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A Dr. Zol Szabo Medical Mystery #5
Bitter Paradise: A Dr. Zol Szabo Medical Mystery
Fans of Bones and Coroner will love Dr. Zol Szabo, a doctor who is out to solve medical mysteries before it's too late
After weeks of torture at the hands of Syria's secret police, the bombing of his villa in the ancient city of Aleppo, and the murder of his daughter, trauma surgeon Dr. Hosam Khousa flees his fractured homeland with his wife and son. They make their way to Canada as refugees, where Hosam is forced to trade his prestigious scalpel for a barber's humble clippers. Though he aches to regain his once- prominent surgical career, cutting hair in Hamilton, Ontario, seems a safe way to make a living, until a fellow Syrian is slashed to death in the barbershop. The ensuing gangland vendetta entangles Hosam and threatens his family.
At the same time, epidemic investigators Dr. Zol Szabo and Natasha Sharma are battling an outbreak of vaccine- resistant polio that has struck the city with terrifying fury. When Hosam visits a friend clinging to life in the intensive care unit, he spots something that might help the investigation but will ruin his chance of retaking his place in the operating theater. The Great White North is not the sanctuary he expected, but it's a bitter paradise he must learn to navigate.
After weeks of torture at the hands of Syria's secret police, the bombing of his villa in the ancient city of Aleppo, and the murder of his daughter, trauma surgeon Dr. Hosam Khousa flees his fractured homeland with his wife and son. They make their way to Canada as refugees, where Hosam is forced to trade his prestigious scalpel for a barber's humble clippers. Though he aches to regain his once- prominent surgical career, cutting hair in Hamilton, Ontario, seems a safe way to make a living, until a fellow Syrian is slashed to death in the barbershop. The ensuing gangland vendetta entangles Hosam and threatens his family.
At the same time, epidemic investigators Dr. Zol Szabo and Natasha Sharma are battling an outbreak of vaccine- resistant polio that has struck the city with terrifying fury. When Hosam visits a friend clinging to life in the intensive care unit, he spots something that might help the investigation but will ruin his chance of retaking his place in the operating theater. The Great White North is not the sanctuary he expected, but it's a bitter paradise he must learn to navigate.
347 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 26, 2020
10 people are currently reading
130 people want to read
About the author
Ross Pennie
6 books48 followersDr. Ross Pennie’s career as a jungle surgeon, intensive-care paediatrician, and infectious-diseases specialist spanned the globe and four decades. Now recently retired, he taught two generations of physicians and took care of hockey stars, doughnut lovers, long-haul truckers, and warrior clansmen, among others. He started writing at age ten by chronicling the four-day train trip he made solo across the Prairies and Rockies between his home near Medicine Hat, Alberta and Vancouver, B.C.
His memoir of Papua New Guinea, THE UNFORGIVING TIDES (2004), continues to delight readers with its grit and charm. His four Dr. Zol Szabo mystery novels, TAINTED (2009), TAMPERED (2011), UP IN SMOKE (2013), and BENEATH THE WAKE (2017) have garnered excellent reviews and two literary prizes for adult fiction. Father of two grown children, Ross lives with his wife in southern Ontario. Visit his Web site at http://www.rosspennie.ca
His memoir of Papua New Guinea, THE UNFORGIVING TIDES (2004), continues to delight readers with its grit and charm. His four Dr. Zol Szabo mystery novels, TAINTED (2009), TAMPERED (2011), UP IN SMOKE (2013), and BENEATH THE WAKE (2017) have garnered excellent reviews and two literary prizes for adult fiction. Father of two grown children, Ross lives with his wife in southern Ontario. Visit his Web site at http://www.rosspennie.ca
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews
June 21, 2023
Epidemic medicine, murder, and mayhem in a compelling and timely blend with refugees and racism
Like so many modern suspense thrillers today, BITTER PARADISE is a blend of sub-plots that, at the outset, seem sufficient fodder to be treated as individual novels in their own right. Indeed, they seem so distant from one another that, a reader will wonder how Pennie intends to bring them together for closure into a single story.
The first involves Dr Zol Szabo’s now signature epidemiological detective work as he, his fiancée Natasha Sharma, and his best friend Hamish Wakefield, look for the cause of a terrifying outbreak of polio, a crippling disease that the medical world considered eradicated in North America. The second tells the story of Hosam Khousa and his family, medical professionals recently emigrated to Canada as refugees from the devastating war in Syria, who are deprived of their livelihood and squeezed in a turf war between a newborn Syrian crime boss and the long-standing, well known Italian Mafia families in Hamilton.
Where to start when BITTER PARADISE is so worthy of so many compliments and there is so little space? The warm and evocative story of Zol Szabo’s parenting and the growth of Natasha Sharma’s role as Max Szabo’s step-mom; the painfully realistic portrayals of teenage angst and typical teenage behaviour; a new immigrant refugee’s quite reasonable knee-jerk fear of Canadian authority figures; the overwhelming difficulty of gathering clues and data in the epidemiological hunt for the proverbial viral needle in a haystack; homosexuality in the workplace; detailed descriptions of local Hamilton, Dundas, and Niagara Falls geographic coloour that will mentally airdrop any local readers right into the streetscapes; some interesting medical sidebars such as Zika virus, synesthesia or selective mutism; the ability to clearly explain medical and epidemiological issues without the slightest trace of pedantry or condescension; the informative, evocative, fearless portrayal of epidemic and racism issues that are currently so front and centre in the world… I could go on and on, but suffice it to say that Ross Pennie is definitely on the list of authors whose books I will buy the second they are published.
The Zol Szabo series is a resounding five-for-five and I await #6 with bated breath. Highly recommended with an additional bit of pride knowing that Mr Pennie is a Canadian author and a fellow resident in our city.
Paul Weiss
Like so many modern suspense thrillers today, BITTER PARADISE is a blend of sub-plots that, at the outset, seem sufficient fodder to be treated as individual novels in their own right. Indeed, they seem so distant from one another that, a reader will wonder how Pennie intends to bring them together for closure into a single story.
The first involves Dr Zol Szabo’s now signature epidemiological detective work as he, his fiancée Natasha Sharma, and his best friend Hamish Wakefield, look for the cause of a terrifying outbreak of polio, a crippling disease that the medical world considered eradicated in North America. The second tells the story of Hosam Khousa and his family, medical professionals recently emigrated to Canada as refugees from the devastating war in Syria, who are deprived of their livelihood and squeezed in a turf war between a newborn Syrian crime boss and the long-standing, well known Italian Mafia families in Hamilton.
Where to start when BITTER PARADISE is so worthy of so many compliments and there is so little space? The warm and evocative story of Zol Szabo’s parenting and the growth of Natasha Sharma’s role as Max Szabo’s step-mom; the painfully realistic portrayals of teenage angst and typical teenage behaviour; a new immigrant refugee’s quite reasonable knee-jerk fear of Canadian authority figures; the overwhelming difficulty of gathering clues and data in the epidemiological hunt for the proverbial viral needle in a haystack; homosexuality in the workplace; detailed descriptions of local Hamilton, Dundas, and Niagara Falls geographic coloour that will mentally airdrop any local readers right into the streetscapes; some interesting medical sidebars such as Zika virus, synesthesia or selective mutism; the ability to clearly explain medical and epidemiological issues without the slightest trace of pedantry or condescension; the informative, evocative, fearless portrayal of epidemic and racism issues that are currently so front and centre in the world… I could go on and on, but suffice it to say that Ross Pennie is definitely on the list of authors whose books I will buy the second they are published.
The Zol Szabo series is a resounding five-for-five and I await #6 with bated breath. Highly recommended with an additional bit of pride knowing that Mr Pennie is a Canadian author and a fellow resident in our city.
Paul Weiss
January 15, 2020
I recently read The Unforgiving Tides which is a memoir by a Canadian doctor, now retired. It was a remarkable account of his experiences and medical practice while working as a volunteer doctor and surgeon in a remote part of Papua New Guinea. At the time he was aged 25 and straight out of medical school.
While reading this I learned that he is now the author of 5 medical mysteries which I was anxious to read. These feature fictional medical investigator and infectious disease specialist, Dr. Zol Szabo.
Bitter Paradise is a medical thriller featuring infectious disease investigators Dr. Zol Szabo and his fiancée Natasha Sharma witnessing an outbreak of a new strain of vaccine-resistant polio in Hamilton, Ontario. Tests show that the disease originated from two separate infections, and it is crucial that the source of both diseases be discovered before spreading to more people. Dr. Pennie brings his medical background as a nationally renowned infectious disease specialist and skills as a writer to this series of medical puzzles.
The book features a multi-cultural cast. Some are longtime Canadian citizens and others are recent immigrants and refugees. Since many of the disease-stricken patients and their families speak little or no English, it is difficult to learn their case histories, including where and when they may have been exposed to the illness.
Dr. Zol has a teenaged son and also a boy living with him who has been mute ever since his family was killed in Syria. The boys spend most of their time playing video games online. They are wrought by the fear that they may have exposed to polio. They stumble on some essential clues which may help to solve the puzzle.
Dr. Hosam was a trauma surgeon in Syria. He fled his home and prestigious practice when his home was reduced to rubble by bombs that killed his young daughter. He eventually became a refugee in Canada along with his wife and teenaged son. Lacking medical credentials to practice in Canada, he lives humbly and works in a barbershop. He feels safe until two men rush into the barbershop, slashing a fellow Syrian barber to death. This killing was reported to be on the orders of a notorious Syrian warlord, The Caliph, now living in Canada. No one has ever seen him, with good reason. Dr. Hosam, who no longer has his once-prominent surgical career, is getting threats on his life and that of his family. He is ordered by the Caliph’s gang to carry out illegal tasks. In the meantime, his son is worried about getting polio. He was in contact with a student at school who has succumbed to the disease.
This was a gripping and suspenseful plot, even if some of the medical insights were obscure. My greatest difficulty was initially confusing Dr. Hosam with Dr. Hamish, a friend of Dr.Zol Szabo, and fellow disease investigator. I thought it was an informative and interesting introduction to how new potential plagues might threaten our country, and how their origins would be tracked down, and strategies developed to keep us safe.
I wish to thank NetGalley and ECW Press for this compelling ARC in return for an honest review. I have already downloaded a previous book in the 5 book series, and hope to eventually read others.
While reading this I learned that he is now the author of 5 medical mysteries which I was anxious to read. These feature fictional medical investigator and infectious disease specialist, Dr. Zol Szabo.
Bitter Paradise is a medical thriller featuring infectious disease investigators Dr. Zol Szabo and his fiancée Natasha Sharma witnessing an outbreak of a new strain of vaccine-resistant polio in Hamilton, Ontario. Tests show that the disease originated from two separate infections, and it is crucial that the source of both diseases be discovered before spreading to more people. Dr. Pennie brings his medical background as a nationally renowned infectious disease specialist and skills as a writer to this series of medical puzzles.
The book features a multi-cultural cast. Some are longtime Canadian citizens and others are recent immigrants and refugees. Since many of the disease-stricken patients and their families speak little or no English, it is difficult to learn their case histories, including where and when they may have been exposed to the illness.
Dr. Zol has a teenaged son and also a boy living with him who has been mute ever since his family was killed in Syria. The boys spend most of their time playing video games online. They are wrought by the fear that they may have exposed to polio. They stumble on some essential clues which may help to solve the puzzle.
Dr. Hosam was a trauma surgeon in Syria. He fled his home and prestigious practice when his home was reduced to rubble by bombs that killed his young daughter. He eventually became a refugee in Canada along with his wife and teenaged son. Lacking medical credentials to practice in Canada, he lives humbly and works in a barbershop. He feels safe until two men rush into the barbershop, slashing a fellow Syrian barber to death. This killing was reported to be on the orders of a notorious Syrian warlord, The Caliph, now living in Canada. No one has ever seen him, with good reason. Dr. Hosam, who no longer has his once-prominent surgical career, is getting threats on his life and that of his family. He is ordered by the Caliph’s gang to carry out illegal tasks. In the meantime, his son is worried about getting polio. He was in contact with a student at school who has succumbed to the disease.
This was a gripping and suspenseful plot, even if some of the medical insights were obscure. My greatest difficulty was initially confusing Dr. Hosam with Dr. Hamish, a friend of Dr.Zol Szabo, and fellow disease investigator. I thought it was an informative and interesting introduction to how new potential plagues might threaten our country, and how their origins would be tracked down, and strategies developed to keep us safe.
I wish to thank NetGalley and ECW Press for this compelling ARC in return for an honest review. I have already downloaded a previous book in the 5 book series, and hope to eventually read others.
April 22, 2021
This is the 5th book in this series but the first I have read. I don’t think it hurt me to not have read the others first as the story still flowed. I liked the medical mystery story line quite a bit. It was interesting and kept me interested. I did feel like a lot of the dialogue was clunky and distracted me. I liked the characters for the most part. I listened to advanced copy of this thanks to Netgalley and I was initially not very into the narrator although I do think it got a little better as it went on. The female narrated chapters were better in my opinion. I do think I will pick up more books in this series, and I like that the author although he is a doctor wrote in a way that it is understandable even as a lay person. I found the characters’ frustration when having to briefly wear N-95 masks ironic given the state of the world. I could have done without the secondary mob plot line.
September 2, 2020
Much like report cards, I think that the important parts of reviews are in the comments. I read a lot and tend to favour CanLit like Margaret Atwood, Helen Humphreys and Richard Wagamese (and of course anyone who reads my posts are well aware that my favourite time of year for reading is Canada Reads times where I enjoy the uniqueness and variety of books that are chosen for this battle of the books)!
I am not typically as drawn to mysteries but... what I really enjoy about Ross Pennie's books is that they lead to great book club discussions and make us think about issues going on in the world (I hazard a guess that no one will ever travel on a cruise ship without pondering a morgue within the boat after reading the #4 Dr. Zol Szabo mystery). in sharing my own preferences and being consistent to the readers of my posts and blog, I would have liked to give a 3.5 star rating but I am rounding up to a 4.
Bitter Paradise was timely in that it incorporated a lot of current issues in a time of a pandemic and a challenging world where refugees give up so much to come to a country that will provide better opportunities for their children yet is so difficult for those coming with their own professions.
The characters are fun, quirky and comfortable to revisit in each book but sometimes the complexity feels a bit overwhelming with their individual issues... although perhaps, that is just life since as I age, I realize that we are all dealing with our own situations!
There is a lot to think about after finishing Bitter Paradise and I do look forward to Ross Pennie's next book. We have been so lucky to have him join our book club three times and really valued hearing about his ideas, creativity and writing process! If you have not read his memoir, Unforgiving Tides, please search for a copy. it is my favourite of his books!
I am not typically as drawn to mysteries but... what I really enjoy about Ross Pennie's books is that they lead to great book club discussions and make us think about issues going on in the world (I hazard a guess that no one will ever travel on a cruise ship without pondering a morgue within the boat after reading the #4 Dr. Zol Szabo mystery). in sharing my own preferences and being consistent to the readers of my posts and blog, I would have liked to give a 3.5 star rating but I am rounding up to a 4.
Bitter Paradise was timely in that it incorporated a lot of current issues in a time of a pandemic and a challenging world where refugees give up so much to come to a country that will provide better opportunities for their children yet is so difficult for those coming with their own professions.
The characters are fun, quirky and comfortable to revisit in each book but sometimes the complexity feels a bit overwhelming with their individual issues... although perhaps, that is just life since as I age, I realize that we are all dealing with our own situations!
There is a lot to think about after finishing Bitter Paradise and I do look forward to Ross Pennie's next book. We have been so lucky to have him join our book club three times and really valued hearing about his ideas, creativity and writing process! If you have not read his memoir, Unforgiving Tides, please search for a copy. it is my favourite of his books!
May 24, 2020
A Dr. Zol Szabo Medical Mystery #5
A Syrian trauma surgeon who emigrated to Canada to escape a torture-regime can only work as a barber and faces condemnation and contempt. But when a junior barber is brutally murdered before witnesses, he enlists Dr. Zol Szabo, epidemician. Is this tyranny reaching Canada? Or something local? Dr. Szabo is also investigating a fatal pandemic.
A Syrian trauma surgeon who emigrated to Canada to escape a torture-regime can only work as a barber and faces condemnation and contempt. But when a junior barber is brutally murdered before witnesses, he enlists Dr. Zol Szabo, epidemician. Is this tyranny reaching Canada? Or something local? Dr. Szabo is also investigating a fatal pandemic.
Read
March 28, 2023Bitter Paradise by Ross Pennie is the fifth installment of his A Dr. Zol Szabo Medical Mystery series, and it is a thrilling read for anyone who enjoys medical mysteries and viral outbreak tropes. It is the first one I have read, but wouldn’t hesitate to pick up any of the others. Good cast of characters, easy to read, with enough backstory to understand what is going on. Following the story of Dr. Zed’s son and his friend as well as their virus-hunting parents, this book can be enjoyed by readers of both young adult and adult age groups. And best of all, of course, it is set in Canada. Nice to see a Canadian setting.
Pennie takes the reader on an intriguing journey as he lays down plenty of rabbit trails/red herrings for them to follow with enough clues along the way to keep them engaged. With lots of twists and turns, Bitter Paradise challenges the reader to try to solve the mystery even as they become engrossed in it. It’s a great read and a challenging mystery with lots of twists and turns.
Oh, and let’s not forget a neurodivergent main character and a terrorist/organized crime subplot as well, just to keep things interesting! This one hits all of the buttons for me.
Pennie takes the reader on an intriguing journey as he lays down plenty of rabbit trails/red herrings for them to follow with enough clues along the way to keep them engaged. With lots of twists and turns, Bitter Paradise challenges the reader to try to solve the mystery even as they become engrossed in it. It’s a great read and a challenging mystery with lots of twists and turns.
Oh, and let’s not forget a neurodivergent main character and a terrorist/organized crime subplot as well, just to keep things interesting! This one hits all of the buttons for me.
July 9, 2023
My first mistake here is that no where in the books description in the library app did it tell me this was not a stand alone book. 8 chapters in I couldn't figure out why the author was introducing characters so briefly as though I should already know them. The cast gets big quickly and I couldn't figure out the connections.
This made a lot more sense once I understood I was already supposed to know everyone.
While I love most medical novels. This one wasn't working for me, too many characters too quickly, lots of jumping around from a murder scene to a polio outbreak that didn't seem to make sense.
Once I started struggling to open the book I decided it was done for me and added it to my DNF pile.
I gave 3 stars because I think if I go back and start at the beginning of this series I may enjoy it more.
So that's what I'll do.
This made a lot more sense once I understood I was already supposed to know everyone.
While I love most medical novels. This one wasn't working for me, too many characters too quickly, lots of jumping around from a murder scene to a polio outbreak that didn't seem to make sense.
Once I started struggling to open the book I decided it was done for me and added it to my DNF pile.
I gave 3 stars because I think if I go back and start at the beginning of this series I may enjoy it more.
So that's what I'll do.
July 16, 2023
Wow! This was really good if you’re looking for a medical thriller!
March 19, 2023
Easy listening audiobook, story held my interest on a long drive.
February 27, 2023
Written for the layman but with enough medical detail and involvement to be realistic, Bitter Paradise is a fast moving thriller than manages to combine the underworld and the far higher echelons of the investigation into an epidemic of a strangely vaccine resistant form of polio. In my experience it's relatively rare to find an accomplished medical practitioner who can write fiction in such a way that it captures the imagination. The tone is usually too blunt, the style too pedagogical, the writing often dry and academic. Ross Pennie doesn't fall into any of these traps and writes an intriguing medical thriller which is rich and complex. Whilst this is in actual fact the fifth in a series of medical mystery thrillers, it can be read quite easily as a stand alone - which is a good thing as I hadn't come across the author before and so was coming in completely blind.
I admit, I found the sections about the medicine side of things far more interesting than the criminal underworld and I found some of the mob style scenes rather jarring with the rest of the book. My personal opinion would be that they weren't really needed in honesty; the medical mystery and red herrings made for a fascinating tale in and of themselves, making the mobster type action unnecessary and forced; almost as though Pennie felt the need to hammer in some action in case the medical aspects weren't enough for his reader. The fact is that they are however and I think the novel would easily have reached five stars if he had kept the focus firmly on the investigation and issues thrown up throughout. The night pick ups, thefts and other criminal activities simply don't add anything to the novel and the conclusion to this sub-story fails to link effectively to the main drama of the epidemic.
Where Pennie excels is in his depictions of the epidemic and the impact on the individuals, the families and the community. He captures the tension and the fear of this unknown and potentially fatal disease well and the desperate need for action in both the community and the medical profession. With the coronavirus ever in the news at the moment, this was a really interesting look at the different mechanisms in which a virus can spread, contaminate and threaten as well as how infectious disease specialists try to identify and limit the spread of them. It's a different take on the thriller genre and not one I have come across before. I appreciated the character perspectives as well; everyone here is very human and nothing is black and white. The background of some of the characters is fairly horrific, and you can easily see how that might tinge their world view and influence their actions.
I certainly enjoyed this and hammered through it in a night, not going to bed until I'd finished the last page. My only issue is that I only really connected with one out of the two plot threads, and whilst it was thankfully the larger strand, I found myself skipping ahead when the focus shifted away from the medical drama. I can't help but feel that this is almost two completely seperate plots jammed together and it doesn't quite scan, let alone come together at the end. The whole thing would be far more cohesive if the focus was on one or the other and if I'd honest, I wouldn't have been vaguely interested in reading this as a mobster book. The author clearly has a vast amount of medical knowledge and this is really what he brings to the table here; without the underworld aspect, far more attention could be given to some of the really unique aspects like the spread of viral infections through weird and wonderful critters or the political aspects which are often skimmed over.
So, a sound novel and one which I read in a single sitting, but it isn't as good as it could be. In trying to be two completely different things it fractures somewhat and the wealth of knowledge and experience that the author has in the medical field is far more lacking when referencing the criminal underworld.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for my review copy of this novel.
I admit, I found the sections about the medicine side of things far more interesting than the criminal underworld and I found some of the mob style scenes rather jarring with the rest of the book. My personal opinion would be that they weren't really needed in honesty; the medical mystery and red herrings made for a fascinating tale in and of themselves, making the mobster type action unnecessary and forced; almost as though Pennie felt the need to hammer in some action in case the medical aspects weren't enough for his reader. The fact is that they are however and I think the novel would easily have reached five stars if he had kept the focus firmly on the investigation and issues thrown up throughout. The night pick ups, thefts and other criminal activities simply don't add anything to the novel and the conclusion to this sub-story fails to link effectively to the main drama of the epidemic.
Where Pennie excels is in his depictions of the epidemic and the impact on the individuals, the families and the community. He captures the tension and the fear of this unknown and potentially fatal disease well and the desperate need for action in both the community and the medical profession. With the coronavirus ever in the news at the moment, this was a really interesting look at the different mechanisms in which a virus can spread, contaminate and threaten as well as how infectious disease specialists try to identify and limit the spread of them. It's a different take on the thriller genre and not one I have come across before. I appreciated the character perspectives as well; everyone here is very human and nothing is black and white. The background of some of the characters is fairly horrific, and you can easily see how that might tinge their world view and influence their actions.
I certainly enjoyed this and hammered through it in a night, not going to bed until I'd finished the last page. My only issue is that I only really connected with one out of the two plot threads, and whilst it was thankfully the larger strand, I found myself skipping ahead when the focus shifted away from the medical drama. I can't help but feel that this is almost two completely seperate plots jammed together and it doesn't quite scan, let alone come together at the end. The whole thing would be far more cohesive if the focus was on one or the other and if I'd honest, I wouldn't have been vaguely interested in reading this as a mobster book. The author clearly has a vast amount of medical knowledge and this is really what he brings to the table here; without the underworld aspect, far more attention could be given to some of the really unique aspects like the spread of viral infections through weird and wonderful critters or the political aspects which are often skimmed over.
So, a sound novel and one which I read in a single sitting, but it isn't as good as it could be. In trying to be two completely different things it fractures somewhat and the wealth of knowledge and experience that the author has in the medical field is far more lacking when referencing the criminal underworld.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for my review copy of this novel.
June 2, 2020
An outbreak of polio has Dr Zol desperately searching for the source
Dr Zol’s (short for Szabo) son Max and his friend Travis are having their haircut by Hosam, a refugee from Syria where he had practised as a trauma surgeon when a man rushes into the shop and stabs a fellow barber. The boys are traumatised but not as much as Hosam. He immediately realises that a gang run by “the Caliph” is involved. He finds himself pulled into the group as his wife and son are threatened. The murder was to show that no one can escape from the grasp of “The Caliph”.
Dr Zoltan Szabo and his medical assistant (soon to be his wife) Tasha Sharma are desperately trying to discover why people mainly from a particular neighbourhood are being diagnosed not only with polio but also with the zika virus. The race is on to find out where the source of both these killer diseases – that seem to have combined into one very deadly unit have originated.
The pros of the book: I found the idea of polio and zika appearing together in people living in Canada fascinating. The research that Tasha, Zoltan and Jesse (their assistant) carry out to discover the source was very well researched.
The cons: I honestly can’t say that any of the characters managed to get me even slightly interested in their lives. If it wasn’t for the storyline of polio/zika, I might not have finished the book.
Hosam’s story was incredible, and I started skipping pages because it was so far-fetched.
Please don’t take my word for it. I’m sure that I’m being a picky, critical reader.
Bluebell
Elite Reviewing Group received a copy of the book to review.
Dr Zol’s (short for Szabo) son Max and his friend Travis are having their haircut by Hosam, a refugee from Syria where he had practised as a trauma surgeon when a man rushes into the shop and stabs a fellow barber. The boys are traumatised but not as much as Hosam. He immediately realises that a gang run by “the Caliph” is involved. He finds himself pulled into the group as his wife and son are threatened. The murder was to show that no one can escape from the grasp of “The Caliph”.
Dr Zoltan Szabo and his medical assistant (soon to be his wife) Tasha Sharma are desperately trying to discover why people mainly from a particular neighbourhood are being diagnosed not only with polio but also with the zika virus. The race is on to find out where the source of both these killer diseases – that seem to have combined into one very deadly unit have originated.
The pros of the book: I found the idea of polio and zika appearing together in people living in Canada fascinating. The research that Tasha, Zoltan and Jesse (their assistant) carry out to discover the source was very well researched.
The cons: I honestly can’t say that any of the characters managed to get me even slightly interested in their lives. If it wasn’t for the storyline of polio/zika, I might not have finished the book.
Hosam’s story was incredible, and I started skipping pages because it was so far-fetched.
Please don’t take my word for it. I’m sure that I’m being a picky, critical reader.
Bluebell
Elite Reviewing Group received a copy of the book to review.
July 25, 2020
Originally published on my blog: Nonstop Reader.
Bitter Paradise is the 5th book in the medical thriller series by Ross Pennie. Released 26th May 2020 by ECW Press, it's 320 pages and available in paperback and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately.
This is a very well written ongoing series with a returning ensemble cast of characters. It has several loosely related intertwined plot arcs which thread together ever more tightly as Dr. Zol tries to locate the source of a very worrying polio epidemic with his fiance' Natasha and help his foster son work through the trauma of previous injuries in Syria before moving to Canada as a refugee.
I found the books quite graphically violent (the first scene in the book includes the throat slashing murder of a young Syrian barber in front of witnesses). Much of the book is relentlessly grim. However, it's a quite remarkably well written, precisely plotted, controlled, and tension filled read with science based realistic medical puzzles to figure out.
I had not read the previous books in the series, so I struggled a bit with the characters' interrelationships and had some short term issues keeping the plot straight in my mind. It does work well enough as a standalone, but I believe having some background would provide for a smoother, more enjoyable read.
I would strongly recommend this book (and series) to fans of Jefferson Bass, Kathy Reichs, or similar. Readers should know that there is strong language and violence.
Four stars.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
Bitter Paradise is the 5th book in the medical thriller series by Ross Pennie. Released 26th May 2020 by ECW Press, it's 320 pages and available in paperback and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately.
This is a very well written ongoing series with a returning ensemble cast of characters. It has several loosely related intertwined plot arcs which thread together ever more tightly as Dr. Zol tries to locate the source of a very worrying polio epidemic with his fiance' Natasha and help his foster son work through the trauma of previous injuries in Syria before moving to Canada as a refugee.
I found the books quite graphically violent (the first scene in the book includes the throat slashing murder of a young Syrian barber in front of witnesses). Much of the book is relentlessly grim. However, it's a quite remarkably well written, precisely plotted, controlled, and tension filled read with science based realistic medical puzzles to figure out.
I had not read the previous books in the series, so I struggled a bit with the characters' interrelationships and had some short term issues keeping the plot straight in my mind. It does work well enough as a standalone, but I believe having some background would provide for a smoother, more enjoyable read.
I would strongly recommend this book (and series) to fans of Jefferson Bass, Kathy Reichs, or similar. Readers should know that there is strong language and violence.
Four stars.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
February 26, 2020
Imagine fear on two fronts.
A slashing/slaying in a Hamilton, Ontario barbershop — Paradise Barbers — rocks refugee Syrian surgeon Dr. Hasom Khousa’s family with shock waves of terror.
An imminent epidemic of a new, vaccine-resistant, form of poliomyelitis is poised to stir up fears unknown in Canada and elsewhere in the western world since the 1950s. Dr. Zoltan Szabo and his colleagues in the local health department are working flat out to find, and eradicate, the cause of the outbreak.
Oh, before I forget … there’s a third fear, especially for Dr. Khousa. It seems he’s caught in the crossfire of a local mob war.
It’s easy to spot the villains associated with the barbershop killing. They are run-of-the-mill mobsters fighting a territorial dispute. It’s harder to identify the villains associated with the polio outbreak.
Think of viruses. Parvoviruses. Zika virus.
Think of mosquitoes — called nippers in my part of Canada. Especially think of a nasty species of nippers — winter-hardy Aedes, known as Asian Tigers because of their characteristic stripes.
And think of a school trip to a near-Niagara hothouse importing and selling tropical flowers.
Plenty of entangling possibilities, eh b’ys?
Nevertheless, consider a couple of more complications — text-messaging among a trio of gamers and some backdoor (more specifically attached garage) dentistry.
Tell me that’s not intriguing.
Back in 2004 — give or take some years — there was a TV series called ReGenesis in which a group of geneticists episodically fought genetic crises. This book reminds me of that series.
That’s a good thing.
I tell you this. Bitter Paradise [ECW Press] is the best medical thriller I’ve read in 2020.
Get yourself a copy and have a gem-dandy read.
A slashing/slaying in a Hamilton, Ontario barbershop — Paradise Barbers — rocks refugee Syrian surgeon Dr. Hasom Khousa’s family with shock waves of terror.
An imminent epidemic of a new, vaccine-resistant, form of poliomyelitis is poised to stir up fears unknown in Canada and elsewhere in the western world since the 1950s. Dr. Zoltan Szabo and his colleagues in the local health department are working flat out to find, and eradicate, the cause of the outbreak.
Oh, before I forget … there’s a third fear, especially for Dr. Khousa. It seems he’s caught in the crossfire of a local mob war.
It’s easy to spot the villains associated with the barbershop killing. They are run-of-the-mill mobsters fighting a territorial dispute. It’s harder to identify the villains associated with the polio outbreak.
Think of viruses. Parvoviruses. Zika virus.
Think of mosquitoes — called nippers in my part of Canada. Especially think of a nasty species of nippers — winter-hardy Aedes, known as Asian Tigers because of their characteristic stripes.
And think of a school trip to a near-Niagara hothouse importing and selling tropical flowers.
Plenty of entangling possibilities, eh b’ys?
Nevertheless, consider a couple of more complications — text-messaging among a trio of gamers and some backdoor (more specifically attached garage) dentistry.
Tell me that’s not intriguing.
Back in 2004 — give or take some years — there was a TV series called ReGenesis in which a group of geneticists episodically fought genetic crises. This book reminds me of that series.
That’s a good thing.
I tell you this. Bitter Paradise [ECW Press] is the best medical thriller I’ve read in 2020.
Get yourself a copy and have a gem-dandy read.
April 25, 2021
Who else here loves a good medical mystery?! I listened to the audiobook of Bitter Paradise and found myself completely sucked into this story.
This book has it all… a polo outbreak, Syrian refuges, and a few mobsters! Dr. Zol Szabo and his fiancée Natasha Sharma are investigating a strain of vaccine-resistant polo in Ontario. They must race against the clock and figure out what is making these people sick before it spreads.
This is actually the fifth book in the Dr. Zol Szabo Medical Mystery series, but the first one I’ve read. Thankfully, I was able to jump right into the series with no problems. This series is written by Ross Pennie- an actual retired doctor who worked as a jungle surgeon, intensive-care pediatrician, and infectious disease specialist around the globe.
Words I’d use to describe Bitter Paradise- fast moving, timely, well-written, entertaining and intriguing.
Four stars! I recommend this one to fellow science nerds and anyone interested in epidemiology!
Thank you to Netgalley and ECW Press Audio for a copy of this audiobook. It publishes on May 15, 2021!
This book has it all… a polo outbreak, Syrian refuges, and a few mobsters! Dr. Zol Szabo and his fiancée Natasha Sharma are investigating a strain of vaccine-resistant polo in Ontario. They must race against the clock and figure out what is making these people sick before it spreads.
This is actually the fifth book in the Dr. Zol Szabo Medical Mystery series, but the first one I’ve read. Thankfully, I was able to jump right into the series with no problems. This series is written by Ross Pennie- an actual retired doctor who worked as a jungle surgeon, intensive-care pediatrician, and infectious disease specialist around the globe.
Words I’d use to describe Bitter Paradise- fast moving, timely, well-written, entertaining and intriguing.
Four stars! I recommend this one to fellow science nerds and anyone interested in epidemiology!
Thank you to Netgalley and ECW Press Audio for a copy of this audiobook. It publishes on May 15, 2021!
February 13, 2023
(3.75 rounded to 4.0)
Dr. Hosam Khoura is an immigrant from Syria where he has had his villa bombed, his daughter murdered and endured weeks of intense torture until he is able to make it to Canada as a refugee with his wife and son. Now he is employed as an assistant to a barber.
Two epidemic investigators, Dr. Zoi Szabou and Natasha Sharma are searching for the source of a vaccine-resistant polio. When people start arriving in ICU the priority becomes more urgent.
A subplot of a relationship of the sons of the two surgeons have become anonymous FaceBook friends and players of an online gaming program and they become crucial to identifying the source of the infection. This side plot was one that I would have liked to see more developed. The plot was intriguing and well executed. The suspense increasing nicely. The characters were well drafted but could have been further developed. Altogether a good read. Recommend to readers of thrillers, medical mysteries and suspense.
Dr. Hosam Khoura is an immigrant from Syria where he has had his villa bombed, his daughter murdered and endured weeks of intense torture until he is able to make it to Canada as a refugee with his wife and son. Now he is employed as an assistant to a barber.
Two epidemic investigators, Dr. Zoi Szabou and Natasha Sharma are searching for the source of a vaccine-resistant polio. When people start arriving in ICU the priority becomes more urgent.
A subplot of a relationship of the sons of the two surgeons have become anonymous FaceBook friends and players of an online gaming program and they become crucial to identifying the source of the infection. This side plot was one that I would have liked to see more developed. The plot was intriguing and well executed. The suspense increasing nicely. The characters were well drafted but could have been further developed. Altogether a good read. Recommend to readers of thrillers, medical mysteries and suspense.
April 17, 2021
Note: My thanks to Net Galley for a chance to review this audio . If anyone bothered by the current events of covid, this book does concern a pandemic.
A doctor forced to leave his country after a family member murdered to become a barber, only to witness a murder in his shop, is our first story arc. Second story arc is with a doctor and his fiancee/investigator working to investigate a polio outbreak that several children picked up at a school trip . Third arc is an Italian mob war.
Enjoyed this very much. Intelligent characters, decent multiple narrators. I would definitely read another of this author/series.
A doctor forced to leave his country after a family member murdered to become a barber, only to witness a murder in his shop, is our first story arc. Second story arc is with a doctor and his fiancee/investigator working to investigate a polio outbreak that several children picked up at a school trip . Third arc is an Italian mob war.
Enjoyed this very much. Intelligent characters, decent multiple narrators. I would definitely read another of this author/series.
April 15, 2023
This is book 5 of a series (which I have not yet read, but after this one, may dive into when I'm looking for a decent mystery). The plot involves several main threads: "polio" outbreak, Syrian refugews, refugees in general and a bit of gang war. The stories intertwine and it comes together through the intersection of he main characters. And, each main character has his/her own story to tell. There are evil villains, and innocent perpetrators of dangerous deeds. I like mysteries with "good" and interesting main characters. Dr. Zol Szabo certainly fits that bill.
June 18, 2020
Ross Pennie must be prescient because he's written a mystery about a potential epidemic caused by a virus. (Although, his main character is the head of Public Health, so I suppose it's not a stretch.) This novel is fairly complex, dealing as it does with the virus, Syrian refugees, the underworld, and Zol's home life. I enjoy reading about the sleuthing which goes on when trying to discover the roots of an outbreak of disease, in this case vaccine-resistant polio.
June 4, 2020
Good solid story. It opened my eyes to the life of refugees. Small things sometime that made me want to help and certainly be more open to newcomers to my country. It was humorous and frightening and a pandemic in the making and all this in Hamilton! Ontario. Will read more books by Ross Pennie, if he is not too busy to write while the Covid 19 is on!
September 5, 2023
I enjoyed this book but found the Khousa’s to be the weak link particularly Omar who seemed totally unrealistic. Some of the technical discussions were a bit lengthy and boring but I suppose necessary to the plot. Overall I did enjoy the book and would give it another half star if I could as it’s not quite a four but definitely deserves a bit more than my other three star ratings
May 27, 2024
Loved this book! It was very different than any other book I've read; I was intrigued. I did struggle with the character's name being Zol instead of Zsol or Zsolt though. It was jarring to hear it on the audio book.
The characters, premise and writing were good though. Wish our library had more than just the 5th book!
The characters, premise and writing were good though. Wish our library had more than just the 5th book!
February 26, 2020
I recieved this novel from NetGalley in exchange for a honest review.
I did not realize when getting this book that its #5 in the series. It may make more sense reading after the first 4 but it reads fine as a stand alone novel. I also did not realize the author was an actual Doctor! It's rare that a jungle surgeon, intensive-care paediatrician, and infectious-diseases specialist becomes a well known author!
Bitter Paradise is a medical thriller featuring infectious disease investigators Dr. Zol Szabo and his fiancée Natasha Sharma witnessing an outbreak of a new strain of vaccine resistant polio in Hamilton, Ontario. Tests show that the disease originated from two separate infections, and it's crucial that the source of both diseases be discovered before spreading to more people.
I did not realize when getting this book that its #5 in the series. It may make more sense reading after the first 4 but it reads fine as a stand alone novel. I also did not realize the author was an actual Doctor! It's rare that a jungle surgeon, intensive-care paediatrician, and infectious-diseases specialist becomes a well known author!
Bitter Paradise is a medical thriller featuring infectious disease investigators Dr. Zol Szabo and his fiancée Natasha Sharma witnessing an outbreak of a new strain of vaccine resistant polio in Hamilton, Ontario. Tests show that the disease originated from two separate infections, and it's crucial that the source of both diseases be discovered before spreading to more people.
May 10, 2020
I'm not a huge fan of medical thriller but I liked this one and found it gripping and entertaining.
I liked the well crafted plot, the fleshed out characters and the mystery that kept me guessing.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.
I liked the well crafted plot, the fleshed out characters and the mystery that kept me guessing.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.
August 3, 2021
I can't recommend this series highly enough. I love the characters, the intricate plots that always seem to work in current issues and the colourful imagery. The fact that is it set in places that I am familiar with is an added bonus.
March 13, 2023
I borrowed this audiobook from the library. Good narration. I love medical mysteries and this one really made me think about viral infections. I loved the location, Canada, and I loved all the information about the striped mosquito etc. I plan to look at his other books.
March 25, 2023
This is my first experience with the character Dr.Zol Szabo. There may have been too many coincidences (for me) to make it all come together but I was engaged and found it to be a solid story. I was engaged throughout and will pick up another one in this series in the future.
May 21, 2023
As I live in Hamilton, I was impressed how accurately the areas of the city were depicted in this novel.
The gritty underbelly was depicted much as you would see in our local newspaper.
The story flowed and kept me interested.
The gritty underbelly was depicted much as you would see in our local newspaper.
The story flowed and kept me interested.
July 5, 2024
A neat medical mystery read. I was confused half the time but didn’t realize this was the 5th in a series lol. But I didn’t feel like I needed to know more about the plot rather I needed help being less confused with who each character was. All in all a decent and interesting read.
October 13, 2024
Bitter Paradise was my first Dr. Szabo Medical Mystery but it won't be my last. I am a public health junkie and this mystery proves what I always knew. Being a good clinician is being a good detective.
February 3, 2021
I love his series of books and this one did not disappoint. It was great to get reacquainted with the "regulars".
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