The Slaughterhouse Secrets

by M.G. Nelson

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A gripping suspense in the tradition of Tess Gerritsen, Robin Cook, and Alex Kava, The Slaughterhouse Secrets is the debut of Dr. Jessica Bergstrom, a smart and resourceful veterinarian thrust into a quagmire of corruption, crime and drug smuggling.

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Dr. Jessica Bergstrom has job pressures—deadlines, a cranky boss and a meth-addled co-worker out to kill her. As a public health veterinarian at a meat packing plant she knew the place would be rough and dirty. What she didn’t know was the depth of the corruption between industry and government.

As she fits the puzzle pieces of fraud, deception and crime together her job of inspecting cattle and beef sides slides into a dangerous career and a potentially life ending endeavor. With a little help from her friend, Shana, and her kid brother, Jay, Jessica digs through the layers of drug dealing, toxic meat processing and government bungling that serve up a lethal stew in small town Minnesota.

When she and Shana discover a local cop is in on the action the stakes become dangerous. When they stumble upon a secluded meth laboratory with a dying woman and her sick baby inside the lab it turns deadly. Will Jessica pay the ultimate price for her determination to bring the truth to light? Or will her wits and brains be enough to save her life?

239 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 2, 2013

About the author

M.G. Nelson whiles the time away crafting novels on a farm tucked away in a quiet corner of the Upper Midwest. Cows, chickens, cats, and a couple of good hounds keep things lively for the author. Good books, travel, and solid friends keep things real.


Please feel free to contact M.G. at : mgnelsonauthor@yahoo.com Any and all emails are welcome. Even mean ones...well, not so welcome, but whatever.

You can also visit www.mgnelsonwrites.com for much, much more information than you may possibly ever need.

Reviews

[Kat · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really love mysteries and thrillers that draw you into another world you never imagined existed before reading. “The Slaughterhouse Secrets” is richly detailed, set in an economically challenged rural America we all know, but that the author writes with at times painful bluntness, and such sharp clarity the story is impossible to put down. Jessica is a newly graduated vet struggling under the weight of student loans. Sound familiar?

Forced by financial circumstance to take a job in a meat-packing plant, she runs into trouble when the plants supervisors push back against her declaring cows unsafe to eat in the interest of the plant’s bottom line. This is cleverly constructed, with twists and develpments that keep coming, and kept me riveted all the way to the end. I found the epilogue less satisfying than the book as a whole, which was my only small disappointment. However overall I found the book very well written.

Trigger Warnings: sexual harassment, animals dying in a graphic way

Please excuse typos/name misspellings. Entered on screen reader.

[Bill Ward · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an interesting and unusual story about a veterinarian who works in an abattoir ensuring only meat suitable for human consumption is processed. Jessica Bergstrom works for a government agency and her concern for public health brings her into conflict with the meat industry which is driven by the desire to make profits.
My suspicion is that the author has worked in this industry because she is very knowledgeable about every aspect of the slaughter business. There is a very gritty and realistic feel to the story and descriptions of every aspect of the processes, which are suitable even for the squeamish!
Jessica has an ineffective boss and a co-worker, who is a drug addict and ultimately out to kill her. All of the characters are well described and you have to admire Jessica, who has a huge student debt and less than perfect private life but always strives to make the right decisions in work, even if they are not the easy decisions.
Her bosses want her removed from her job for causing ripples but she doesn't go quietly.
This is a story about doing what is right not easy and the virtues of integrity and courage in the face of adversity.

[Elena Leman · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a vegetarian, I found it tough to go through some parts of the book due to the explicit slaughterhouse practices described. And trust me, realistic it is! I actually skipped a few pages. Just couldn’t take it... Actually, those scenes reassured me in my life choices. :)

Nonetheless, the writing is so good and the dialogs so vivid, I must say I let the story carry me away. I particularly enjoyed our protagonist Jessica, the no-nonsense, down-to-earth veterinarian working in the meat-packing industry. I admire her strength of character and moral compass, so needed in that harsh line of work. I loved the thriller part of the novel, it was gripping and intriguing.

All to all, the book is very well-paced and interesting, a real treat for those who enjoy strong female characters. The only thing that I didn’t like was the setting but as I said—that’s a matter of personal taste.

[Loren Lockner · Rating 5 out of 5]

A gripping, well-written, & realistic tale about the meat-packing industry. I am happy to say that this novel, though highly realistic and graphic about a meat-packing plant and its Public Health Vet who does the inspections, is informative and thrilling. The highly intelligent main character, Jessica Bergstrom, faces almost insurmountable challenges. From sexual harassment to undocumented nighttime slaughters of unregulated cattle, she rises to the occasion. Never weak or whiny, she is the epitome of today’s ‘real’ woman who works hard, has a huge college debt, and chooses to be a ‘whistle blower’ because it is the right thing to do. I loved the character of Jessica who is independent and knowledgeable about her job and believes that the public’s safety is the most important aspect of her job. The novel takes on a ‘thriller’ quality about a third of the way through and I found it so gripping that I couldn’t stop reading. I could see this making an awesome film with a strong female lead whose moral center makes her take on the ‘big boys’ who only want to turn a quick buck. I loved the twist at the ending which left me shaking my head at the irony of it all. Highly recommended!

[Allyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. This was an unexpected pleasure!. Reading Inedible was a surprise of fantastic writing, excellent character structure, massive detail (I can't imagine the research that went into this!) and intriguing plot. This book flowed perfectly, I love how the author writes with such succinct accuracy, nailing emotion as we follow Jessica through her job at the meat packing plant, and body language as each character is introduced. The story of a Vet in a meat plant didn't sound all that intriguing at first, but after page one I couldn't put it down. I related to Jessica and her frustration in having to deal with belligerent and uncooperative co-workers. Then I felt her fear and angst as she had to struggle with tough choices, knowing she was putting herself in danger by standing against 'the man'. This was not just a great story (Erin Brockovich came to mind) but expertly written, I never once got bored or felt something went unanswered. Quite a tale! I will look at all my meat in a different light from here on out!

[Winter Sophia Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gripping, Intriguing & Realistic! An Excellent Read! I Loved It!

[Pat Spencer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have not finished this novel yet, but want to give my impressions so far. I am enjoying the author’s edgy sense of humor, now embedded in the personality of the protagonist. From M.G. Nelson’s bio, I learned that she served as a Veterinarian Public Health officer at a slaughterhouse, so she knows what she is talking about. She uses her knowledge and experience to create scenes and actions for her characters that are completely believable and realistic. I like stories of the issues women face when working in a male-dominated workplace, and M.B. does an outstanding job of that in this medical thriller. I recommend this novel. It is a good read.

[J.P. Willson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I quite enjoyed this story. A rather unusual premise for a story-line, I could see this not appealing to everyone though as there is a fair amount of technical jargon in the book, being written from a veterinarian's perspective. My own interest was piqued as I have indeed butchered many a cow in my profession, therefore having a very good knowledge of what the author was referring too.
Aside from that the story is a solid one that flows well and will keep ones interest throughout.
An interesting read that I would certainly recommend.

[M.A. Koontz · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you've ever wanted to know what goes on inside a slaughterhouse, while enjoying a suspenseful novel, then this book is for you. Even though I became somewhat squeamish through details of the industry, I felt compelled to learn the hidden secrets at the Dyersville Packing Plant. Dr. Jessica Bergstrom, employed as a public health veterinarian, finds that her harassment charges against a coworker there lead her to uncover those secrets at her own peril.

[Henry Nelson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good book about a young veterinarian who takes a terrible job in order to pay off her student loan debt.

[Henry Reign · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Write what you know."
This book is manifest to the above. I feel like this book sort of wrote itself, instead of being written. The prose is crisp, and although the setting/genre is not my preference - I enjoyed the ride. If you're into to the mature kind of mystery, pick this up.