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Brier Hospital #8
State of Mind
Dr. Kimberly Powell, a Ph.D. in neuropsychology, works in a research lab trying to understand the roots of violence by stimulating the brains of aggressive rats to reduce their savagery. Her successes lead to phase I safety trials in volunteers and prisoners, and then to phase II and III studies in patients.
Soon it becomes clear that Kim’s brain stimulating techniques, besides controlling aggression, offer the potential to cure a number of medical problems including Parkinson’s disease, depression, PTSD, and many others.
When the court instructs Kim to treat a psychopathic killer, she’s appalled. What would such a killer, if cured, still owe to his victims and to society? The ethical implications of the research and especially its application on humans are substantial, but so, too, is Kim’s altruistic desire to help.
Kim must decide how far and how fast these trials should proceed—and, at what cost?
Soon it becomes clear that Kim’s brain stimulating techniques, besides controlling aggression, offer the potential to cure a number of medical problems including Parkinson’s disease, depression, PTSD, and many others.
When the court instructs Kim to treat a psychopathic killer, she’s appalled. What would such a killer, if cured, still owe to his victims and to society? The ethical implications of the research and especially its application on humans are substantial, but so, too, is Kim’s altruistic desire to help.
Kim must decide how far and how fast these trials should proceed—and, at what cost?
- GenresThriller
319 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 21, 2015
13 people are currently reading
63 people want to read
About the author
Lawrence W. Gold
28 books38 followersLawrence W. Gold, MD is a retired physician. He is a veteran of the Vietnam War where he served in an evacuation hospital, ran an emergency room and was a Battalion Surgeon. He completed his training in internal medicine and diseases of the kidney in 1968.
He retired in 1995 after 23 years in a hospital-based practice caring for patients with complicated illnesses and served as Chief of Medicine. After retirement he and his wife, Doris, spent time sailing at sea. He has written three screenplays based on his novels. His screenplay for Rage won honorable mention at the 80th annual Writer's Digest contest. He lives in Grass Valley, CA with his wife.
He retired in 1995 after 23 years in a hospital-based practice caring for patients with complicated illnesses and served as Chief of Medicine. After retirement he and his wife, Doris, spent time sailing at sea. He has written three screenplays based on his novels. His screenplay for Rage won honorable mention at the 80th annual Writer's Digest contest. He lives in Grass Valley, CA with his wife.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
February 15, 2015
I received a copy of the ePub from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Lawrence W. Gold has written an original novel once again.
Kim’s childhood trauma is the driving force of the novel. Her childhood experiences influences the rest of her life. The author cleverly shows her brilliance, inner strength and determination through her words and actions. The secondary characters are strong and distinct as well.
The novel explores human ethics on many levels giving the reader a glimpse into brain research. The author’s expertise does not disappoint. Brain research is cutting edge and topical. State of Mind is a smart read.
The plot moves quickly and flows perfectly. The many layers are woven throughout the novel seamlessly. The ending is certainly not predictable. Gold is a creative and talented storyteller. This read does not disappoint.
Lawrence W. Gold has written an original novel once again.
Kim’s childhood trauma is the driving force of the novel. Her childhood experiences influences the rest of her life. The author cleverly shows her brilliance, inner strength and determination through her words and actions. The secondary characters are strong and distinct as well.
The novel explores human ethics on many levels giving the reader a glimpse into brain research. The author’s expertise does not disappoint. Brain research is cutting edge and topical. State of Mind is a smart read.
The plot moves quickly and flows perfectly. The many layers are woven throughout the novel seamlessly. The ending is certainly not predictable. Gold is a creative and talented storyteller. This read does not disappoint.
April 18, 2015
When we think of medical science, we forget that the doctors and scientists behind the breakthroughs are human, flawed and often with their own agenda, good or bad. And don’t forget the government involvement when it comes to break-through treatments. State of Mind by Lawrence W. Gold gets down to the grit in the bullpens of the medical world while strategically using his own medical background to create a true sense of realism and drama.
A new breakthrough treatment for Parkinson’s, aggression and PTSD has been found, in the cutting edge science of trying to ferret out the secrets of the brain. Is it safe to go to trials or should more testing be done? Kim Powell is her group’s voice of reason and of ethical conscience, but the powers that be think they know better and offer up convicts to use as test patients. Will their aggressive behavior be tamed? How long will it last? Will there be unforeseen backlashes?
Kim has a haunted past which has never left her, her intelligence and personal commitment and drive are reflective of her trauma. Is it affecting how she sees her research?
Just like in the laboratory, the end result of this story is hidden behind the twists and turns of a well-written plot that takes the reader on a journey behind the scenes of an amazing scientific find. If you enjoy the drama of a good medical mystery, filled with intrigue and poking at the ins and outs of the politics, finances and their impact on the great minds behind the microscope, Lawrence W. Gold has a story to tell and he does it a powerful stroke of his pen.
Make an appointment with yourself to remember to check out this enthralling and thought-provoking read! Put this one under the microscope, you’ll be amazed at what you read!
I received this copy from Lawrence W. Gold in exchange for my honest review.
Series: Brier Hospital - Book 8
Publication Date: January 21, 2015
Publisher: Lawrence W. Gold
ISBN-10: 1507612311
ISBN-13: 978-1507612316
Genre: Medical Thriller | Suspense
Print Length: 281 pages
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Reviewed for: http://tometender.blogspot.com
A new breakthrough treatment for Parkinson’s, aggression and PTSD has been found, in the cutting edge science of trying to ferret out the secrets of the brain. Is it safe to go to trials or should more testing be done? Kim Powell is her group’s voice of reason and of ethical conscience, but the powers that be think they know better and offer up convicts to use as test patients. Will their aggressive behavior be tamed? How long will it last? Will there be unforeseen backlashes?
Kim has a haunted past which has never left her, her intelligence and personal commitment and drive are reflective of her trauma. Is it affecting how she sees her research?
Just like in the laboratory, the end result of this story is hidden behind the twists and turns of a well-written plot that takes the reader on a journey behind the scenes of an amazing scientific find. If you enjoy the drama of a good medical mystery, filled with intrigue and poking at the ins and outs of the politics, finances and their impact on the great minds behind the microscope, Lawrence W. Gold has a story to tell and he does it a powerful stroke of his pen.
Make an appointment with yourself to remember to check out this enthralling and thought-provoking read! Put this one under the microscope, you’ll be amazed at what you read!
I received this copy from Lawrence W. Gold in exchange for my honest review.
Series: Brier Hospital - Book 8
Publication Date: January 21, 2015
Publisher: Lawrence W. Gold
ISBN-10: 1507612311
ISBN-13: 978-1507612316
Genre: Medical Thriller | Suspense
Print Length: 281 pages
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Reviewed for: http://tometender.blogspot.com
February 20, 2015
I received this book for a fair review.
Overview: Kim Powell is part of a new type of research into influencing the mind. Both she and her fellow researchers: David, Phil, and Bernie, believe that they have found a way to help those with Parkinson’s Disease, PTSD, and aggression problems. How are they going to handle being told to treat a psychopath’s brain?
Likes: I actually enjoyed Abbie this time around. She seemed more confident than in “Never To Late.” Raul, and those from the District Attorney’s office were some pretty good people.
Dislikes: I don’t believe Maria or her family received justice, at all. Here a girl is brutally murdered, and it seemed like all anyone cared about was ‘what is going to happen to Jose?’. Where are people’s priorities? And Kim was too wishy-washy for my tastes.
Conclusion: It’s a decent story. I hope you enjoy it.
Overview: Kim Powell is part of a new type of research into influencing the mind. Both she and her fellow researchers: David, Phil, and Bernie, believe that they have found a way to help those with Parkinson’s Disease, PTSD, and aggression problems. How are they going to handle being told to treat a psychopath’s brain?
Likes: I actually enjoyed Abbie this time around. She seemed more confident than in “Never To Late.” Raul, and those from the District Attorney’s office were some pretty good people.
Dislikes: I don’t believe Maria or her family received justice, at all. Here a girl is brutally murdered, and it seemed like all anyone cared about was ‘what is going to happen to Jose?’. Where are people’s priorities? And Kim was too wishy-washy for my tastes.
Conclusion: It’s a decent story. I hope you enjoy it.
February 24, 2018
“My God. This reminds me of Nazi concentration camps.”
Lawrence W. Gold, MD is a physician/author who takes risks with his books: ‘BRIER HOSPITAL’ books - FIRST, DO NO HARM, NO CURE FOR MURDER, THE SIXTH SENSE, TORTURED MEMORY, THE PLAGUE WITHIN, TRAPPED, HYBRID – and FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, RAGE, A SIMPLE CURE, OUT OF DARKNESS and now STATE OF MIND, Book 8 of the Brier Hospital Series - are stories that reveal some rather grim aspects of the medical profession. (For those who follow Dr. Gold's literary output then the mention of his warmly humorous book I LOVE MY DOCTOR, BUT...must be included as a sidebar). Gold has retired from medicine (he was a Nephrologist, having served as a Battalion Surgeon in Vietnam at the same time as this reviewer) and it is understandable that he wishes to uses his patently obvious skills as a writer as his post-medical career. One wonders why he continues to use the MD after his name in this successful second career, but perhaps the intent is to add validity to his writing.
The mainline of exploration of this book is a tough one and Gold explains it well: ‘While we have made substantial progress against a whole range of medical problems, why do psychiatric and behavioral ones remain so difficult? Depression, schizophrenia, psychopathy, criminality, and the mundane emotional problems of living seem largely beyond our control. Treating medical problems, except in extraordinary circumstances, avoids moral complexities while attempts at controlling neuropsychiatric disorders are fraught with ethical pitfalls. The newest technology, transcranial stimulation of the brain by electricity, magnets, or ultrasound may prove to be effective tools, but they create the next level of ethical dilemmas in medicine. Procedures on the brain go back to the late 1800s, but they made their major impact in the 40’s, 50’s and 60’s with a psychosurgical procedure known as frontal lobotomy. While that’s frightening by today’s standards, in 1949 António Egas Monitz shared the Nobel Prize for Physiology and Medicine for the discovery of the therapeutic value of frontal lobotomy in certain psychosis. Today, we have the ability to perform such surgery without the mess created by the scalpel, the ice pick, or the bone saw. While I believe that these new procedures offer humanity great hope for dealing with intractable medical problems, such a depression, Parkinson’s disease, PTSD, and others, I’m not as hopeful about our ability to use these powers wisely. Good intentions, even humanitarian ones, are not enough as J. Robert Oppenheimer, the father of the atomic bomb said, “Now I am become Death, the destroyer or worlds.”
To summarize the plot, Dr. Kimberly Powell, a Ph.D. in neuropsychology, works in a research lab trying to understand the roots of violence by stimulating the brains of aggressive rats to reduce their savagery. Her successes lead to phase I safety trials in volunteers and prisoners, and then to phase II and III studies in patients. Soon it becomes clear that Kim’s brain stimulating techniques, besides controlling aggression, offer the potential to cure a number of medical problems including Parkinson’s disease, depression, PTSD, and many others. When the court instructs her to treat a psychopathic killer, she’s appalled. What would such a killer, if cured, still owe to his victims and to society? The ethical implications of the research and especially its application on humans are substantial, but so, too, is her altruistic desire to help. Where is the balance and how far and how fast should these trials proceed—and, at what cost?’
Once again Gold takes on tough subject ideas and weaves them into his extraordinary stories that share many more aspects of the medical field than we usually see. Another excellent novel from Lawrence Gold.
Lawrence W. Gold, MD is a physician/author who takes risks with his books: ‘BRIER HOSPITAL’ books - FIRST, DO NO HARM, NO CURE FOR MURDER, THE SIXTH SENSE, TORTURED MEMORY, THE PLAGUE WITHIN, TRAPPED, HYBRID – and FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, RAGE, A SIMPLE CURE, OUT OF DARKNESS and now STATE OF MIND, Book 8 of the Brier Hospital Series - are stories that reveal some rather grim aspects of the medical profession. (For those who follow Dr. Gold's literary output then the mention of his warmly humorous book I LOVE MY DOCTOR, BUT...must be included as a sidebar). Gold has retired from medicine (he was a Nephrologist, having served as a Battalion Surgeon in Vietnam at the same time as this reviewer) and it is understandable that he wishes to uses his patently obvious skills as a writer as his post-medical career. One wonders why he continues to use the MD after his name in this successful second career, but perhaps the intent is to add validity to his writing.
The mainline of exploration of this book is a tough one and Gold explains it well: ‘While we have made substantial progress against a whole range of medical problems, why do psychiatric and behavioral ones remain so difficult? Depression, schizophrenia, psychopathy, criminality, and the mundane emotional problems of living seem largely beyond our control. Treating medical problems, except in extraordinary circumstances, avoids moral complexities while attempts at controlling neuropsychiatric disorders are fraught with ethical pitfalls. The newest technology, transcranial stimulation of the brain by electricity, magnets, or ultrasound may prove to be effective tools, but they create the next level of ethical dilemmas in medicine. Procedures on the brain go back to the late 1800s, but they made their major impact in the 40’s, 50’s and 60’s with a psychosurgical procedure known as frontal lobotomy. While that’s frightening by today’s standards, in 1949 António Egas Monitz shared the Nobel Prize for Physiology and Medicine for the discovery of the therapeutic value of frontal lobotomy in certain psychosis. Today, we have the ability to perform such surgery without the mess created by the scalpel, the ice pick, or the bone saw. While I believe that these new procedures offer humanity great hope for dealing with intractable medical problems, such a depression, Parkinson’s disease, PTSD, and others, I’m not as hopeful about our ability to use these powers wisely. Good intentions, even humanitarian ones, are not enough as J. Robert Oppenheimer, the father of the atomic bomb said, “Now I am become Death, the destroyer or worlds.”
To summarize the plot, Dr. Kimberly Powell, a Ph.D. in neuropsychology, works in a research lab trying to understand the roots of violence by stimulating the brains of aggressive rats to reduce their savagery. Her successes lead to phase I safety trials in volunteers and prisoners, and then to phase II and III studies in patients. Soon it becomes clear that Kim’s brain stimulating techniques, besides controlling aggression, offer the potential to cure a number of medical problems including Parkinson’s disease, depression, PTSD, and many others. When the court instructs her to treat a psychopathic killer, she’s appalled. What would such a killer, if cured, still owe to his victims and to society? The ethical implications of the research and especially its application on humans are substantial, but so, too, is her altruistic desire to help. Where is the balance and how far and how fast should these trials proceed—and, at what cost?’
Once again Gold takes on tough subject ideas and weaves them into his extraordinary stories that share many more aspects of the medical field than we usually see. Another excellent novel from Lawrence Gold.
January 26, 2019
????
Jose was a perfectly normal acting individual until his traumatic brain injury. It's amazing what that can do to a normal person.
Jose was a perfectly normal acting individual until his traumatic brain injury. It's amazing what that can do to a normal person.
February 3, 2015
This is good, bordering on great. It's the kind of story that's got a great premise, with a really solid story and interesting characters. Its greatest pitfall is not enough literary descriptions.
Basic blurb: scientists learn how to cure enrage minds. PTSD and psychos are reduced. Scientists are recruited to work on a legal case where a young man seemingly bonked his head then changed personalities.
Just based on reading this novel alone, I think I can safely make the assumption that the author has some real world experience in the medical industry, and more than likely lives in northern California. The sheer amount of knowledge in here was astounding, because it all felt so realistic. I didn't have to suspend belief--this felt like a very real scenario going on that I could follow in the news.
There was a great deal of background, which I was worried would be too dry after a while (I was then proven wrong). It never got boring. I think perhaps the reason is because the more action-y parts were interspersed with the data gathering, so it didn't feel too slow in any single part or too rapid in others. There was definite build up to the big finale.
The part that I loved the most was the big ending.
BLOWS YOUR MIND.
It's an awesome ending, one I certainly didn't see coming. I loved that it was that clever, and I am glad I picked this up.
Really, the only thing I'd say is that the book needs a bit more of a literary element. The knowledge is there and the plot is there, but there's very little in the way of descriptions. I couldn't really tell you what any of the rooms looked like, I couldn't tell you people's facial expressions too much. I can't even remember Kim's hair color. All it needs is that little extra touch to make it seem more like a novel and not as much a summation of lab findings mixed with dialogue.
Basic blurb: scientists learn how to cure enrage minds. PTSD and psychos are reduced. Scientists are recruited to work on a legal case where a young man seemingly bonked his head then changed personalities.
Just based on reading this novel alone, I think I can safely make the assumption that the author has some real world experience in the medical industry, and more than likely lives in northern California. The sheer amount of knowledge in here was astounding, because it all felt so realistic. I didn't have to suspend belief--this felt like a very real scenario going on that I could follow in the news.
There was a great deal of background, which I was worried would be too dry after a while (I was then proven wrong). It never got boring. I think perhaps the reason is because the more action-y parts were interspersed with the data gathering, so it didn't feel too slow in any single part or too rapid in others. There was definite build up to the big finale.
The part that I loved the most was the big ending.
BLOWS YOUR MIND.
It's an awesome ending, one I certainly didn't see coming. I loved that it was that clever, and I am glad I picked this up.
Really, the only thing I'd say is that the book needs a bit more of a literary element. The knowledge is there and the plot is there, but there's very little in the way of descriptions. I couldn't really tell you what any of the rooms looked like, I couldn't tell you people's facial expressions too much. I can't even remember Kim's hair color. All it needs is that little extra touch to make it seem more like a novel and not as much a summation of lab findings mixed with dialogue.
February 26, 2015
REVIEW
A new type of research about influencing the mind is being looked into. Kim Powell and David, Phil and Bernie are working on a way to help those with Parkinson's Disease, PTSD, and problems with aggression..My opinion of Kim was that she couldn't make a solid decision. Kim's childhood was the force behind this story. But what about a psychopath's brain?? I found that the character, Abbie has gained confidence since the book NEVER TOO LATE. As I read the book, I didn't feel that justice was being served for Maria and her family. A girl that is murdered brutally and all anyone cared about was what was going to happen to Jose? Somebody didn't have their priorities straight. I, for some reason just couldn't get into this book like I did with Dr. Gold's other books I have read. A descent book, I just couldn't get into it.
I was given a complimentary copy of STATE OF MIND from the author, Lawrence W. Gold, M.D. for my view of this book.
I would give this book 3 STARS.
A new type of research about influencing the mind is being looked into. Kim Powell and David, Phil and Bernie are working on a way to help those with Parkinson's Disease, PTSD, and problems with aggression..My opinion of Kim was that she couldn't make a solid decision. Kim's childhood was the force behind this story. But what about a psychopath's brain?? I found that the character, Abbie has gained confidence since the book NEVER TOO LATE. As I read the book, I didn't feel that justice was being served for Maria and her family. A girl that is murdered brutally and all anyone cared about was what was going to happen to Jose? Somebody didn't have their priorities straight. I, for some reason just couldn't get into this book like I did with Dr. Gold's other books I have read. A descent book, I just couldn't get into it.
I was given a complimentary copy of STATE OF MIND from the author, Lawrence W. Gold, M.D. for my view of this book.
I would give this book 3 STARS.
March 9, 2015
Medical thriller baed on moral question of non-invasive brain modification that seeks to understand the roots of violence. Success with aggressive animals leads to human trials and the discovery that besides controlling aggressive behavior, the brain stimulation technique offers potential to cure neural problems such as Parkingson's, PTSD and others. Subjects come from the armed forces volunteers, as well as the worse of the prison population. It's not long before the desperate seek Dr Kimberly Powell's help, leading to a court instructing her to treat a psychopath on trial for murder. The story covers some of the background of clinical trials that the public is normally never exposed to, including ethical implications of research: how far and how fast trials should proceed balanced against some sufferers last hope.
I thoroughly enjoyed the story, but I believe a good story could have been great with a little more work, i.e. character development and scene setting.
I thoroughly enjoyed the story, but I believe a good story could have been great with a little more work, i.e. character development and scene setting.
February 16, 2015
I enjoyed the story line of state of mind from the science ans ethical perspective, I myself am a scientist (and would love to live in a world where work progresses so quickly!) and at uni I got the chance to sit an ethics paper for interest which covered the topic of changing peoples brains, they were, like this book fascinating and thought provoking. If we had the chance should we and in the case of this book; when we are we still responsible for previous actions? I also enjoyed the meeting of the emerging technologies in the story with law as it is today; because changes surely must be made in such cases.
I did however struggle with the characters because I found them to be a little bit underdeveloped and didn't really connect with them that well, which is a shame because the subject matter was amazing!
I did however struggle with the characters because I found them to be a little bit underdeveloped and didn't really connect with them that well, which is a shame because the subject matter was amazing!
January 28, 2015
REVIEW: STATE OF MIND BY Lawrence Gold
Author Dr. Lawrence Gold presses all the contemporary ethical dilemmas in his newest medical thriller, STATE OF MIND. Ethical considerations are of the essence from the very beginning: to what extent is scientific research entitled? Experimentation? Changing personality? Using individuals charged as terrorists as clinical guinea pigs? Dr. Kim Powell stands with resolve on the platform of ethics; some other scientists and researchers are less so. The result, for readers, is an exciting exploration of contemporaneous essential issues and the necessity for honest and open debate in the fields of medicine, neuropsychiatry, and rehabilitation ethics.
Author Dr. Lawrence Gold presses all the contemporary ethical dilemmas in his newest medical thriller, STATE OF MIND. Ethical considerations are of the essence from the very beginning: to what extent is scientific research entitled? Experimentation? Changing personality? Using individuals charged as terrorists as clinical guinea pigs? Dr. Kim Powell stands with resolve on the platform of ethics; some other scientists and researchers are less so. The result, for readers, is an exciting exploration of contemporaneous essential issues and the necessity for honest and open debate in the fields of medicine, neuropsychiatry, and rehabilitation ethics.
December 10, 2015
Medical mystery
I don't believe this is being done now but who knows it actually could be and the average person wouldn't know it. I was slightly disappointed in the ending but not everyone can have a Happy ending.
I don't believe this is being done now but who knows it actually could be and the average person wouldn't know it. I was slightly disappointed in the ending but not everyone can have a Happy ending.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews