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Gabriel has dealt with mysterious medical issues his whole life. Just when he finally thought that they had all of the answers and he was on the road to good health, he is apprehended by DFS on the grounds of medical neglect.
At first, he thought that he would be back with his family in a few days, once the misunderstanding was cleared up. But when Renata tells Gabriel her crazy conspiracy theories, Gabriel feels the first pangs of doubt. Is there really a conspiracy? Will he ever be able to get well and go back to his mother, or is he doomed to be another guinea pig for Doctor De Klerk?
At first, he thought that he would be back with his family in a few days, once the misunderstanding was cleared up. But when Renata tells Gabriel her crazy conspiracy theories, Gabriel feels the first pangs of doubt. Is there really a conspiracy? Will he ever be able to get well and go back to his mother, or is he doomed to be another guinea pig for Doctor De Klerk?
282 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 29, 2016
73 people are currently reading
433 people want to read
About the author
P.D. Workman
230 books502 followersAward-winning Canadian author P.D. Workman has written over a hundred addictive page-turners featuring diverse and divergent sleuths, high-stakes investigations, and stories that linger long after the last page. Her books dive deep into characters’ minds while exploring timely social issues through fast-paced, emotionally charged plots. Readers praise her work for its powerful emotional truth combined with unputdownable suspense.
Shunning sleep, when Workman is not writing, formatting, or marketing, she’s probably running, reading, or spending time with her family.
Check out her catalogue at pdworkman.com to start your next page-turner and sign up for news and special deals.
Shunning sleep, when Workman is not writing, formatting, or marketing, she’s probably running, reading, or spending time with her family.
Check out her catalogue at pdworkman.com to start your next page-turner and sign up for news and special deals.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
September 21, 2020
How do I even?! What are words?!
So I'm basically P.D. Workman trash at this point. I LOVE her books. And this one certainly did not disappointment.
I have no idea where to even begin with this book, but I suppose I'll start with the disability and minority representation. 99% of the time, books never include disabled characters. Or when they DO, it's usually something like autism. I'm not saying autistic representation is a bad thing—it's not, by any means—but it's nice to see some physical disabilities for once too. I don't have Mito, but I am physically disabled and, until now, I've never read a book with a physically disabled main character—when someone's disabled, it's usually a side character thrown into a wheelchair.
P.D. Workman also does a great job of representing minorities (both ethnicity and LGBT) without making the plot *about* the fact that they're a race that isn't Caucasian or an identity that isn't cis. There's a nice mix of different ethnicities and representations in this book and it's just because they are. Not just because their race is used to prove a point in a plot.
Anyways.
The plot was FANTASTIC. I've read a lot of stories about foster children, but never anything quite like what happens in Mito. I never even realized that medical kidnap could very well be a thing happening "behind the scenes" in foster care, but after reading this book my mind is blown. I just. Wow. I don't want to go into a whole lot of detail so I think I might stop this review here, but, gah. I can't even form words I'm so freaking mind blown.
This book was amazing!!
So I'm basically P.D. Workman trash at this point. I LOVE her books. And this one certainly did not disappointment.
I have no idea where to even begin with this book, but I suppose I'll start with the disability and minority representation. 99% of the time, books never include disabled characters. Or when they DO, it's usually something like autism. I'm not saying autistic representation is a bad thing—it's not, by any means—but it's nice to see some physical disabilities for once too. I don't have Mito, but I am physically disabled and, until now, I've never read a book with a physically disabled main character—when someone's disabled, it's usually a side character thrown into a wheelchair.
P.D. Workman also does a great job of representing minorities (both ethnicity and LGBT) without making the plot *about* the fact that they're a race that isn't Caucasian or an identity that isn't cis. There's a nice mix of different ethnicities and representations in this book and it's just because they are. Not just because their race is used to prove a point in a plot.
Anyways.
The plot was FANTASTIC. I've read a lot of stories about foster children, but never anything quite like what happens in Mito. I never even realized that medical kidnap could very well be a thing happening "behind the scenes" in foster care, but after reading this book my mind is blown. I just. Wow. I don't want to go into a whole lot of detail so I think I might stop this review here, but, gah. I can't even form words I'm so freaking mind blown.
This book was amazing!!
August 7, 2021
The story was intriguing but the ending could have been developed more. It left me with many unanswered questions.
May 28, 2024
Having read several other books by this author, I knew this was going to be good. However, i wasn't prepared to be blown away by such an amazing story! At the beginning I admit I was a bit confused. New terminology and a story I was having difficulty getting my arms around. But it eventually all began to make sense. Innocent children were being taken away from their parents - either biological or foster - and placed into a medical facility that was using them for experiments...or so they said. I think it was much more nefarious than that.
As the story developed a couple of main characters came to the center of attention - Gabriel and Renata. The boy was really sick and abused by the medical staff. The girl had her own problems, but was wise to the ways of the organization, having escaped many times. Both, however, were without an external support system.
The story develops slowly and involves building the relationship between Gabriel and Renata as well as introducing other characters. It made me wonder if there is any connection between this story and reality. I actually think not, but the story telling is so excellent that it seems totally real. The many emotions are real as well.
I shouldn't disclose anything more about the story for fear of ruining the suspense, which there is a lot of. The reader never knows from one chapter to the next what may lie ahead. That is something that makes reading this book so compelling. Thank goodness I was forced to read in relatively short segments of time or I would have become an emotional mess reading the tragic and tender story without a break. I am sure you will enjoy it!
As the story developed a couple of main characters came to the center of attention - Gabriel and Renata. The boy was really sick and abused by the medical staff. The girl had her own problems, but was wise to the ways of the organization, having escaped many times. Both, however, were without an external support system.
The story develops slowly and involves building the relationship between Gabriel and Renata as well as introducing other characters. It made me wonder if there is any connection between this story and reality. I actually think not, but the story telling is so excellent that it seems totally real. The many emotions are real as well.
I shouldn't disclose anything more about the story for fear of ruining the suspense, which there is a lot of. The reader never knows from one chapter to the next what may lie ahead. That is something that makes reading this book so compelling. Thank goodness I was forced to read in relatively short segments of time or I would have become an emotional mess reading the tragic and tender story without a break. I am sure you will enjoy it!
December 30, 2021
pretty good
I do believe in medical kidnapping up to a point. What has come to light in recent years about Boston Children’s Hospital and how they take over children with rare diseases whose families are from out of state and of minimal means is suspicious. I suspect this series, of which Mito is the first book, is spun off of that story. It’s a bit of paranoid fantasy but at the same time it is believable. Not a lot is known about mitochondrial disease or its treatment, which makes the story of a conspiracy to separate sick children from parents for profit scarily possible. I look forward to further books in the series and hope that Gabriel will be a featured character.
I do believe in medical kidnapping up to a point. What has come to light in recent years about Boston Children’s Hospital and how they take over children with rare diseases whose families are from out of state and of minimal means is suspicious. I suspect this series, of which Mito is the first book, is spun off of that story. It’s a bit of paranoid fantasy but at the same time it is believable. Not a lot is known about mitochondrial disease or its treatment, which makes the story of a conspiracy to separate sick children from parents for profit scarily possible. I look forward to further books in the series and hope that Gabriel will be a featured character.
July 15, 2017
Scary
This book was very hard for me to read. I identified with the children much more than the drs. I am 67 yrs old and have had my share and a few others share of medical mishaps. Have had many operations over the years but have always trusted my drs. I've been lucky. But some of the children I have seen over the years didn't seem so lucky! Here's hoping someone will identity the crappy drs out there and stop the incompetent.
This book was very hard for me to read. I identified with the children much more than the drs. I am 67 yrs old and have had my share and a few others share of medical mishaps. Have had many operations over the years but have always trusted my drs. I've been lucky. But some of the children I have seen over the years didn't seem so lucky! Here's hoping someone will identity the crappy drs out there and stop the incompetent.
April 21, 2018
I loved Mito, a spine tingling medical mystery wrapped in intrigue tajen from today's headlines. My heart was fully engaged with these kids. I agonized with Gabriel and his struggled with the horror of Medical Kidnapping and the system that is supposed to protect children but often abuses them and innocent parents who also suffer.
July 21, 2022
Wow! What a fantastic medical thriller! The characters, especially Renata and Gabriel were great. The story and the way it flowed made it sound like something that could happen in real life. It makes one stop and think. Don't start reading this book unless you have some time because your not going to want to put it down.
November 18, 2020
Made a big indent on my brain Truer than most of us would think, unless you have been involved with children who are away from their families and unless you have dealt with government red tape and CPS!
December 18, 2022
Doctors, diseases, distress - oh my!
Mysterious happenings with ill kids. Kids being taken from their parents because of medical neglect, only to be put into medical trials for medication. How does this happen?
Mysterious happenings with ill kids. Kids being taken from their parents because of medical neglect, only to be put into medical trials for medication. How does this happen?
August 27, 2018
Full of intrigue.
Good book with lots of intrigue and a story to make you wonder if stuff like this really does happen. It got me thinking!
Good book with lots of intrigue and a story to make you wonder if stuff like this really does happen. It got me thinking!
January 16, 2019
Interesting
It’s good fiction. There are strains of truth but it would be highly improbable for any of this to actually happen. Entertaining.
It’s good fiction. There are strains of truth but it would be highly improbable for any of this to actually happen. Entertaining.
December 2, 2020
A Partial Story
Had a fair amount of time invested in the book, the story held my interest, but at the end of the book I felt it was anticlimactic. The story left you hanging.
Had a fair amount of time invested in the book, the story held my interest, but at the end of the book I felt it was anticlimactic. The story left you hanging.
December 9, 2020
Poignant, thought provoking, MUST READ❣️
Read
June 17, 2021Good Read
Not something you think about or even read about. The premise to this series must be personal to this author but is a thought provoking read nonetheless.
Not something you think about or even read about. The premise to this series must be personal to this author but is a thought provoking read nonetheless.
December 1, 2021
Typically I like the work of this author. The end of this book was unsatisfying and I was left hanging. The story and characters were good though.
May 4, 2023
I am not sure what to make of this story. It is well written but I asked myself what was the point of this story? The story does have a conclusion but I feel unsatisfied.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews