knowledge to kill.

Genres: Suspense

232 pages, Hardcover

First published May 28, 2013

About the author

Donald R. Grippo, D.D.S., practiced oral and maxillofacial surgery in northeastern Connecticut for more than 30 years. On a daily basis, the doctor encountered the patients’ fear of undergoing oral surgery and associated intravenous anesthesia. To help allay such fear he wrote, A Guide to the Guy or Gal Who Takes Your Teeth Out, a series of short stories dealing with the treatment of typical oral surgical problems. His resume includes working as a dentist at the Tennessee State Prison outside of Nashville and as a guard at the Hartford State Jail on Syms Street in Hartford, Connecticut.

These life experiences were drawn upon to tell a story and bring depth to the characters in To Sleep…Perchance to Die. Hubert (Hubie) Santos, the only non-fictional character, is a well-known criminal attorney who practices in Hartford, Connecticut. He has handled many high profile cases, including the appeal of Michael Skakel in the murder of Martha Moxley.

B-Dental-CaduceusDon is a native of Enfield, Connecticut. He went to Suffield Academy in Suffield, Connecticut, and Syracuse University where he majored in psychology. He received his dental degree from Meharry Medical College School of Dentistry in Nashville, Tennessee, and his oral and maxillofacial surgical training at Weill Cornell Medical College/The New York Hospital in New York City.

He has lived most of his adult life in Windham Center, Connecticut and Mystic, Connecticut. His current residence is Sanford, Florida.

Reviews

[A Voracious Reader (a.k.a. Carol) · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

*Book source ~ A review copy was provided in exchange for an honest review.

Mai Faca and Jake Warden are lovers. Jake is getting out of a bad marriage and will soon be free, but Mai’s parents hate Jews and Jake is one whether he practices or not. Her family would never condone a marriage between her and a Jew, so the family would kill him outright and she would be banished. She loves her family and doesn’t want to be banished. So they have to come up with some other way to be together. Enter Jake’s friend and co-worker Bret Manley. Bret has no idea what he’s getting himself into, but he’ll find out.

First off, Jake and Mai have no redeeming qualities and make pretty good villains in this story. They are detestable. I felt sorry for Bret the more I read. He started out seeming to be a bit of an ass, but then he gets duped in the worst possible way. Yet, for all that he goes through, he doesn’t let it change the fundamental ‘him’. I love his Uncle Hubie and the PI Dillon, too.

The plot in this story is on the thin side. There’s not much substance to it except the long term plan of Mai and Jake to be together. The writing isn’t bad, but the lack of plot made it seem to drag along in spots. There isn’t much excitement and it isn’t fast-paced. Overall it’s not a bad read, but it’s not the most stimulating either.

[Tammy Hastings · Rating 3 out of 5]

I won a copy of this book through First Reads Giveaways.

I enjoyed it. I really hated the characters of Mia and Jake. They are just totally AWFUL people with no redeeming qualities. They almost overpower the book with their bitterness. However, there are some redeeming moments, such as Bret's choice not to seek vengeance on his prison cell-mate and the tireless pursuit of justice by Bret's uncle and his 'crew' of detectives and lawyers. There were some things that didn't really flow well, however, and the beginning of the book really didn't jive with the end of it... And there were some pacing issues that caused the book to drag a bit. A solid three stars.

[Jane · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read this book because it was written by a neighbor and chosen by my neighborhood book club. I would rate it as an below-average murder mystery in terms of story line and writing style. From the beginning, I felt the writing was below par - including all the little catchy things they teach you in writing class, such as "The room was as dark as his thoughts". The fact that they were so noticeable detracted from the story. I glanced at one of the reviews that said this book was sexy - I think not! The characters were quite unconvincing and the story-line was unbelievable. That all said, it was a fast read :)

[Todd Russell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me check out this uncorrected proof. This novel is due out in June 2013.

Trouble abounds for surgeon Bret Manley when he is caught in between a devious love triangle. His surgeon friend Jake Warden will do anything to possess Bret's wife, Mai Faca, and she's all too happy to help him scheme and deceive behind Manley's back.

This debut novel from Donald R. Grippo, an oral surgeon, was a bit of a surprise in subject matter. Despite reading the book's blurb (which is an accurate portrayal of the contents), I thought this might be a medical thriller a la Robin Cook and Michael Palmer, but it's more like a suspense, romance tale with a sprinkling of legal drama (I was thinking for a moment there might be a--seriously--Perry Mason moment in court). It's more drama than action-based. Every once in awhile, I like reading something different and this was a nice departure from my regular diet of horror, thrillers, mystery and sci-fi.

There are some good character building scenes and scenes where more telling than showing was used. I wish there had been a little more mystery and intrigue in some scenes. Still, I found myself enjoying this tale more than I expected. I disliked the characters I was supposed to dislike and rooted for the main character, his uncle attorney and the private investigator.

Interesting sidenote: the attorney is a real attorney used with permission fictitiously.

The bad characters weren't too bad, there was enough depth, history and background to make me understand and find their actions plausible.

Despite some warts and pacing issues--some scenes that dragged, other important ones that seemed to be over too fast--this is an above average read for a debut novel. I would probably be interested in reading another work from this author, assuming the story contained more action. For those who enjoy romance and suspense with a hint of legal drama, you might want to check this out. 3.5 stars, rounded down.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

To Sleep ... Perchance to Die by Donald Grippo, published June 1, 2013. What can I say about this book to do it justice? I'm not really sure actually, I liked the book, don't get me wrong, but I didn't love the book. I can honestly say it was good, and even the cover grabbed my attention. That was why I had requested it in the first place. The way it was written just kind of confused me from time to time I guess was my problem. It would interest me then lose me somewhere along the way. I loved the plot to it, it was very gripping and I felt so badly for poor Bret who was only trying to be a good friend to Jake, who in turn ends up ruining Bret's life and career. As for Mai, I have so many things I can say about that character, she reminds me of someone I know. She was the perfect bad girl, conniving, slutty, sexy, she knew just what to say and do to get what she wants. She first gets poor Jake to fall for her and plays the poor victim of a jealous and controlling boyfriend and gets him to do something terrible for her. When she has him convinced that she cannot be with him because he is Jewish and her family will not allow that she comes up with the idea to be with Bret but to really be with Jake the whole time. So together they play with Bret's emotions and drug him when they want to be together. They then get tired of him being in their "relationship" and decide to do away with him. What they do to him is just horrible and I felt mad at them for him. What he goes through while where he ends up is also horrible and unspeakable and what he ends up not doing says a lot about him as a person. Even after everything that he went through he still doesn't sink to the level that the people he loved did. I personally would have killed Sammy like he had planned to do. Overall I would rate this book a three and a half stars, only because like I had said I got lost so often.

[Heather · Rating 2 out of 5]

Let me start by saying that I love this cover. I didn’t initially notice the image reflected on the eye, and I think it’s a fantastic touch. I always thought the cover was eye-catching (pardon the pun – I couldn’t think of another way to say it), but upon this little discovery think it’s that much better.

Unfortunately, I don’t think the story lives up to the cover. Not at all. It’s interesting, but so convoluted and so out there that it just doesn’t work for me. And way too much is revealed along the way. There’s little suspense, little tension. The reader already knows the whole story – on both sides. There’s no mystery and really no surprises, either. I supposed there’s a little bit of tension when waiting to see if Bret is able to get exonerated, but I didn’t find it enough to redeem the book.

I had a big problem with Hubie’s private investigator. I find it hard to believe he’d jeopardize his case – and ignore his own code of conduct – for this case. There’s nothing suggestion that it’s touched him on a personal level or anything. He just inexplicably bends the rules to get his result. Prior to that he seemed like a good guy, so I think that should have been better explained. Why would he do that in this case? Just being pissed off isn’t an answer – there has to be something bigger to get someone to completely throw out their self-imposed code of conduct.

Despite my issues, I found myself rooting for Bret. I hoped things would work out in his favor, and I hoped everyone involved would be made to pay for their crimes.

[T.B. Markinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Real rating: 3.5

I’m a sucker for murder mysteries so when I had the chance to join this book tour I was super excited. The book starts off well and hooked me. Jake and Mia are really horrible people. There wasn’t one thing that I liked about them and it’s fun to really hate the villains. I went back and forth with Bret. I did feel sorry for him, yet there were times when I felt like he really just turned a blind eye to major warning signs. This bugged me some. But in the end, he redeemed himself and no person should have to endure what he did. I won’t go into details.

In the beginning, I thought the author started off on the right foot. In the middle there were some issues with the flow of the story. Sometimes there is too much detail that really has nothing to do with the plot, such as one of Bret’s employees. He’s only mentioned a couple of times before the employee quits. As far as I could tell, the character didn’t have a role in the murder plot so why was he necessary? Instances like this, tampered down the thrilling part of a thriller. Overall, I enjoyed the story. And it’s the type of story that is terrifying since being falsely accused of a crime could happen in real life. That scares me.

[Amberr Meadows · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lovers of medical thrillers with murderous plots, forbidden relationships, and betrayals will want to read To Sleep...Perchance to Die. Donald Grippo ties everything together in an intricately woven plot of well-developed characters you either love or hate (no in-between), perfectly-timed climax, and an ending strategically placed at the beginning that sets the tone of foreboding from the very beginning. You already know someone's going to die, and it makes you hungry to race through the pages to discover the culprit.

I read To Sleep...Perchance to Die in one sitting and mulled over the book for hours after. Just considering the lengths Jake goes to for his forbidden love, including the cruel betrayal of his best friend and worse, made me briefly a little paranoid about my own circle of friends and acquaintances.

I hated the cliffhanger end, not because it detracted from the novel, but because I'll have to wait impatiently for the next book. There is no doubt I'll be getting my copy. As a finishing observation, I love the cover art; simple, sterile, and somewhat haunting. Bravo, Dr. Grippo, you have an avid new fan in me!

[gautami · Rating 4 out of 5]

Two people set out to destroy another. Why? Now that is complicated. Jake and Brett are oral surgeons. Mia, unknown to Jake, chooses him to be in her life. He is much in love with her and kills for her. So much so that he traps his best friend, Bret Manley in their plotting. Mia seduces Bret, marries him. She and Jake carry on with their affair behind his back.

With surgical precision, they destroy his life. Bret ends up in jail for murder he did not compete. However, his uncle Hubie Santos is a well known criminal attorney. He sets out to find out the truth by hiring a private investigator. For more than a year, there is no breakthrough. Then the PI hits the jackpot....

It works well as a psychological thriller. Mia and Jake are evil. The way he uses his medical knowledge to kill is very scary. For Mia, he is prepared to die. And Mia?

It might not appeal to all but for crime fiction readers, I would say go for it, if you like deception, passion, betrayal and murder, all thrown in good measures.

[Victoria Brinius · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great medical drama that had a lot of interesting medical facts. There was also murder, a messed up couple that deserve each other and a naive man that wanted to believe Mai. Bret was my favorite character, especially when he started to realize Mai's true personality. I also liked that the author wrote about oral surgery. I could tell that he knew a lot about that subject, and his knowledge made the book more realistic. I also want to mention that the author is from NorthEast Connecticut, and he is actually from a town that I have been in before! The anti-Jew plot reminded me that there are all kinds of racism and hate in the world. It was interesting to see how Mai would rather lie and disrupt so many lives then to stick up for the man she loved. Although maybe she was afraid that her love would get killed. This was definitely an interesting book. I am giving this book a 4/5. I was given a copy to review, however all opinions are my own.

[Dawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book for an honest review.

To Sleep…Perchance to Die is a psychological thriller that is hard to put down. It’s hard to believe that this is Donald R. Grippo’s first novel.

The characters are well developed. Two of the main characters, Jake and Mai, are the kind of people that you love to hate. It got to the point that nothing they did surprised me. The other main character, Bret, is a good guy but he’s clueless and at first I was thinking that he was too trusting. The more I thought about it, though, the more I realized that he’s a typical person in love. Why would he suspect the woman he loves and his best friend?

If you like psychological thrillers, you should get this book. It’s a page turner with a lot of twists and is full of suspense.

[Angela Thompson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very rarely does a book keep me glued to its pages to the very last page. Usually the last chapter or so of a book ties up the story into a neat little summarized package. While the author's writing style took a bit to catch my interest early on; Grippo kept the book's action and slight suspense flowing to the very end. To Sleep...Perchance to Die didn't leave a lot of loose ends--although a little mystery remained after the last page. If you enjoy psychological thrillers (and don't mind more than a few racy love scenes and adult themes)--you need to add this book to your reading list. I would certainly look forward to reading more from this author.

I received a copy of this book for use in a blog review. All opinions are my own.

[Christa Nardi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Definitely a story of betrayal on all fronts targeting Bret Manley, who sees and believes what he wants to - that Mai is in love with him and his best friend, Jake, is only acting in his best interests. It is a devious plot that Mai and Jake device, seemingly the perfect crime. The various pieces are planned and fall into place like an intricate puzzle with Bret left in despair. Even when Bret and his uncle Hubie Santos are certain that Jake and Mai are behind the murder of Bret's neighbor, there is no hard proof - it is just the most logical explanation. Well-developed plot and characters that are either likable or not. But Santos and his private investigator just wait on the inevitable - the single mistake or mis-step of the weakest link.

[Heather Spergel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I grabbed this book initially due to the intense cover and then solidified my desire to read it just with the title. This psych thriller leads you down a road of love, deception, and murder like not many books can- and in a way that didn't disappoint. I read this book in just a few days (frustratingly interrupted by my own life). This page turner was well written, packed with interesting factual info (oral surgery and jury/court case facts), and the characters felt tangible. I could picture each character as the book progressed and loved how the author carefully twisted and turned the story around their lives. Well done!

[NaTaya Hastings · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hmmm... I'm of mixed minds about this book. It was a pretty decent book, but the beginning (which is really an ending placed in the beginning for effect) makes absolutely no sense in terms of how the book ends, and that REALLY bothers me. I kept waiting for the book to catch up with that opening scene and make sense, but it never did. Even after I completed the book, I went back and re-read that first scene to make sure I hadn't misunderstood... and nope, it still didn't make sense. So yeah. Overall, it was an okay book, but nothing overly spectacular.

[Katy · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was a bit slow to start, but got pretty interesting. I wouldn't say the plot is awful - there is action, deceit, suspense, and the end was still a bit of a surprise. However, the writing was very "wrting class"esque. The descriptions seemed forced and the syntax was often choppy. I was thankful to get to the end of the book just so I could read something else. It definitely took a bit of oomph for me to force myself through the book.

[Connie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book as a Giveaway through Goodreads. I actually started reading it last night and I finished it last night.

The story immediately caught my interest and I was unable to stop reading it until finished.

An excellent story and very well written. I recommend it as a MUST READ!To Sleep... Perchance to Die

[Jeanne Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my first conscious encounter with intertextuality! But don't let that worry you! His chapter quotes make for a fun read, alluding to what the reader may want to anticipate happening. Based on his academic, office and penal experiences he captured those settings very well and wove an interesting but light read!

[Cristy Kidd · Rating 4 out of 5]

To Sleep…Perchance to Die is a medical thriller and murder mystery that kept me in a fairly constant state of jaw-on-the-floor-what-the-hell-are-they-thinking shock, right to the end. To see my full review, visit: http://ladyinread.com/2014/05/29/chal...

[Ingrid Davidsen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book and could not put it down. Never thought there could be such despicable, selfish, lustful people in the world but author Donald Grippo served them up on a tasty platter full of spicy deceit and a forward-moving plot that pulled me in from the start.