What do you think?
Rate this book
The Hand of an Angel: A shattering medical thriller with a heart-stopping climax
How far would you go to get a glimpse of the afterlife, and what would you bring back?
Devoted family man and respected cardiologist Tom Boyand is obsessed with the near-death experiences of his patients. An obsession that leaves him dead on a table in an experiment to get a glimpse of the afterlife, his colleagues battling desperately to resuscitate him.
But Tom has pushed the boundary between life and death too far and he's gone for too long, seeing more of the other side than anyone before. His team get him back but he isn't the same person.
Traumatised by his experience and with his wrist inexplicably damaged, Tom becomes convinced that darker forces want to take him back and is driven to find answers. A hooded figure starts to haunt him at home and at work, while his colleagues think his brain has been damaged by a lack of oxygen. As Tom grapples with reality, he becomes the prime suspect following the death of his overbearing boss. Meanwhile, Sarah makes a shattering discovery about Tom's past and is forced to stand by his side while he wrestles with demons both inside and out.
Did Tom's brain become damaged during the experiment? Has he been driven mad? Or is he the only man in the universe who knows the truth about death?
Devoted family man and respected cardiologist Tom Boyand is obsessed with the near-death experiences of his patients. An obsession that leaves him dead on a table in an experiment to get a glimpse of the afterlife, his colleagues battling desperately to resuscitate him.
But Tom has pushed the boundary between life and death too far and he's gone for too long, seeing more of the other side than anyone before. His team get him back but he isn't the same person.
Traumatised by his experience and with his wrist inexplicably damaged, Tom becomes convinced that darker forces want to take him back and is driven to find answers. A hooded figure starts to haunt him at home and at work, while his colleagues think his brain has been damaged by a lack of oxygen. As Tom grapples with reality, he becomes the prime suspect following the death of his overbearing boss. Meanwhile, Sarah makes a shattering discovery about Tom's past and is forced to stand by his side while he wrestles with demons both inside and out.
Did Tom's brain become damaged during the experiment? Has he been driven mad? Or is he the only man in the universe who knows the truth about death?
281 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 5, 2017
13 people are currently reading
10 people want to read
About the author
Mark Brownless
10 books12 followersMark Brownless lives and works in Carmarthen, West Wales. He has been putting ideas on paper for some years now but only when the idea for The Hand of an Angel came to him in the autumn of 2015 did he know he might be able to write a book. Mark likes to write about ordinary people being placed in extraordinary circumstances, is fascinated by unexplained phenomena, and enjoys merging thriller, science fiction and horror.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
May 30, 2018
I cannot remember the last time I read a medical thriller, however, The Hand of an Angel made me appreciate how much I had missed them. Doctors playing God, patients suffering mysterious ailments and so many long corridors with many, many closed doors…love, love, love a good medical drama. It is pleasing to be able to confirm that The Hand of an Angel is every bit a good medical thriller!
Tom Boyand is about to embark on the final journey. But he also plans to make it a return trip and live to tell the tale. In order to cheat death he has amassed a huge wealth of medical knowledge, assembled team of researchers and physicians who can help him “die” and then bring him back to life. Everything will be carefully monitored, all done under controlled conditions and Tom hopes that he will remember exactly how it feels to die so that he can share the knowledge.
The first half of the novel draws readers into Tom’s world. His project, his colleagues, his family and we get a very good idea as to the type of person that Tom is…a nice guy!
When the time comes to begin his experiment we are excited for Tom and his team and as a reader I was also keen to find out what he may experience after his death. Suffice to say I was shocked by how the story changed – perhaps I should have read the blurb before reading…
Tom becomes a changed man. His easygoing personality changes and he becomes paranoid, suspicious, aggressive and confrontational. Having spent so much time getting to know Tom it is upsetting to see the changes he appears to be undergoing. More so when when we see the impact it is having on his family and friends. Mark Brownless handles this change in dynamic brilliantly and it makes for gripping reading.
Unfortunately for Tom he has more pressing problems to contend with than a change to his moods. He believes that he may not have returned from the dead on his own. Tom keeps seeing the same strange figure in different places he visits…at work, at home and he cannot understand why other people don’t appear to notice.
What had been a great medical thriller now becomes a dark and sinister tale. The change up in tension is marked and it had me flicking the pages like a demon (as it were) trying to reach the end of the book as quickly as I could so I could find out what happened. And Wow.
This story totally sucked me in – what more could a reader ask for?
Tom Boyand is about to embark on the final journey. But he also plans to make it a return trip and live to tell the tale. In order to cheat death he has amassed a huge wealth of medical knowledge, assembled team of researchers and physicians who can help him “die” and then bring him back to life. Everything will be carefully monitored, all done under controlled conditions and Tom hopes that he will remember exactly how it feels to die so that he can share the knowledge.
The first half of the novel draws readers into Tom’s world. His project, his colleagues, his family and we get a very good idea as to the type of person that Tom is…a nice guy!
When the time comes to begin his experiment we are excited for Tom and his team and as a reader I was also keen to find out what he may experience after his death. Suffice to say I was shocked by how the story changed – perhaps I should have read the blurb before reading…
Tom becomes a changed man. His easygoing personality changes and he becomes paranoid, suspicious, aggressive and confrontational. Having spent so much time getting to know Tom it is upsetting to see the changes he appears to be undergoing. More so when when we see the impact it is having on his family and friends. Mark Brownless handles this change in dynamic brilliantly and it makes for gripping reading.
Unfortunately for Tom he has more pressing problems to contend with than a change to his moods. He believes that he may not have returned from the dead on his own. Tom keeps seeing the same strange figure in different places he visits…at work, at home and he cannot understand why other people don’t appear to notice.
What had been a great medical thriller now becomes a dark and sinister tale. The change up in tension is marked and it had me flicking the pages like a demon (as it were) trying to reach the end of the book as quickly as I could so I could find out what happened. And Wow.
This story totally sucked me in – what more could a reader ask for?
May 4, 2018
If you lіkе thrіllеrѕ, уоu'll lоvе Hаnd оf аn Angеl. If уоu like mеdісаl thrіllеrѕ, you'll bе in hеаvеn. Thіѕ is a wеll-rеѕеаrсhеd book аnd іt раіd оff for Mаrk Brownless.
In thе beginning I wаѕ рrеttу uрѕеt wіth Tоm fоr tаkіng оn ѕuсh a dаngеrоuѕ experiment wіth a wіfе аnd twо сhіldrеn аt home. I thоught hе was rесklеѕѕ bесаuѕе I'd nеvеr tо anything thаt may tаkе me аwау from mу wіfе and daughter.
I stopped chewing tobacco so I wоuld hаvе mоrе time wіth my dаughtеr. It wаѕ mу 19th аttеmрt at ԛuіttіng over a 30 уеаr span. It'ѕ bееn 3 years and I still сrаvе it, but I dоn't gіvе in. Thаt'ѕ whу I wаѕ mаd аt Tоm, he wаѕ taking аn unnесеѕѕаrу rіѕk.
But then hіѕ wіfе, Sarah, wаѕ OK wіth іt ѕо I еаѕеd off оn hіm a bіt. The experiment is kіllіng Tom for аn еxtеndеd реrіоd оf tіmе, thеn bringing hіm back to lіfе so hе could mіmіс a "nеаr-dеаth" еxреrіеnсе. Rіѕkу fоr sure.
I lоvе thіѕ bооk bесаuѕе іt kерt mе on mу tоеѕ. Every tіmе I thоught I hаd it fіgurеd оut, hе сhаngеd thе game. Twists аnd turns аbоund! I gаvе uр аnd just let thе ѕtоrу unfold.
Mу fаvоrіtе сhаrасtеr hаѕ tо be Bob - not bесаuѕе hе'ѕ thе only Amеrісаn іn thе ѕtоrу. I'm nоt that shallow! Bob starts оut аѕ аn аntаgоnіѕt. He рrоbаblу еnjоуѕ watching Tоm squirm, although, hе might not аdmіt it. Thеу bесоmе frіеndѕ and раrtnеrѕ іn thе experiment. I lіkе Bоb bесаuѕе hе'ѕ mе, a ѕhооt-frоm-thе-hір, mаttеr оf fact guy. He рullѕ nо рunсhеѕ, tеllіng уоu еxасtlу whаt уоu nееd tо knоw...оr whаt thе thinks уоu nееd tо knоw. Hе'ѕ not реrfесt, he could bе wrоng.
Nеаr-dеаth experiences hаvе always fаѕсіnаtеd me, thоugh nоt tо thе ѕаmе еxtеnt аѕ Tom! I'm nоt аbоut tо kіll myself tо fіnd out whаt іt'ѕ like. Sсіеnсе bе dаmnеd :)
Tоm is сеrtаіnlу dеdісаtеd to hіѕ wоrk, nobody саn tаkе that away from hіm!
Mаrk Brоwnlеѕѕ іѕ very descriptive wіth his ѕсеnеѕ. Hе brings уоu іntо thе ѕtоrу very wеll. It'ѕ еаѕу to imagine thе ѕеttіng and the сhаrасtеrѕ wіthіn.
I саn't rеаllу ѕау much mоrе wіthоut gіvіng details аwау ѕо I'll lеаvе іt rіght hеrе. I wаnt tо tеll уоu my fаvоrіtе part оf thе book, but I dоn't do ѕроіlеrѕ.
I еnjоуеd reading Hand of аn Angеl аѕ it kерt mе on mу toes and always wondering whаt was gоіng to happen nеxt.
Whо wіll like thіѕ bооk? Anуоnе whо еnjоуѕ thrіllеrѕ аnd especially mеdісаl thrіllеrѕ. Anуоnе who's еvеr wоndеrеd what hарреnѕ аftеr wе die will аlѕо еnjоу rеаdіng thіѕ book. It'ѕ nоt thе definitive аnѕwеr - іt'ѕ fiction, аftеr аll. But іt will gіvе уоu ѕоmеthіng tо think аbоut and there are mеdісаl descriptions аbоut dеаth and whаt hарреnѕ whеn wе dіе.
Mаrk аlѕо gіvеѕ details оn what happens whеn wе dіе and соmе bасk. So уоu'll bе entertained and lеаrn a fеw new thіngѕ.
In thе beginning I wаѕ рrеttу uрѕеt wіth Tоm fоr tаkіng оn ѕuсh a dаngеrоuѕ experiment wіth a wіfе аnd twо сhіldrеn аt home. I thоught hе was rесklеѕѕ bесаuѕе I'd nеvеr tо anything thаt may tаkе me аwау from mу wіfе and daughter.
I stopped chewing tobacco so I wоuld hаvе mоrе time wіth my dаughtеr. It wаѕ mу 19th аttеmрt at ԛuіttіng over a 30 уеаr span. It'ѕ bееn 3 years and I still сrаvе it, but I dоn't gіvе in. Thаt'ѕ whу I wаѕ mаd аt Tоm, he wаѕ taking аn unnесеѕѕаrу rіѕk.
But then hіѕ wіfе, Sarah, wаѕ OK wіth іt ѕо I еаѕеd off оn hіm a bіt. The experiment is kіllіng Tom for аn еxtеndеd реrіоd оf tіmе, thеn bringing hіm back to lіfе so hе could mіmіс a "nеаr-dеаth" еxреrіеnсе. Rіѕkу fоr sure.
I lоvе thіѕ bооk bесаuѕе іt kерt mе on mу tоеѕ. Every tіmе I thоught I hаd it fіgurеd оut, hе сhаngеd thе game. Twists аnd turns аbоund! I gаvе uр аnd just let thе ѕtоrу unfold.
Mу fаvоrіtе сhаrасtеr hаѕ tо be Bob - not bесаuѕе hе'ѕ thе only Amеrісаn іn thе ѕtоrу. I'm nоt that shallow! Bob starts оut аѕ аn аntаgоnіѕt. He рrоbаblу еnjоуѕ watching Tоm squirm, although, hе might not аdmіt it. Thеу bесоmе frіеndѕ and раrtnеrѕ іn thе experiment. I lіkе Bоb bесаuѕе hе'ѕ mе, a ѕhооt-frоm-thе-hір, mаttеr оf fact guy. He рullѕ nо рunсhеѕ, tеllіng уоu еxасtlу whаt уоu nееd tо knоw...оr whаt thе thinks уоu nееd tо knоw. Hе'ѕ not реrfесt, he could bе wrоng.
Nеаr-dеаth experiences hаvе always fаѕсіnаtеd me, thоugh nоt tо thе ѕаmе еxtеnt аѕ Tom! I'm nоt аbоut tо kіll myself tо fіnd out whаt іt'ѕ like. Sсіеnсе bе dаmnеd :)
Tоm is сеrtаіnlу dеdісаtеd to hіѕ wоrk, nobody саn tаkе that away from hіm!
Mаrk Brоwnlеѕѕ іѕ very descriptive wіth his ѕсеnеѕ. Hе brings уоu іntо thе ѕtоrу very wеll. It'ѕ еаѕу to imagine thе ѕеttіng and the сhаrасtеrѕ wіthіn.
I саn't rеаllу ѕау much mоrе wіthоut gіvіng details аwау ѕо I'll lеаvе іt rіght hеrе. I wаnt tо tеll уоu my fаvоrіtе part оf thе book, but I dоn't do ѕроіlеrѕ.
I еnjоуеd reading Hand of аn Angеl аѕ it kерt mе on mу toes and always wondering whаt was gоіng to happen nеxt.
Whо wіll like thіѕ bооk? Anуоnе whо еnjоуѕ thrіllеrѕ аnd especially mеdісаl thrіllеrѕ. Anуоnе who's еvеr wоndеrеd what hарреnѕ аftеr wе die will аlѕо еnjоу rеаdіng thіѕ book. It'ѕ nоt thе definitive аnѕwеr - іt'ѕ fiction, аftеr аll. But іt will gіvе уоu ѕоmеthіng tо think аbоut and there are mеdісаl descriptions аbоut dеаth and whаt hарреnѕ whеn wе dіе.
Mаrk аlѕо gіvеѕ details оn what happens whеn wе dіе and соmе bасk. So уоu'll bе entertained and lеаrn a fеw new thіngѕ.
March 20, 2018
Absolutely Intriguing Read
This is one of those books that grabs you from the prologue. It was so hard to put down because I wanted to know what was happening and how this was going to end. The ending is completely riveting . I have to say, for this to be a first novel, the author did an awesome job. Five stars and highly recommend. I'm looking forward to the next novel.
This is one of those books that grabs you from the prologue. It was so hard to put down because I wanted to know what was happening and how this was going to end. The ending is completely riveting . I have to say, for this to be a first novel, the author did an awesome job. Five stars and highly recommend. I'm looking forward to the next novel.
December 30, 2025
Tom Boyland is a respected cardiologist, he’s also a loving husband and father to his wife, Sarah, and their two boys.
Tom has a fascination with near-death experiences and, following research as well as lots of accounts from those who have experienced it, he decides to try to recreate it with the help of his medical colleagues.
Naturally worried, Sarah agrees to this due to the amount of research and the fact that he will be monitored throughout.
Once Tom is brought back, he is a changed man. No longer a loving father to his boys or nice to his wife. Tom insists that something has followed him back … but what?
What a powerful read this was, it certainly sent shivers down my spine.
I thought it was clever how the author changed Tom’s character as it makes you question what you’ve read. I found myself putting the book down often and just thinking about the story and what was going on.
The ending threw me completely, I did not predict any of it at all!
A fantastic book that takes you on one heck of a ride.
Tom has a fascination with near-death experiences and, following research as well as lots of accounts from those who have experienced it, he decides to try to recreate it with the help of his medical colleagues.
Naturally worried, Sarah agrees to this due to the amount of research and the fact that he will be monitored throughout.
Once Tom is brought back, he is a changed man. No longer a loving father to his boys or nice to his wife. Tom insists that something has followed him back … but what?
What a powerful read this was, it certainly sent shivers down my spine.
I thought it was clever how the author changed Tom’s character as it makes you question what you’ve read. I found myself putting the book down often and just thinking about the story and what was going on.
The ending threw me completely, I did not predict any of it at all!
A fantastic book that takes you on one heck of a ride.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews