Brain Storm

Angela Richman, Death Investigator #1

by Elaine Viets, Tanya Eby (Reader)

The ultrawealthy families of Chouteau Forest may look down on a woman like death investigator Angela Richman, but they also rely on her. When a horrific car crash kills a Forest teenager, Angela is among the first on the scene. Her investigation is hardly underway, however, when she suffers a series of crippling strokes. Misdiagnosed by the resident neurologist, Dr. Gravois, and mended by gauche yet brilliant neurosurgeon Dr. Jeb Travis Tritt, Angela faces a harrowing recovery. It’s a drug-addled, hallucinating Angela who learns that Dr. Gravois has been murdered…and the chief suspect is the surgeon who saved her life. Angela doesn’t believe it, but can she trust her instincts? Her brain trauma brings doubts that she’ll ever recover her investigative skills. But she’s determined to save Dr. Tritt from a death-row sentence—even if her progress is thwarted at every turn by a powerful and insular community poised to protect its own.

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

MP3 CD

First published August 2, 2016

About the author

As a young girl, Elaine Viets was taught the virtues of South St. Louis: the importance of hard work, housecleaning, and paying cash. She managed to forget almost everything she learned, which is why she turned to mystery writing.

Living in South Florida has not improved her character. But it has given her the bestselling Dead-End Job series. Like her amateur detective, Helen Hawthorne, Elaine actually works those rotten jobs. Perhaps her early training has given her a lifelong fascination with jobs. She and Helen both know working for a living can be murder.

To research her novels, Elaine has been everything from a salesclerk to a survey taker. Her first book in the series is SHOP TILL YOU DROP, a novel of sex, murder and plastic surgery. It's set at a fashionable dress shop that caters to kept women. Book two, MURDER BETWEEN THE COVERS, takes place at a bookstore. Elaine worked at a Barnes & Noble in Hollywood, Florida, for a year.

For the third, DYING TO CALL YOU, Helen works as a telemarketer. Elaine sold septic tank cleaner and did telephone surveys. She actually asked women if they shaved their armpits. In the fourth Dead-End Job mystery, JUST MURDERED, Elaine and Helen explore big-money matrimony for better or worse. Elaine did her research in Zola Keller’s posh bridal salon in Fort Lauderdale.

For the fifth novel, Elaine and Helen go to the dogs. MURDER UNLEASHED is set at a high-end dog boutique, where people spend two hundred dollars for canine cuisine, women sneak illegal pets into condos using high-priced designer purses, and the dogs at the store have bigger wardrobes than the salesclerks. MURDER UNLEASHED is Elaine's first hardcover mystery. Publishers Weekly calls it “wry social commentary.”

Although Elaine lives in Fort Lauderdale, her heart – and her viewpoint – remain in the Midwest. Like Helen Hawthorne, another transplanted St. Louisan, she observes the outrageously rich Florida culture (and lack thereof) with wide-eyed fascination.

Elaine’s second series takes her back to work in St. Louis. It features Josie Marcus, a mystery shopper and single mom. The debut novel, DYING IN STYLE, tied with Stephen King on the bestseller list for the Independent Mystery Booksellers Association.

Elaine won both the Agatha and the Anthony Awards for her short story, "Wedding Knife," in CHESAPEAKE CRIMES.

Some honors don’t come with plaques and award banquets. Elaine was thrilled when her short story, "After the Fall," was featured on the same cover of the Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine as the master, Ed Hoch.

Her short story, "Red Meat," is in BLOOD ON THEIR HANDS, the Mystery Writers of America anthology edited by Lawrence Block. "Blonde Moment" is in the MWA anthology, SHOW BUSINESS IS MURDER, edited by Stuart Kaminsky. "Sex and Bingo" is featured in the HIGH STAKES gambling anthology. And if you've ever wondered about the early life of purple-loving landlady Margery Flax, read "Killer Blonde" in DROP-DEAD BLONDE.

Elaine has served on the national boards of the Mystery Writers of America and Sisters in Crime. She lives in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, with her husband, actor Don Crinklaw, where they collect speeding tickets.

Please buy her novels so she can pay her MasterCard.

Series:
* Dead-End Job Mystery
* Josie Marcus, Mystery Shopper
* Francesca Vierling Mystery

Reviews

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

I wish to thank Goodreads Giveaways, Net Galley, Thomas & Mercer and Ms. Elaine Viets for the gift of a copy of Brain Storm in exchange for an unbiased review.

I went into Brain Storm knowing very little about the story. I did know that Ms. Viets has written a number of cozy mysteries, but that this one was a bit darker than her previous works. Only after I finished did I see in the author’s notes that parts of the book are based on her real life! Apparently Ms. Viets sought help at an emergency room facility for a bad headache and stroke symptoms only to be sent home as being “too young and healthy to have a stroke.” The next day she was found unresponsive, the victim of 6 separate strokes. It took her 4 years to recover. Elaine Richman, Death Investigator in Missouri and Brain Storm’s protagonist, has the same thing happen to her. Like Ms. Viets, Elaine miraculously survives these strokes. We follow her through her hospitalization, which includes surgery for a partial frontal lobectomy, as she struggles to regain both her physical and investigative abilities. While in the hospital an undeservedly revered neurosurgeon (Dr. Porter Gravois), the one who sent her home with the stroke symptoms, is murdered; and a second neurosurgeon (Dr. Jeb Travis Tritt), the one who operated on Angela and saved her life, is widely thought to be the murderer. Angela fights not only to regain her health, but also to find a way to rescue Dr. Tritt from the death penalty.

I wouldn’t call this a traditional thriller. It’s a much lighter read than that, but I found it refreshing after reading several taut police procedurals in a row. I liked the tenacious spirit of Angela and absolutely loved her irreverent best friend, medical examiner Katie. Ms. Viets’ sharp sense of humor is displayed in some great one-liners coming from both Angela and Katie. Katie gets a special award from me for wittiest use of profanity. The main plot itself is very good—I incorrectly guessed the baddie’s identity. There are also subplots going on that add to the story. The simple yet very communicative prose plus short chapters make this a fast easy read.

As a sidelight I do want to mention that the title Brain Storm is perfect (kudos for whoever came up with that) as is the awesome cover.

My major problem with the story is that a murder is committed in a way that as a physician I cannot conceive is at all possible. I have to knock a whole star off for that.

Overall, I really had fun with this book. It was very entertaining and an excellent change-of-pace read from my usual genre (dark thrillers). For that reason I am rounding my 3.5 rating up to 4 stars. I understand there is to be another Jessica Richman novel coming out in late fall 2016, and I do plan to grab it. I recommend Brain Storm to all mystery lovers.

["Avonna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brain Storm (Death Investigator Angela Richman #1) by Elaine Viets is a great start to a new proposed series!

Angela Richman has to overcome her near death medical conditions to solve the murder of Dr. Gravois, loved by all in the hospital, but not Angela because he misdiagnosed and almost killed her. She wants to save the brilliant, but arrogant and gauche Dr. Jeb Travis Tritt, who saved her life and now could end up on Death Row. There is also an Angel of Death nurse working the wards in the hospital to worry about.

The title is very appropriate. The characters all are realistic and well fleshed out. The location itself plays an important role in how all of the characters interact. The plot and subplot were made more interesting with the problem of not having reliable narration from the main character due to her 6 strokes in one day followed by brain surgery to save her life. (Make sure to read the Author’s Notes when you finish.)

Thanks very much to Thomas & Mercer and Net Galley for allowing me to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review. I am looking forward to reading more in this series and other books by this author.

[Sheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Elaine Viets has penned another great new series. This one is quite different than her other series. The protagonist Angela Richman is a Death Investigator whom Ms. Viets has incorporated her own personal history too. Angela suffers from several strokes at the beginning of the book and has major brain surgery the same as Ms.Viets suffered from several years ago.
Angela is working hard at getting back to where she was before she had the strokes but it’s taking a bit of time and effort to get there, not to mention the frustration she’s going through.
While Angela is in the hospital undergoing rehabilitation, she stumbles across a major hospital scandal as well as a murder.
This story moves along at a great pace and you never get bored. The other characters in this book are likeable as well. This is a great start of another good series from Ms.Viets.
I would like to thank Thomas & Mercer publishing and NetGalley for in exchange for an e-galley of this book for my honest review.

[Patricia · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

I've had this book on my Kindle for a long time and decided to read some backlog of books. This is a cozy novel which I did not realize when I purchased this book. Good book but not what I was expecting. I did however appreciate the author's courage and honesty in describing the character's (and the author's) experience with a true brain storm (massive stroke). Recommend to those who like cozy mysteries with a little more gruesome details.

[Christine Lucia Asha · Rating 5 out of 5]

So much of this story was true....you'll find out at the end. BUT it was a great thriller, full of death and suspicion and privilege and deceit. Our death investigator has a stroke and loses a lot of time before she eventually recovers and catches the killer with a nail gun!

[Betty · Rating 5 out of 5]

The start of the Death Investigator series. This book is set in a small town located in Missouri. It is called Forest and the first families control the town and it has two class distinction. Angela Richman's parents had served the first family their entire life. Angela was trained as the town death investigator. The story begins as she has been called to investigate the death on one of it first children in a drag race. All involved are members of the elite.
Angela has blinding headaches. On a visit to ER, she was informed she couldn't have a stroke as she was too young (although she has classic symptoms) and sent home and schedule for a PET scan. The ER doctor is the hospital neurosurgeon. Later another neurosurgeon saves her life. She spends 3 months in the hospital recovering. While there she watched the town glorified the doctor misdiagnosed her and destroy the doctor who saved her. Later the first doctor is killed and the one who saved her arrested for his death. Angela works to help him. She uncovers a billing scam. The information on the hospital stay is excellent.
The stroke data is based on the author's own experience. I recommend this book

[Monnie · Rating 4 out of 5]

One thing's for sure: The title couldn't be any more perfect. And although I'm a bit less enthusiastic about the rest of the book, it's a solid launch for what I expect to be a series. I'm a huge fan of medically induced dramas (characters like Patricia Cornwell's Kay Scarpetta, Tess Gerritsen's Maura Isles and yes, even James Patterson's Claire Washburn (she of the Women's Murder Club series) are among my favorites), and this one introduced me to a whole new profession: Death investigator. It is mostly for that reason - and the potential for an excellent series - that rounding up my actual 3.5-star rating to 4 was a no-brainer (half-stars aren't possible at most review websites).

Such is the job of lead character Angela Richman, who is felled by a series of six strokes and saved by the expertise of egomaniacal neurosurgeon Jeb Travis Tritt after being misdiagnosed by another full-of-himself doctor who practices at the same hospital. Interestingly, the author herself had a similar experience, much of which she no doubt used to shape this story.

But as Angela struggles to regain her investigative skills amid medical setbacks and hospital screw-ups, another drama emerges: Despite his obvious talent, no one at the hospital or in the community wants the neurosurgeon (who yes, was named after the country singer) around. He's not, you see, cut from the same cloth as the locals in the very close-knit community called the Forest. Not so for the doctor who misdiagnosed Angela in the first place; his smooth talking manner - and more to the point, his family's heritage and money - make him a local hero whose image is untarnishable.

That the two doctors share a bitter dislike of each other is pretty much a given; so when the popular doc gets bumped off, it's no surprise that the "outsider" becomes the prime suspect. Angela, though, has serious doubts about his guilt (despite his late-night rants in her hospital room about the other doctor's ineptitude), but her mind is so much in turmoil as she recovers from her own brain surgery that it's hard for her to discern what's real and what's not. She gets help from her friend Katie, a doctor/medical examiner who's overly fond not only of salty language but of reminding everyone that the people who land on her table can't talk, sing, swim (fill in the blank). Okay, my dear, we got it the first time - they're dead. Now give it a rest.

In the midst of all this, Katie is trying to round up loose ends on a case of her own; someone at the hospital, it seems, is a serial "Angel of Death," killing patients who otherwise should have survived (ah - could that be tied to the murder of Angela's neurosurgeon)? As Angela moves toward recovery of her former well-honed investigative skills, she unearths clues that lead to the answer of that question as well as the murderer's identity and illicit goings-on in the hospital.

The story doesn't end there, though; an epilogue describes how all the characters ended up after the major brouhaha has passed. That's a nice touch, actually, and I'm left with only one question: When Angela left the hospital, she was taking the blood-thinner Warfarin. But just a few days later, it's mentioned that she's on Coumadin (another brand-name blood thinner). Huh?

All in all, this is a great read-on-the-beach kind of book and I thank the author and publisher, via NetGalley, for a copy in exchange for an honest review. When the death investigator makes her next appearance, I hope I'll be on the list to read it as well.

[Terri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Angela Richman is a Death Investigator whose life is upended when she suffers a series of strokes after being misdiagnosed and sent home by Dr. Gravois. While she is recovering in the hospital, he is murdered and the chief suspect is Dr. Tritt who is the surgeon who saved her life after Dr. Gravois' misdiagnosis. Everyone at the hospital despises Tritt because he is not part of the tight knit society that Gravois was.

Angela is determined to find the real killer and clear Tritt's name despite the resistance of everyone around her. All the while, trying to recover.

This book is a character study as much as a solid mystery. Angela's journey is an intense exploration of recovery and the emotional roller coaster that comes with it. She is smart and driven and ultimately a survivor.

I was emotionally invested in her story more than I have been in a long time.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another new to me author. I am actually glad that Angela had to cope with her situation. It brought me closer to her and made me see her as a real person and not just a character in a story. There were a few stumbling blocks along the way with Angela as she did not always come off as confident in her skills and knowledge. Yet, she is able to keep a clear head. I expect that in the next book I will see Angela grow stronger.

If you like a good mystery story with good characters and writing than you should check this book and series out. Plus, the blood and gore count is low. So even cozy mystery readers would enjoy this book. I am so glad that the author survived her own experience with her strokes. Because the author gave these same experiences to Angela, it brought more life to her. I look forward to checking out the next book in this series.

[Susan · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’m a fan of Elaine Viets’ Dead End Job series and was looking forward to this new series featuring Angela Richman, a death investigator in Missouri. The book started out well with Angela investigating two deaths while battling what she thinks are severe migraines. Angela lands in the hospital having suffered multiple strokes. The majority of the story takes place while she is recuperating. I thought it was drawn out too long wit repetitive scenes. It was particularly hard to believe that the neurosurgeon paid midnight visits to Angela to rant about his colleague. I also had difficulty with Katie and the other hospital staff discussing cases with Angela. I might have liked this more if it had been 25-50 pages shorter.

[Carrie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absorbing mystery novel about a death investigator who has to get her life--and mind--back after a devastating series of strokes. The fact the author actually experienced this medical nightmare makes the reading all that more visceral. The mystery itself is entertaining too, with enough twists and turns to keep you turning the pages. Great detail on the death investigation process as well.

[Linda Baker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Angela Richman is a Death Investigator in a small affluent Missouri community known as the "Forest". Even though she is a life-long resident she is not one of the insiders. Her parents worked on one of the estates but Angela is not one of the old money pedigreed families. Despite that she is a well regarded, award winning member of the local police force. She is at a very difficult scene, one in which one teenager is killed and another severely injured. Drinking, pot and texting are involved. By the time Angela has completed her reports she is laid low by what she thinks is a migraine. She goes to the ER but the doctor says she is "too young and fit" for a stroke even though the signs are there. Six strokes, emergency surgery in which she loses part of her frontal lobe and a medically induced coma later, Angela wakes up to a very different reality.

Dr. Porter Gravois is a real "Forest" insider, handsome, rich and adored by the hospital staff. No one even thinks to call Dr. Gravois to account for the misdiagnosis except the neurosurgeon who saved Angela's life. Dr. Jeb Travis Tritt is arrogant, abrasive, uncouth and loathes Dr. Gravois with a burning passion. When Dr. Gravois is murdered Dr. Tritt is the logical suspect, a suspect whom the hospital staff is fully committed to see punished. Angela, however, wants to see him vindicated, even if she has to do it from a hospital bed. There are lots of things going on at the Sisters of Sorrow Hospital. It appears that the hospital has an "Angel of Death" operating there and Angela suspects an insurance scam. But can her instincts be trusted after such a traumatic brain event?

Brain Storm is a riveting look at the difficulties of recovering from a stroke wrapped in a variety of interlocking mysteries. It is made more poignant by the fact that the author, Elaine Viets, suffered through an almost identical situation and has come through it with flying colors. It is also a cautionary tale about checking your medical bills very carefully; over billing is a regrettable reality that affects us all. Highly recommended.

Thanks to Thomas and Mercer and NetGalley for an advance digital copy in return for an honest review.

[Anastasia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Brain Storm by Elaine Viets is the first book featuring Death Investigator Angela Richman. Hospitalized following surgery after a series of strokes, death investigator Angela Richman learns that the prominant neurologist that had misdiagnosed her, Dr. Porter Gravois, has been murdered and the surgeon that had saved her is suspected. I found this story a bit unbelievable and erratic, especially with the way the murder was carried out. The mystery itself seemed to be rather secondary with the book focussing more on medical issues and Angela who seems confused most of the time. A strange book.

[Stephen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Angela Richman is a death investigator in the southern town of Chouteau Forest, MIssouri when strange deaths start showing up at Sisters of Soul hospital. Her friend Katie , one of the medical examiners reports to Angela about the deaths. Too many to be a coincidence. But before Angela and Katie can team up to try to sort it out, Angela has a massive stroke that should have killed her. She is saved by the brilliant Dr Tritt, but she almost died because of the lack of treatment by Dr Gravois.
Given a second chance at life, Angela must work with Katie to try to catch a murderer. Elaine Viets can spin a tale of mystery with the best of them.There is plenty of drama in the hospitals as staff take sides in the war between Gravois and Tritt ...while the murders continue to pile up.
You might not want to check yourself into a hospital after reading Elaine Viets exciting tale. But the most fascinating aspect is that the author actually when through a simple experience in real life that Angela does in the book!

[Tricia Douglas · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my first book by Viets. It was recommended to me by someone on Goodreads. I liked Angela Richman, a death investigator, and how she works around a couple of cases even though she is laid up in the hospital due to a series of small strokes. I will continue the series with the next book which is listed at a higher rating than this one. I thought this was a good book with enough entertainment value to keep me occupied for a couple of days!

[Patricia Gulley · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wondered if the medical side of this book had to do with the author's illness, it read like a personal journey. Mystery was interesting, but it took a back seat to the medical issue and all the side stories that were a bit interesting got ended as if an after thought.

[Anouk · Rating 2 out of 5]

Made me extremely uncomfortable. Prefer her other books

[Ed · Rating 3 out of 5]

#1 in the Angela Richman series. I'll start by saying that I have read the previous 29 novels in author Viets other three series and enjoyed them all. I'm of two minds about this book. I found it to have an inconsistent focus. On the one hand there are the medical issues which befall the protagonist, and are taken from the author's personal experience. These are treated seriously and with rage about the faulty diagnosis which lead to the series of strokes. There are also issues with the protagonist's faulty judgement, hallucinations, and believing a dream sequence actually occurred. On the other hand there are segments which mirror the author's other works. These include job related anecdotage and snappy dialogue between protagonist Angela and her best friend, Assistant Medical Examiner Katie. As a series, I assume that future entries will not have serious medical issues for Angela and will focus on her job as a Death Examiner. I anticipate enjoying them more than the debut of this series.

Angela Richman series - Devastating migraines send "death investigator" Angela Richman to the emergency room of the Choteau Forest, Mo., hospital, only to be heedlessly sent home by Dr. Porter Gravois. Nineteen days, six strokes, and a coma later, Angela awakens in the hospital, her life saved due to expedient brain surgery by the brash, outspoken, brilliant Dr. Jeb Travis Tritt. An outsider, Tritt is despised as much as Gravois is adored by the well-to-do locals, and there's no love lost between the two. When Gravois is murdered, Tritt becomes the prime suspect. Brain-damaged Angela may have trouble telling fact from fiction, but she knows that Tritt is wrongly accused and is determined to prove his innocence.

[Laura Salas · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was intrigued by the premise of this book, but I didn't get very far into it before giving up. There was so much jumping around in chronology that I felt both disoriented and apathetic. I didn't ever have a chance to really get into the main character's head and situation because the narrator constantly jumps in to tell us something from the past or future. For instance, on Sunday:

"Angela faked it on the phone and managed to sound alert, but she was too dizzy and heartsick to enjoy her tiny triumph.

Three months later, she would be the most reviled person in the Forest. She'd be fighting for her life at SOS. Bald, crippled, and crazy, she'd commit the ultimate sin...."

Then the next paragraph goes to:

"By Wednesday, Angela felt well enough to burn some toast....She'd slept most of Monday and Tuesday, her days off...."

Whaaaat?

Besides the frenetic hopping around between days and months, the secondary characters feel very one-dimensional, like this cartoonish police officer who describes a dead man in front of the man's daughter: "The stiff went headfirst down the steps. When the daughter found him this morning, she called 911. EMS tried to resuscitate him, but he was deader than a doornail. The basement looks like a freaking slaughterhouse."

I was constantly aware of the writing instead of the story. This book wasn't for me. I see this book has many 4- and 5-star reviews, so I guess it's just a matter of personal taste on this one.

Review copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Cheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Super start to a new series

I haven't read any other of author Viets' books, which I understand are cozy mysteries, but I sure enjoyed this first book in the Angela Richman series.

Angela Richman, the protagonist of this story, lives in Chouteau County, Missouri, a predominately wealthy enclave, and is a death investigator for the county. She investigates all the deaths in the county— murders, accidents, and overdoses— that don’t happen under a doctor’s care. She's 41 years old and has been doing her job for 20 years.

While investigating two autos that wrecked near her home, she starts having terrible headaches that get worse as time goes by. She goes to the hospital, is misdiagnosed and ends up having 6 strokes, brain surgery, and is in a medically induced coma for 19 days. And while she's in the hospital recovering, the doctor who misdiagnosed her is murdered.

This is a great mystery with fully developed characters, a fast paced storyline, and I love that it didn't end in a cliffhanger. In fact, there was an epilogue at the end that tied up all the loose ends. Thank you, Elaine Viets! I get so tired of series books and cliffhangers, which seems to be the norm nowadays.

And I didn't know until I finished the book and read about the author that the details about the strokes, surgery, coma, and recovery come from her personal experience. Well done!

I received this book from Thomas and Mercer through Net Galley in exchange for my unbiased review.

[Sheila Beaumont · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first in a promising new series by Elaine Viets, Brain Storm introduces death investigator Angela Richman, who suffers a series of six strokes after a misdiagnosis in the emergency room. She was told that she was too young and too fit to have a stroke. After the arrogant doctor responsible for the misdiagnosis is murdered in the hospital cafeteria, the socially inept surgeon who saved Angela's life is arrested for the murder. It's up to Angela, who is still recovering from the strokes and experiencing hallucinations and disordered thought processes, to find the real killer.

Viets reveals in the Afterword that the strokes, including the misdiagnosis, are based on her own real-life experience. The story also includes a hospital medical billing scam that was real.

It's a fascinating book, suspenseful, informative, well-written, and authentic because of its basis in reality. The characterization was excellent too. I especially liked Angela's friend Katie, one of the best supporting characters I've some across in a long time.

[Paula Adams · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was quite different from the cozy mysteries she usually writes. Angela is a death investigator who suffers from horrible headaches. She goes to the ER and they send her home. During the night the attacks begins. She has to have emergency brain surgery by a very unpopular surgeon but very talented. She is put in a medically induced coma for 3 weeks and when she comes out of it her life is so different. She has to face the facts with the help of her friend Katie, the ME. Everyday she gets stronger. Then there is a murder in the hospital of a very popular neurosurgeon. And Angela is determined to solve it even after she has been discharged from the hospital to prove that she is still capable to perform her job. After a couple of wrong theories she finally has it figured out. Read the book to find out who murdered the doctor and why..

[Sarah Monsma · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was intrigued by the premise of this book because Angela, the main character, is a death investigator, working with the police department and the medical examiner to be eyes and ears at the scene of a death. The tail quickly becomes a medical mystery as well as early forties and fit Angela suffers a series of strokes and nearly dies. As Angela struggles to regain her facilities after 19 days in a medically induced coma, she also tries to solve a hospital mystery.

I've not read Elaine Viet's mysteries before, but I enjoyed it a great deal. I'll be looking for her cozies and hoping for a new Angela Richman novel in the near future.

I received Brain Storm as an electronic advance reader copy courtesy of the publisher and Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.

[Marisa Young · Rating 5 out of 5]

A death investigator is misdiagnosed at the hospital and she ends up having several strokes. A surgeon saves her life. She then discovers that the doctor who did the misdiagnosis is murdered and her surgeon is believed to be the one responsible.. She uses her skills to try and clear the surgeon.

The interesting fact is the author uses her real life misdiagnosis and strokes in developing this book.

Great characters - great story.

[Mommalibrarian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tightly written murder mystery. Be sure to read beginning of the Acknowledgements at the end after you finish. Better than Evanovich or Grafton.

[Laura · Rating 1 out of 5]

"Gentlemen! Gentlemen! Stop this at once!" he said. He didn't shout. He commanded silence.
"Who's the suit?" Angela asked Tink.
"Dr. Stanleigh Elkmore, SOS director. Head of the hospital," Tink said. "The nurse must have called him."
"This is unseemly," Dr. Elkmore said. "You will both meet in my office. Immediately."
Gravois started to follow. Tritt didn't move, and the director glared at him. "Unless you want to lose your privileges."
He marched both men to the elevator.
"Wow," Tink said as the doors closed on the drama. "That was better than a WWF grudge match."



~~I assume that Viets wrote Brain Storm as a serious thriller with healthcare and autopsy themes. But the medical drama is so farcical that I felt like I was in a satire show such as Scrubs while reading it. If you or a loved one is ever in a hospital that resembles the one Viets writes about, ask for an immediate transfer. See further reading below for more on recognizing strokes, and proper care after having one.

First two sentences: The doctor who nearly killed Angela Richman was buried today, and the Missouri medical establishment turned out to honor him. The eulogies were heartfelt: doctors, nurses, and patients praised Dr. Porter Gravois's compassion and skill as a neurologist.

My two cents: My heart goes out to the author. It sounds like she battled a grueling healthcare crisis, and has used that experience as inspiration for this novel. I wanted to like her novel, but the writing doesn't live up to the backstory. The dialogue is awkward, the prose is repetitive, and there are multiple problems with the story arc. One of my biggest personal problems is the side-story of six or seven patient deaths. These patients were admitted for surgery or other minor problems, and most were almost ready for discharge when they died. Nurses note a pattern, and have a strong suspect. However, the hospital does nothing. In real life, the nurses would almost certainly call the Missouri Board of Nursing with their concerns. Whether the hospital takes action or not at that point is irrelevant. That's just one example. Given 1 star or a rating of "bad". Unfortunately, I can't recommend this.

Further Reading: F.A.S.T is an excellent acronym for everyone to know. If you see *Facial weakness, *arm weakness, or *speech problems, then **Time to call 911. The linked webpage from the Stroke Association has more. Our main character had several of these symptoms. https://www.stroke.org.uk/what-is-str...

~~The Joint Commission and American Heart Association have a certification that hospitals can obtain--Comprehensive Stroke Center. Our main character would have benefitted from stabilization and transfer to such a center. Don't be afraid to advocate for your family in a similar situation. Here's an in-depth pdf if you'd like more info. https://www.heart.org/-/media/Files/P...

~~And finally, here's an explanation of Cerebral Venous Strokes from a leading hospital in my state.
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health....

[Missi Martin (Stockwell) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a HUGE fan of Elaine Viets as I have read all her books in her Dead-End Job Mystery series and her Josie Marcus, Mystery Shopper series. Those series were full of excitement and lovable characters and you cannot help but enjoy getting lost in the stories. Brain Storm is the first book in her Angela Richman, Death Investigator series and it is also an exciting start to another amazing series however it is a little bit darker and one main character who you will fall in love with has a slight potty mouth to put it mildly.

In Brain Storm readers are introduced to Angela Richman who is a death investigator in a wealthy area in Missouri called the Forest. Angela is fortunate to live there due to her parents having worked for a wealthy family and her mother gave her the house upon her death. Angela is on the case of a fatal accident involving teens who live in the Forest when she begins to get very bad migraines. She goes to bed with a migraine and wakes up in the hospital nineteen days later and learns that she had six strokes and underwent brain surgery. While Angela is in the hospital getting her strength back and learning to think, walk and everything else, the doctor that misdiagnosed her is murdered in the cafeteria and the neurosurgeon who saved her life is arrested for the murder. Angela knows that Dr. Tritt did not kill Dr. Gravois but her brain is not working right and she can't be 100% sure she is doing and saying the right things.

Once you start reading Brain Storm, you will be pulled in and unable to stop reading. Viets will have you so engrossd that you may forget to eat, drink, sleep and do other normal daily activities while you read. I highly recommend that you set aside time to focus on this amazing tale and I highly encourage you to read the Acknowledgments at the end of the book so that you will really appreciate Viets story. I was gobsmacked when I read it !!!

[Louis Lowy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brain Storm is a tight, well-written murder mystery with an unusual protagonist, death investigator Angela Richman, whose job it is to investigate the deaths of those in her jurisdiction that don’t happen under a doctor’s care.

As interesting as this is, what really makes her—and the story—interesting is that we can’t always trust Angela’s judgment. She experiences a series of strokes and possible brain damage. Her mind is, to say the least, skewed as she makes her way to recovery. Just as remarkable, Angela’s medical predicament was inspired by the author’s real life experience.

The story revolves around the murder of a well-liked doctor in the hospital where Angela is recuperating.

Viets is a meticulous writer who pays attention to detail and procedures, adding to the appeal of the novel. She also creates terrific characters including the bombastic Dr. Jeb Travis Tritt (yup, named for that Travis Tritt), and her loveable sailor-mouthed friend Assistant ME, Katie.

Brain Storm is a compelling read, one that’s hard to put down as the plot winds and twists its way to the end. Though complete within itself, the best part is it’s book one of four Angela Richman books.

[Peacejanz · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is not the usual Elaine Viets book. This book is complicated with lots of characters. We know a lot about Angela Richman, the main character who is a death investigator because much of the book is her thinking, planning, trying to solve some mystery. She has suffered several brain strokes as did Elaine Viets, the author. Angela can mix up anything and most of what she says is not to be believed. For example, her dead husband and mother come to the hospital room to visit her. Part of the problem is what should anyone believe. Is Angela thinking straight or has her brain damage taken her to a false track? Someone killed a much loved but incompetent doctor who misdiagnosed Angela so she is not sad when he is killed. But as a death investigator, she has many thoughts about his murder. The book ends in a typical Elaine Viets murder mystery, she gets the murderer and all is solved. But the in-between in this book is dreary, boring, too much info and too much dragging around with Angela's thoughts. If felt tiring, boring. I still liked that Angela got her woman in the end.

[Debbie · Rating 2 out of 5]

So I read Brain Storm since it was the first book in Ms. Viets current series (our book club is planning to read book two for our October meeting and I don't like to read out of order). Sadly it was a disappointment.

There were some nice nuances reminiscent of Ms. Viets time in St. Louis that are still true today: plenty of old-moneyed families who only trust their "own", many actual local names dropped into character names for effect (Dr. Gravois, Chouteau Forest, Emily Hanley Du Pres), and calling her outsider doc Dr. Jeb Travis Tritt (since no one with a name like that could possibly be from the forest - he married in, which is how he got his job). Whatever!

I am truly sorry for the medical nightmare - and subsequent medical billing scam - that actually happened to Ms. Viets. While I can appreciate that her experience inspired the series somewhat, I cannot believe many of the repetitious phrases and verbatim writing made it through the many reviewers and editors that she must have with her credentials.