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Alan Gregory #7
Manner of Death
Learning that he holds the key to solving a colleague's suspicious death, Alan Gregory and his old flame, Sawyer Sackett, uncover a sinister string of killings, linked to an unsolved mystery, that hits dangerously close to home
450 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1999
26 people are currently reading
720 people want to read
About the author
Stephen White
286 books569 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
Stephen White is the author of the New York Times bestselling Alan Gregory novels. In his books, he draws upon over fifteen years of clinical practice as a psychologist to create intriguing plots and complex, believable characters.
Born on Long Island, White grew up in New York, New Jersey, and Southern California and attended the University of California campuses at Irvine (where he lasted three weeks as a creative writing major) and Los Angeles before graduating from Berkeley in 1972. Along the way he learned to fly small planes, worked as a tour guide at Universal Studios in Los Angeles, cooked and waited tables at Chez Panisse in Berkeley, and tended bar at the Red Lion Inn in Boulder. Trained as a clinical psychologist, he received his Ph.D. from the University of Colorado in 1979 and became known as an authority on the psychological effects of marital disruption, especially on men. White's research has appeared in Psychological Bulletin and other professional journals and books. After receiving his doctorate, White not only worked in private practice but also at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, and later as a staff psychologist at The Children's Hospital in Denver, where he focused his attention on pediatric cancer patients. During those years he became acquainted with a colleague in Los Angeles, another pediatric psychologist named Jonathan Kellerman. At the time, Kellerman and White were two of only about a dozen psychologists in the country working in pediatric oncology.
Series:
* Alan Gregory
Stephen White is the author of the New York Times bestselling Alan Gregory novels. In his books, he draws upon over fifteen years of clinical practice as a psychologist to create intriguing plots and complex, believable characters.
Born on Long Island, White grew up in New York, New Jersey, and Southern California and attended the University of California campuses at Irvine (where he lasted three weeks as a creative writing major) and Los Angeles before graduating from Berkeley in 1972. Along the way he learned to fly small planes, worked as a tour guide at Universal Studios in Los Angeles, cooked and waited tables at Chez Panisse in Berkeley, and tended bar at the Red Lion Inn in Boulder. Trained as a clinical psychologist, he received his Ph.D. from the University of Colorado in 1979 and became known as an authority on the psychological effects of marital disruption, especially on men. White's research has appeared in Psychological Bulletin and other professional journals and books. After receiving his doctorate, White not only worked in private practice but also at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, and later as a staff psychologist at The Children's Hospital in Denver, where he focused his attention on pediatric cancer patients. During those years he became acquainted with a colleague in Los Angeles, another pediatric psychologist named Jonathan Kellerman. At the time, Kellerman and White were two of only about a dozen psychologists in the country working in pediatric oncology.
Series:
* Alan Gregory
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 111 reviews
June 7, 2024
Returning to re-read Stephen White’s great thriller collection after a number of years, this summer binge should be a great adventure. White taps into a point in Dr. Alan Gregory’s past while creating a present-day panic in this seventh novel. Alan learns that a number of people with whom he did some of his early training have died, some in some suspicious ways. One resident, Sawyer Sackett, may not have been targeted, but Alan cannot help but feel concern that her time could be coming. He, too, might also be a target, though Dr. Alan Gregory will do whatever he can to protect himself. White does a formidable job with this piece!
When Dr. Alan Gregory attends the funeral of an acquaintance, he could not have expected what would occur in the hours that followed. While dining at a small restaurant after the service, Alan and his wife, ADA Lauren Crowder, are visited by two former FBI analysts who have been exploring the death of the recently deceased. It is not long thereafter that Alan realises a number of people with whom he did his residency have been killed. There is a possibility that a patient from the time is seeking retribution.
While the fog clears, Alan discovers that one of the residents has been spared to this point. Sawyer Sackett was a beautiful woman who caught Alan’s attention those years ago and whose wit was only topped by her allure. As Alan processes the feelings he felt at the time, he is forced to admit that Sawyer’s power over him has never been resolved.
With the help of Detective Sam Purdy, the current investigation and attempts to protect both Alan and Lauren push into high gear. Alan has no idea who might want him dead, or any of the others as a group. This is both troubling and mysterious, which adds a tension to the investigation. Dr. Alan Gregory awaits news and must keep looking over his shoulder for a killer whose motives remain up in the air, all while he faces Sawyer, the elephant in the room and. whose emotional grip over him could end his marriage! White keeps the reader guessing with this gripping novel.
I remember discovering this series years ago, devouring many of the books in short order. When I chose to return, I decided that I would try a complete series binge, getting the full Alan Gregory experience. Stephen White uses many of his personal experiences as a clinical psychologist to pull on ideas and character aspects, which becomes apparent in this early novel.
White uses a strong narrative style that is flavoured with some meandering throughout the story. This technique keeps the reader focussed and leaves them to synthesise what is most important. Tensions builds around varied plot lines, including the hunt for a kill and the ongoing connection between Alan Gregory and Sawyer, both past and present. Dr. Alan Gregory is central to this piece, utilising the support of numerous and familiar secondary characters, which has been the key strength of the series to date. Readers also see a highly flummoxed Alan Gregory, which opens the door to additional questions.
Plot points keep the reader surprised and trying to predict what awaits them. White does well not to reveal too much, but also shares a great deal in other domains. Juggling many storylines, the reader is forced to make connections until all is presented and the truths surface. Stephen White knows how to spin a story and keeps the reader at the centre of all the action. I am exciting to delve deeper!
Kudos Mr. White, for another strong novel in the series.
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
When Dr. Alan Gregory attends the funeral of an acquaintance, he could not have expected what would occur in the hours that followed. While dining at a small restaurant after the service, Alan and his wife, ADA Lauren Crowder, are visited by two former FBI analysts who have been exploring the death of the recently deceased. It is not long thereafter that Alan realises a number of people with whom he did his residency have been killed. There is a possibility that a patient from the time is seeking retribution.
While the fog clears, Alan discovers that one of the residents has been spared to this point. Sawyer Sackett was a beautiful woman who caught Alan’s attention those years ago and whose wit was only topped by her allure. As Alan processes the feelings he felt at the time, he is forced to admit that Sawyer’s power over him has never been resolved.
With the help of Detective Sam Purdy, the current investigation and attempts to protect both Alan and Lauren push into high gear. Alan has no idea who might want him dead, or any of the others as a group. This is both troubling and mysterious, which adds a tension to the investigation. Dr. Alan Gregory awaits news and must keep looking over his shoulder for a killer whose motives remain up in the air, all while he faces Sawyer, the elephant in the room and. whose emotional grip over him could end his marriage! White keeps the reader guessing with this gripping novel.
I remember discovering this series years ago, devouring many of the books in short order. When I chose to return, I decided that I would try a complete series binge, getting the full Alan Gregory experience. Stephen White uses many of his personal experiences as a clinical psychologist to pull on ideas and character aspects, which becomes apparent in this early novel.
White uses a strong narrative style that is flavoured with some meandering throughout the story. This technique keeps the reader focussed and leaves them to synthesise what is most important. Tensions builds around varied plot lines, including the hunt for a kill and the ongoing connection between Alan Gregory and Sawyer, both past and present. Dr. Alan Gregory is central to this piece, utilising the support of numerous and familiar secondary characters, which has been the key strength of the series to date. Readers also see a highly flummoxed Alan Gregory, which opens the door to additional questions.
Plot points keep the reader surprised and trying to predict what awaits them. White does well not to reveal too much, but also shares a great deal in other domains. Juggling many storylines, the reader is forced to make connections until all is presented and the truths surface. Stephen White knows how to spin a story and keeps the reader at the centre of all the action. I am exciting to delve deeper!
Kudos Mr. White, for another strong novel in the series.
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
August 27, 2018
PROTAGONIST: Alan Gregory, psychologist
SETTING: Boulder, Colorado
SERIES: #7
RATING: 2.75
WHY: Two ex-FBI agents show up at psychologist Alan Gregory’s door to warn him that he is in danger from a serial killer who seems to be targeting a group who trained together at a psychiatric unit 16 years earlier. They believe that he or Sawyer Sackett, his former lover, are likely to be next. The villain is very clever, and the killings are very well planned to look like accidents. Alan faces a lot of internal conflict about seeing Sawyer, since he was obsessed with her long ago. Although the book should have been suspenseful, I found it rather slow moving overall. I’ve always liked White’s writing style, but that didn’t make up for the book’s weak premise and Alan’s focus on women’s body parts. I also found a sub plot about hijacker D. B. Cooper to be really odd.
SETTING: Boulder, Colorado
SERIES: #7
RATING: 2.75
WHY: Two ex-FBI agents show up at psychologist Alan Gregory’s door to warn him that he is in danger from a serial killer who seems to be targeting a group who trained together at a psychiatric unit 16 years earlier. They believe that he or Sawyer Sackett, his former lover, are likely to be next. The villain is very clever, and the killings are very well planned to look like accidents. Alan faces a lot of internal conflict about seeing Sawyer, since he was obsessed with her long ago. Although the book should have been suspenseful, I found it rather slow moving overall. I’ve always liked White’s writing style, but that didn’t make up for the book’s weak premise and Alan’s focus on women’s body parts. I also found a sub plot about hijacker D. B. Cooper to be really odd.
November 26, 2018
The 7th book in the Alan Gregory series by Stephen White. This mystery involves a former love of Alan's, who works with him to identify a killer. An entertaining read.
January 1, 2015
I wanted to set one of my upcoming stories in Boulder, Colorado, so I was eager to lap up books by authors set in this region that did a good job with making the environment and surroundings a prominent character in the story. And, of course, if I could get a good tale out of the mix, all the better. Beats reading dry atlases, farm and weather reports, and filtering through local news any day, to say nothing of toying with Google Maps. On the above scores, Manner of Death didn’t disappoint. I didn’t feel as transported to the region as I might in a Susan Dunlap tale, who brings Berkeley, California to life and makes the region that much more prominent of a character in her stories, but then again, that’s Berkeley, California, which is a town that doesn’t take to blending into the background all that well; you’re lucky if it doesn’t end up being the star, far less a merely prominent character. But I did get a fairly decent sense of the rugged Rocky Mountain lifestyle, and an even larger swath of the area than I bargained for (all pluses to my thinking.)
As to the story itself, I found the mixed cocktail of a practicing psychologist (the male lead) and his wife (an attorney) quite infectious. I also loved the hook in the premise of the person you’re investigating being the one who’s coming after you! While I’ve read more pulse-bounding, faster moving thrillers, I will revisit this duo that is paired in any number of books in the future.
As to the story itself, I found the mixed cocktail of a practicing psychologist (the male lead) and his wife (an attorney) quite infectious. I also loved the hook in the premise of the person you’re investigating being the one who’s coming after you! While I’ve read more pulse-bounding, faster moving thrillers, I will revisit this duo that is paired in any number of books in the future.
February 7, 2011
I seem to keep getting books that are part of a series and I never start with number one. However, it doesn't seem to really matter with this book. The scenario is interesting. Someone is slowly and patiently killing all the medical staff that were working in one ward of a psychiatric hospital many years ago. Because the
murders are staged as accidents, and because they take place over long distances and long periods of time, no one gets suspicious until
the parents of the last victim reads his journal which notes the
unusual number of deaths among that long ago staff. Alan Gregory and
his one time lover, Sawyer, seem to be the only ones left. Of course,
it almost has to be a former patient but Alan and Sawyer cannot
divulge names or suspicions because of medical ethics about patient
confidentiality. They team up to try to figure it out themselves
taking all kinds of stupid risks for two people who have a serial
killer after them. They pretty much figured out who the likely
suspect was and there weren't a lot of surprises or twists in the story.
murders are staged as accidents, and because they take place over long distances and long periods of time, no one gets suspicious until
the parents of the last victim reads his journal which notes the
unusual number of deaths among that long ago staff. Alan Gregory and
his one time lover, Sawyer, seem to be the only ones left. Of course,
it almost has to be a former patient but Alan and Sawyer cannot
divulge names or suspicions because of medical ethics about patient
confidentiality. They team up to try to figure it out themselves
taking all kinds of stupid risks for two people who have a serial
killer after them. They pretty much figured out who the likely
suspect was and there weren't a lot of surprises or twists in the story.
November 1, 2018
This is the seventh Dr. Alan Gregory tale from author Stephen White. Originally published in 1999, "Manner Of Death", does seem a bit dated. Even with a couple of cell phones popping up within the plot this one is not holding up well with the test of time. At just over 400 pages this story does seem to drag and mope as it meanders along. Hearkening all the way back to 1982 Dr. Gregory must relive some painful times of his life while he was becoming a psychologist. Gregory is also forced to face his first great love Dr. Sawyer Sackett-Faire. Sawyer really crushed Alan's heart back in the day. Now it's more than 15 years later and two ex-FBI BAU agents need Gregory and Sackett to believe there is a murderer killing off members of the "Orange" team from the early 1980's "East Eight" unit of a psychological unit of a Denver hospital. With five already dead and only a few left, Gregory and Sackett will need to team up with Sam to survive this thriller. Once again Gregory's wife Lauren Crowder who is an ADA in Boulder is very sick and not very mobile throughout. Giving, "Manner Of Death", just three stars out of five possible stars. I was genuinely was disappointed with this Alan Gregory read. However with the seventh of a twenty book series being kind of a dud, I plan to keep reading further into this series shortly. Check it out.
March 25, 2024
Although this book is a #7, it is a complete book in itself.
September 8, 2012
By Stephen White. Grade: B
The deaths appeared to be bizarre, unrelated accidents – until Dr Alan Gregory discovered the chilling link. Years before, each of the victims was involved in the psychology and psychiatry training program at the University of Colorado. And each was slain in an ingeniously planned, brilliantly executed murder. Now only two alumni survive: Dr Gregory and Dr Sawyer Sackett, a woman he once loved. As the past resurfaces in ways that are as intimate as they are frightening, Alan and Sawyer are plunged into the private nightmare of a killer who knows about the terrifying power of mind games…
The plot begins when a close friend of Dr Alan Gregory passed away. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary to Alan until two-ex FBI agents contact him and tell him that a serial killer is on the loose and he is after that very group of people who worked with Alan in an elite psychological facility. With a life threat looming above his head, he joins his heads with Dr Sawyer Sackett, his ex-flame, to race against time, frantically trying to expose the killer.
The novel has two parallel events: First, Dr Gregory’s personal life – which comprises of his interactions with his sick (medically) wife and the new found confrontations with his past flame, the one whom he has been running from. Second, Dr Gregory’s professional life – which involves him saving his life from a serial killer hell bent on finishing the team which was associated with a psychiatric programme of the University of Colorado Medical Center. The plot swings between these two events. What is even better is that it is in first person which gives a full perspective of both these aspects.
The USP of the plot is how the haunting past, the frenzied present and the impending doom of the protagonist are enmeshed together to show the condition in which he is. But the better part is the sequence in which these events have been written. The switchovers from one time frame to other are impressive. The characterization in the novel also deserves a special mention. The way the characters of Dr Alan Gregory, his wife Lauren and the other supporting ones have been sketched is really commendable. But a special mention goes to that of Dr Sawyer Sackett, which was portrayed as different, rare, damaged yet insightful.
The plot is very subtle in its unfolding. But perhaps that is what hampers it. The biggest flaw of the plot is the fact that a very powerful antagonist was underwhelmingly revealed. The good ones spend more than half the novel chasing a ghost, but the fashion in which who the bad one is comes to light really underplays the monstrosity of the revelation, just like in acting – too much of underplay could come across as not acting. Had the bad guy been revealed in a better fashion, it would have been much, much better for the novel.
All-in-all, a good novel only undone by the underwhelming unveiling of the villain.
Originally reviewed at www.vaultofbooks.com
The deaths appeared to be bizarre, unrelated accidents – until Dr Alan Gregory discovered the chilling link. Years before, each of the victims was involved in the psychology and psychiatry training program at the University of Colorado. And each was slain in an ingeniously planned, brilliantly executed murder. Now only two alumni survive: Dr Gregory and Dr Sawyer Sackett, a woman he once loved. As the past resurfaces in ways that are as intimate as they are frightening, Alan and Sawyer are plunged into the private nightmare of a killer who knows about the terrifying power of mind games…
The plot begins when a close friend of Dr Alan Gregory passed away. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary to Alan until two-ex FBI agents contact him and tell him that a serial killer is on the loose and he is after that very group of people who worked with Alan in an elite psychological facility. With a life threat looming above his head, he joins his heads with Dr Sawyer Sackett, his ex-flame, to race against time, frantically trying to expose the killer.
The novel has two parallel events: First, Dr Gregory’s personal life – which comprises of his interactions with his sick (medically) wife and the new found confrontations with his past flame, the one whom he has been running from. Second, Dr Gregory’s professional life – which involves him saving his life from a serial killer hell bent on finishing the team which was associated with a psychiatric programme of the University of Colorado Medical Center. The plot swings between these two events. What is even better is that it is in first person which gives a full perspective of both these aspects.
The USP of the plot is how the haunting past, the frenzied present and the impending doom of the protagonist are enmeshed together to show the condition in which he is. But the better part is the sequence in which these events have been written. The switchovers from one time frame to other are impressive. The characterization in the novel also deserves a special mention. The way the characters of Dr Alan Gregory, his wife Lauren and the other supporting ones have been sketched is really commendable. But a special mention goes to that of Dr Sawyer Sackett, which was portrayed as different, rare, damaged yet insightful.
The plot is very subtle in its unfolding. But perhaps that is what hampers it. The biggest flaw of the plot is the fact that a very powerful antagonist was underwhelmingly revealed. The good ones spend more than half the novel chasing a ghost, but the fashion in which who the bad one is comes to light really underplays the monstrosity of the revelation, just like in acting – too much of underplay could come across as not acting. Had the bad guy been revealed in a better fashion, it would have been much, much better for the novel.
All-in-all, a good novel only undone by the underwhelming unveiling of the villain.
Originally reviewed at www.vaultofbooks.com
May 24, 2011
I'm reading this series featuring psychologist, Alan Gregory, out of order. It's actually less bothersome to do so than with some of the other series I've followed. Each story can stand on its own and this book is no exception.
The premise is interesting in that there appears to be someone who is carefully murdering many of Alan Gregory's colleagues from his internship days. Each murder appears to be an accident because of the time gaps between killings and the different ways each victim meets their fate.
Finally, the parents of the last victim become suspicious when they read his journal. They bring in a couple ex-FBI agents to investigate. The agents confront Gregory with their suspicions and inform him that his ex-lover from those days and himself are the only survivors from the unit they worked in.
Gregory and his ex quickly realize it must be an ex-patient but they can't tell law enforcement of their suspicions because of patient confidentiality, a condition that appears in all the Gregory stories and is often overdone in my opinion. I sure as hell wouldn't protect someone who was trying to kill me because of an ethical and semi-legal barrier. So they try to figure it out themselves and the story proceeds from there.
While the plot is pretty straightforward, there is a final twist that surprised me. There is also some gratuitous violence which doesn't move the plot forward at all.
The characters are interesting and many of them appear in the other books in the series. I've got almost all of them now and am looking forward to reading them all.
The premise is interesting in that there appears to be someone who is carefully murdering many of Alan Gregory's colleagues from his internship days. Each murder appears to be an accident because of the time gaps between killings and the different ways each victim meets their fate.
Finally, the parents of the last victim become suspicious when they read his journal. They bring in a couple ex-FBI agents to investigate. The agents confront Gregory with their suspicions and inform him that his ex-lover from those days and himself are the only survivors from the unit they worked in.
Gregory and his ex quickly realize it must be an ex-patient but they can't tell law enforcement of their suspicions because of patient confidentiality, a condition that appears in all the Gregory stories and is often overdone in my opinion. I sure as hell wouldn't protect someone who was trying to kill me because of an ethical and semi-legal barrier. So they try to figure it out themselves and the story proceeds from there.
While the plot is pretty straightforward, there is a final twist that surprised me. There is also some gratuitous violence which doesn't move the plot forward at all.
The characters are interesting and many of them appear in the other books in the series. I've got almost all of them now and am looking forward to reading them all.
July 22, 2016
I didn't enjoy this as much as other Stephen White novels revolving around Dr. Alan Gregory. He always came across as a strong person but in this one he's needy and impulsive which IMHO is so at odds with how he has been portrayed. Maybe it's just me but I found it disturbing that even now, long married to Lauren Crowder, he still has convoluted thoughts, feelings and stupid ideas of a previous girlfriend - who dumped him with no explanation.
In another vein, I did like the psychological mystery. It was interesting to see Alan and Sawyer talk out their residency days and come up with suspects. I enjoyed the suspense and the mishaps perpetuated against Alan, Lauren and Sawyer. It was great psychological warfare. Very well done.
In another vein, I did like the psychological mystery. It was interesting to see Alan and Sawyer talk out their residency days and come up with suspects. I enjoyed the suspense and the mishaps perpetuated against Alan, Lauren and Sawyer. It was great psychological warfare. Very well done.
September 7, 2011
After the funeral of a former colleague, a man is approached by former FBI agents that want to warn him that his life might be in danger. Their reasoning? In the past 2 decades his old team has seen a few deaths. One was a murder (drive-by, bad part of time, gang-suggestive shooting) and the rest were the type of accidents that just happen. These deaths have occurred over YEARS and are not suspicious...but these former agents are convinced that a serial killer is targeting this random group of interns and doctors. It was so implausible, yet an entire book was written about it. I simply couldn't stand it and quit reading.
January 16, 2009
Solid Alan Gregory mystery. People who worked with Alan during his internship since to be dying at a faster than coincidental rate and 2 former FBI agents see a pattern. One of the last remaining members of the team is Alan's former lover, Sawyer Faire. He hasn't seen her since she abruptly left her residency all those years ago. While the mystery was solid, the emotions lacked. Alan is very clinical with himself and that puts distance between him and everyone else. Nevertheless, I'll be reading the next book sooner rather than later. He's growing on me.
May 8, 2017
Two FBI types approach psychologist Alan Gregory to tell him that students, supervisors and staff where he served his clinical psychology residency were being murdered and he may be next.
I usually look forward to reading the Alan Gregory series but found Manner of Death a waste of my time. Manner of death was a long arduous read. It might have been a better read had it been edited to under three hundred pages. This could have been easily done as much of the material was repeated. Michael Kramer did his best to bring the story to life but he didn’t have a story to work with.
I usually look forward to reading the Alan Gregory series but found Manner of Death a waste of my time. Manner of death was a long arduous read. It might have been a better read had it been edited to under three hundred pages. This could have been easily done as much of the material was repeated. Michael Kramer did his best to bring the story to life but he didn’t have a story to work with.
May 27, 2011
In this the 7th in the Dr. Alan Gregory series, Alan is approached by 2 exFBI agents after the funeral of a colleague. He finds out that several of the people he trained with have died in a series of bizarre accidents spaced over several years. My favorite was the defective tanning bed that wouldn't open up or shut off. He is told that he may be the next target.
July 29, 2008
I enjoyed this book. It was fast paced and kept moving, though there were a few dry bit, about 2/3 in. I didn't think the D.B. Cooper thing needed to be in there. It just detracted from the book.
October 5, 2008
Another great read in the Alan Gregory series; in this one a killer is after Alan and a former lover--they join forces to discover the identity of the killer, and to try to survive.
August 22, 2009
I'd forgotten about this series and am glad to get back into it. This one kept me turning pages well past my bedtime.
April 28, 2020
I've read a number of books in the Alan Gregory series, and this was one of the best. It focuses very heavily on Gregory's past, specifically his early days as a psychologist, after 2 ex-FBI agents track him down, concerned that there might be a killer targeting the doctors who worked on a specific hospital unit where he trained. Having lost track of those doctors over the years, Gregory is saddened to hear that most of them are dead, especially because he had a brief fling with one of the residents, Sawyer Sackett, although their deaths seem neither particularly suspicious nor related. The agents, hired by the family of the most recent doctor to die, who was also aware that many of his former colleagues had perished at a young age and tragically, do believe Gregory is at risk and implore him to betray patient/doctor confidentiality to come up with any names of patients from that timespan who might have a long-standing grudge against the clinicians.
Overall, I thought it was a well-paced book that kept me guessing, and the filling in of Gregory's backstory was particularly interesting and relevant rather than just something to pad the page count. Because I don't read these books in order, there were a couple characters missing, and I'm not sure if it's because they died in an earlier book or they haven't been introduced into the series yet. I'm pretty sure the most obvious 'missing person' was due to the first scenario, because I know I have read about that person's death, but that their name wasn't even mentioned in context with those most closely associated seems unusual. That said, there were a fair number of new-to-me characters in this book, who, despite being alive at the end of this one, do not appear in any of the later ones I've read so far, so it's possible White likes to keep his character count low and only involve the ones who figure into the main plot somehow. White also does a very good job setting the scene, as I have never been to Colorado, but I could easily imagine the world Gregory inhabits and White makes me want to visit.
Overall, I thought it was a well-paced book that kept me guessing, and the filling in of Gregory's backstory was particularly interesting and relevant rather than just something to pad the page count. Because I don't read these books in order, there were a couple characters missing, and I'm not sure if it's because they died in an earlier book or they haven't been introduced into the series yet. I'm pretty sure the most obvious 'missing person' was due to the first scenario, because I know I have read about that person's death, but that their name wasn't even mentioned in context with those most closely associated seems unusual. That said, there were a fair number of new-to-me characters in this book, who, despite being alive at the end of this one, do not appear in any of the later ones I've read so far, so it's possible White likes to keep his character count low and only involve the ones who figure into the main plot somehow. White also does a very good job setting the scene, as I have never been to Colorado, but I could easily imagine the world Gregory inhabits and White makes me want to visit.
December 25, 2020
4.5 of 5 stars! Manner of Death is the seventh in Stephen White's Alan Gregory series. In this edition, protagonist/psychologist Alan Gregory teams up with former intern/resident and former love interest Sawyer to solve what appears to be a series of murders targeting people who were staff members at the time they did their internship/residency. They are the remaining surviving staff members, their lives are at stake, and they know they have to join forces and work together despite the complicated circumstances by which their romantic relationship ended abruptly.
As a psychologist, I have taken an interest in following this series in which the protagonist is also a psychologist. I have been reading this series in chronological order and, for me, this particular one was the most suspenseful and thrilling one yet. Stephen White continues to improve in his storytelling craft and I look forward to seeing where he takes Alan Gregory in future editions.
As a psychologist, I have taken an interest in following this series in which the protagonist is also a psychologist. I have been reading this series in chronological order and, for me, this particular one was the most suspenseful and thrilling one yet. Stephen White continues to improve in his storytelling craft and I look forward to seeing where he takes Alan Gregory in future editions.
December 30, 2023
I like the medical forensic aspect of this series. However this books premises are beyond belief.
Spoilers
That 2 doctors with MBAs think that hiring an assassination outfit to kill people is somehow more profitable than giving someone their 6k back. Hiring an outfit if highly trained military specialists to kill people has got to be in the 10s of thousands easy. Not to mention that doctors are killing people and the attention that gets. It's ridiculous.
I also take umbrage that former military special operations personnel so easily turn to civilian assassination of innocent civilians without a care.
Spoilers
That 2 doctors with MBAs think that hiring an assassination outfit to kill people is somehow more profitable than giving someone their 6k back. Hiring an outfit if highly trained military specialists to kill people has got to be in the 10s of thousands easy. Not to mention that doctors are killing people and the attention that gets. It's ridiculous.
I also take umbrage that former military special operations personnel so easily turn to civilian assassination of innocent civilians without a care.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 8, 2019
I found this paperback at my rented condo in Puerto Vallarta, the seventh in a series featuring psychologist Alan Gregory. Although authors try to write stand-alone novels, I always feel like I am missing a lot of the back story, so perhaps that's why I didn't enjoy this one so much. A serial killer is stalking an entire group of former medical colleagues, and both Alan and his old flame are on the hit list. Not only does Alan have to protect himself and his wife, he has to deal with his emotional baggage from the past. A solid 3.5 stars for escapism.
January 19, 2024
Wow! This is the first book I’ve read in this series. Actually I didn’t even know it was a series until I finished it and immediately started looking for other books by this author. I will definitely be reading more of them this year. White writes some edge-of-the-seat scenes, where I found myself reading faster and faster to find out what happens. Every time! That’s some entertaining reading.
I would have given this book 4.5 stars if Goodreads would allow it. I wish they’d change that policy.
I would have given this book 4.5 stars if Goodreads would allow it. I wish they’d change that policy.
August 8, 2022
Good in the sense I did not guess the culprit. I kept thinking it was one of the main characters who was a very wounded person. The author usually is right on when it comes to psychological motivations but this time I felt was not as well thought out. And I started to feel frustrated with our protagonist. He was too passive around his old flame and I wanted to shake him a couple times. However, I will keep reading this series.
August 28, 2024
This was a very interesting installment in this series. The story and build were great. I loved the overall story and the twists and turns this story took you on with many possible suspects it threw me off the trail. The only thing that kept this from a 5th star for me was the ending. It felt a bit sudden and rushed and for all the build left em wanting more to happen. To be fair the ending makes sense with the information presented.
December 29, 2018
I like that this series doesn't assume the reader is dumb about language and technical things. The mysteries in this episode are complex and layered. Sadly, I am dumb enough to be misled about all the wrong suspects. Good times.
May 24, 2021
Stephen White does it again, this is such a good suspense novel! Dr. Alan Gregory is a target, but can he figure out who and will an old flame help or hinder his investigation? Good questions and the answers are ready for you to find in this page turner!!
December 21, 2021
Any book in White's series with Boulder psychologist, Alan Gregory, is a guaranteed good read. This is no different. All of the members of the team Gregory served his internship with years ago are dying and dying mysteriously. The only two left are Alan and his ex-girlfriend.
August 30, 2024
I appreciated the premise of the book and found it intriguing. However, I felt that the narrative was somewhat extended with several plotlines that seemed unnecessary which affected the story's pacing. So by the time I got to the ending, it felt anticlimactic.
May 6, 2017
I would have rated this book as 4 stars, but I really disliked the number of flashbacks to the past. I found those parts of the story tedious. Other than that it was a really enjoyable story.
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