If your life was on the line, how far would you go?
Surgeon Jacob Thorn isn’t worried when the police interview him over nurse Katy Leith’s disappearance. She is a co-worker, nothing more. But when a leaked video of him and the missing woman arguing goes viral, the social media reaction is vicious.
When harrowing images of the kidnapped woman start to appear on his phone, along with a demand from her abductor that Jake confesses to a crime he has no recollection of committing, he is forced to act or face terrifying consequences.
He needs to delve into the past for answers. But time is running out for Katy.
Will he admit to his failings and lose everything, or plead ignorance and let an innocent girl die?
Dylan Young was born in a mining village in the Swansea valley in Wales where he attended primary and secondary schools. In 1974, he was offered a place at Medical school in London and qualified in 1979. Medicine and a family followed, but writing as Dylan Jones, he published 4 novels in the nineties, two of which were filmed by the BBC. In 2011, Random House re-released two of the books in the Natalie Vine series as ebooks. Dylan Jones now writes children's fiction as Rhys A Jones and contemporary urban fantasy as DC farmer. But crime never went away. The first in his new series featuring Detective Inspector Anna Gwynne, is due for release in January 2018. Two more books will follow. Dylan Lives with his wife in West Wales where the landscape (and the weather!) provide ample inspiration for his books.
With intense, convincing characterisation, I was quickly drawn into this thrilling read. Events felt believable and I was equally trusting and suspicious of the protagonist, Jake. This is an example of quality writing and I am really pleased to have been able to read this book.
The abduction of fellow colleague, Katy, becomes more of a side-plot as Jake investigates an operation that had serious outcomes. At first I thought the story would be about Jake trying to find who had taken Katy and who is blackmailing him. However, the writer uses this as a progression into the main aspect of the plot. Jake’s attention is drawn to an operation that he apparently carried out several years ago that left the patient with fatal consequences. Indeed, once the story had been established, this is where Jake spends most of his time and it is only towards the end that all the plot strands thread together.
Whilst I was able to spot the suspicious character (or is it plural?!), this did not lessen my enjoyment of the story. I felt like Young really developed his characters and they were all so vividly portrayed. This helped the story become even more immersive and the vocabulary that Jake uses felt very typical of a surgeon.
The backdrop of the NHS reflects extensive research carried out by the author. Indeed, it left me wondering if the author has had firsthand experience himself? The jargon was recognisable, and the working environment and hierarchies were familiar from my own period spent in NHS administration. It brought back memories from my own past and at times I felt like I was reliving it myself! I loved how Young praises the working staff of the NHS. It is a establishment that receives enough negative bashing in the media that this was a refreshing stance. Accordingly, the setting added to the chilling fact that a surgeon is under suspicion of abduction. Even the investigating officers consider a double personality for Jake, which undoubtedly would have taken the plot in a totally new direction.
The plot frequently includes brief chapters of tweets from the public who are discussing who abducted Katy and Jake’s innocence… or guilt. This added to the pressure that Jake feels and how hounded he is by something he claims he is innocent about. Gone are the days of being innocent until proven guilty and I think Young accurately portrays how influential social media platforms can be.
This was an enjoyable novel from start to finish. I felt gripped by the story and wanted to see how Jake would escape his past demons. A great piece of writing, the chapters had me involved every step of the way.
With thanks to Bloodhound books for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The Operation is Dylan Young’s latest psychological thriller and with much of it being about the perils of social media, it has a technothriller feel to it too. Surgeon Doctor Jacob Thorn is renowned for his operating skill in the local area. When Nurse Katy Leith vanishes without a trace Jake becomes a person of interest. He states he has nothing to hide and cooperates with the police from the outset. Many people aware of the situation take to Twitter to express their concern and call for her safe return. After a number of interviews attempting to clear his name, a video is released showing what appears to be Thorn and Katy having a heated argument. It’s then that the Twitterati decides that he is the one who knows where she is and they certainly aren’t shy about calling him out online and in person. The medical procedure and surgeries described had me fascinated and were no doubt informed by Young’s career as a doctor.
Those on Twitter turn into judge, jury and executioner even though they have no idea what is happening behind the scenes; it soon becomes clear that the strategically released video was released purely to fuel these types of people into believing he is the perpetrator and of course it goes viral. But what they don’t know is that Thorn is being blackmailed by those who made the video public and has no idea what he should do having received a message telling him he must admit to a spectacular error of judgement made early on in his career else he will have Katy’s blood on his hands. Unfortunately, the situation has gotten so out of hand that his family is now being attacked by the online mob. This is a compulsive and totally addictive story showing the mob mentality that can be cultivated online and the harm it can do. I was hooked from the first few pages and found the superbly twisted narrative and social commentary engrossing. Many thanks to BOTBS for an ARC.
The Operation is a clever well-written medical thriller about the impact that social media hysteria can have on a surgeon unjustly accused of a terrible crime. I had read all three of this author’s brilliant DI Anna Gwynne series in the last year or so, and confess to slight disappointment that this was another stand alone, rather than a return to the adventures of capable Anna and fascinating Hector Shaw, but ended up really enjoying this. I bought The Appointment, having bought it after missing out on an ARC, so need to bump it up the TBR.
Jacob Thorn is a successful general surgeon at an Oxford hospital with a burgeoning private practice, a gorgeous if controlling girlfriend, Sarah, and hopes of moving into a desirable new home. His only problem in life is that Sarah won’t let him get a dog, so instead he walks Sid, a boisterous rescue Labrador-Rottweiler cross for a local shelter. When Katy, a beautiful young nursing colleague, disappears after a leaving-do at a pub, his life is turned upside down by the release of a video showing him arguing with her days before, the police question him and the press immediately start pointing the finger at him, leading to nationwide online vilification and even public harassment. Then messages arrive threatening that Katy will be killed using a knife with his prints if he does not confess to the murder of a patient years earlier - one he remembers nothing about. Facing condemnation from colleagues and strangers alike, how will he save his freedom and his career?
When I started this and discovered it was written in First Person Present, which I despise (I know plenty of people like it but I find it completely distracting and annoying.) I wanted to abandon it, but I had committed to reviewing it before publication for the Bloodhound ARC group, and seen plenty of positive comments from other readers, so decided to grit my teeth and push on. Fortunately not all of it is Jake’s POV, there are chapters showing the police investigation written in standard third person past. There are extensive sections of Jake’s internal monologue about everything, from hospital politics to current TV programmes, for which the present tense felt appropriate. I found these interesting but non-medical people might find it a bit much. There was also way too much detail about everything that Jake eats and drinks. Some details of his life flesh out a character but too much felt like padding. It did mean that the plot takes a while to get moving - it’s 30% in before anything which could be considered thrilling happens, but from then on I was appropriately gripped trying to work out what was going on.
I had not realised from reading the author’s other books that he is actually a medical doctor, but that became abundantly clear quite early on here, as he accurately describes everyday scenes of hospital life, from the operating theatre to the dreaded HR meetings, with all the associated stresses facing doctors that the public know nothing about. The interspersed twitter quotes were a painful reminder of how much some people hate us - until of course they need us! It’s a long time since I’ve worked in a hospital or for the NHS, but a really good reminder of why I never went back. It’s not that trolls are any less vicious here in NZ (and props to the author for the various New Zealand references in the book!) but the system here is not so demoralising and underfunded as in the UK.
I thought there were perhaps a few too many clues, so I guessed who was behind part of Jake’s troubles fairly early on, but totally didn’t predict the rest of it, and liked the way it all panned out, especially the ending which was perfect. I’m always worried in books which feature an animal that something terrible will happen to them which can make reading rather stressful, so I’m happy to reassure fellow animal lovers that nothing bad happens to Sid. I thought the dialogue was very well done, I particularly enjoyed the banter between Jake and his anaesthetist colleague was pretty funny. Oh and the cover image is great - unusual but completely appropriate. Overall I can thoroughly recommend this and look forward to whatever Young comes up with next (but I still hope Hector’s in it!) 4.5 rounded down for the use of the present which turned out to be completely unnecessary.
My thanks to Heather Fitt at Bloodhound for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. The Operation is available now.
General Surgeon Jacob Thorn is the prime suspect in nurse Katy Leith's disappearance, possible abduction. Although he knew her from working at the hospital, it's not until a video shows up showing him and Katy arguing. The police are taking a much closer look at Thorn's life.
And when terrible pictures of Katy start showing up on his phone, the kidnapper also sends a note ... that disappears in seconds. The message ... confess to a crime he doesn't remember committing.
If he doesn't publicly confess, Katy will die.
This is a well written psychological thriller that keeps the reader glued to the riveting story of a man who is being blackmailed for a crime he doesn't remember doing ... a crime that will cost him his job, his reputation ...or the life of a young woman. The use of twitter postings pulls this story right into the here and now. Amazing how social media can condemn a person without any proof. The characters are finely drawn and Thorn volunteering at a shelter for dogs made him much more likeable and human. The ending came as an astonishing surprise.
Many thanks to the Author / Bloodhound Books for the digital copy of this psychological thriller. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
The police are investigation and they speak to surgeon, Jake Thorn.
Jake is married to Sarah and they have a slightly unconventional life as she spends half the week in London working and the rest, commuting to work, so they have separate lives and beds during the week.
Jake was one of the last people to see Katy, so suspicion falls on him. When a video of him purportedly arguing with Katy is posted online, he is vilified on social media….does he deserve this? Or is there something else going on?
I can’t say much more for fear of spoiling the story, but I can say this really is an impressive thriller. The main character is not particularly likeable and his life is a bit of a mess, but he loves Sid the dog so he can’t be all bad!!
Full of secrets and lies and marvellously twisty with some real surprises on the way and full of tension. A thoroughly engrossing psychological thriller with a medical edge.
Thank you to Sarah at Book On The Bright Side and Bloodhound books for the opportunity to take part in this blog tour, for the promotional material and a free ecopy of the book. This is my honest and unbiased review.
Renowned surgeon Jacob Thorn is about the discover that in some cases,in the eyes of the police, press and social media, there is no such thing as innocent until proven guilty. He has no concerns when he is questioned by the police over the disappearance of Katy Leith,a young nurse who works at the same hospital as Jacob and who mysteriously disappeared after a Christmas party that they both attended. But when a leaked video of him and Katy apparently arguing goes viral, Jacob becomes the police's number one suspect and social media's reaction is viscious.
Then he starts receiving harrowing images of the missing nurse on his phone and demands that he confesses to a crime that he has no recollection of committing.
Jacob starts delving into his past and uncovers something so shocking that it shatters his beliefs in himself as a surgeon. Now he has to decide If he is going to admit to his failings and lose everything, or plead innocence and let an innocent woman die?
This gripping, thrill ride is narrated entirely from Jacob Thorn's perspective as we follow his desperate search for the truth and battle to prove his innocence. He did start out as a rather smug character but his character evolved into a much more likeable individual as the story unfolded. One of his redeemable qualities was his obvious love for Reg the Rottweiler and I loved reading their adorable interactions when they went out for their walks together. Despite his flaws, Jacob didn't deserve the treatment that he receiving from the police,press and social media. As in reality,the press didn't stop to consider the power that they have to destroy people's lives with just one headline, they don't care if what they print is true as long as it sells papers. And then there are the people who jump on the bandwagon and tear people apart whilst hiding behind the safety of their screens. Jacob's life and reputation is torn apart in a trial by media but is he innocent or are the police correct in suspecting that he knows more than he is letting on? And if there is a connection between Katy's disappearance and what happened in the past then what is it and has it taken so long for his tormentor to exact their revenage.
The Operation is a intense thriller that has some unexpected twists and turns, keeps the reader guessing and frantically turning the pages. The characters were realistic,some likeable,some not so likeable and like Jacob it was difficult to figure out who he could trust. Some characters were not as trustworthy as they appeared to be. I would love to watch a film adaptation of this book. Worth far more than five stars and very highly recommended.
Many thanks to Dylan Young, Bloodhound Books and Sarah Hardy of Books On The Bright Side for a arc of this book and the opportunity to take part in the blog tour
Surgeon Jacob Thorn is very successful at what he does. He thought that he was well-liked and respected in the hospital too but when a young nurse goes missing the police interview him. Then when a video of him and missing Katie are seen to be arguing he is taken in for more intense questioning by the police. His wife can't give him an alibi and although he has an alibi he doesn't want to involve anyone else, so a hate campaign begins on social media and the whole thing go viral. Oh my, it was like being a rabbit trapped in headlights, you can see what's coming and you can't do a darn thing about it. There is nothing like social media that can whip all of the nutters from the woodwork offering to use their perverse services in the name of good. It made my blood run cold. But things were to get much worse, at home, at work and from the past. This is a belting story where the author makes his characters feel real, the plot so very possible and reasons very believable. I really loved the story following Jacob Thorn seeing the changes in him and what he could and couldn't do about it. He was nieve in so many respects. This is a book that you all of a sudden find that it is the last page because you are so involved in the story. Cracking end. I wish to thank the publisher for an e-copy of this book which I have reviewed honestly.
My first experience with author Dylan Young, and boy did the blurb sound just right for me. A surgeon investigating the disappearance of his nurse. Did he have a hand in it?
This was heck of a ride. Fast paced and exciting, the book pulled me right from the cover and blurb. Getting into this book, I realized that I should probably get to the earlier works by this author.
Dr. Jacob Thorn is an excellent surgeon. He takes good care of his patients, teaches budding physicians and is there to assist the nurses. He doesn’t always see eye to eye with the administration but does his best not to make waves. When he is suddenly drug into a missing person investigation, he is not terribly worried since he knows he is not involved and; when he starts receiving images of the missing woman and is confronted with a case that went wrong in the past...a case with his signature on it...but one he cannot remember...he wonders what is really going on.
As a nurse and the daughter and sister of physicians this book hit close to home. I could relate to the issues Jacob was facing at work and also those he was facing in his private life. I worried about him and wondered what was really happening and why. I was intrigued and kept reading to find out what would happen. I didn’t foresee all of the twists and turns and where they would lead and doubt that Jacob did either.
What I liked: * The story – it was a humdinger * The eventual resolution * Sid the dog and his friend Lulu * Ella and her son – so much a better fit for Jacob than the woman he had been with * Jacob’s tenacity
What I did not like: * Social media – it played a part in the book that made me cringe * Sarah – seemed cold and rather callous * The baddie – actions of this person were heinous and self-serving * Those seeking revenge – they did not have the true facts
Did I like this book? Definitely Would I read more by this author? Without a doubt
Thank you to Bloodhound Books, BOTBS and the author for the ARC – This is my honest review.
Okay. Brilliant surgeon. Shitty girlfriend. Kidnapping. Threats. Set up blackmail etc. etc. confess to murder or else!
I am not a genius but if someone is sending you text messages that disappear 10 -15 seconds after you read them and setting you up for a kidnapping and a potential murder… take photos of the text messages.
This was such a great read. Based around Jake Thorn a surgeon. Katy a young nurse goes missing and it doesn’t take long before he’s the main suspect. As if that’s not bad enough his past comes back to haunt him. Jack finds himself doing his own investigations.
A really well written story. I don’t normally read medical thrillers but this was very good. Definitely recommend it.
When nurse, Katy Leith disappears following a fellow staff members going away party the locals are worried and calling to Twitter for her safe return. Jacob Thorn, a well respected Surgeon at the hospital finds himself being the #1 person of interest for the police and after a series of interviews he’s still no closer to clearer his name. Things take a turn for the worst when a mysterious video is leaked showing what appears to be Jacob Thorn and Katy Leith arguing in the staff lounge; but who took this video and why would they release it? The media and public have officially found their target surrounding Katy’s disappearance and in order to avoid bad press the hospital releases Jacob on paid leave but things only continue to spiral out of control. Jacob is forced to revisit his past while trying to keep his present relationships in order. Who can he trust? Who has it out for him? And what are the consequences for keeping quiet?
Overall I really enjoyed this booked. The characters were simple and naturally flawed. It’s also a very interesting story on the social media mob mentality and vigilantism. How far is too far?
I have been a fan of Dylan's work for quite a while now. I have read, reviewed and loved each and every book that he has released to date. I read the synopsis for 'The Operation' and it certainly sounded like just the kind of dark and twisty psychological thriller that I love. I wasn't wrong either as I thoroughly enjoyed 'The Operation' but more about that in a bit. I can honestly say that I didn't particularly like nor take to the character of Jacob Thorn, who is a surgeon and who is the focus of most of this story. Thorn is an intriguing and multi layered character. He has a sort of arrogance and self confidence that you often find with surgeons. I had better explain that sentence before lots of surgeons chase me out of town. Mrs. Ginger Book Geek (my lovely and long suffering Mam) used to be a theatre nurse and she would often tell me 'war stories' of the sorts of behaviour that surgeons used to get up to. Anyway back to this surgeon. On the surface Thorn appears to be a decent and respectable individual but it doesn't take long until you realise that everything is not as it seems and Thorn is keeping secrets. Thorn is a manipulative, deceitful and devious individual. Something happens that threatens to blow Thorn's world apart and change Thorn's life forever. What happens? Well for the answer to that question and so much more you are just going to have to read the book for yourselves to find out as I am not going to tell you. Oh my flipping word, 'The Operation' was one hell of an addictive read and then some. I initially picked the book up only intending to read a couple of chapters to fill in half an hour but I ended up reading more than a couple of chapters because I was just loving the book. I couldn't turn the pages over fast enough as my desperation to find out what happened to Thorn just grew and grew. I had to force myself to put the book to one side because I desperately needed some sleep. I thought about this book before I went to bed, whilst I was trying to sleep and when I got up the following morning. This book really got under my skin. I tried to ration how much I read in one go because I wanted to prolong my enjoyment of the book but I found it impossible to stick to my 'ration'. I soon reached the end of the book, which I had mixed feelings about. Don't get me wrong I was pleased to finish the book because at least I knew how the story concluded but I was enjoying the author's writing style, the characters and the storylines so much that I just wanted the book to continue. 'The Operation' is superbly written but then I find that to be true with all of Dylan's books. Dylan has a writing style that is easy to get used to and easy to get along with. He gets your attention from the start and once he has your attention, he will not let you have it back until you closed the back cover of the book as it were. For me, the story hit the ground running and the pace of the story accelerated as the level of tension increased. The author uses such vivid and realistic descriptions that I really did feel that I was part of the story myself. If I had one teensy, weeny little gripe, it would be that 'The Operation' has quite a bit of operating theatre 'technical speak' in. I know, I know that fits with the title of the book and helps to make the story seem that bit more authentic. Dylan Young had clearly done an awful lot of research and this shines through in the quality of the writing and adds authenticity. I was lucky in that I had a former theatre nurse (Mrs. Ginger Book Geek) in the same room so I could ask her about what certain terminology meant and what particular operations were and why they were done. If I hadn't had Mam in the same room I might have had to sit with a medical dictionary beside me. In short, I thoroughly enjoyed reading 'The Operation' and I would definitely recommend it to other readers. I look forward to reading more of Dylan's work in the future. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*.
A good, solid, enticing medical thriller. An interesting mystery thriller set in the medical world of a top consultant surgeon. It asks several moral questions for instance should a surgeon admit to serious failings to save an innocent life even if those serious failings may not be true? Is his reputation worth a human life.
It also raises the lid on the more general murky world of medical ethics. Surgeons must learn their trade. Therefore there will be errors. Do we punish the surgeons for the errors? If we did there would be no more surgeons, so leniency is the order of the day. But what then of the bereaved families of medical collateral damage, do we explain their deaths as down to rookie errors? It's an ill wind that blows no one any good.
The plot itself focuses on Jake Thorn (now there's a protagonist's name if ever I saw one. No heroes are called Dave Smith are or Mike Jones are they?) A confident borderline over bearing Surgeon but deep down a nice guy. Trapped in a loveless relationship. A random colleague is kidnapped, the police are sniffing round him as he was the last person to see her alive. When out of the blue he starts to receive texts instructing him to confess to a case of criminal negligence from way back in his past. What is he going to do?
The author also focuses on the cesspit that is social media. The words witch-hunt and feeding frenzy spring to mind. You don't even have to be guilty of anything to be the victim of a world full of virtual schoolyard bullies.
The author does a nice line in two or three line hits that frame the issue at hand perfectly. see selected quotes for a few examples
The plot is entertaining and twisty enough to keep you nibbling away at the line, like a salmon nudging a fly. The reveal is well hidden and interesting. I wouldn't read it if I were about to go in for an operation mind you. for more reviews see grumpyoldbooks@blogspot.com
First, I want to thank Dylan Young and BOTBSPublicity for providing me with this book so I can bring you this review.
If you are a fan of Medical Suspense books like I am-you-must-pick-up Dylan Young’s The Operation. Immediately, I knew when I read the title and saw the cover, I knew this book was a must read! For someone like me who is passionate about medical field, good patient care, and medical suspense genre this was one of the top reads for 2020! Dylan just got a new fan!!
Being a former Medical Office Assistant there was a part of the book that I found that I could relate to it. Dylan brought up some very important dialogue between two staff members in the hospital regarding administrative roles and gender roles. There were very interesting facts that were stated that were if you think about it sad in a way. His dialogue between these two were passionate because of the issues yet genuine at the same time. This was one of the best sections of the book. I feel that he was talking to us through the characters.
I especially found all the medical cases and surgeries in this book very fascinating. Dylan did an incredible job describing the patient, what their diagnosis was, and what their treatment or surgery was going to be.
There were many stories within the stories of nurse Katy’s abduction which was a very interesting story as well. I loved how he brought social media like Twitter and Facebook into it. There was an interesting section of what the Doctor really thought about Facebook. I chuckled at that!
“why is all this happening?” “who is out to get me” “my life is falling apart”
A mistake it appears he made in his past as a young surgeon is coming back to haunt him: but he has no knowledge or recollection of it.
Why?
Was he really to blame and who is it that wants to get back at him?
Why are they using the young nurse to get back at him? He barely knows her.
Questions, questions! But this is what Jake is dealing with.
Just when he thinks he knows what is happening and who it involves he is lead in a new direction. Which is how I felt when I was reading the book: just when you thought you knew which way things were heading you are sent in a completely new direction.
But now it’s not just him that is being targeted. Sarah and Ella are being affected to.
Who can he trust? The more he uncovers the closer he comes to his own life being at risk.
This really will keep you guessing right up until the very end. Even when you think you have come to a conclusion.
This took me a little while to get into as I couldn’t see initially where it was going. But, oh boy! once I had I really enjoyed it, and became totally hooked right up to the end.
Brilliant writing and I look forward to reading more from this author
This is the second book I have read by Dylan Young and I enjoyed this just as much as the first.
Jake Thorn is a well respected surgeon but all of that is about to change. Suddenly he finds himself one of the most hated men in the country and everyone seems to be out to get him.
After a colleagues leaving party Katy, a young nurse, goes missing. There has been no sightings of her and everyone is concerned for her safety. A video appears on social media of a doctor arguing with Katy and it turns out to be Jake. Suddenly everyone thinks he is guilty of abducting Katy and he is being questioned by the police, vilified on Social Media and hounded by the press. Is he guilty ?
Jake then discovers something in his past that could be a link to finding Katy. But is she still alive ? How could something in his past save Katy if she is ? Jake decides to do some of his own investigation work but will he get to the truth before someone is hurt ?
This is a great thriller that will have you trying to discover the truth at the same time as Jake. It really is a great read that will keep you guessing right until the end.
Thank you to Bloodhound Books for a digital copy of this book.
Wow this is an excellent read. You work your way through life, building your reputation and in one instant your whole life falls apart.
Jacob Thorn is well respected surgeon so when a nurse at his hospital goes missing, he doesn’t realise the consequences it will have on his life. Her colleagues are interviewed by the police and he too gives a statement.
When a video surfaces of him and the missing nurse arguing, he quickly becomes the prime suspect. The hospital distance themselves from him and the press go to town. If he thought this was bad, he is about to find out his life is about to get much worse.
This is a brilliantly written book and reminded me of the fate of Christopher Jefferies when Joanna Yeates was murdered in 2010.
In the book Jacob fights to prove his innocence but it isn’t as easy as he thinks.
Jacob Thorn is a surgeon. His life is turned upside down when a co-worker goes missing, something he wasn't worried about until a video of him and the missing co-worker is found. Then he starts getting images of her on his phone with demands that he confesses to a crime he doesn't remember committing. Who is the kidnapper and how did they find out about this so-called crime? If Jacob doesn't find the answers soon, two lives may be ruined, one for good. This is the first story by this author that I have read. If you like medical thrillers, give this book a try. I would like to thank Bloodhound Books for a copy of this book that I voluntarily reviewed.
Such a brilliantly researched book. Jake, who is a surgical consultant, becomes unwittingly entangled in a suspect kidnapping. This cleverly written book, gives an insight into the life and works of a busy surgeon, and the perils of social media miss use. Dylan explains some surgical procedures, taking care not to under or over use technical jargon. Plots within plots, make this an extremely interesting and riveting read. Five stars all the way. HIGHLY recommend.
To get right to the point...I just wasn't feeling it!
I selected this title because I am a huge fan of tense psychological thrillers and was enticed by the storyline. I listened to the audio version and gave this book two hours, but it did not move.
The book's main protagonist was an unlikeable character with deep flaws and perhaps that, too, was why I abandoned this book.
Some of the reviewers complained about the book's very slow start and I definitely agree with those comments.
I never read a book by Dylan Young and boy am I glad I had the opportunity!! Beside going to buy more books written by him I really enjoyed this book. It kept me guessing all the time. It kept my interest and I finished it in 2 days. It's really a must read and I just couldn't put it down. I can't go in to the story cause I really don't want to give anything away except there are some great twist and turns. A well deserved 5 * from me.
Surgeon Jacob Thorn, has his life turned upside down when a nurse goes missing, and he is sent images and demands by the kidnapper.
Jacob then goes on a journey into his past to find answers to events that he has no memory of.
I found this to be a very enjoyable read and had me hooked straight away. Though I predicted the ending it was still a very exciting read, and definitely one I would recommend to crime thriller readers.
A good read, albeit predictable — no one is going to be surprised when they learn the identity of the villain. I dropped a star from this review for the lead character's statement about 'New Zealand being as good as they say, especially the North Island'. Not even the people who live on the North Island think that. (I live in Marlborough where the wine comes from, and have done most of the tracks on both islands.)
Very enjoyable read. I do love my thrillers, and this one, while more on the medical side than the standard procedural one, was very gripping. I really liked the protagonist, and playing the guessing game at the beginning (is he reliable?). All in all, I recommend this book to... well, everyone really.
I found The Operation to be a well written and a very intense thriller that had some unexpected twists and turns, which kept me guessing throughout, although I did have my suspicions ;).
The characters were realistic and the storyline was brilliantly thought out.
I highly recommended this book and look forward to more books by Dylan Young.
A good mystery story with a medical bias about a surgeon wrongly accused of murder in the case of a missing nurse. Very well written with an intricate plot that keeps the reader reading. A good ending also adds to making this an enjoyable story.