The Visiting Physician

by Susan Richards Shreve

Treating a bacterial outbreak that is threatening the children of small-town Meridian, a visiting pediatrics resident is confronted by local hostilities and solves a devastating family mystery. 20,000 first printing. $20,000 ad/promo. Tour.

Genres: Fiction

288 pages, Hardcover

First published March 1, 1996

About the author

Also know as Susan Shreve. Received the following awards: Jenny Moore Award, George Washington University, 1978; Notable Book citation, American Library Association (ALA), 1979, for Family Secrets: Five Very Important Stories; Best Book for Young Adults citation, ALA, 1980, for The Masquerade; Notable Children's Trade Book in the Field of Social Studies, National Council for Social Studies and the Children's Book Council joint committee, 1980, for Family Secrets: Five Very Important Stories; Guggenheim award in fiction, 1980; National Endowment for the Arts fiction award, 1982; Edgar Allan Poe Award, Mystery Writers of America, 1988, for Lucy Forever and Miss Rosetree, Shrinks; Woodrow Wilson fellowships, West Virginia Wesleyan, 1994, and Bates College, 1997; Lila Wallace Readers Digest Foundation grant.

Reviews

[Sheri · Rating 4 out of 5]

If I had to pick a genre for this, I guess it'd be mystery. The book interweaves the "current" story of a physician who comes to a small town to help with an epidemic with flashes of her early (traumatic) childhood visit to that town and snippets of things that had happened in the town shortly before her visit. The storyline hooked me, and the content was pleasantly clean.

[Pammy · Rating 2 out of 5]

The setting is stereotypical of a small town in the American heartland, a "place where community spirit and old-fashioned values have not been lost". Helen is a young pediatrician resident who answers the town's call for a visiting physician. There's been a bacterial outbreak in the town, threatening its children.
Ms Shreve is apparently known for her 'spellbinding mastery of storytelling'. I have not read previous works and found difficulty appreciating the story. I think the town is actually the main character in this book. Having said that, the various characters introduced do seem to take second place in the tale, which I found left me wanting.

[Lola · Rating 1 out of 5]

Dr. Helen Fielding is summoned to the small town of Meridian, Ohio when a water-borne disease is making the children sick. The doctor had been to Meridian when she was young and her y0unger sister died there.
Have you read this book? Maybe you can tell me what it's about! Too many characters and going from the present to the past made it hard for me to follow the story.

[Brenda Marean · Rating 3 out of 5]

Less enjoyable than other, later novels. Nonetheless a good read for a stormy Friday!

[Kathy Dixon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting mystery.

[TBBishiXO TBBishiXO · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book... It made me feel so good, reading it, and finishing it. I loved how my now adult brain was able to put together all the aspects of this author's twisted story and plot.

Dr. Richard Hazelton was my absolute favorite character. Even though he was messed up and kidnapped Maggie, he was still such a tender hearted soul; being different, but still thriving to be a doctor. Too bad he had to overdose on drugs after the main character met him; again. Being her past's monster, he still lived today and lived to apologize.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. An easy, breezy read, but with great characters and the kind of mystery that, while not mind-blowing, adds a lot of dimension to the story.

Four stars because I felt like Shreve's version of small town America was slightly lacking. The idyllic part was well done in keeping with the tone and atmosphere of the story, but there were certain details that I felt were not well researched. I've never lived in Ohio, but in other small towns, and there's an aspect of them that is missing from this otherwise wonderful tale.

[Susie Wusie · Rating 3 out of 5]

The plot was very fast paced and made me want to keep reading. So it did keep me up passed my bed time but I was disapointed in the ending. I wanted more of an explanation and the "bid secret" of the whole book wasn't really that big of a secrect. I think i will try another one of her books and see how that goes.

[Gerry Durisin · Rating 2 out of 5]

A novel that wants to be "literary" but just doesn’t quite measure up. In a small Ohio town, secrets and suspicions abound when a young doctor responds to an ad for a temporary physician to help in an emergency.

[Nuur Syahidah · Rating 4 out of 5]

the suppress memory of her little sister disappearance has finally reveal when she visit her home towm years after leave the town. Good stories

[Sharon Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kind of quirky but liked it.