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Patricia Fisher Cruise Ship Mysteries #5
Doctor Death
When a chance encounter with a pickpocket leads to something more sinister, avid sleuth Patricia Fisher swings into action.
The Aurelia is on its way to Thailand, but a mystery illness is spreading among crew and passengers. Is there a link between it and a world-famous immunologist on board? There is something very strange about his companions and their behaviour, but no one wants to listen to Patricia’s outlandish theories.
When people she cares about join the growing number of sick people, Patricia sees no option other than to trace the cause for herself. Finding the truth will lead to her craziest caper yet.
Be ready for more hi-jinx aboard the world’s most luxurious cruise ship.
The Aurelia is on its way to Thailand, but a mystery illness is spreading among crew and passengers. Is there a link between it and a world-famous immunologist on board? There is something very strange about his companions and their behaviour, but no one wants to listen to Patricia’s outlandish theories.
When people she cares about join the growing number of sick people, Patricia sees no option other than to trace the cause for herself. Finding the truth will lead to her craziest caper yet.
Be ready for more hi-jinx aboard the world’s most luxurious cruise ship.
140 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 4, 2019
732 people are currently reading
183 people want to read
About the author
Steve Higgs
546 books804 followersLet's start this off with an invitation to get some FREE books. No, you didn't read that wrong, we are talking about multiple free books. I love giving away free books because once people delve into the fast-paced mystery thrills I write, they go on to buy lots more.
All I need from you is an email address to send them to. Here's the link you need - https://mailchi.mp/fd47a6eb4ae5/patri...
When I wrote my first novel, Paranormal Nonsense, I was a Captain in the British Army. I would love to pretend that I had one of those careers that has to be redacted and in general denied by the government and that I have had to change my name and continually move about because I am still on the watch list in several countries. In truth though, I started out as a mechanic. Not like Jason Statham, sneaking about as a contract killer, more like one of those greasy gits that charge you a fortune and keep your car for a week when all you went in for was a squeaky door hinge.
At school, I was mostly disinterested in every subject except creative writing, for which, at age ten, I won my first award. However, calling it my first award suggests that there have been more, which there have not. Accolades may come but, in the meantime, I am having a ball writing mystery stories and crime thrillers and will claim to have more than a hundred books forming an unruly queue in my head as they clamor to get out.
Now retired from the military, I live in the south-east corner of England with a pair of lazy sausage dogs. Surrounded by rolling hills, brooding castles, and vineyards, I doubt I will ever leave, the beer is just too good.
Links:
Amazon Author page: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Steve-Higgs/...
Website: https://stevehiggsbooks.wordpress.com/
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/stevehiggsau...
All I need from you is an email address to send them to. Here's the link you need - https://mailchi.mp/fd47a6eb4ae5/patri...
When I wrote my first novel, Paranormal Nonsense, I was a Captain in the British Army. I would love to pretend that I had one of those careers that has to be redacted and in general denied by the government and that I have had to change my name and continually move about because I am still on the watch list in several countries. In truth though, I started out as a mechanic. Not like Jason Statham, sneaking about as a contract killer, more like one of those greasy gits that charge you a fortune and keep your car for a week when all you went in for was a squeaky door hinge.
At school, I was mostly disinterested in every subject except creative writing, for which, at age ten, I won my first award. However, calling it my first award suggests that there have been more, which there have not. Accolades may come but, in the meantime, I am having a ball writing mystery stories and crime thrillers and will claim to have more than a hundred books forming an unruly queue in my head as they clamor to get out.
Now retired from the military, I live in the south-east corner of England with a pair of lazy sausage dogs. Surrounded by rolling hills, brooding castles, and vineyards, I doubt I will ever leave, the beer is just too good.
Links:
Amazon Author page: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Steve-Higgs/...
Website: https://stevehiggsbooks.wordpress.com/
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/stevehiggsau...
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Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 61 reviews
May 8, 2020
Was surprised to read this, considering what's happening in the world at the moment. Couldn't have timed it better. I just wish real life could be as easy to put right. As usual, the anarchy level climbs. Surprised at how much I know about cruise ships now. Good read.
July 21, 2020
Quite timely to write about a virus making the passengers on a cruise deathly ill especially since this book was published in 2019! I enjoy reading about Mrs. Fisher’s escapades. She has a knack for getting into mischief!
October 30, 2019
Too busy?
For some reason this last book felt flat to me. A lot of the charm seemed to be missing. Made me sad.
For some reason this last book felt flat to me. A lot of the charm seemed to be missing. Made me sad.
October 22, 2019
Suspend disbelief and have a blast with Mrs Fisher ( not to be confused with Miss Fisher from Australia). On board her home for many more weeks, she encounters elderly retired cops, experienced
elderly light fingered thieves, inept young thieves, Asian political terrorists, an epidemiologist used as hostage, and a very evil virus making passengers and friends terribly ill. With her team of well meaning amateurs she and her attack dachshund give us a very interesting read!
elderly light fingered thieves, inept young thieves, Asian political terrorists, an epidemiologist used as hostage, and a very evil virus making passengers and friends terribly ill. With her team of well meaning amateurs she and her attack dachshund give us a very interesting read!
March 3, 2021
Patricia is on the case!
Now that she has her sea legs well in hand, Patricia is enjoying the cruise and her newfound love of sleuthing. With a sudden onset of sickness on the ship, will she be able to help figure out what caused it before anyone succumbs? Another great story from one of my favourite authors!
Now that she has her sea legs well in hand, Patricia is enjoying the cruise and her newfound love of sleuthing. With a sudden onset of sickness on the ship, will she be able to help figure out what caused it before anyone succumbs? Another great story from one of my favourite authors!
January 20, 2022
Another fun one and the zombie scene was a riot! Patricia needs to seriously prioritize her bro's before.....boyfriends, though . Jermaine should have been her first person to check on and she chose Alistair every time. Not cool!
July 7, 2021
Fun read
Love this series of books. Looking forward to read all of the books of Mrs. Fisher. Thank you for making this a fun read.
Love this series of books. Looking forward to read all of the books of Mrs. Fisher. Thank you for making this a fun read.
October 10, 2019
The Aurelia has just left Tokyo on its way to Thailand when Jermaine falls ill with a mysterious virus. The ship’s physician, Dr. Hanso Kim, confirms that Jermaine has the virus that has struck many of the passengers and crew. The best that can be done for him and the rest of the suffering is to move them into sick bay, which is already overflowing.
Through a Patricia-planned sting operation, she’s come into possession of a wallet belonging to Doctor Benyani Mendoza. Jermaine taught Madam how to access the central registry, which is how Patricia finds his cabin. When she tries to return it, however, a stranger answers her knock and attempts to take the wallet himself, as well as block her from glimpsing the sophisticated lab equipment inside. However, he doesn’t know the wily Mrs. Fisher, who insists on meeting the wallet’s owner before handing it over; when he comes to the door, the good doctor is clearly frightened of the thugs in his room and can barely communicate with Patricia beyond a series of anxious blinks, which she can’t interpret except that something quite bad is happening.
Captain Huntley sends Commander Shriver to investigate the matter; all she finds is a group of Asian men and women drunkenly playing cards. The Commander assumes Patricia is seeking attention and warns her against further intrusion, as she takes a dim view of her past sleuthing. When Captain Huntley — Alastair to Patricia — falls victim to the virus, Shriver takes command of the ship in such an authoritarian manner that Patricia realizes she and Dr. Kim —who also understands the danger —are on their own, except for several crew members, including Barbie, Baker, Bhukari, and Pippin, who trust Patricia’s skills and reject Shriver’s oppressive leadership.
As more passengers become ill, the medical crew stretched beyond its limit, and Dr. Mendoza clearly yoked by his colleague, Dr. Chouxiang, Patricia and her team add two elderly pickpockets and their young n’er-do-well to their roster in order to sort out everything. The ship anchors just off the coast of West Houptiou, ostensibly for help from a disease control organization, but when US Navy ships start cruising by, Patricia and her crew know something serious is afoot.
Steve Higgs has penned yet another terrific mystery for fans of the intrepid Mrs. Fisher, who once again proves she can’t be deterred. This fifth novel is a joy to read, and reaching the end only makes waiting for the next adventure interminable.
Through a Patricia-planned sting operation, she’s come into possession of a wallet belonging to Doctor Benyani Mendoza. Jermaine taught Madam how to access the central registry, which is how Patricia finds his cabin. When she tries to return it, however, a stranger answers her knock and attempts to take the wallet himself, as well as block her from glimpsing the sophisticated lab equipment inside. However, he doesn’t know the wily Mrs. Fisher, who insists on meeting the wallet’s owner before handing it over; when he comes to the door, the good doctor is clearly frightened of the thugs in his room and can barely communicate with Patricia beyond a series of anxious blinks, which she can’t interpret except that something quite bad is happening.
Captain Huntley sends Commander Shriver to investigate the matter; all she finds is a group of Asian men and women drunkenly playing cards. The Commander assumes Patricia is seeking attention and warns her against further intrusion, as she takes a dim view of her past sleuthing. When Captain Huntley — Alastair to Patricia — falls victim to the virus, Shriver takes command of the ship in such an authoritarian manner that Patricia realizes she and Dr. Kim —who also understands the danger —are on their own, except for several crew members, including Barbie, Baker, Bhukari, and Pippin, who trust Patricia’s skills and reject Shriver’s oppressive leadership.
As more passengers become ill, the medical crew stretched beyond its limit, and Dr. Mendoza clearly yoked by his colleague, Dr. Chouxiang, Patricia and her team add two elderly pickpockets and their young n’er-do-well to their roster in order to sort out everything. The ship anchors just off the coast of West Houptiou, ostensibly for help from a disease control organization, but when US Navy ships start cruising by, Patricia and her crew know something serious is afoot.
Steve Higgs has penned yet another terrific mystery for fans of the intrepid Mrs. Fisher, who once again proves she can’t be deterred. This fifth novel is a joy to read, and reaching the end only makes waiting for the next adventure interminable.
October 14, 2019
When a chance encounter with a pickpocket leads to something more sinister, avid sleuth Patricia Fisher swings into action.
The Aurelia is on its way to Thailand, but a mystery illness is spreading among crew and passengers. Is there a link between it and a world-famous immunologist on board? There is something very strange about his companions and their behaviour, but no one wants to listen to Patricia’s outlandish theories.
When people she cares about join the growing number of sick people, Patricia sees no option other than to trace the cause for herself. Finding the truth will lead to her craziest caper yet.
Be ready for more hi-jinx aboard the world’s most luxurious cruise ship.
This is the funniest by far in the series.
Laughed out loud in parts while reading.
Wonderful well written plot and story line.
Adore the characters so much in this one.
Really by far the funniest I have read to date but so enjoyable with the adventures happening.
I can't wait to see what they bring to the next book now!!
I read a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest review
The Aurelia is on its way to Thailand, but a mystery illness is spreading among crew and passengers. Is there a link between it and a world-famous immunologist on board? There is something very strange about his companions and their behaviour, but no one wants to listen to Patricia’s outlandish theories.
When people she cares about join the growing number of sick people, Patricia sees no option other than to trace the cause for herself. Finding the truth will lead to her craziest caper yet.
Be ready for more hi-jinx aboard the world’s most luxurious cruise ship.
This is the funniest by far in the series.
Laughed out loud in parts while reading.
Wonderful well written plot and story line.
Adore the characters so much in this one.
Really by far the funniest I have read to date but so enjoyable with the adventures happening.
I can't wait to see what they bring to the next book now!!
I read a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest review
November 1, 2019
This is a story filled with images of luxury and fun!
Patricia Fisher finds herself embroiled in a deadly game on the good cruise ship Aurelius.
Something fishy is going on, and people are falling ill suddenly.
Mrs Fisher realises something that no one else does, and she can't ignore what she has stumbled upon.
This light hearted tale was a fun read. It kept my attention and I really enjoyed the twists and turns in it.
You would think that life on a cruise ship would be fairly uneventful, however, you would be sadly mistaken.
With her best friend and fitness fanatic Barbie, along for the ride, and a maniacal small dog called Anna; who terrorises big, strong, men at every opportunity; Mrs Fisher has a lot of fun, and mortal fear, to deal with, as she deals with terror on the high seas.
This is a decent read. One that is filled to bursting with action and surprise, and danger around every corner. It was well worth a read.
Patricia Fisher finds herself embroiled in a deadly game on the good cruise ship Aurelius.
Something fishy is going on, and people are falling ill suddenly.
Mrs Fisher realises something that no one else does, and she can't ignore what she has stumbled upon.
This light hearted tale was a fun read. It kept my attention and I really enjoyed the twists and turns in it.
You would think that life on a cruise ship would be fairly uneventful, however, you would be sadly mistaken.
With her best friend and fitness fanatic Barbie, along for the ride, and a maniacal small dog called Anna; who terrorises big, strong, men at every opportunity; Mrs Fisher has a lot of fun, and mortal fear, to deal with, as she deals with terror on the high seas.
This is a decent read. One that is filled to bursting with action and surprise, and danger around every corner. It was well worth a read.
May 13, 2020
There is a pickpocket on the ship and of course it is Patricia who catches them. She pockets a wallet dropped by the thieves and launches her own investigation. When she returns a wallet to Dr Mendoza she finds suspicious lab equipment in his cabin. The doctor looks nervous and frightened and she suspects the two very brawny men in the cabin have some sort of control over him.
Passengers and crew (including the captain and Jermaine the butler) fall deathly ill and Patricia believes that Dr Mendoza has the cure.
Some of the cruise details seem odd to avid cruisers, but so is the idea of terrorists running around the ship with automatic weapons and the fact that people are murdered on a regular basis. There would be a lot of stress for the reader if we did not know that these are humorous mysteries. Lots of fun!!!
June 23, 2020
Not as action packed as the last book and still over the top, but once again, I did enjoy reading the escapades Patty gets herself into. As the book opens, Patty and her two older ex-cops friends have set up a sting to catch the thief or thieves on board the ship. This leads to a cabin filled with stolen merchandise. Patty, being a snoop, takes two of the stolen wallets to give them back to the proper owners. At one cabin, she sees a room filled with medical lab instruments and a doctor who looks uneasy. This doctor is not alone and Patty senses something is amiss.
With people getting sick, including the Captain and Jermaine, Patty enlists her friends to snoop out why this doctor is so frightened.
Patty is good, but this time she needs the United States military to save the day.
With people getting sick, including the Captain and Jermaine, Patty enlists her friends to snoop out why this doctor is so frightened.
Patty is good, but this time she needs the United States military to save the day.
October 5, 2019
This book is great fun with an original plot and a genuinely puzzling mystery. I really enjoy reading the adventures of Patricia Fisher as she enjoys her round the world cruise, she is a great character, and very believable, but I also enjoy that the other characters are well developed as well.
There are moments of real laugh-out-loud humour, but also some exciting parts as well.
I think that this book is probably the best in this very enjoyable series so far. It can just be read as a stand-alone, but having read the previous book in the series really does make this one more interesting, as the various characters have definitely developed through the series.
I received an advance copy of this book, but have voluntarily written this honest review.
There are moments of real laugh-out-loud humour, but also some exciting parts as well.
I think that this book is probably the best in this very enjoyable series so far. It can just be read as a stand-alone, but having read the previous book in the series really does make this one more interesting, as the various characters have definitely developed through the series.
I received an advance copy of this book, but have voluntarily written this honest review.
February 15, 2022
This book is almost dreamlike in the utter fantastical events that Patricia finds herself caught up in this time on board the Aurelia. When her butler becomes ill and rapidly ends up in the ships make-shift answer to a mainland hospital's ICU, quickly followed by her not quite boyfriend boyfriend the Captain Patricia knows she has to act fast on her suspicions in order to save their lives, and those of the passengers and crew infected with them.
With a fantastical plot reminiscent of thrillers by the master writers Desmond Bagley or Alistair MacLean this book is definitely something different in the series of Patricia Fisher novels. Enjoyable for all that but certainly very different.
Looking forward to the next book in the series.
With a fantastical plot reminiscent of thrillers by the master writers Desmond Bagley or Alistair MacLean this book is definitely something different in the series of Patricia Fisher novels. Enjoyable for all that but certainly very different.
Looking forward to the next book in the series.
October 4, 2019
Patricia is still happily cruising and setting up a trick to try and catch a team of pickpockets. Rick and Akimu are still on board and helping out with the scheme. Things don't always go as planned and the man they catch doesn't have the missing wallet. That's not the only thing going on. Soon, a few passengers and crew begin getting sick. Jermaine is one of them and Patricia is really worried. When the captain end up in sickbay, things really go south. It's a great double plot including prickly situations, questionable doctors, laughs, Anna, the ferocious weenie dog, and characters that really grow on you. I totally enjoyed this book and definitely recommend it.
July 8, 2021
I don’t know where authors get the idea that one just simply hooks up some plasma and off you go. It’s not a crash cart item. First of all, it’s frozen solid. It’s called fresh frozen plasma—FFP. Anyway, it’s just one of those things that irks me, it’s the second time that it’s been mentioned in this series, and I’m not even sure it would be something a cruise ship would keep on hand. I worked in a 40 bed hospital that only kept two units at a time, and they were rarely used. I guess it sounds sexy though.
August 4, 2022
I'm still enjoying this series. It's not as humorous as the Blue Moon books or Albert and Rex series. It's not as self-conscious as the Felicity books or as stark as the False Gods series. I think it's more interesting to see the process of the investigation and what the team has to do to investigate. This one was a little more serious than the previous books; the entire ship's complement is at risk (not to mention a small country). And Patricia and the Captain finally get together, now that Charlie is out of the picture. A satisfying read. Recommended.
July 10, 2025
Doctor Death Book 5
Patricia joins with a few new passengers who have been involved in some pick pocketing and stealing the tonic one mixes with her favorite alcohol- gin. At the same time a disease has been released on the ship and the Captain and her butler are infected. Discovering the cure and locating a family of one of the doctors who are being held by the terrorists becomes her focus. Laughter and determination fill these pages for the readers enjoyment. I was very satisfied when I read the last page.
Patricia joins with a few new passengers who have been involved in some pick pocketing and stealing the tonic one mixes with her favorite alcohol- gin. At the same time a disease has been released on the ship and the Captain and her butler are infected. Discovering the cure and locating a family of one of the doctors who are being held by the terrorists becomes her focus. Laughter and determination fill these pages for the readers enjoyment. I was very satisfied when I read the last page.
October 4, 2019
Patricia Fisher is at it again, and it's a good thing, too. She's clever and headstrong and has changed so much in such a short time. She's finally come into her own with the help of her intrepid butler, Jermaine, and personal trainer friend, Barbie. Humor and chaos balance the serious illness that befalls some passengers and crew in this fifth book of the series. You won't want the cruise to end.
I received an advance copy and am leaving my honest review.
I received an advance copy and am leaving my honest review.
October 6, 2019
Each book in this series
Each book in this series gets better, but ALL of the books Mr. Higgs writes is awesome. I know this is the halfway point for this series about a middle aged lady with a knack for sleuthing and her quirky friends that help her, but, I want Patricia Fisher to continue even after she is done with this cruise. I love the adventures and the hilarious situations that she gets her nosy self into.
Each book in this series gets better, but ALL of the books Mr. Higgs writes is awesome. I know this is the halfway point for this series about a middle aged lady with a knack for sleuthing and her quirky friends that help her, but, I want Patricia Fisher to continue even after she is done with this cruise. I love the adventures and the hilarious situations that she gets her nosy self into.
October 8, 2019
Doctor Death: A Patricia Fisher Mystery is the fifth book in the Cruise Mysteries series. This is a fun and engaging read with wonderful, likable characters and a well-written storyline with mystery, intrigue, laughter, and some new allies for Patricia.
Steve Higgs has once again given us a page-turner to immerse ourselves in on a lazy afternoon. I love this author's books and am looking forward to more.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.
Steve Higgs has once again given us a page-turner to immerse ourselves in on a lazy afternoon. I love this author's books and am looking forward to more.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.
August 20, 2021
I am reading Higgs' books in order. This one is by far the weaker of all the ones I have already read. The story line goes from "unbelievable but funny" (as it was the case in his other books) to "this is getting ridiculous." The plot twists, the characters, the way Patricia gets involved and solves the situation... they were all painful reminders that sometimes crazy situations stop being entertaining. It is a pity. The author clearly knows how to write funny, easy reading books.
September 2, 2022
When a couple of pick pockets are caught on the cruise ship, Patricia Fisher takes it upon herself to help return some of the items. One wallet belongs to a doctor. However, when she finds him he has a couple of sinister looking assistants who seem to talk for him and a lot of medical equipment in his room. When people start getting sick she connects the dots and gets involved. This was a pretty outlandish plot.
October 28, 2019
Brilliant book
Love these books, Patricia investigates another mystery aboard the cruise ship, with help from her friends. A mystery illness is affecting some of the passengers and crew Patricia gets to the bottom of it as she usually does. I can't wait to read the next book to see what happens next.
Love these books, Patricia investigates another mystery aboard the cruise ship, with help from her friends. A mystery illness is affecting some of the passengers and crew Patricia gets to the bottom of it as she usually does. I can't wait to read the next book to see what happens next.
February 26, 2022
This one was really convoluted. Terrorist kidnap a noted immunologist, and force him to create a bio weapon, a vaccine, and a cure. They plan on taking over a small country. It seems he was able to do all of this in a matter of days in a suite on a cruise ship. Of course people get sick, and crazy plans are hatched, spoiled, and successful.
April 27, 2025
Doctor Death
This book was great with Mrs. Fisher getting herself with the terrorists. All of the people getting the Ebola that was brought on the ship by the terrorists. Forcing the doctor to keep the cure hidden or they would harm his family. I am looking forward to the next book.
This book was great with Mrs. Fisher getting herself with the terrorists. All of the people getting the Ebola that was brought on the ship by the terrorists. Forcing the doctor to keep the cure hidden or they would harm his family. I am looking forward to the next book.
October 8, 2019
Great read
This was a breath-taking, rolled coaster of a ride! Bad guys, series illness, kidnappers, pickpockets! What a bunch of crazy and fun mystery happenings! Next book, please! 😃
This was a breath-taking, rolled coaster of a ride! Bad guys, series illness, kidnappers, pickpockets! What a bunch of crazy and fun mystery happenings! Next book, please! 😃
November 10, 2020
Not a bad story, but it cuts a little too close to the bone in the age of Covid-19. Written before the pandemic, but weirdly prescient. It ends happily, so let's hope that art continues to imitate life.
July 13, 2021
Once again Patricia is involved in another incredulous adventure during her around the world
Cruise. Aided by her crew and friends on board another nefarious plot if thwarted. And the reader had the joy of all the extraordinary details!
Cruise. Aided by her crew and friends on board another nefarious plot if thwarted. And the reader had the joy of all the extraordinary details!
July 5, 2023
Another good mystery
Although this time I had it figured out from the beginning... still good to go with Patricia 's thought process to get there. And the 2nd ery mystery was fun too!
Although this time I had it figured out from the beginning... still good to go with Patricia 's thought process to get there. And the 2nd ery mystery was fun too!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 61 reviews