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Drake Cody #1
Nerve Damage
This is an updated cover edition of ISBN10: 099033600X /ISBN13: 9780990336006.
ER physician and medical researcher, Drake Cody, has created an experimental drug that may help the paralyzed walk. A diabolical predator has learned of the priceless research and will stop at nothing—including murder— to obtain it.
When Drake’s helicopter rescue flight touches down poolside at a Lake Minnetonka estate, he finds the glamorous attorney representing his breakthrough dead of a suspicious drowning. Within hours, one of Drake’s research colleagues is shot and arrives at the ER near death.
Drake battles to save his dying friend while gripped by fear that a devastating secret from his past has resurfaced. The stakes ratchet ever-higher as Drake, his wife Rachelle and their two children are swept into an international firestorm of greed and violence.
Together Drake and Rachelle struggle to try and save what matters most—their children, their love and their lives. Can they survive?
“Nerve Damage”, Tom Combs’ debut thriller, explodes with suspense and true-to-life medical action as renegade agents of the trillion dollar pharmaceutical industry place a young Twin Cities doctor and his family in deadly peril. It is a tale of heart-pounding thrills, brilliant twists and gut-clenching emotion.
ER physician and medical researcher, Drake Cody, has created an experimental drug that may help the paralyzed walk. A diabolical predator has learned of the priceless research and will stop at nothing—including murder— to obtain it.
When Drake’s helicopter rescue flight touches down poolside at a Lake Minnetonka estate, he finds the glamorous attorney representing his breakthrough dead of a suspicious drowning. Within hours, one of Drake’s research colleagues is shot and arrives at the ER near death.
Drake battles to save his dying friend while gripped by fear that a devastating secret from his past has resurfaced. The stakes ratchet ever-higher as Drake, his wife Rachelle and their two children are swept into an international firestorm of greed and violence.
Together Drake and Rachelle struggle to try and save what matters most—their children, their love and their lives. Can they survive?
“Nerve Damage”, Tom Combs’ debut thriller, explodes with suspense and true-to-life medical action as renegade agents of the trillion dollar pharmaceutical industry place a young Twin Cities doctor and his family in deadly peril. It is a tale of heart-pounding thrills, brilliant twists and gut-clenching emotion.
324 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2014
396 people are currently reading
302 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 104 reviews
January 3, 2018
Excellent medical suspense thriller!
A very good story combining medicine,doctors and police work, my favorite things! A fast moving story that has suspense build as we meet more characters who want money, for money is definitely the root of all in this tale!
We meet some great ER docs who are working together in a lab on a drug to help a person with spinal cord injuries. A few others learn of this, and use their abilities to try to use knowledge of the drug to their own advantage by selling the research .
This is a great look into life in an emergency room, with realistic moments by the author, a retired ER doctor. I definitely want to read the second book soon.
A very good story combining medicine,doctors and police work, my favorite things! A fast moving story that has suspense build as we meet more characters who want money, for money is definitely the root of all in this tale!
We meet some great ER docs who are working together in a lab on a drug to help a person with spinal cord injuries. A few others learn of this, and use their abilities to try to use knowledge of the drug to their own advantage by selling the research .
This is a great look into life in an emergency room, with realistic moments by the author, a retired ER doctor. I definitely want to read the second book soon.
December 12, 2018
Whew! What a wild ride. The reader is plunged into the world of a big-city ER doctor on page one and isn't allowed up for air until the last page. A highly convoluted plot kept me guessing and wondering "Who done it?" in every chapter. Characters were unique, distinctive, and not cookie-cutter stereotypes.
The subject matter was intriguing (a drug that might be able to cure permanent paralysis caused by spinal cord trauma--if I understand it correctly). The details of the ER, the hospital, and the back and forth between hospital staff was so believable I felt as if I was standing in the room with the characters.
As far as medical thrillers go, "Nerve Damage" is excellent. For a debut novel, it is outstanding! If you love this genre, you will certainly enjoy this book.
The subject matter was intriguing (a drug that might be able to cure permanent paralysis caused by spinal cord trauma--if I understand it correctly). The details of the ER, the hospital, and the back and forth between hospital staff was so believable I felt as if I was standing in the room with the characters.
As far as medical thrillers go, "Nerve Damage" is excellent. For a debut novel, it is outstanding! If you love this genre, you will certainly enjoy this book.
February 24, 2016
This is definitely a 5 star thriller. Written by a physician, you get a rare view into the workings of an ER. Strong characters with wonderful pacing - this book is hard to put down. An experimental drug for paralysis patients is being developed by Drake Cody, ER doctor and researcher. Without his knowledge, an associate has hijacked his work to sell but needs one final piece to close the deal. Operatives from the drug industry will stop at nothing to get this final piece. Secrets abound and the tension is high.
November 22, 2021
Phenomenal book, highly recommended! I can’t wait to read the next in the series!
July 20, 2017
Gripping, realistic medical thriller with a fast-moving plot and twists I didn't see coming. What I loved most about it was the honest portrayal about life in the ER. Well done and highly recommend!
My Rating: 5 stars
My Rating: 5 stars
May 28, 2022
Never-ending Suspense
Impossible to put down this perfectly framed thriller. I hung on every word, could not wait for the next chapter.
Impossible to put down this perfectly framed thriller. I hung on every word, could not wait for the next chapter.
March 9, 2022
Entertaining medical thriller. The author really knows his stuff!
March 7, 2022
Well done
Excellent plot, well carried out. Good end, thoughout tension, enjoyed this book,
I'm looking forward to Tom Combs next novel.
Excellent plot, well carried out. Good end, thoughout tension, enjoyed this book,
I'm looking forward to Tom Combs next novel.
April 29, 2022
Nerve Damage has an interesting enough idea, even if it becomes more than a tad preposterous by the end, and and a cast of idiosyncratic characters, but the clunky writing really detracted from my overall enjoyment. I really appreciated the focus on research, as well as the ER work, even if it was from the American pharma perspective which was a little jarring to my brain having worked so long in academic clinical research.
The premise of this is interesting; a suspicious death that doesn't look suspicious on the surface, a research project with the potential to have a life-changing impact on those with spinal cord injuries, three dedicated - mostly - clinicians, alongside a helping of ER drama. It should be an absolute winner, particularly as medical thrillers absolutely fascinate me. And to begin with, it did. Even if the clunky dialogue in particular had me rolling my eyes at points, the narrative drew me in. The idea behind the research fascinated me and I liked the slice of life aspects that involved the ER.
But I do think this would have been a far more solid offering if the author had stuck to the realms of what he knows best; the medical side with a side of the police investigation into the suspicious death and the pathology. Instead as the plot picks up pace it careens into something wildly improbable and highly unbelievable. Corporate shenanigans, drug crazed mania, assassinations and kidnapping all thrown in together detracted from the really interesting aspects of the novel, as well as making it increasingly far-fetched. One of the above may have been fine, but it almost felt like the author was throwing things at the wall to see what stuck but ended up with all of it.
Between this and the clunky writing, I found this a disappointing read in honesty. I was looking forward to reading a medical thriller and whilst there were some medical aspects to it - quite a lot, in fairness - they ended up over shadowed by the all of the rest of the crazy stuff.
The premise of this is interesting; a suspicious death that doesn't look suspicious on the surface, a research project with the potential to have a life-changing impact on those with spinal cord injuries, three dedicated - mostly - clinicians, alongside a helping of ER drama. It should be an absolute winner, particularly as medical thrillers absolutely fascinate me. And to begin with, it did. Even if the clunky dialogue in particular had me rolling my eyes at points, the narrative drew me in. The idea behind the research fascinated me and I liked the slice of life aspects that involved the ER.
But I do think this would have been a far more solid offering if the author had stuck to the realms of what he knows best; the medical side with a side of the police investigation into the suspicious death and the pathology. Instead as the plot picks up pace it careens into something wildly improbable and highly unbelievable. Corporate shenanigans, drug crazed mania, assassinations and kidnapping all thrown in together detracted from the really interesting aspects of the novel, as well as making it increasingly far-fetched. One of the above may have been fine, but it almost felt like the author was throwing things at the wall to see what stuck but ended up with all of it.
Between this and the clunky writing, I found this a disappointing read in honesty. I was looking forward to reading a medical thriller and whilst there were some medical aspects to it - quite a lot, in fairness - they ended up over shadowed by the all of the rest of the crazy stuff.
December 8, 2021
Wow! A compelling, gripping page-turner in the medical thriller genre. The story is set in Minnesota and explores the theme of greed. There are several POV characters in this one and a large cast, but the crux of the plot follows Drake Cody, an ER doctor with a dark past and a heart of gold. He and his family get wrapped up in a sinister plot and targeted by a crazed killer (whose POV we also get access to throughout the book).
I enjoy seeing multiple character POVs in a thriller—I feel it can give a deeper, more focused look into what are often sprawling, complex plots in the thriller genre, which is a bit counterintuitive since we usually expect more depth in a single character POV book, but it’s really a genre thing. For me, this worked really well here since Combs has a very complex plot to unfold across a variety of characters. I particularly liked “the Captain” who was a unique side character and recurs throughout the series.
It’s a quick read that kept me engaged from beginning to end. My favourite aspect of this book was the level of medical detail—exactingly accurate due to the author’s history as a medical professional. For some readers this may come off as gory, though it’s not excessive and it’s handled with a professional’s eye—for me, I’m very pro-gore and found the details to really bring the story to life with a realistic touch that I appreciated.
Twist after twist after twist in this. If you love Medical Thrillers, you’re likely to enjoy this one, and the author has a whole series of them, which is always a bonus!
I enjoy seeing multiple character POVs in a thriller—I feel it can give a deeper, more focused look into what are often sprawling, complex plots in the thriller genre, which is a bit counterintuitive since we usually expect more depth in a single character POV book, but it’s really a genre thing. For me, this worked really well here since Combs has a very complex plot to unfold across a variety of characters. I particularly liked “the Captain” who was a unique side character and recurs throughout the series.
It’s a quick read that kept me engaged from beginning to end. My favourite aspect of this book was the level of medical detail—exactingly accurate due to the author’s history as a medical professional. For some readers this may come off as gory, though it’s not excessive and it’s handled with a professional’s eye—for me, I’m very pro-gore and found the details to really bring the story to life with a realistic touch that I appreciated.
Twist after twist after twist in this. If you love Medical Thrillers, you’re likely to enjoy this one, and the author has a whole series of them, which is always a bonus!
July 16, 2020
I read this after reading book 3, because the 3rd book kept referencing things that happened earlier, but never gave the full picture. It was good, and provided more background into the main characters. The "villian" was interesting - a schizophrenic off her meds who used cocaine and steroids to "make herself better." She was a terrifying case of what can go wrong with mental illness. The plot gets a little elaborate, with drug research companies, a gang member, the doctor's wife, her dad, and a number of others all getting back stories. Overall, though, I did enjoy it.
One issue: in one chapter Dr. Cody referred to the same patient as an infant, a toddler and a 6 year old. How did the editor not catch that?!
One issue: in one chapter Dr. Cody referred to the same patient as an infant, a toddler and a 6 year old. How did the editor not catch that?!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 26, 2022
This was a really good book. I enjoyed the setting of this book as it’s in my hometown of Minneapolis. I also enjoyed the book because the author has 25 years of experience as an ER doctor and the main character is an ER physician. It made the storyline more credible.
I enjoyed this mystery because it felt like an actual story versus a typical murder mystery story. The murder took place, however the story still moves on without focusing too much on solving the murder. The character development was great and the action made it enjoyable. The ending made sense and there were no loose ends.
I am curious to see how Combs will continue to keep the storyline interesting in his next few books. I would definitely recommend if you are looking for a new book to read.
I enjoyed this mystery because it felt like an actual story versus a typical murder mystery story. The murder took place, however the story still moves on without focusing too much on solving the murder. The character development was great and the action made it enjoyable. The ending made sense and there were no loose ends.
I am curious to see how Combs will continue to keep the storyline interesting in his next few books. I would definitely recommend if you are looking for a new book to read.
March 2, 2020
I do love medical mysteries and this one fits the bill perfectly!!
Three ER doctors have been working on a cure for paralysis from spine damage. They are also top in theor fields in the ER. Their prior lives have secrets--as do their wives.
One of the wives gets involved in a scheme to steal the cure and sell it to a foreign pharmaceutical company--she is found in the bottom of her pool. It takes a bit to figure out what killed her--and who.
There are quite a few people who might have done it--and people keep getting shot-kidnapped etc by a psycotic woman.
I really had a hard time putting this down---the ending will astound you. I will definitely be reading more of this series!!
Three ER doctors have been working on a cure for paralysis from spine damage. They are also top in theor fields in the ER. Their prior lives have secrets--as do their wives.
One of the wives gets involved in a scheme to steal the cure and sell it to a foreign pharmaceutical company--she is found in the bottom of her pool. It takes a bit to figure out what killed her--and who.
There are quite a few people who might have done it--and people keep getting shot-kidnapped etc by a psycotic woman.
I really had a hard time putting this down---the ending will astound you. I will definitely be reading more of this series!!
October 18, 2018
First read of a new author (for me) that I heard interviewed on the Garage Logic podcast a few weeks ago. This book started out with action on the first page and kept it going on virtually every page that followed (as evidenced by the fact that I read it in 2 days!)! The plot was very interesting with several major twists along the way, albeit with some distasteful sexual innuendo and disgusting sub-plots. It didn't use excessive or gratuitous profanity and stayed away from the worst language, but did have some swearing scattered throughout the dialogue.
June 24, 2019
Really enjoyed this book! The story was gripping, and the medical aspect was a new twist on the thriller genre. If you like tv shows like ER and House you'll probably like this book too. I'm a Minneapolis native and enjoyed recognizing local landmarks throughout the story. I hope there are many more books to come in this series. Always fun to discover a new author and enjoy the anticipation of good reading to follow!
May 2, 2022
Excellent Book, outstanding read
This Book held my attention and interest from page one thru the last page. After 50 yrs in health care, I retired 10 yrs ago. I found this book to be realistic and up to date. The different characters were easily identified and followed thruour the Book. I look forward to reading more from this author. P.S. I did not know "who did it" until the end which is unusual for me. I usually know at least half way thru.
This Book held my attention and interest from page one thru the last page. After 50 yrs in health care, I retired 10 yrs ago. I found this book to be realistic and up to date. The different characters were easily identified and followed thruour the Book. I look forward to reading more from this author. P.S. I did not know "who did it" until the end which is unusual for me. I usually know at least half way thru.
November 30, 2016
Great medical thriller!
Refreshing to read a book written by a medical professional. The medical terminology and procedures are accurate and you can really feel the intensity felt by an ER doc under incredible stress in life-or-death situations. Turned out to be a real "who dunit." Can't wait to read his next installment in this series.
Refreshing to read a book written by a medical professional. The medical terminology and procedures are accurate and you can really feel the intensity felt by an ER doc under incredible stress in life-or-death situations. Turned out to be a real "who dunit." Can't wait to read his next installment in this series.
August 25, 2017
Dr. Tom Combs, retired ER doc nailed the content of this book
So, since I worked at a hospital, drug development company, and other related scientific and medical venues this book was fantastic!
I highly recommend this book as it's a page-Turner and perfect escape from your normal reality.
So, since I worked at a hospital, drug development company, and other related scientific and medical venues this book was fantastic!
I highly recommend this book as it's a page-Turner and perfect escape from your normal reality.
March 26, 2019
Recommended reading for medical thriller buffs.....
I love a good medical thriller, and this novel did not disappoint. I’m looking forward to reading the sequel ‘Hard to breathe’. I did find, though, some of the sentences did not make sense - as if there were some words missing, but that was just a small irritation and did not interfere with the flow of the story.
I love a good medical thriller, and this novel did not disappoint. I’m looking forward to reading the sequel ‘Hard to breathe’. I did find, though, some of the sentences did not make sense - as if there were some words missing, but that was just a small irritation and did not interfere with the flow of the story.
December 24, 2019
Brilliant!
The heading describes my feelings for this author! Having been an ICU and CCU Specialist Nurse 👩⚕️ for many years, it was wonderful to read a book of this nature. I say “Wonderful “because it was so brilliantly written! Jolly good story line and believable characters. Looking forward to reading the next book! And probably the one after that! 😍
The heading describes my feelings for this author! Having been an ICU and CCU Specialist Nurse 👩⚕️ for many years, it was wonderful to read a book of this nature. I say “Wonderful “because it was so brilliantly written! Jolly good story line and believable characters. Looking forward to reading the next book! And probably the one after that! 😍
January 20, 2020
Clearly stated, I have a new favorite medical thriller author: Tom Combs. I've read not only Nerve Damage but, also, the other two he's written. In all three books, Dr. Drake Cody and his family are like real flesh-and-blood, multifaceted people whom I hurt for and rejoice with! I'm eagerly awaiting Book number-four! Great job, Tom Combs!
May 10, 2020
This book was SO good! It is the type of book where you think, 'I'll just read one more chapter' through the entire thing. Up until the last handful of chapters you still don't know who killed Faith and it was a twist that wasn't on my radar. Love that it's a local writer. Living in MN and reading this was an extra bonus.
March 20, 2022
Before retiring, I had worked as an RN for over 40 years, mostly in critical care. This book spells out the adrenaline rush of the ER and the camaraderie of the staff. The main characters in this book could have been lifted from one of my shifts. This book starts with tension and continues through until the twist at the end. What a splendid novel!
November 30, 2017
I could hardly wait to read this each day.
Unfortunately I reward the next book first. I do look forward to reading future books as they come out. I will watch for his next book with anticipation.
Unfortunately I reward the next book first. I do look forward to reading future books as they come out. I will watch for his next book with anticipation.
March 9, 2018
Excellent book that held my interest throughout.
Tom Combs makes the characters believable and easy to identify with as someone in the medical profession. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and am looking forward to reading part two.
Tom Combs makes the characters believable and easy to identify with as someone in the medical profession. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and am looking forward to reading part two.
February 28, 2020
An inside revelation of ER.s in America
Great story with many characters, their personalities, weaknesses and strengths. Shocking accounts of emergencies in hospital critical care rooms and the people who work so hard at saving lives. Really enjoyed this story.
Great story with many characters, their personalities, weaknesses and strengths. Shocking accounts of emergencies in hospital critical care rooms and the people who work so hard at saving lives. Really enjoyed this story.
March 15, 2020
Great medical thriller
This was an excellent medical thriller that reeled me in from the beginning! The characters were well defined and the plot was full of suspense. Highly recommend!
This was an excellent medical thriller that reeled me in from the beginning! The characters were well defined and the plot was full of suspense. Highly recommend!
January 13, 2022
The evil in this book is depicted in such vivid details that it pretty much overwhelms the good.
It reads like a study of mental disorders as well as a catalogue of what's wrong with the world - greed, corruption, adultery etc.
There are good guys, but somehow they are pretty bleak by comparison.
It reads like a study of mental disorders as well as a catalogue of what's wrong with the world - greed, corruption, adultery etc.
There are good guys, but somehow they are pretty bleak by comparison.
February 7, 2022
This book was super good, I loved that it took place in the St.Paul, MN area. It would make for a really interesting movie! Highly recommend if you are into medical dramas and thrillers. Very well done.
March 1, 2022
This was a read I couldn't put down. Very intense & has graphic surgical procedures from both the emergency department and surgery settings. This was very action packed unfortunately the raving lunatics were abundant. I would have liked a little more of an ending, or even an epilogue.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 104 reviews