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Gina Mazzio Medical Thrillers #6
Bone Crack
Gina Mazzio, RN, and fiancé Harry Lucke are on the brink of getting married when a childhood friend relocates from the Bronx to San Francisco. Within days, Gina’s nurse friend is relating difficult-to-believe horror stories about her new employer, a cardiologist whom she suspects is involved in illicit and deadly medical practices.
Gina soon discovers the stories are true—the doctor is not only acting
in an unethical manner, he may also be complicit in two or three hideous
murders. That knowledge quickly makes her the new target of the doctor ...
and a vicious hit man, who is determined to hunt her down and kill her.
Gina soon discovers the stories are true—the doctor is not only acting
in an unethical manner, he may also be complicit in two or three hideous
murders. That knowledge quickly makes her the new target of the doctor ...
and a vicious hit man, who is determined to hunt her down and kill her.
315 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 22, 2016
316 people are currently reading
363 people want to read
About the author
Bette Golden Lamb
19 books26 followersBette was a nurse, a writer, and an artist. Her art work has appeared in numerous show and is held in many private collections.
Bette was from the Bronx, and she said that growing up in New York City coupled with being an RN was a clue as to why she loved to write dark and gritty medical thrillers. A Marin county writer and artist, she and JJ spent some time in the wilds of Virginia City, Nevada, an isolated throwback to the old West, where she was a trauma nurse while her husband was the editor of the The Territorial Enterprise, a newspaper Mark Twain once ran.
Bette and J. J. Lamb have written novels that include a female serial killer who thinks she’s on a noble mission to save barren women from a life of despair (Sisters in Silence) and the Gina Mazzio RN medical thriller “Bone” series (Bone Dry, Sin & Bone, Bone Pit, Bone of Contention, Bone Dust, Bone Crack, Bone Slice, Bone Point). She said that writing about Gina Mazzio and her boyfriend, Harry, also an RN, was a fun experience, as well as a privilege to write about people who dedicate their lives to helping others.
Bette's most recent novel The Russian Girl was based on a true story of a woman who escapes from a high security nursing home during the hottest day of the year. Her delirium reveals a harrowing story of a young immigrant Russian girl forced to come to America in the early 1900s. Her turbulent life is filled with upheaval, lost love, and activism in a crushing, brutal 20th century journey.
Bette was encouraging to and supportive of new writers and artists.
Bette was from the Bronx, and she said that growing up in New York City coupled with being an RN was a clue as to why she loved to write dark and gritty medical thrillers. A Marin county writer and artist, she and JJ spent some time in the wilds of Virginia City, Nevada, an isolated throwback to the old West, where she was a trauma nurse while her husband was the editor of the The Territorial Enterprise, a newspaper Mark Twain once ran.
Bette and J. J. Lamb have written novels that include a female serial killer who thinks she’s on a noble mission to save barren women from a life of despair (Sisters in Silence) and the Gina Mazzio RN medical thriller “Bone” series (Bone Dry, Sin & Bone, Bone Pit, Bone of Contention, Bone Dust, Bone Crack, Bone Slice, Bone Point). She said that writing about Gina Mazzio and her boyfriend, Harry, also an RN, was a fun experience, as well as a privilege to write about people who dedicate their lives to helping others.
Bette's most recent novel The Russian Girl was based on a true story of a woman who escapes from a high security nursing home during the hottest day of the year. Her delirium reveals a harrowing story of a young immigrant Russian girl forced to come to America in the early 1900s. Her turbulent life is filled with upheaval, lost love, and activism in a crushing, brutal 20th century journey.
Bette was encouraging to and supportive of new writers and artists.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
January 2, 2018
Waste of time.
New it from the beginning, but kept on reading. Graphic and violent crimes, animalistic sex. Two Russians, one hired killer, other looking to finish the job from his earlier killings. Cardiologist how much more money he can make.
New it from the beginning, but kept on reading. Graphic and violent crimes, animalistic sex. Two Russians, one hired killer, other looking to finish the job from his earlier killings. Cardiologist how much more money he can make.
March 28, 2021
Couldn't put it down
Reading the sixth book in a series means that there's at least five volumes of backstory. Five volumes of characters, character development and previous adventures. As such, it can be a real challenge to tell a story that incorporates all of that without endless flashbacks of summations. Kudos to the author for pulling it off! Yes, there were mentions of that history, but they were brief mentions and definitely no stock paragraphs explaining who was who and why. The story flowed forward and refrained from extensive history.
Then why four stars and not five, you ask. It boils down to this: I have no urge or interest in going back to those earlier books, and only a mild interest in any future stories. The protagonist, Gina Mazzio, a nurse who apparently keeps attracting trouble, doesn't leap out of the pages to me. We see what happens to her and around her, but we don't get what's going on with her.
Reading the sixth book in a series means that there's at least five volumes of backstory. Five volumes of characters, character development and previous adventures. As such, it can be a real challenge to tell a story that incorporates all of that without endless flashbacks of summations. Kudos to the author for pulling it off! Yes, there were mentions of that history, but they were brief mentions and definitely no stock paragraphs explaining who was who and why. The story flowed forward and refrained from extensive history.
Then why four stars and not five, you ask. It boils down to this: I have no urge or interest in going back to those earlier books, and only a mild interest in any future stories. The protagonist, Gina Mazzio, a nurse who apparently keeps attracting trouble, doesn't leap out of the pages to me. We see what happens to her and around her, but we don't get what's going on with her.
January 9, 2018
Dramatically ultra breathtaking
A thoroughly enthralling and captivating story. With more twists and turns that a giant roller coaster this story grabs you by the throat and shakes the life breath out of you till you think it cannot get any worse. Then it does. An excellent page turner not to be missed.
A thoroughly enthralling and captivating story. With more twists and turns that a giant roller coaster this story grabs you by the throat and shakes the life breath out of you till you think it cannot get any worse. Then it does. An excellent page turner not to be missed.
January 9, 2018
MEDIOCRE
As a critical care nurse, I found the descriptions of the Cath Lab and ICU procedures to be fairly accurate, but the plot and characters were simplistic and one-dimensional; I don't think I'll be reading another by this author.
As a critical care nurse, I found the descriptions of the Cath Lab and ICU procedures to be fairly accurate, but the plot and characters were simplistic and one-dimensional; I don't think I'll be reading another by this author.
January 11, 2018
None crack
It alwAys amazed me when the heroes and heroines can't get help from the police or at least mention the problems they are facing. Other than that it moved quickly and was suspenseful.
It alwAys amazed me when the heroes and heroines can't get help from the police or at least mention the problems they are facing. Other than that it moved quickly and was suspenseful.
January 16, 2018
Bone Crack
Very entertaining storyline with lots of suspense and gore enough for any murder mystery reader. Nurses and cops seem to be a natural fit for this type of story and a crooked doctor adds a lot to the mix.
Very entertaining storyline with lots of suspense and gore enough for any murder mystery reader. Nurses and cops seem to be a natural fit for this type of story and a crooked doctor adds a lot to the mix.
January 18, 2018
Another thrilling adventure of a nurse, Gina that just seems to find herself drawn to the most impossible serial killers. Entertaining with likeable characters I find myself drawn to read this book on top of the other 5 of her thrillers.
January 26, 2018
Another good one!
Gina can find trouble anywhere. She doesn't even have to look. I like these books because they're easy books to read but I really have a hard time putting down. Not too many characters to keep track of, either!
Gina can find trouble anywhere. She doesn't even have to look. I like these books because they're easy books to read but I really have a hard time putting down. Not too many characters to keep track of, either!
February 9, 2018
Like able characters too predictable for my taste.
I like a book that keeps me guessing and despite the genuinely likable characters this book disappoints me. My first book by this author.
I like a book that keeps me guessing and despite the genuinely likable characters this book disappoints me. My first book by this author.
September 11, 2017
I enjoy these books and have read a few, but it's getting less believable that this nurse keeps running into ruthless killers. Also, there are more than a few typos. Not sure why these haven't been caught since she's a prolific and popular writer.
January 5, 2018
Enjoy this story line and the repeat characters.
January 8, 2018
Infuriating that all these characters kept putting themselves in harms way! Just call the police!! I kept reading just to see if they could get through it!!
January 11, 2018
Another good read in this series.
January 23, 2018
exciting story and colorful characters.
January 27, 2018
My new favorite genre. I've read a couple of these in this series and they move fast and have real-life characters. Looking forward to more...
April 16, 2018
A doctor doing unnecessary procedures and charging Medicare for non existent procedures, hires a sadistic murderer to murder his wife and to keep his secrets secret
October 4, 2018
Okay... the stories are predictable... the nurse is intuitive, but she lacks common sense. But, they are likable characters.
June 11, 2019
Loved it.
Her books always hold my attention. I love medical stories as I had nurses training many years ago. Will always read her bookd.
Her books always hold my attention. I love medical stories as I had nurses training many years ago. Will always read her bookd.
January 25, 2020
A childhood friend comes to Gina and tells her about the unethical things the doctor she works for is doing. Gina finds out they are true. Didn’t finish too graphic and sex .
January 29, 2020
Loved it!
I loved that this crime fighter is a female. I also liked that there was more than one issue that made up the story. Well done!
I loved that this crime fighter is a female. I also liked that there was more than one issue that made up the story. Well done!
February 24, 2020
Good book
Read in one evening. Page turner.
And for Amazon's minimum word requirements: doc, nurse, icu, ccu, hospital, crazy people final
Read in one evening. Page turner.
And for Amazon's minimum word requirements: doc, nurse, icu, ccu, hospital, crazy people final
May 27, 2021
This whole series is great. Cannot wait to read the next one.
October 25, 2024
Wow!!!!!
These books are great. I was a nurse. She is a nurse. I don’t have her troubles. But i enjoyed reading about them. A very good book.
These books are great. I was a nurse. She is a nurse. I don’t have her troubles. But i enjoyed reading about them. A very good book.
May 13, 2016
Gina Mazzio, our gutsy nurse from the Bronx, has once again found herself in the midst of a spree of murders at San Francisco’s Ridgewood Hospital. Our bad boy is cardiologist Morton Tallent, who seems to have ignored taking the Hippocratic Oath by using a hit man to take out people that have proved to be an inconvenience for him, which also includes Mazzio. His hit man, Vlad Folo, is a jewel of a person who not only kills his victims, but tortures and rapes them as well.
Having read every book in the Gina Mazzio series, I have found that the Lambs have proved to be worthy authors of a first class medical thriller series with each successive book getting better as the series progresses, but I feel that Bone Crack has somewhat missed the mark as it doesn’t quite live up to the standards that I have seen from the other books in the series. My biggest problem with Bone Crack is the portrayal of the evil doers, Tallent and Folo. Both characters are despicable as one would expect for serial killers, but the Lambs seem to want to create a certain amount of empathy for these characters by depicting them as victims and their victimization is what molded them into the disgusting creatures that they have become. Folo was victimized when, as a child, he witnessed the brutal murder of his parents by members of the Russian mafia. The members of the mafia gang were also ordered to eliminate Folo, but he managed to escape only with the knowledge that one day he would be found and murdered. Folo’s response to the torture, rape, and murder of his mother was not to seek vengeance on the perpetrators, but instead mimic their actions by attacking innocent victims, which mind you, doesn’t make me feel a whole lot of empathy for him.
Tallent had even a better reason to become the slime ball that he’s become, as his parents forced him to become a physician against his will when he instead really wanted to become a professional surfer dude. That’s right, you heard me, Tallent wanted to be a professional surfer, and because he was forced into becoming a cardiologist, he decided to ream the medical system for all its worth to make him a wealthy man and kill anyone that stood in his way. Now if his parents forced him into being the guy that picks up road kill, perhaps I could understand, but a physician? Geeezzz! I am not sure if the Lambs are messing with my mind with this character or if they really feel that Tallent is a fallen angel. I also felt that there was no appropriate retribution for both Tallent and Folo, which made for a disappointing ending.
On the bright side, Mazzio is one step closer to marrying Harry Lucke, which I think many fans of the series will appreciate. Additionally, they also bring to light the unsavory practices by some physicians of ordering unnecessary and potentially dangerous diagnostic testing on patients in order to make more money.
Bone Crack is a so-so read, but I know that the Lambs can do better, so I will be back when the next Gina Mazzio book comes out, and maybe we will be hearing wedding bells.
If you are interested in learning more about the Gina Mazzio Series check it out on my blog A-Thrill-A-Week
Having read every book in the Gina Mazzio series, I have found that the Lambs have proved to be worthy authors of a first class medical thriller series with each successive book getting better as the series progresses, but I feel that Bone Crack has somewhat missed the mark as it doesn’t quite live up to the standards that I have seen from the other books in the series. My biggest problem with Bone Crack is the portrayal of the evil doers, Tallent and Folo. Both characters are despicable as one would expect for serial killers, but the Lambs seem to want to create a certain amount of empathy for these characters by depicting them as victims and their victimization is what molded them into the disgusting creatures that they have become. Folo was victimized when, as a child, he witnessed the brutal murder of his parents by members of the Russian mafia. The members of the mafia gang were also ordered to eliminate Folo, but he managed to escape only with the knowledge that one day he would be found and murdered. Folo’s response to the torture, rape, and murder of his mother was not to seek vengeance on the perpetrators, but instead mimic their actions by attacking innocent victims, which mind you, doesn’t make me feel a whole lot of empathy for him.
Tallent had even a better reason to become the slime ball that he’s become, as his parents forced him to become a physician against his will when he instead really wanted to become a professional surfer dude. That’s right, you heard me, Tallent wanted to be a professional surfer, and because he was forced into becoming a cardiologist, he decided to ream the medical system for all its worth to make him a wealthy man and kill anyone that stood in his way. Now if his parents forced him into being the guy that picks up road kill, perhaps I could understand, but a physician? Geeezzz! I am not sure if the Lambs are messing with my mind with this character or if they really feel that Tallent is a fallen angel. I also felt that there was no appropriate retribution for both Tallent and Folo, which made for a disappointing ending.
On the bright side, Mazzio is one step closer to marrying Harry Lucke, which I think many fans of the series will appreciate. Additionally, they also bring to light the unsavory practices by some physicians of ordering unnecessary and potentially dangerous diagnostic testing on patients in order to make more money.
Bone Crack is a so-so read, but I know that the Lambs can do better, so I will be back when the next Gina Mazzio book comes out, and maybe we will be hearing wedding bells.
If you are interested in learning more about the Gina Mazzio Series check it out on my blog A-Thrill-A-Week
February 13, 2017
Outstanding
This is the fifth book I've read of the Lamb's works and each one is as good or maybe even better than the last. What a dynamic writing team! Ms. Lamb with her medical knowledge and Mr. Lamb's knowledge of technology. As outstanding as their books are, I must comment again about their proofreader. There are numerous mistakes with words missing or phrases with no required spaces. These things might not annoy the average reader but to someone who has a lot of experience proofing material, it is distracting. I think I've commented on this with previous Lamb works. Maybe it's time for a new proofreader!
This is the fifth book I've read of the Lamb's works and each one is as good or maybe even better than the last. What a dynamic writing team! Ms. Lamb with her medical knowledge and Mr. Lamb's knowledge of technology. As outstanding as their books are, I must comment again about their proofreader. There are numerous mistakes with words missing or phrases with no required spaces. These things might not annoy the average reader but to someone who has a lot of experience proofing material, it is distracting. I think I've commented on this with previous Lamb works. Maybe it's time for a new proofreader!
January 30, 2017
A fast paced thrill ride!
Gina Mazzio, RN, ends up in trouble again in this impossible to put down novel. After going with a friend to a doctor's office after hours, Gina ends up in a deadly game of cat and mouse with an assassin, hired by the doctor.
This is impossible to put down. It will keep you reading well into the night!
Gina Mazzio, RN, ends up in trouble again in this impossible to put down novel. After going with a friend to a doctor's office after hours, Gina ends up in a deadly game of cat and mouse with an assassin, hired by the doctor.
This is impossible to put down. It will keep you reading well into the night!
April 29, 2016
Ok very good book
Another excellent book but I was disappointed that Gina and Harry didn't get married. I hope there will be more books featuring these two. I recommend this book to medical mystery lovers.
Another excellent book but I was disappointed that Gina and Harry didn't get married. I hope there will be more books featuring these two. I recommend this book to medical mystery lovers.
October 17, 2016
Kind of okay
The whole thing was a fast read. I thought the premise was pretty weak. Most real people would have gone to the police in the beginning. But then there would be no story. Needed more realistic characters.
The whole thing was a fast read. I thought the premise was pretty weak. Most real people would have gone to the police in the beginning. But then there would be no story. Needed more realistic characters.
January 6, 2018
Gina Mazzio, RN finds information that a cardiologist is creating false records to receive additional Medicare money and also performing unnecessary cardiac caths for financial gain.
As she investigates the fraud, her life is endangered.
As she investigates the fraud, her life is endangered.
December 20, 2018
Great read.
Another in a long list of entertaining, fast paced novels. These authors never disappoint with their tightly crafted stories. Enjoy!
Another in a long list of entertaining, fast paced novels. These authors never disappoint with their tightly crafted stories. Enjoy!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews