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Dr. Harry Kent #1
The Hollow Men
Police surgeon Harry Kent is determined to help those the world would rather brush aside, in a smart and electrifying new crime series that evokes the often-hidden medical world of the London Metropolitan Police.
Dr. Harry Kent likes to keep himself busy—juggling hospital duties with his work as a police surgeon for the London Metropolitan Police—anything to ward off the memories of his time as an army medic.
Usually the police work means minor injuries and mental health assessments. But teenager Solomon Idris’s case is different. Idris has taken eight people hostage in a fast-food restaurant, and is demanding to see a lawyer and a BBC reporter. Harry is sent in to treat the clearly-ill teenager . . . before the siege goes horribly wrong.
When Solomon’s life is put in danger again at a critical care ward, it becomes clear he knows something people will kill to protect. Determined to uncover the secret that drove the boy to such desperate action, Harry soon realizes that someone in the medical world, someone he may even know, has broken the doctors’ commandment to “do no harm” many times over . . .
346 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 25, 2016
33 people are currently reading
2046 people want to read
About the author
Rob McCarthy
11 books76 followersRob McCarthy is a medical student who has written a stunning debut. THE HOLLOW MEN is a complex and pacy novel vividly set in contemporary London and a busy hospital. Harry is a compassionate and determined hero and THE HOLLOW MEN is the first in an intended series.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 134 reviews
January 24, 2016
LOVED this. Adore Harry Kent. Love a criminally good medical drama and Rob Mccarthy is the first author in ages who can make the medical side both exciting, authentic AND understandable. Plus murder and mayhem and all sorts of other stuff. Excellent all round. I may need a Dr.
Lucky enough to be able to interview the author for the blog tour coming up on release and a full review will follow then.
Lucky enough to be able to interview the author for the blog tour coming up on release and a full review will follow then.
December 8, 2022
English version below
***************
Zu Beginn vermittelte mir das Buch den Eindruck, als sei es eine gute Mischung aus einer Folge Emergency Room und einem klassischen englischen Ermittlerkrimi. Beides sind Formate, die ich sehr mag, also begann ich mit hohen Erwartungen zu lesen.
Leider stieß ich im Fortgang der Geschichte auf etliche Punkte, die mein Interesse erlahmen ließen.
Zum einen sind die geschilderten Verbrechen überdurchschnittlich grausam und widerwärtig und viele der medizinischen Ereignisse scheußlicher als ich wissen wollte.
Zum anderen fand ich die Aufklärungs des Falles ausreichend verworren, um nicht mehr wirklich interessiert zu sein.
Der Protagonist schleppt eine ganze Reihe massiver Probleme aus seiner Vergangenheit hinter sich her und sein Verhalten in der Gegenwart war für mich auch nicht unbedingt nachvollziehbar.
Insgesamt kommt es mir so vor, als hätte der Autor versucht, erheblich mehr Themen abzuhandeln als ein Buch mit knapp 500 Seiten verkraften kann.
Ich halte das Buch durchaus für lesbar, aber empfehlen würde ich es nicht. 2,5 Sterne, aufgerundet.
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At the beginning the book gave me the impression that it was a good mix of an Emergency Room episode and a classic English police procedural. Both are formats I really like, so I started reading with high expectations.
Unfortunately, as the story progressed, I came across a number of points that sapped my interest.
For one thing, the crimes portrayed are more gruesome and disgusting than the average, and many of the medical events more horrid than I wanted to know.
On the other hand, I found the clarification of the case sufficiently confuseing to no longer be really interested.
The protagonist drags a whole series of massive problems from his past behind him and his behavior in the present was also not really relatable for me.
Overall, it seems to me that the author has tried to cover a lot more topics than a book with almost 500 pages can handle.
I think the book is readable, but I wouldn't recommend it. 2.5 stars, rounded up.
***************
Zu Beginn vermittelte mir das Buch den Eindruck, als sei es eine gute Mischung aus einer Folge Emergency Room und einem klassischen englischen Ermittlerkrimi. Beides sind Formate, die ich sehr mag, also begann ich mit hohen Erwartungen zu lesen.
Leider stieß ich im Fortgang der Geschichte auf etliche Punkte, die mein Interesse erlahmen ließen.
Zum einen sind die geschilderten Verbrechen überdurchschnittlich grausam und widerwärtig und viele der medizinischen Ereignisse scheußlicher als ich wissen wollte.
Zum anderen fand ich die Aufklärungs des Falles ausreichend verworren, um nicht mehr wirklich interessiert zu sein.
Der Protagonist schleppt eine ganze Reihe massiver Probleme aus seiner Vergangenheit hinter sich her und sein Verhalten in der Gegenwart war für mich auch nicht unbedingt nachvollziehbar.
Insgesamt kommt es mir so vor, als hätte der Autor versucht, erheblich mehr Themen abzuhandeln als ein Buch mit knapp 500 Seiten verkraften kann.
Ich halte das Buch durchaus für lesbar, aber empfehlen würde ich es nicht. 2,5 Sterne, aufgerundet.
----------------------
At the beginning the book gave me the impression that it was a good mix of an Emergency Room episode and a classic English police procedural. Both are formats I really like, so I started reading with high expectations.
Unfortunately, as the story progressed, I came across a number of points that sapped my interest.
For one thing, the crimes portrayed are more gruesome and disgusting than the average, and many of the medical events more horrid than I wanted to know.
On the other hand, I found the clarification of the case sufficiently confuseing to no longer be really interested.
The protagonist drags a whole series of massive problems from his past behind him and his behavior in the present was also not really relatable for me.
Overall, it seems to me that the author has tried to cover a lot more topics than a book with almost 500 pages can handle.
I think the book is readable, but I wouldn't recommend it. 2.5 stars, rounded up.
August 30, 2016
Considering that my only previous exposure to medical thrillers came by virtue of the Diagnosis Murder novels, this debut from medical student turned crime writer Rob McCarthy was a world away from the genial Dr. Mark Sloan of Community General hospital and his detective son, Steve. However, with a premise that sounded like a unique blend of urban noir and a conspiracy theory all set against the combustible backdrop of the inner London housing estates which are notorious through their connections to gangland culture, The Hollow Men sounded like an innovative thriller. Wyndham Road, SE5, a suspect believed to be seventeen-year-old Solomon Idris from the nearby Albany estate walks into a Chicken Hut, orders his food, sits and then withdraws a gun and shoots once into the air. Taking his fellow customers and the shop workers as hostages he demands a lawyer and a BBC reporter from the police that are on the scene. Before any of this can come to pass, DI Frankie Noble of Southwark CID strikes a deal with an ailing Idris, offering him a qualified doctor in exchange for the release of the hostages.
When DI Noble rouses Harry Kent after coming off duty that morning from a shift working as the ICU registrar at the John Ruskin University Hospital, and reports a 'situation' with no one injured at present, Kent pops an amphetamine and heads out of the door to attend. No one appreciates the misnomer behind his job title of 'police surgeon' more than Dr. Harry Kent, officially titled the Force Medical Examiner. The bread and butter day to day jobs of his responsibilities err to the more pedestrian tasks of dealing with minor injuries and verifying if an individual is fit to be questioned. Hostage situations are not on that list... As Harry Kent enters the takeaway he immediately sees that Idris is suffering, struggling with laboured breathing, a sheen of sweat across his brow and Kent knows that the matter is life-threatening and an oxygen cylinder is needed. A noise outside the takeaway causes the armed police to charge in suspecting Idris has opened fire and further endanger his life but not before he has told Harry his reason for protesting being that "they" killed Keisha and the police don't care. Accompanying Idris to A&E, Kent begins to suspect that attempts on Solomon's life are being orchestrated in the critical care ward and starts to think that maybe he knew far too much for someone's liking and his demise would ensure he never speaks out. Working alongside colleagues including former best friend, Dr. James Lahiri working a locum shift in A&E and a senior consultant who is largely an academic, these are people that Harry Kent respects. With so many involved in the day to day duties of staffing a critical care ward, Harry can afford to trust no one, from passing nurses to those who occupy the very highest echelons. The eyes of Solomon Idris, old before their years, haunt Harry and he refuses to let the matter drop, whether with police support or on his own.
A fairly slow starter to take hold, The Hollow Men only gripped me at about a third of the way through. Prior to this I was torn between persevering onward through the initially dense medical terminology or giving up on the novel. Fortunately my own chequered medical history proved a boon, and having had a pneumothorax (collapsed lung) and spell on a trauma ward this afforded me a sketchy understanding of the fight to save Solomon's life. Undoubtedly there is a trade-off with medical jargon being entirely necessary to make the hospital activity plausible, and reading like a medical textbook which threatens to alienate the average reader. Reading about the fight to save Idris's life alone is only so interesting and with no clear direction for the plot taking shape until well through this novel The Hollow Men felt somewhat laborious.
As a local boy made good, complete with his own brushes with the law as a teenager, Dr. Harry Kent has returned from a life as an army medic battling the atrocities in Afghanistan. His spell on the frontline ended with former best friend and fellow army doctor, James Lahiri, saving his life. Dr. Lahiri now spends two nights a week as the emergency doctor at the Ruskin and working as a GP at the surgery with an ongoing gang initiative which counts Idris as a patient, but Kent and Lahiri are no longer on speaking terms. As regards the motive in choosing his post army career and changing from a youthful scorn of the force to working on their behalf, the answer becomes clear when readers see Harry visiting the pink haired young girl he has named Zara, an unidentified female who was brought in with her life hanging in the balance in the aftermath of the 2011 London riots. Kent transferred his energies into seeing Zara identified and her family informed of her condition and much of his naive belief is that throughout his contact with police personnel he will be able to inspire his contacts to take up the cause, all a diversion amid his guilt and self-loathing about his betrayal of the man he has to thank for saving his life, James Lahiri.
For all the energy and admirable style surrounding this debut, there was still something fairly prosaic about the plot. Overly twee, and keen to paint Dr. Harry Kent as the knight in shining armour, a beacon of truth and positivity amongst a largely apathetic landscape where everyone else was only too willing to give up on the disenfranchised youths of the South London inner city estates. From the Saviour Project attempting to tackle the gang culture at Lahiri's practice the preaching school assembly, for all the talk of innovative storylines there was still something too predictable about the story of a local fighting the battles and protecting those less fortunate than himself. Kent, with his own demons, most notably his speed addiction and his nightmares from Afghanistan feels like the almost obligatory burdened character who singlehandedly upholds justice. I lost count of the number of life saving interventions made by his character and my interest waned as the novel drew to a close. The simplicity with which Kent tracked down a gun dealer and approached him alone with ease and in such a casual manner also proved a little too saccharine sweet to be plausible.
The story is narrated entirely in the third person and takes the form of a diary, detailing the day to day happenings and the pace is intense, as befitting a situation where lives hang in the balance. The gallows humour was splendidly delivered and insights from the medical frontline added moments of sparkle, including a personal favourite revealing that the CT scan is termed 'the doughnut of death'. Unfortunately taking roughly one third of the novel for the plot to become clear and a ludicrous diversion of Harry being considered a viable suspect that was over extenuated, The Hollow Men felt like an awful lot of effort for a limited reward. This novel is the first in a planned Dr. Harry Kent series and I will be interested to see where Harry ventures next and whether he remains a police surgeon.
When DI Noble rouses Harry Kent after coming off duty that morning from a shift working as the ICU registrar at the John Ruskin University Hospital, and reports a 'situation' with no one injured at present, Kent pops an amphetamine and heads out of the door to attend. No one appreciates the misnomer behind his job title of 'police surgeon' more than Dr. Harry Kent, officially titled the Force Medical Examiner. The bread and butter day to day jobs of his responsibilities err to the more pedestrian tasks of dealing with minor injuries and verifying if an individual is fit to be questioned. Hostage situations are not on that list... As Harry Kent enters the takeaway he immediately sees that Idris is suffering, struggling with laboured breathing, a sheen of sweat across his brow and Kent knows that the matter is life-threatening and an oxygen cylinder is needed. A noise outside the takeaway causes the armed police to charge in suspecting Idris has opened fire and further endanger his life but not before he has told Harry his reason for protesting being that "they" killed Keisha and the police don't care. Accompanying Idris to A&E, Kent begins to suspect that attempts on Solomon's life are being orchestrated in the critical care ward and starts to think that maybe he knew far too much for someone's liking and his demise would ensure he never speaks out. Working alongside colleagues including former best friend, Dr. James Lahiri working a locum shift in A&E and a senior consultant who is largely an academic, these are people that Harry Kent respects. With so many involved in the day to day duties of staffing a critical care ward, Harry can afford to trust no one, from passing nurses to those who occupy the very highest echelons. The eyes of Solomon Idris, old before their years, haunt Harry and he refuses to let the matter drop, whether with police support or on his own.
A fairly slow starter to take hold, The Hollow Men only gripped me at about a third of the way through. Prior to this I was torn between persevering onward through the initially dense medical terminology or giving up on the novel. Fortunately my own chequered medical history proved a boon, and having had a pneumothorax (collapsed lung) and spell on a trauma ward this afforded me a sketchy understanding of the fight to save Solomon's life. Undoubtedly there is a trade-off with medical jargon being entirely necessary to make the hospital activity plausible, and reading like a medical textbook which threatens to alienate the average reader. Reading about the fight to save Idris's life alone is only so interesting and with no clear direction for the plot taking shape until well through this novel The Hollow Men felt somewhat laborious.
As a local boy made good, complete with his own brushes with the law as a teenager, Dr. Harry Kent has returned from a life as an army medic battling the atrocities in Afghanistan. His spell on the frontline ended with former best friend and fellow army doctor, James Lahiri, saving his life. Dr. Lahiri now spends two nights a week as the emergency doctor at the Ruskin and working as a GP at the surgery with an ongoing gang initiative which counts Idris as a patient, but Kent and Lahiri are no longer on speaking terms. As regards the motive in choosing his post army career and changing from a youthful scorn of the force to working on their behalf, the answer becomes clear when readers see Harry visiting the pink haired young girl he has named Zara, an unidentified female who was brought in with her life hanging in the balance in the aftermath of the 2011 London riots. Kent transferred his energies into seeing Zara identified and her family informed of her condition and much of his naive belief is that throughout his contact with police personnel he will be able to inspire his contacts to take up the cause, all a diversion amid his guilt and self-loathing about his betrayal of the man he has to thank for saving his life, James Lahiri.
For all the energy and admirable style surrounding this debut, there was still something fairly prosaic about the plot. Overly twee, and keen to paint Dr. Harry Kent as the knight in shining armour, a beacon of truth and positivity amongst a largely apathetic landscape where everyone else was only too willing to give up on the disenfranchised youths of the South London inner city estates. From the Saviour Project attempting to tackle the gang culture at Lahiri's practice the preaching school assembly, for all the talk of innovative storylines there was still something too predictable about the story of a local fighting the battles and protecting those less fortunate than himself. Kent, with his own demons, most notably his speed addiction and his nightmares from Afghanistan feels like the almost obligatory burdened character who singlehandedly upholds justice. I lost count of the number of life saving interventions made by his character and my interest waned as the novel drew to a close. The simplicity with which Kent tracked down a gun dealer and approached him alone with ease and in such a casual manner also proved a little too saccharine sweet to be plausible.
The story is narrated entirely in the third person and takes the form of a diary, detailing the day to day happenings and the pace is intense, as befitting a situation where lives hang in the balance. The gallows humour was splendidly delivered and insights from the medical frontline added moments of sparkle, including a personal favourite revealing that the CT scan is termed 'the doughnut of death'. Unfortunately taking roughly one third of the novel for the plot to become clear and a ludicrous diversion of Harry being considered a viable suspect that was over extenuated, The Hollow Men felt like an awful lot of effort for a limited reward. This novel is the first in a planned Dr. Harry Kent series and I will be interested to see where Harry ventures next and whether he remains a police surgeon.
July 30, 2017
GNAB I received a free electronic copy of this novel from Netgalley, Rob McCarthy, and Pegasus Books in exchange for an honest review. Thank you all, for sharing your fine work with me.
This is an excellent British police/medical procedural and reads nothing like a debut novel. Rob McCarthy does a fine job of carrying off this intricate plot with steady precision and heart catching moments of both despair and enlightenment. I admire Harry Kent for his combined humanity and humility, and Frankie Noble has just enough flaws to cut the sweetness. I hope this is the first of many mysteries from Rob McCarthy. It is a book I will recommend to my family and friends with an easy heart.
pub date Dec 20 2016
Pegasus Books
This is an excellent British police/medical procedural and reads nothing like a debut novel. Rob McCarthy does a fine job of carrying off this intricate plot with steady precision and heart catching moments of both despair and enlightenment. I admire Harry Kent for his combined humanity and humility, and Frankie Noble has just enough flaws to cut the sweetness. I hope this is the first of many mysteries from Rob McCarthy. It is a book I will recommend to my family and friends with an easy heart.
pub date Dec 20 2016
Pegasus Books
January 28, 2017
This one is pretty good. In fact, I'll even go so
far as saying he comes close to the writing like
I find in Jo Nesbo's Harry Hole series.
Maybe that's too strong of a recommendation,
but it is a good thriller of a story. It starts off with a
very exciting police situation before it
devolves into prose and dialogue as if
it were some kind of TV medical show
(Chicago Med, ER, Code Black), but don't
let all the heavy jargon dull your
senses because then it settles down into
a likeable murder mystery. Fairly good
ending with an added final twist.
I'll be reading his next book in the series
for sure.
far as saying he comes close to the writing like
I find in Jo Nesbo's Harry Hole series.
Maybe that's too strong of a recommendation,
but it is a good thriller of a story. It starts off with a
very exciting police situation before it
devolves into prose and dialogue as if
it were some kind of TV medical show
(Chicago Med, ER, Code Black), but don't
let all the heavy jargon dull your
senses because then it settles down into
a likeable murder mystery. Fairly good
ending with an added final twist.
I'll be reading his next book in the series
for sure.
July 8, 2019
The Hollow men. Some men heal others harm. This police procedural meets medical drama. This is the start of a major series from medical student and exceptional crime-writing talent. The Hollow Men is perfect for fans of Mark Billingham, Val McDermind, and watchers of medical dramas from ER to silent witness. Rob McCarthy is a medical student in his fourth year of study, who started writing crime novel when the neuroantomy textbooks threatened to take his sanity. I am very pleased that he is currently working on two more stories featuring Dr Harry Kent.
January 3, 2018
Tense medical murder mystery thriller.
February 26, 2016
Visit the locations in the book here Hollow Men Booktrail
2000s – A novel which reads like a scalpel slicing into you and scarring you for ever
OMG This reads like one heck of a thriller. Thrown into the deep end of a hostage situation from page one, the action never lets up. I made the mistake of trying to read in bed and realised that at 1.30 I was still awake and that Dr Harry Kent was sat in my head and refused to budge. He’s a stubborn one that Harry, the police and his colleagues will tell you that but now Ican say it too. Phew I really feel as if I was in the thick of it all – you can tell the author knows his stuff – all the medical jargon is there but it’s never overly done and I soaked it up like blood on a bandage.
Rob is a medical student but he mixes the medical with the ultimate buzz a doctor in A and E or in a hostage situation must face. This is high adrenaline reading and felt very real. Reminded me of the recent news situation which took place in a Paris supermarket – and now I realise even more of the terror that probably took place there. I did start to think about Solomon’s story too and felt this was nicely done.
Just as well this book proof was sent in a medical bag as I need a doctor now. Shortness of breath, a dagger to the heart and a heart stopping story bleeding all over the pages.
2000s – A novel which reads like a scalpel slicing into you and scarring you for ever
OMG This reads like one heck of a thriller. Thrown into the deep end of a hostage situation from page one, the action never lets up. I made the mistake of trying to read in bed and realised that at 1.30 I was still awake and that Dr Harry Kent was sat in my head and refused to budge. He’s a stubborn one that Harry, the police and his colleagues will tell you that but now Ican say it too. Phew I really feel as if I was in the thick of it all – you can tell the author knows his stuff – all the medical jargon is there but it’s never overly done and I soaked it up like blood on a bandage.
Rob is a medical student but he mixes the medical with the ultimate buzz a doctor in A and E or in a hostage situation must face. This is high adrenaline reading and felt very real. Reminded me of the recent news situation which took place in a Paris supermarket – and now I realise even more of the terror that probably took place there. I did start to think about Solomon’s story too and felt this was nicely done.
Just as well this book proof was sent in a medical bag as I need a doctor now. Shortness of breath, a dagger to the heart and a heart stopping story bleeding all over the pages.
July 9, 2016
This is a good fast paced crime thriller that is well written with intriguing characters that keeps you engrossed from start to finish with a good few twists and turns to keep you on your toes. The intrigue between the old and new friends and the hints of back stories and ulterior motives add depth to the overall story and make the ending all the more dramatic as everything changes in the last chapters. While this isn't necessarily anything ground breaking it is one the better thrillers I've read recently and the familiarity of the setting makes this all the more enjoyable (for me at least). Certainly worthy of a wet weekend curled up on the sofa.
May 30, 2016
Wowzers. I loved receiving a review copy of this book, Can you believe it actually arrived in a First aid box.
That is probably because at the end of this book it's quite possible you will need a Dr.
It kicks off brilliantly, right into the story, right into the action. Dr Harry Kent is just brilliant. He cares about other people in a big way. I can see that this is going to continue as a series of books, that you just can't wait for the next one, This series is going to be fanbloodytastic.
I believe this is actually a debut, I was shocked to learn that. It's written like it has been done by a long time writing author. Medical student Rob McCarthy is currently working on 2 more stories to feature Harry Kent. How good is that?
We are taken right into siege in a London Take away shop right from the opening pages, the action starts and it carries on from there. Solomon Idris has a gun and Hostages, yet Harry An ex Army Medic and now a part time police surgeon, is sent in to help Solomom Idris. It becomes clear early on that Idris is not well at all, in fact he's very poorly, but Harry can't seem to make him understand that he needs hospital treatment. Things soon start to go wrong, very wrong when Idris is shot and rushed to hospital.
It seems that Harry feels he has been set up, and as he continues to try and help, things start to become clear that all is not as it seems. And this is just the start.
The fact that Harry is a Police Dr rather that an actual copper gives this book it's edge, it's great to see something a little different. With him being a Dr there is a fair bit of medical jargon, but all explained or easy to understand so it doesn't put you off in any way at all. Harry is also an ex Soldier so has some of his own issues to contend with through life.
Di Nobel also features quite a lot in this book, and it was great to see her and Harry trying to put things together and help each other. It turned out that they make a great duo.
i'm really not sure I could say enough about this book to get across how much I really did enjoy it. It is well worth reading, it's upto date and thrilling and you will not be disappointed with it at all. Rob McCarthy is certainly an author to watch out for if this first book is anything to go by.
That is probably because at the end of this book it's quite possible you will need a Dr.
It kicks off brilliantly, right into the story, right into the action. Dr Harry Kent is just brilliant. He cares about other people in a big way. I can see that this is going to continue as a series of books, that you just can't wait for the next one, This series is going to be fanbloodytastic.
I believe this is actually a debut, I was shocked to learn that. It's written like it has been done by a long time writing author. Medical student Rob McCarthy is currently working on 2 more stories to feature Harry Kent. How good is that?
We are taken right into siege in a London Take away shop right from the opening pages, the action starts and it carries on from there. Solomon Idris has a gun and Hostages, yet Harry An ex Army Medic and now a part time police surgeon, is sent in to help Solomom Idris. It becomes clear early on that Idris is not well at all, in fact he's very poorly, but Harry can't seem to make him understand that he needs hospital treatment. Things soon start to go wrong, very wrong when Idris is shot and rushed to hospital.
It seems that Harry feels he has been set up, and as he continues to try and help, things start to become clear that all is not as it seems. And this is just the start.
The fact that Harry is a Police Dr rather that an actual copper gives this book it's edge, it's great to see something a little different. With him being a Dr there is a fair bit of medical jargon, but all explained or easy to understand so it doesn't put you off in any way at all. Harry is also an ex Soldier so has some of his own issues to contend with through life.
Di Nobel also features quite a lot in this book, and it was great to see her and Harry trying to put things together and help each other. It turned out that they make a great duo.
i'm really not sure I could say enough about this book to get across how much I really did enjoy it. It is well worth reading, it's upto date and thrilling and you will not be disappointed with it at all. Rob McCarthy is certainly an author to watch out for if this first book is anything to go by.
January 25, 2016
A debut novel about characters I would be willing to read more about. A crossover medical/police thriller, without having an overload of either.
I was lucky enough to receive a proof copy, hopefully the howlers I spotted will be amended before the print run. Eg, how does a legless amputee, who it's already been mentioned isn't wearing prosthesis, stamp his foot on the brake of his wheelchair?
There's a good plotline, the required number of red herrings, although I did guess the killer before the hero, Dr. Harry Kent.
I was lucky enough to receive a proof copy, hopefully the howlers I spotted will be amended before the print run. Eg, how does a legless amputee, who it's already been mentioned isn't wearing prosthesis, stamp his foot on the brake of his wheelchair?
There's a good plotline, the required number of red herrings, although I did guess the killer before the hero, Dr. Harry Kent.
January 11, 2016
Solid debut novel, crossing between medical/hospital drama and police procedural, and hence something for a wide range of readers to enjoy. Engaging plot line that hooks you from start to finish, and Dr Harry Kent (who I am sure we will be a recurring character) has a good mix of past history and past demons in his life to provide further avenues for future novels. Found some of the medical procedures a bit too complex for my uninitiated brain to understand, but this didn't detract from a good read.
August 25, 2016
While the plot was interesting there was just something missing from the whole thing that would have kept me hooked. I can't quite pinpoint what it was; maybe pace. Maybe it was the length of the chapters, it felt like I was reading for ages and not getting anywhere. Either way, it was an okay book but it was far from 'un-put-downable', in fact it was a task to pick it up again. (Again, not so much from content but length of chapters and lack of edge, I think.)
February 8, 2016
Not really into murder-mysteries but this was an enjoyable read. A bit of medical jargon in it which I liked.
Story seemed to drag a little though and I thought it could have been shorter.. (worked out who the killer was about a third of the way through)
Still, it kept me interested.
Story seemed to drag a little though and I thought it could have been shorter.. (worked out who the killer was about a third of the way through)
Still, it kept me interested.
November 8, 2018
‘We have a bit of a situation and we’d like your input’
Police Surgeon Dr. Harry Kent gets the call to assist in a hostage standoff. Despite the lack of sleep, the pill popping and his wretched social life, he’s ready to go.
However, the black teenager with the gun is the least of his worries. An armed officer overacts, sending the teen to emergency seriously wounded.
Seemingly saved, things start to go seriously wrong.
Someone wants the teenager dead and for Harry, it’s going to get personal really, really quickly…
A popular adage states ‘Never judge a book by its cover’. That’s equally true for the printed endorsements splashed across them. Personal testimonials by popular celebrities is more a marketing tool than valid opinion. As author Nathan Filer once attested in an article for ‘The Guardian UK’:
‘Cover blurbs aren’t reviews. They’re advertisements.’
Caveat emptor indeed.
Yet, occasionally they are absolutely right and spot on. ‘The Hollow Men’ is a ‘a stunning debut’ and ‘gripping’ as quoted on the biscuit tin.
The first hundred pages is razor sharp in its intensity, pace and vivid detail. As a designated Police Surgeon for the Metropolitan Police, Harry is called to a tense hostage situation in central London. On page two we already know we’re dealing with a conflicted character. Ex-Army, he nearly died during active duty in Helmand Province, Afghanistan.
On this night, Harry drops a tab of speed in anticipation of the challenges ahead.
Despite a tense situation, Harry quickly establishes rapport with the teen called Solomon Idris. (One can’t help envisaging Idris Elba sitting opposite Kent here. This could be a scene from ‘Luther’).
Harry curiosity is peaked, when Idris tells Kent that his girlfriend Keisha was killed. ‘..and you feds didn’t give a s**t’. Despite being shot by an overzealous armed officer, Idris is saved by the incredible expertise and resources at hand in every emergency room around the world.
On the back cover, we are informed that the author is a medical student ‘..who started writing crime novels when the neuroanatomy textbooks threatened to take his sanity’. McCartney knows his stuff as we are thrown head first into the detail rich language of medical speak.
‘…he was shot by a low velocity weapon. There is an entry wound in the left upper quadrant…he has no radical pulse, a central pulse of one thirty, a respiratory rate of twenty-eight and sats of eighty-two on fifteen liters of O2….we’ll need chlorphenamine and hydrocortisone’
It doesn’t matter we don’t know what they mean. Its authenticity gives real time intensity with vital edge. For the record, the lack of disbelief when quoted to my wife, a 20+ year Nurse, added further credence that this was a very real portrayal.
Harry is an angry man.
After being hit by Afghani insurgents, his own friend and fellow Doctor James Lahiri saves him. It’s this skirmish that made his commanding officer – ‘Tammas’ - a paraplegic. To add to the carnage of his life, he has an affair with his closest friend and the man who saved him: Lahiri.
Clearly, dealing with residual ongoing survivor guilt, Kent visits Tammas at random odd hours of the night. Tammas is concerned for Kent. ‘Cause you’re. Hollow’ he wheezes through his assisted breathing machine. A reference to T.S. Elliot who wrote about ‘Hollow Men’ with lost souls.
It all suggests someone struggling with PTSD. Flawed he may be. Yet, like all the literary anti – heroes fighting crime (Rebus, Hole and Reacher), it’s what makes them interesting in their nuance.
Along with the use of specific language, the backdrop of London itself reads more L.A. than rosy images of the friendly ‘’even’ in all!’ local bobby in blue.
Todays London is grittier in reality. The armed division of the Met. Police does exist, as codenamed ‘Trojan’ here. Guns are as readily available on the streets as along the back alleys of major American cities. When Kent meets one of Idris friends – Shaquille Dawson, it also provides another layer of the very real landscape of inner London.
‘..his school jumper completely ripped away from his armpits….two square zirconia earrings in his right ear and a long scar that started at the angle of the jaw and ran down his neck…’
It’s Dawson that gives Kent a breakthrough in the case: a USB stick. Its contents point him towards the ‘Saviour Project’. A medical program that treats gang life and youth violence as a disease. They treat the symptoms of social deprivation with youth workers and doctor confidentiality.
An interesting idea worth exploring.
Mccartney’s debut heralds a new look at the police procedural. This authentic medical perspective provides a very real and unique take on English urban crime.
Flawed. Tenacious. Angry. Dr. Kent has all the makings of a seasoned anti – hero.
In a well-established genre, his prognosis is certainly very rosy. 9/10
Police Surgeon Dr. Harry Kent gets the call to assist in a hostage standoff. Despite the lack of sleep, the pill popping and his wretched social life, he’s ready to go.
However, the black teenager with the gun is the least of his worries. An armed officer overacts, sending the teen to emergency seriously wounded.
Seemingly saved, things start to go seriously wrong.
Someone wants the teenager dead and for Harry, it’s going to get personal really, really quickly…
A popular adage states ‘Never judge a book by its cover’. That’s equally true for the printed endorsements splashed across them. Personal testimonials by popular celebrities is more a marketing tool than valid opinion. As author Nathan Filer once attested in an article for ‘The Guardian UK’:
‘Cover blurbs aren’t reviews. They’re advertisements.’
Caveat emptor indeed.
Yet, occasionally they are absolutely right and spot on. ‘The Hollow Men’ is a ‘a stunning debut’ and ‘gripping’ as quoted on the biscuit tin.
The first hundred pages is razor sharp in its intensity, pace and vivid detail. As a designated Police Surgeon for the Metropolitan Police, Harry is called to a tense hostage situation in central London. On page two we already know we’re dealing with a conflicted character. Ex-Army, he nearly died during active duty in Helmand Province, Afghanistan.
On this night, Harry drops a tab of speed in anticipation of the challenges ahead.
Despite a tense situation, Harry quickly establishes rapport with the teen called Solomon Idris. (One can’t help envisaging Idris Elba sitting opposite Kent here. This could be a scene from ‘Luther’).
Harry curiosity is peaked, when Idris tells Kent that his girlfriend Keisha was killed. ‘..and you feds didn’t give a s**t’. Despite being shot by an overzealous armed officer, Idris is saved by the incredible expertise and resources at hand in every emergency room around the world.
On the back cover, we are informed that the author is a medical student ‘..who started writing crime novels when the neuroanatomy textbooks threatened to take his sanity’. McCartney knows his stuff as we are thrown head first into the detail rich language of medical speak.
‘…he was shot by a low velocity weapon. There is an entry wound in the left upper quadrant…he has no radical pulse, a central pulse of one thirty, a respiratory rate of twenty-eight and sats of eighty-two on fifteen liters of O2….we’ll need chlorphenamine and hydrocortisone’
It doesn’t matter we don’t know what they mean. Its authenticity gives real time intensity with vital edge. For the record, the lack of disbelief when quoted to my wife, a 20+ year Nurse, added further credence that this was a very real portrayal.
Harry is an angry man.
After being hit by Afghani insurgents, his own friend and fellow Doctor James Lahiri saves him. It’s this skirmish that made his commanding officer – ‘Tammas’ - a paraplegic. To add to the carnage of his life, he has an affair with his closest friend and the man who saved him: Lahiri.
Clearly, dealing with residual ongoing survivor guilt, Kent visits Tammas at random odd hours of the night. Tammas is concerned for Kent. ‘Cause you’re. Hollow’ he wheezes through his assisted breathing machine. A reference to T.S. Elliot who wrote about ‘Hollow Men’ with lost souls.
It all suggests someone struggling with PTSD. Flawed he may be. Yet, like all the literary anti – heroes fighting crime (Rebus, Hole and Reacher), it’s what makes them interesting in their nuance.
Along with the use of specific language, the backdrop of London itself reads more L.A. than rosy images of the friendly ‘’even’ in all!’ local bobby in blue.
Todays London is grittier in reality. The armed division of the Met. Police does exist, as codenamed ‘Trojan’ here. Guns are as readily available on the streets as along the back alleys of major American cities. When Kent meets one of Idris friends – Shaquille Dawson, it also provides another layer of the very real landscape of inner London.
‘..his school jumper completely ripped away from his armpits….two square zirconia earrings in his right ear and a long scar that started at the angle of the jaw and ran down his neck…’
It’s Dawson that gives Kent a breakthrough in the case: a USB stick. Its contents point him towards the ‘Saviour Project’. A medical program that treats gang life and youth violence as a disease. They treat the symptoms of social deprivation with youth workers and doctor confidentiality.
An interesting idea worth exploring.
Mccartney’s debut heralds a new look at the police procedural. This authentic medical perspective provides a very real and unique take on English urban crime.
Flawed. Tenacious. Angry. Dr. Kent has all the makings of a seasoned anti – hero.
In a well-established genre, his prognosis is certainly very rosy. 9/10
April 19, 2017
Well done! Exciting story, good characters...medical involvement but not a "medical mystery." Protagonist very well done.
November 4, 2017
My thoughts on this book can be read via this link to my review that appeared in Mystery Scene magazine: https://mysteryscenemag.com/26-review...
June 10, 2016
Saw an outstanding review for this debut thriller in a national newspaper and downloaded it to my Kindle (raising an eyebrow at the steep price) and quickly finished the book I was reading so I could commence this.
It has all the things I love about a book, medical jargon, murder, mystery, intrigue and a little romance along the way.
Dr Harry Kent (Police Surgeon) receives a phone call from DI (Frances) Frankie Noble to attend an incident at a takeaway called the Chicken Hut where a 17 year old male (Solomon Idris) is holding staff and customers hostage at gun point. When Harry eventually gets into the shop, he builds up some kind of rapport with the very deeply troubled Solomon, who tells him that he is 'doing this for Keisha' and asking for a lawyer. Harry quickly realises that Solomon is very ill as he's having serious coughing and breathing problems and starts to treat him. Sadly, at that point, something goes terribly wrong with the whole situation and Solomon is critically injured. (No spoilers).
Solomon is rushed to the hospital where Harry also works as a Registrar, and the team battle to save the life of Solomon.
Things take a sinister turn for the worse and Harry realises that Solomon's life is in danger. He doesn't know why, but he sets out to find out, ultimately putting himself in danger from whom he does not know.
Harry is a tortured soul having been seriously injured in Afghanistan and only surviving as his old friend (James Lahiri) had saved him and their commanding officer. James and Harry haven't spoken for a year and we soon find out why. Harry lives for his work but sadly living each day on amphetamines, just to battle on through.
Frankie has some personal issues of her own, but she supports Harry completely and she has her own methods of bending the Police rules in trying to get her man.
I felt the book was overlong and there was an awful lot of repetition, which made it a little tiresome for me in places.
Generally though I liked Harry and Frankie and as the book ends so abruptly I'm hoping this leaves a nice little opener for a sequel. I would love to see how Harry and Frankie's professional and personal relationship (hopefully) develops as they both need some happiness in their lives.
With a bit of a nip and a tuck here and there I'm hoping this could be a great series.
It has all the things I love about a book, medical jargon, murder, mystery, intrigue and a little romance along the way.
Dr Harry Kent (Police Surgeon) receives a phone call from DI (Frances) Frankie Noble to attend an incident at a takeaway called the Chicken Hut where a 17 year old male (Solomon Idris) is holding staff and customers hostage at gun point. When Harry eventually gets into the shop, he builds up some kind of rapport with the very deeply troubled Solomon, who tells him that he is 'doing this for Keisha' and asking for a lawyer. Harry quickly realises that Solomon is very ill as he's having serious coughing and breathing problems and starts to treat him. Sadly, at that point, something goes terribly wrong with the whole situation and Solomon is critically injured. (No spoilers).
Solomon is rushed to the hospital where Harry also works as a Registrar, and the team battle to save the life of Solomon.
Things take a sinister turn for the worse and Harry realises that Solomon's life is in danger. He doesn't know why, but he sets out to find out, ultimately putting himself in danger from whom he does not know.
Harry is a tortured soul having been seriously injured in Afghanistan and only surviving as his old friend (James Lahiri) had saved him and their commanding officer. James and Harry haven't spoken for a year and we soon find out why. Harry lives for his work but sadly living each day on amphetamines, just to battle on through.
Frankie has some personal issues of her own, but she supports Harry completely and she has her own methods of bending the Police rules in trying to get her man.
I felt the book was overlong and there was an awful lot of repetition, which made it a little tiresome for me in places.
Generally though I liked Harry and Frankie and as the book ends so abruptly I'm hoping this leaves a nice little opener for a sequel. I would love to see how Harry and Frankie's professional and personal relationship (hopefully) develops as they both need some happiness in their lives.
With a bit of a nip and a tuck here and there I'm hoping this could be a great series.
November 20, 2017
Used to reading US Police Procedurals , it was refreshing to read one set in Southwark, England, and not just any Southwark, England ...
With its backdrop of inner city housing estates notorious for their gangland culture this is a gritty read in which Intensive Care Registrar, Harry Kent, gets caught up in an incident.
A strong debut novel. Whilst the medical terminology could be a bit dense, for the main part the author managed to walk the line that saw the jargon kept authentic and yet largely understandable to even those of us whose only knowledge of a pneumothorax (that's a collapsed lung to you and me) is what we have gathered off any number of the medical dramas out there.
Character wise?
As with most protagonists of this genre Kent is not without his demons. His CID counterpart (and I dare bet love interest to be) Frances (Frankie) Noble, likewise with issues of her own. Both willing to go that extra mile, to bend the rules to get their man so to speak. Their humanity (and humility) make for interesting characters that I believe have a lot of mileage in them.
Copyright: Tracy Terry @ Pen and Paper
With its backdrop of inner city housing estates notorious for their gangland culture this is a gritty read in which Intensive Care Registrar, Harry Kent, gets caught up in an incident.
A strong debut novel. Whilst the medical terminology could be a bit dense, for the main part the author managed to walk the line that saw the jargon kept authentic and yet largely understandable to even those of us whose only knowledge of a pneumothorax (that's a collapsed lung to you and me) is what we have gathered off any number of the medical dramas out there.
Character wise?
As with most protagonists of this genre Kent is not without his demons. His CID counterpart (and I dare bet love interest to be) Frances (Frankie) Noble, likewise with issues of her own. Both willing to go that extra mile, to bend the rules to get their man so to speak. Their humanity (and humility) make for interesting characters that I believe have a lot of mileage in them.
Copyright: Tracy Terry @ Pen and Paper
March 8, 2016
Dr Harry Kent bursts into this debut appearance by inserting himself into a tense hostage situation in a South London fried chicken shop on behalf of the Met. Kent is a police surgeon and The Hollow Men is that rare beast: a medical thriller. Because his job is essentially to be on hand to treat injuries, his role as a solver of criminal mysteries is somewhat restricted. This could be a structural problem, if this book is the first in a Harry Kent series. But as a major conspiracy appears to be in the offing he can discard such niceties as the Data Protection Act and the GMC's ethics code and hack medical records, bust into flats, and cajole confessions from schoolchildren all with the connivance of a embittered policewoman whom he begins sleeping with.
The procedural detail is all there, and McCarthy does not shy from medical jargon, assuming the reader's familiarity by now with Casualty, ER or Holby City. But the plot is clunky and formulaic. The master villain is telegraphed throughout before the final big reveal and the pacing is slow after a frenetic start.
The procedural detail is all there, and McCarthy does not shy from medical jargon, assuming the reader's familiarity by now with Casualty, ER or Holby City. But the plot is clunky and formulaic. The master villain is telegraphed throughout before the final big reveal and the pacing is slow after a frenetic start.
March 20, 2017
i usually try to put this in my bad reviews: i have never written a book, so my critique is purely as a reader, though i respect writing a book takes some sort of talent...
i kinda forgot how i dislike medial mysteries/thrillers until i got about 30 pages into this book... um, can anyone say "waaaaaaaaay too much medical jargon and procedural description!!"??? yikes, i thought i was taking the MCAT... anywayS... this was hopelessly overwrought and dull... the usual characters (white male hero, 'strong' female cop who gets mushy for WMH, 'foreign' friend of white male hero sacrificed to help hero be heroic, old-but-resepcted friend of hero that is bad guy, colored/poor/criminally-bent victims, survivor who helps WMH be even more heroic)... nothing new or even anything old done well... had this ugly tinge of 'privilege' stuck to it, and anyone who understands that concept will at least understand my review, though not necessarily agree with it...
i kinda forgot how i dislike medial mysteries/thrillers until i got about 30 pages into this book... um, can anyone say "waaaaaaaaay too much medical jargon and procedural description!!"??? yikes, i thought i was taking the MCAT... anywayS... this was hopelessly overwrought and dull... the usual characters (white male hero, 'strong' female cop who gets mushy for WMH, 'foreign' friend of white male hero sacrificed to help hero be heroic, old-but-resepcted friend of hero that is bad guy, colored/poor/criminally-bent victims, survivor who helps WMH be even more heroic)... nothing new or even anything old done well... had this ugly tinge of 'privilege' stuck to it, and anyone who understands that concept will at least understand my review, though not necessarily agree with it...
January 25, 2016
This book is brilliant! I loved it. The book is a debut by this author and features Dr Harry Kent a police surgeon for the Met police who is sent in to help out on a situation where a very ill teenager is holding people hostage, things aren't all quite as they seem and it all goes a bit wrong. Harry then becomes so involved in the case that it takes over every minute of his life for the next few days.
This book is so gripping, you really cant put it down and I must admit I did have a few late nights reading it! It is a really good crime story, along with a medical drama and a few 'ghosts' from Harry's past crop up to make it an exciting and thrilling read.
This book is so gripping, you really cant put it down and I must admit I did have a few late nights reading it! It is a really good crime story, along with a medical drama and a few 'ghosts' from Harry's past crop up to make it an exciting and thrilling read.
January 30, 2017
It takes guts to borrow a title from T. S. Eliot but I think the author made the right decision. This was a debut and it completely blew me away. The author is a 4th year medical student. At this rate, he may never practice. The uniqueness of this book is the true to life medical part (no sci-fi, just real and copious blood and guts) mixed with a believable thriller with hold-your breath action. It kept me enthralled from start to finish. The author seems to have hit on a perfect balance between the personal lives of the characters and their roles in the story. I'll be in line for Dr. Harry Kent's next case.
June 24, 2020
I don't think I've read anything like this before. The police surgeon main character breathlessly goes from a hostage standoff to a frantic effort to save someone via ambulance, ER and surgery. It was an intense opening that hooked me even though I had NO idea what the medical stuff meant. Exciting.
December 1, 2016
I received this arc from Netgalley.
Loved it! This was a great read. Highly entertaining and exciting. Action galore. I was almost late for work because I didn't want to put it down. There are a few twists that will keep you on your toes. Definitely recommended.
Loved it! This was a great read. Highly entertaining and exciting. Action galore. I was almost late for work because I didn't want to put it down. There are a few twists that will keep you on your toes. Definitely recommended.
November 22, 2015
Genius idea of mixing everyone's favourite TV genres into 1 one book!: Police drama crossed with medical procedural.
Really enjoyed it, hope author continues with the character.
Really enjoyed it, hope author continues with the character.
September 15, 2020
“We are the hollow men. Shape without form, shade without colour,
Paralysed force, gesture without motion.” TS Eliot – (1925)
Introducing Harry Kent, a police surgeon working with the Met, determined to help those the world would rather brush aside.
Dr Harry Kent: former Army medic, hospital registrar, police surgeon, drug addict and defender of anyone the world would rather brush aside. His critics say he has a weakness for lost causes.
There are some problems Harry cannot solve. His guilt, his lack of sleep, his fractured relationships.
But when he sits down across from a sick teenager, he knows what to do - even if that teenager is armed.
When the negotiations go wrong and the boy is rushed to hospital, Harry soon realises the danger is not over. Someone wants his patient dead, someone who has access to medical records, someone who will stop at nothing to hide the truth.
Harry knows he can't save everyone. But he won't stop trying...
Well what can I say? This is a first-class Medical Thriller. The attention to detail regarding medical procedures is spot on and the author has clearly done their research. The details in the emergency room are detailed and are written by someone who has clearly observed and taken part in procedures first -hand.
I mean talk about a complex and conflicted character is Dr Harry Kent. This guy has such a backstory. He has suffered many a trauma that is clear and with that struggles to make or maintain any kind of a relationship. He has a drug problem, poor sleep, feels guilty and suffers with complex PTSD symptoms. It makes for a great opportunity to really develop this character and I hope we will see more of him over time. Many people will be able to empathise and relate to this character. Having worked with Veterans myself I can see his struggles and they jump out from the page vividly.
The medical jargon can take some time to get used to and you will find yourself googling some of the terms used and what procedures are taking place. However, that will not stop you enjoying this book, rather it will enable you to learn something.
The plot is authentic and fast-paced and all in all it is a fantastic, gritty, and well thought out crime novel. It has many twists and turns and leaves you guessing until the very end.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and look forward to others in the series. It comes to you highly recommended and I encourage you to give it a try.
Cheers
Ben
ChopperCrimeBooks
Paralysed force, gesture without motion.” TS Eliot – (1925)
Introducing Harry Kent, a police surgeon working with the Met, determined to help those the world would rather brush aside.
Dr Harry Kent: former Army medic, hospital registrar, police surgeon, drug addict and defender of anyone the world would rather brush aside. His critics say he has a weakness for lost causes.
There are some problems Harry cannot solve. His guilt, his lack of sleep, his fractured relationships.
But when he sits down across from a sick teenager, he knows what to do - even if that teenager is armed.
When the negotiations go wrong and the boy is rushed to hospital, Harry soon realises the danger is not over. Someone wants his patient dead, someone who has access to medical records, someone who will stop at nothing to hide the truth.
Harry knows he can't save everyone. But he won't stop trying...
Well what can I say? This is a first-class Medical Thriller. The attention to detail regarding medical procedures is spot on and the author has clearly done their research. The details in the emergency room are detailed and are written by someone who has clearly observed and taken part in procedures first -hand.
I mean talk about a complex and conflicted character is Dr Harry Kent. This guy has such a backstory. He has suffered many a trauma that is clear and with that struggles to make or maintain any kind of a relationship. He has a drug problem, poor sleep, feels guilty and suffers with complex PTSD symptoms. It makes for a great opportunity to really develop this character and I hope we will see more of him over time. Many people will be able to empathise and relate to this character. Having worked with Veterans myself I can see his struggles and they jump out from the page vividly.
The medical jargon can take some time to get used to and you will find yourself googling some of the terms used and what procedures are taking place. However, that will not stop you enjoying this book, rather it will enable you to learn something.
The plot is authentic and fast-paced and all in all it is a fantastic, gritty, and well thought out crime novel. It has many twists and turns and leaves you guessing until the very end.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and look forward to others in the series. It comes to you highly recommended and I encourage you to give it a try.
Cheers
Ben
ChopperCrimeBooks
January 8, 2017
I really enjoyed the Hollow Men. Rob McCarthy has found a new follower.
I was hooked from the first chapter on. Game out with a shotgun blast. Whenever the book slowed down it was only to reload. There were no poorly written characters, just some I wish I could have learned more about. The main protagonist Dr. Harry Kent is damaged. Partly by upbringing, partly by war, and partly by is own stupidity. As is the case in our own lives there is always more to know. A man driven by his guilt, remorse, sense of right and wrong, and his past. A good recipe to relate to for many.
The turmoil that starts with a young man holding hostages for an unknown reason starts Harry down a path where much is exposed but not always in the right direction. Having spent time in an ER and an ICU the hospital scenes play out quite nicely. The sense of urgency, the immediacy of every decision. One Doctors mistakes covered by another one. Multiple events that cascade down on the young man who throughout the book is either not all there or under an induced coma. But even he has a backstory. There is more to know about everyone. Everything is connected, even if just loosely. Decisions and actions dictated by past events ring true. Multiple story lines that should be examined in future books are laid out for us. Within this book we see how poverty and those looking to use these broken youth are not far apart.
I good go on with the Kudos but I'd be repeating myself.
I wish there had been more insight into some of the characters because going forward they can't have much impact other than to give Harry more depth. But this is nitpicking on my part.
I'm hooked and I want more. And that is a good place to be.
I wish to thank the Author, the Publisher, and NetGalley for my free copy in exchange for this honest review.
I was hooked from the first chapter on. Game out with a shotgun blast. Whenever the book slowed down it was only to reload. There were no poorly written characters, just some I wish I could have learned more about. The main protagonist Dr. Harry Kent is damaged. Partly by upbringing, partly by war, and partly by is own stupidity. As is the case in our own lives there is always more to know. A man driven by his guilt, remorse, sense of right and wrong, and his past. A good recipe to relate to for many.
The turmoil that starts with a young man holding hostages for an unknown reason starts Harry down a path where much is exposed but not always in the right direction. Having spent time in an ER and an ICU the hospital scenes play out quite nicely. The sense of urgency, the immediacy of every decision. One Doctors mistakes covered by another one. Multiple events that cascade down on the young man who throughout the book is either not all there or under an induced coma. But even he has a backstory. There is more to know about everyone. Everything is connected, even if just loosely. Decisions and actions dictated by past events ring true. Multiple story lines that should be examined in future books are laid out for us. Within this book we see how poverty and those looking to use these broken youth are not far apart.
I good go on with the Kudos but I'd be repeating myself.
I wish there had been more insight into some of the characters because going forward they can't have much impact other than to give Harry more depth. But this is nitpicking on my part.
I'm hooked and I want more. And that is a good place to be.
I wish to thank the Author, the Publisher, and NetGalley for my free copy in exchange for this honest review.
August 16, 2018
Fans of medical dramas and dark British mystery shows will likely enjoy this first book from a medical student who apparently got a little twitchy during summer vacation. Harry Kent, an Afghani war vet with "moderate" PTSD, rather in the vein of the Sherlock reboot's Watson, attempts to right the wrongs of the world. As he's rescuing (or not) the victims of a nasty predator, readers get to ingest toe-curling descriptions of emergency interventions. You'll need to be pretty comfortable with medical terminology and abbreviations- or have Google nearby- to follow some of the narrative. If you're an American reader, you'll also notice some different titles and structures used in the British healthcare system that may trip you up. Even so, it's a fast, energetic read given to enjoyable melodrama despite its grim assumptions. There is a lot of emotional vomiting.
Although I think your taste in television will likely be more important in helping you decide whether you want to read this book, you may be a T.S. Eliot fan and wondering whether it evokes the poem of the same name. There are indirect allusions. A paralyzed man; a burning man, references to death and dreams and a spiritual emptiness are all there. The poem is short, though, and being much more mysterious than a simple "whodunit", invites deeper contemplation. It's a happy little detour when a genre fiction leads you back to the classics.
Although I think your taste in television will likely be more important in helping you decide whether you want to read this book, you may be a T.S. Eliot fan and wondering whether it evokes the poem of the same name. There are indirect allusions. A paralyzed man; a burning man, references to death and dreams and a spiritual emptiness are all there. The poem is short, though, and being much more mysterious than a simple "whodunit", invites deeper contemplation. It's a happy little detour when a genre fiction leads you back to the classics.
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