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A device that can save a life is also one that can end it
Kadence, a new type of implanted defibrillator, misfires in a patient visiting University Hospital for a routine medical procedure—causing the heart rhythm problem it’s meant to correct. Dr. Kate Downey, an experienced anesthesiologist, resuscitates the patient, but she grows concerned for a loved one who recently received the same device—her beloved Great-Aunt Irm.
When a second device misfires, Kate turns to Nikki Yarborough, her friend and Aunt Irm’s cardiologist. Though Nikki helps protect Kate’s aunt, she is prevented from alerting other patients by the corporate greed of her department chairman. As the inventor of the device and part owner of MDI, the company he formed to commercialize it, he claims that the device misfires are due to a soon-to-be-corrected software bug. Kate learns his claim is false.
The misfires continue as Christian O’Donnell, a friend and lawyer, comes to town to facilitate the sale of MDI. Kate and Nikki are drawn into a race to find the source of the malfunctions, but threats to Nikki and a mysterious murder complicate their progress. Are the seemingly random shocks misfires, or are they attacks?
A jaw-dropping twist causes her to rethink everything she once thought she knew, but Kate will stop at nothing to protect her aunt and the other patients whose life-saving devices could turn on them at any moment.
Perfect for fans of Robin Cook and Tess Gerritsen
While the novels in the Kate Downey Medical Mystery Series stand on their own and can be read in any order, the publication sequence is:
Fatal Intent
Misfire
Kadence, a new type of implanted defibrillator, misfires in a patient visiting University Hospital for a routine medical procedure—causing the heart rhythm problem it’s meant to correct. Dr. Kate Downey, an experienced anesthesiologist, resuscitates the patient, but she grows concerned for a loved one who recently received the same device—her beloved Great-Aunt Irm.
When a second device misfires, Kate turns to Nikki Yarborough, her friend and Aunt Irm’s cardiologist. Though Nikki helps protect Kate’s aunt, she is prevented from alerting other patients by the corporate greed of her department chairman. As the inventor of the device and part owner of MDI, the company he formed to commercialize it, he claims that the device misfires are due to a soon-to-be-corrected software bug. Kate learns his claim is false.
The misfires continue as Christian O’Donnell, a friend and lawyer, comes to town to facilitate the sale of MDI. Kate and Nikki are drawn into a race to find the source of the malfunctions, but threats to Nikki and a mysterious murder complicate their progress. Are the seemingly random shocks misfires, or are they attacks?
A jaw-dropping twist causes her to rethink everything she once thought she knew, but Kate will stop at nothing to protect her aunt and the other patients whose life-saving devices could turn on them at any moment.
Perfect for fans of Robin Cook and Tess Gerritsen
While the novels in the Kate Downey Medical Mystery Series stand on their own and can be read in any order, the publication sequence is:
Fatal Intent
Misfire
368 pages, Hardcover
Published January 3, 2023
47 people are currently reading
3898 people want to read
About the author
Tammy Euliano
5 books117 followersBy day, Tammy Euliano, MD is a Professor of Anesthesiology and Obstetrics & Gynecology at the University of Florida where she cares for obstetric patients, teaches medical students and residents, performs research, and invents cool stuff. She's been honored with numerous teaching awards, more than 100,000 views of her YouTube teaching videos, and was featured in a calendar of women inventors (copies available wherever you buy your out-of-date planners).
By night, she plays games with her family (now remotely), cuddles her dogs, reads, and writes medical thrillers.
Vacations are for exploring our amazing world. She has dragged her family of five to all the major US national parks, Alaska, Hawaii, Canada, Costa Rica, the Caribbean, the Galapagos, the Mediterranean, Europe and New Zealand. Trips are spent soaking up the history and culture while also experiencing nature, often in extreme fashion.
By night, she plays games with her family (now remotely), cuddles her dogs, reads, and writes medical thrillers.
Vacations are for exploring our amazing world. She has dragged her family of five to all the major US national parks, Alaska, Hawaii, Canada, Costa Rica, the Caribbean, the Galapagos, the Mediterranean, Europe and New Zealand. Trips are spent soaking up the history and culture while also experiencing nature, often in extreme fashion.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 107 reviews
January 3, 2023
3.8 Stars
One Liner: Slow but entertaining
Kadence is a defibrillator recently approved by FDA. The device misfires, causing heart problems that need immediate correction to save the patient. When the misfires occur in succession, Dr. Kate Downey, an experienced anesthesiologist, suspects foul play. When her Aunt Irm also suffers from the misfire, Kate knows she needs to do something about it.
Christian O'Donnell, Kate’s friend and lawyer, is working with a client who wants to buy Kadence and other new medical aids created by the University team. Kate updates him about the issues, and they decide to investigate the cause with help from detective Garner.
Can Kate get to the bottom of the issue and save the patients fitted with Kadence? What does she have to do to protect the patients from being killed by a life-saving device?
The story comes from Kate’s POV.
My Thoughts:
The book is presented as a standalone though it has characters from the previous novel Fatal Intent. While it does work on its own to an extent, the subplot will be more effective if you read book one, especially since it has a significant space in this one.
I read Fatal Intent more than a year ago (and forgot most of it). However, I could get into the plot once I remembered the basics. Aunt Irm continues to be my favorite for a valid reason. She is quirky, loving, smart, and gets straight to the point.
The book is slow; understandable as it has medical jargon and details the reader needs to understand. There are quite a few threads too. This can be overwhelming if the reader wants only a medical thriller and ends up with a blend of family intrigue, romance, murders, kidnapping, and tech crimes.
There are enough twists and turns to keep us guessing (though I figured it out soon enough). Kate, as usual, takes risks she shouldn’t be taking but survives. The side characters like Nathan and Garner support the plot.
The scenes in the hospital are my favorite. The author’s experience in the field shows as she presents a realistic picture of the constant stress faced by medical personnel. The book also shows how women in the medical profession are still looked down upon despite their obvious talent.
The personal track between Kate and Christian was steady enough (and I think I like it better in this one). They make a good team, with Aunt Irm, of course, so I do look forward to more adventures and cases for them to solve.
To summarize, Misfire is the sequel to Fatal Intent and is best read that way. Enjoy this medical suspense with a touch of romance, a dash of pain, and a not-so-fictional medical aid. The author’s note at the end was enlightening (and a bit scary).
Thank you, NetGalley and Oceanview Publishing, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
#NetGalley #Misfire
One Liner: Slow but entertaining
Kadence is a defibrillator recently approved by FDA. The device misfires, causing heart problems that need immediate correction to save the patient. When the misfires occur in succession, Dr. Kate Downey, an experienced anesthesiologist, suspects foul play. When her Aunt Irm also suffers from the misfire, Kate knows she needs to do something about it.
Christian O'Donnell, Kate’s friend and lawyer, is working with a client who wants to buy Kadence and other new medical aids created by the University team. Kate updates him about the issues, and they decide to investigate the cause with help from detective Garner.
Can Kate get to the bottom of the issue and save the patients fitted with Kadence? What does she have to do to protect the patients from being killed by a life-saving device?
The story comes from Kate’s POV.
My Thoughts:
The book is presented as a standalone though it has characters from the previous novel Fatal Intent. While it does work on its own to an extent, the subplot will be more effective if you read book one, especially since it has a significant space in this one.
I read Fatal Intent more than a year ago (and forgot most of it). However, I could get into the plot once I remembered the basics. Aunt Irm continues to be my favorite for a valid reason. She is quirky, loving, smart, and gets straight to the point.
The book is slow; understandable as it has medical jargon and details the reader needs to understand. There are quite a few threads too. This can be overwhelming if the reader wants only a medical thriller and ends up with a blend of family intrigue, romance, murders, kidnapping, and tech crimes.
There are enough twists and turns to keep us guessing (though I figured it out soon enough). Kate, as usual, takes risks she shouldn’t be taking but survives. The side characters like Nathan and Garner support the plot.
The scenes in the hospital are my favorite. The author’s experience in the field shows as she presents a realistic picture of the constant stress faced by medical personnel. The book also shows how women in the medical profession are still looked down upon despite their obvious talent.
The personal track between Kate and Christian was steady enough (and I think I like it better in this one). They make a good team, with Aunt Irm, of course, so I do look forward to more adventures and cases for them to solve.
To summarize, Misfire is the sequel to Fatal Intent and is best read that way. Enjoy this medical suspense with a touch of romance, a dash of pain, and a not-so-fictional medical aid. The author’s note at the end was enlightening (and a bit scary).
Thank you, NetGalley and Oceanview Publishing, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
#NetGalley #Misfire
November 30, 2022
After a series of misfires from the Automatic Implantable Cardioverter Defribulators (AICDs) in several patients, Dr. Kate Downey becomes suspicious of the event frequency and begins to investigate the source of the occurrences. Especially since her Aunt Irm has the same device implanted to monitor and treat her heart rate.
As Kate digs deeper into the source of the misfires, she becomes increasingly aware that the misfires are actually purposeful attacks through software programming. Who or what could be causing the attacks and for what purpose?
Misfire is the author’s second book in a series. Though the book’s description indicates that each book can be read as a standalone, I didn’t find that to be the case. Instead, I felt I was missing some background on the characters and the prior events that were referred to repeatedly.
I didn’t like any of the characters for some reason. Perhaps it’s because I thought they were all “busy bodies.” I didn’t quite get a sense that they were fully developed enough. To me, they were shallow and one dimensional. It could be that the characters were developed and fleshed out in the first novel, so to repeat that would be redundant.
The story seemed a bit disjointed. There were just too many things and events going on which made for a sometimes confusing read. Add the far fetched motive of the perpetrator and it was somewhat of a hot mess.
For some reason, the author’s writing style didn’t appeal to me. It felt “jumpy,” and didn’t have those smooth transitions from one event to the other. Well, maybe there were too many events to accomplish that.
While I do enjoy medical mysteries (Coma, Bloodstream, Harvest, etc.) Misfire just didn’t hit the right notes for me. Two okay stars.
I received a digital ARC from Oceanview Publishing through NetGalley. The review herein is completely my own and contains my honest thoughts and opinions.
As Kate digs deeper into the source of the misfires, she becomes increasingly aware that the misfires are actually purposeful attacks through software programming. Who or what could be causing the attacks and for what purpose?
Misfire is the author’s second book in a series. Though the book’s description indicates that each book can be read as a standalone, I didn’t find that to be the case. Instead, I felt I was missing some background on the characters and the prior events that were referred to repeatedly.
I didn’t like any of the characters for some reason. Perhaps it’s because I thought they were all “busy bodies.” I didn’t quite get a sense that they were fully developed enough. To me, they were shallow and one dimensional. It could be that the characters were developed and fleshed out in the first novel, so to repeat that would be redundant.
The story seemed a bit disjointed. There were just too many things and events going on which made for a sometimes confusing read. Add the far fetched motive of the perpetrator and it was somewhat of a hot mess.
For some reason, the author’s writing style didn’t appeal to me. It felt “jumpy,” and didn’t have those smooth transitions from one event to the other. Well, maybe there were too many events to accomplish that.
While I do enjoy medical mysteries (Coma, Bloodstream, Harvest, etc.) Misfire just didn’t hit the right notes for me. Two okay stars.
I received a digital ARC from Oceanview Publishing through NetGalley. The review herein is completely my own and contains my honest thoughts and opinions.
January 16, 2023
My thanks to Oceanview Publishing for a review copy of this book via Edelweiss.
Misfire (2023) is the second in the Kate Downey series of medical mysteries/thrillers by Tammy Euliano. I read and reviewed the first, Fatal Intent (2022), last year and absolutely loved the story and characters. The book was not only an exciting medical thriller but also brought up the ethical dilemma surrounding the absence of living wills where those who genuinely love the affected person are reluctant to let go, while the unscrupulous are quick to take advantage for property or other gains. It left me eagerly anticipating the next, and Misfire certainly did not disappoint.
The series is set around Kate Downey, an anaesthesiologist (like the author herself) who works at a university hospital in Florida. She lost her husband, an army doctor who fell victim to an IED explosion while deployed and was in a coma for long, while Kate also miscarried on hearing the news. Kate now lives with her eccentric but very lovable great-aunt Irm (also a partner in her mystery solving ventures) and black lab Shadow. In the previous book she met Christian O’Donnell, a lawyer and son of one of the victims, and working with him to solve the mystery, had also developed an interest in him. Christian has suffered a tragedy of his own, having lost his wife and child in a motor accident. There is also Christian’s friend, Lieutenant Garner, a police detective who teams up with them.
Misfire is set around AICDs (automatic implantable cardioverter defibrillators), devices that monitor the heartbeat and deliver an electric impulse when they sense a problem, but sometimes (though rare), they can ‘misfire’ delivering an impulse when not needed causing rather than resolving a heart problem. In the book, Kadence is a version of AICD devices which has the added advantage of enabling the doctor or a loved one to constantly monitor the patient through bluetooth. Invented by a doctor at Kate’s hospital, aunt Irm’s cardiologist and Kate’s friend Nikki Yarborough who works with the device has implanted one in aunt Irm. But when one Kadence after another misfires, Kate begins to worry for her aunt’s safety. Soon it emerges that what is claimed to be a bug in the software that will be resolved soon is not quite that but something far more serious, and Nikki’s life too may be in danger. Kate, Aunt Irm and Christian who is back in town, this time working for a client who is seeking to acquire Kadence, team up once again to get to the bottom of the case and protect the lives endangered in the process.
Once again, Tammy Euliano gives us an exciting mystery, with themes of medical devices and the many people and processes in their invention and commercialization (including intellectual property rights claims), the vulnerabilities that such devices suffer in this age of artificial intelligence despite various approvals and tests, and also the role of corporate greed which is callous about human lives, focusing solely on profits. The device and technology are explained in simple terms, easy for the reader to grasp, something I very much appreciated.
While this isn’t your typical thriller where the protagonists constantly move from one danger to the next, it is certainly an action-packed read with the ‘mystery’ elements moving side by side with the characters’ everyday lives (Kate’ busy hospital schedule in this case) as well as developments in their personal lives as well. Through Kate’s work at the hospital, readers get the flavour of the kind of cases someone in her place has to treat every day, the split-second decisions that have to be made at some points (and indeed the difficult ones), teaching commitments, publishing pressures as also the administrative and official wrangles that must also invariably be navigated (as also endless meetings that seem to lead nowhere).
That said, the mystery is by no means ‘secondary’ in the book and we have consistent developments and revelations all through which keep one engaged. The whodunit, though, I knew fairly early on (though I wondered once or twice), and if one knows the ‘golden rule’ in these books I suppose this part isn’t that hard to guess. Still, I was keen to find out if the person I’d picked up on was indeed the guilty one.
The characters, both Kate and Christian, but especially aunt Irm are wonderful and very likeable, though I must say that in this book Kate seemed to take chances which one could almost guarantee would get her in trouble and yet not inform Christian or Lieutenant Garber in advance (I did feel for the latter when he is frustrated with Kate). Aunt Irm is hands down my favourite character in these books, with her endless and delicious meals, genuine concern, intelligence and most importantly, ability to read people instantly. On the personal front, Kate and Christian take their relationship a little further though understandably (each having suffered tragedies), they take things slow.
While a second in series, this is a book that can be read as a standalone, though I felt one would enjoy them better if read in order.
A great read, and a book and series I’d highly recommend!
4.5 stars
Misfire (2023) is the second in the Kate Downey series of medical mysteries/thrillers by Tammy Euliano. I read and reviewed the first, Fatal Intent (2022), last year and absolutely loved the story and characters. The book was not only an exciting medical thriller but also brought up the ethical dilemma surrounding the absence of living wills where those who genuinely love the affected person are reluctant to let go, while the unscrupulous are quick to take advantage for property or other gains. It left me eagerly anticipating the next, and Misfire certainly did not disappoint.
The series is set around Kate Downey, an anaesthesiologist (like the author herself) who works at a university hospital in Florida. She lost her husband, an army doctor who fell victim to an IED explosion while deployed and was in a coma for long, while Kate also miscarried on hearing the news. Kate now lives with her eccentric but very lovable great-aunt Irm (also a partner in her mystery solving ventures) and black lab Shadow. In the previous book she met Christian O’Donnell, a lawyer and son of one of the victims, and working with him to solve the mystery, had also developed an interest in him. Christian has suffered a tragedy of his own, having lost his wife and child in a motor accident. There is also Christian’s friend, Lieutenant Garner, a police detective who teams up with them.
Misfire is set around AICDs (automatic implantable cardioverter defibrillators), devices that monitor the heartbeat and deliver an electric impulse when they sense a problem, but sometimes (though rare), they can ‘misfire’ delivering an impulse when not needed causing rather than resolving a heart problem. In the book, Kadence is a version of AICD devices which has the added advantage of enabling the doctor or a loved one to constantly monitor the patient through bluetooth. Invented by a doctor at Kate’s hospital, aunt Irm’s cardiologist and Kate’s friend Nikki Yarborough who works with the device has implanted one in aunt Irm. But when one Kadence after another misfires, Kate begins to worry for her aunt’s safety. Soon it emerges that what is claimed to be a bug in the software that will be resolved soon is not quite that but something far more serious, and Nikki’s life too may be in danger. Kate, Aunt Irm and Christian who is back in town, this time working for a client who is seeking to acquire Kadence, team up once again to get to the bottom of the case and protect the lives endangered in the process.
Once again, Tammy Euliano gives us an exciting mystery, with themes of medical devices and the many people and processes in their invention and commercialization (including intellectual property rights claims), the vulnerabilities that such devices suffer in this age of artificial intelligence despite various approvals and tests, and also the role of corporate greed which is callous about human lives, focusing solely on profits. The device and technology are explained in simple terms, easy for the reader to grasp, something I very much appreciated.
While this isn’t your typical thriller where the protagonists constantly move from one danger to the next, it is certainly an action-packed read with the ‘mystery’ elements moving side by side with the characters’ everyday lives (Kate’ busy hospital schedule in this case) as well as developments in their personal lives as well. Through Kate’s work at the hospital, readers get the flavour of the kind of cases someone in her place has to treat every day, the split-second decisions that have to be made at some points (and indeed the difficult ones), teaching commitments, publishing pressures as also the administrative and official wrangles that must also invariably be navigated (as also endless meetings that seem to lead nowhere).
That said, the mystery is by no means ‘secondary’ in the book and we have consistent developments and revelations all through which keep one engaged. The whodunit, though, I knew fairly early on (though I wondered once or twice), and if one knows the ‘golden rule’ in these books I suppose this part isn’t that hard to guess. Still, I was keen to find out if the person I’d picked up on was indeed the guilty one.
The characters, both Kate and Christian, but especially aunt Irm are wonderful and very likeable, though I must say that in this book Kate seemed to take chances which one could almost guarantee would get her in trouble and yet not inform Christian or Lieutenant Garber in advance (I did feel for the latter when he is frustrated with Kate). Aunt Irm is hands down my favourite character in these books, with her endless and delicious meals, genuine concern, intelligence and most importantly, ability to read people instantly. On the personal front, Kate and Christian take their relationship a little further though understandably (each having suffered tragedies), they take things slow.
While a second in series, this is a book that can be read as a standalone, though I felt one would enjoy them better if read in order.
A great read, and a book and series I’d highly recommend!
4.5 stars
January 24, 2023
The synopsis for this sounded really good - there is a new type of AICD (a pacemaker/defibrillator combo) on the market called Kadence. It has been implanted in about 60 people, with great success. Then one week, people’s hearts began stopping. Dr. Kate Downey finds this alarming, especially as her Aunt Irm has a Kadence implant, and starts investigating.
I love medical mysteries and thrillers, and I don’t see them enough - especially not written by an actual doctor. The premise of this was great … the execution, not so much. I was immediately turned off by the writing. Sometimes that changes and/or I get used to it. I never did with this book; it had no flow, every sentence felt stilted, and it played things unbelievably safe.
As the story went on, there became more and more characters that were tedious to keep up with. This book is actually the second book in a series, and I hate reading anything out of order. However, this said it could be read as a standalone book - and it could, but there were many references to the first book (that I haven’t read) and maybe that’s why I didn’t care about the main character - that, or because for a doctor, she sure takes a lot of time off to run around playing detective. She also neglected her dog a lot - no bueno.
This just wasn’t it for me, but I’ve seen some great reviews so far, so I may be an outlier. I figured out the ending way too soon, the red herrings were quite obvious, and I didn’t like that writing style. Great premise, but it’s a no for me. 2.5 stars, rounded up, for a book that kept me reading but never got me excited.
(Thank you to Oceanview Publishing, Tammy Euliano, and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my review.)
I love medical mysteries and thrillers, and I don’t see them enough - especially not written by an actual doctor. The premise of this was great … the execution, not so much. I was immediately turned off by the writing. Sometimes that changes and/or I get used to it. I never did with this book; it had no flow, every sentence felt stilted, and it played things unbelievably safe.
As the story went on, there became more and more characters that were tedious to keep up with. This book is actually the second book in a series, and I hate reading anything out of order. However, this said it could be read as a standalone book - and it could, but there were many references to the first book (that I haven’t read) and maybe that’s why I didn’t care about the main character - that, or because for a doctor, she sure takes a lot of time off to run around playing detective. She also neglected her dog a lot - no bueno.
This just wasn’t it for me, but I’ve seen some great reviews so far, so I may be an outlier. I figured out the ending way too soon, the red herrings were quite obvious, and I didn’t like that writing style. Great premise, but it’s a no for me. 2.5 stars, rounded up, for a book that kept me reading but never got me excited.
(Thank you to Oceanview Publishing, Tammy Euliano, and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my review.)
January 12, 2023
Dr. Kate Downey is an anesthesiologist who is very dedicated to her patients. In the first book of this thrilling series, Fatal Intent, Kate discovered that someone was killing patients and not only did she want to get to the bottom of it but she joined forces with her Aunt Irm and her friend Christian. In this second book of this amazing series, after a routine surgery, an implanted defibrillator called Kadence misfires and nearly costs one of her patients his life.
After this happens again, Kate turns to her trusted friend, Nikki Yarborough, the cardiologist who has been implanting the devices. Will Nikki and others responsible for the Kadence device warn other patients before yet another misfire occurs? In fact, one of those very patients is Kate‘s Aunt Irm. No doubt, Kate’s concern grows exponentially. Now she really wants answers as to why these misfires her and it soon becomes clear that the bug and the software might not be accidental at all.
Kate’s dear friend Christian O’Donnell is the lawyer that is representing a new buyer of the company that makes these devices, and between Kate, Christian and her Aunt Irm, they start looking for answers. It’s soon becomes a race against time because Kate is concerned that as fortunate as they have been to save the lives of those affected by the misfires, possible loss of life could indeed occur.
What a tense read. To imagine that this could be happening in the medical industry is rather terrifying, and the well-qualified author writing of these books makes reading these a real pleasure. Suspense and danger run hand in hand in this second book of a series that I truly hope continues. I love the side story of friendships that go through the ringer but even more, the side story of Kate and Christian’s developing romance even with the grief they both still experience from the loss of your previous mates.
Many thanks to Oceanview Publishing and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
Please enjoy my YouTube video review - https://youtu.be/5zEDzJYWGIk
After this happens again, Kate turns to her trusted friend, Nikki Yarborough, the cardiologist who has been implanting the devices. Will Nikki and others responsible for the Kadence device warn other patients before yet another misfire occurs? In fact, one of those very patients is Kate‘s Aunt Irm. No doubt, Kate’s concern grows exponentially. Now she really wants answers as to why these misfires her and it soon becomes clear that the bug and the software might not be accidental at all.
Kate’s dear friend Christian O’Donnell is the lawyer that is representing a new buyer of the company that makes these devices, and between Kate, Christian and her Aunt Irm, they start looking for answers. It’s soon becomes a race against time because Kate is concerned that as fortunate as they have been to save the lives of those affected by the misfires, possible loss of life could indeed occur.
What a tense read. To imagine that this could be happening in the medical industry is rather terrifying, and the well-qualified author writing of these books makes reading these a real pleasure. Suspense and danger run hand in hand in this second book of a series that I truly hope continues. I love the side story of friendships that go through the ringer but even more, the side story of Kate and Christian’s developing romance even with the grief they both still experience from the loss of your previous mates.
Many thanks to Oceanview Publishing and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
Please enjoy my YouTube video review - https://youtu.be/5zEDzJYWGIk
November 17, 2022
There’s a lot to unpack with this one! To start, as a nurse it’s hard for me to read a lot of medical books because they tend to be inaccurate. That’s absolutely not an issue here as the author is a physician and is clearly writing what she knows.
I enjoyed reading a mystery that wasn’t too far off from something that could happen in real life – actually, that made it even more suspenseful. I was delighted to see the author’s afterward as well in which she addressed this very thing and a real life application 
But do you have to be in medicine to enjoy the book? I think not. I think it would help a little although the author keeps medical things fairly basic and explains them in layman’s terms when needed. There isn’t medical jargon or anything that bogs the plot down at all.
Next question – do you have to read book one before reading book two? Again, no not really, I certainly want to read Fatal Intent now but had no issue following the events of Misfire. There was a LOT of background given which made me think the first book was a similarly wild ride.
Oh, yeah, the plot never slows down. It wasn’t exactly a thriller until closer to the end but there are plenty of high stakes and suspense throughout, plus undertones of grief, moving on, family ties, and plenty of other things to keep the story engaging.
Which brings me to the characters – I really liked them and want more of everyone. Kate seems like a fairly levelheaded doc with strong ethics and a good amount of jury rigging capability under pressure. Her Aunt Irm seems amazing, she gave the book some cozy mystery elements and softened the plot a bit. I want more Christian too. And of course there’s the dog!
I don’t want to talk about the mystery too much but at the end of the day, the resolution was the weakest plot point for me. People are whack but I had trouble believing the motivation behind the who-dunnit. That said though, it was a very well done plot with plenty of potential red herrings and I liked surfing through all the layers to get to the conclusion.
I should add that my initial attraction towards the book, besides being written by a physician, was that Kathy Reichs wrote the cover blurb! I took her word on the series and absolutely don’t regret it at all so far. The book is out in January so preorder now if it’s up your alley!
I enjoyed reading a mystery that wasn’t too far off from something that could happen in real life – actually, that made it even more suspenseful. I was delighted to see the author’s afterward as well in which she addressed this very thing and a real life application 
But do you have to be in medicine to enjoy the book? I think not. I think it would help a little although the author keeps medical things fairly basic and explains them in layman’s terms when needed. There isn’t medical jargon or anything that bogs the plot down at all.
Next question – do you have to read book one before reading book two? Again, no not really, I certainly want to read Fatal Intent now but had no issue following the events of Misfire. There was a LOT of background given which made me think the first book was a similarly wild ride.
Oh, yeah, the plot never slows down. It wasn’t exactly a thriller until closer to the end but there are plenty of high stakes and suspense throughout, plus undertones of grief, moving on, family ties, and plenty of other things to keep the story engaging.
Which brings me to the characters – I really liked them and want more of everyone. Kate seems like a fairly levelheaded doc with strong ethics and a good amount of jury rigging capability under pressure. Her Aunt Irm seems amazing, she gave the book some cozy mystery elements and softened the plot a bit. I want more Christian too. And of course there’s the dog!
I don’t want to talk about the mystery too much but at the end of the day, the resolution was the weakest plot point for me. People are whack but I had trouble believing the motivation behind the who-dunnit. That said though, it was a very well done plot with plenty of potential red herrings and I liked surfing through all the layers to get to the conclusion.
I should add that my initial attraction towards the book, besides being written by a physician, was that Kathy Reichs wrote the cover blurb! I took her word on the series and absolutely don’t regret it at all so far. The book is out in January so preorder now if it’s up your alley!
October 27, 2022
Misfire is a thriller concerning a medical device implanted in patients who have a cardiac condition. The company manufacturing this revolutionary product is about to be sold when the product “misfires” and causes several injuries and deaths. The book is a commentary on the influence the profit motive has on medical care and, of course, manufacturing and business, in general.
The heroine, whose elderly aunt is one of the patients who has suffered a misfire, is a doctor and is searching for the causes behind the misfires. There is a lot going on in this novel — budding romance, family intrigue, information technology glitches, murders, etc. This reader found the book too long and the conclusion not particularly satisfying.
I thank NetGalley and Oceanview Publishing for the opportunity to read and review this book prior to its publication.
The heroine, whose elderly aunt is one of the patients who has suffered a misfire, is a doctor and is searching for the causes behind the misfires. There is a lot going on in this novel — budding romance, family intrigue, information technology glitches, murders, etc. This reader found the book too long and the conclusion not particularly satisfying.
I thank NetGalley and Oceanview Publishing for the opportunity to read and review this book prior to its publication.
April 25, 2023
This is the second of Dr. Tammy Euliano's mysteries. Her leading character is a physician who seems to always have legal or murderous events around her. This time certain patients with a machine placed in their heart to keep it going have moments of passing out. As luck would have it, all the patients whose heart implants misfired have been saved but the event is happening too often. And two women around Dr. Downey are very pregnant. She is an anesthesiologist (like author Euliano) and has witnessed some of these misfires, including the one in her aunt and roommate. Dr. Downey begans investigating but comes across hostile people, including the co-founder (co-inventer) of the misfiring device. There is a side story about a love interest, but Dr. Downey is concerned about her parients and her friends.
The book includes lots of medical situations (problems) and lots of organizational problems within the teaching hospital. This book is a fun read, lots of red herrings, wrong trails, interference by Great Aunt Irm, and a detective who is a friend of Dr. Downey's love interest. Don't be concerned - there are lots of people in the book but you know who is on the good side and who is not. Or do you?
After I finished reading the book, I had to go back and reread the last chapter. The mistrust, the lies, the false leads, the red herrings. I just was not certain that I had read accurately - I read the ending so quickly that I had to reread it when my heart rate slowed. This is a wonderful mystery series - with a female protagonist who is treated badly by some of the "superior" men she has to deal with. Any woman will love this series of soft mysteries. It would also be good for book club discussions.
The book includes lots of medical situations (problems) and lots of organizational problems within the teaching hospital. This book is a fun read, lots of red herrings, wrong trails, interference by Great Aunt Irm, and a detective who is a friend of Dr. Downey's love interest. Don't be concerned - there are lots of people in the book but you know who is on the good side and who is not. Or do you?
After I finished reading the book, I had to go back and reread the last chapter. The mistrust, the lies, the false leads, the red herrings. I just was not certain that I had read accurately - I read the ending so quickly that I had to reread it when my heart rate slowed. This is a wonderful mystery series - with a female protagonist who is treated badly by some of the "superior" men she has to deal with. Any woman will love this series of soft mysteries. It would also be good for book club discussions.
December 10, 2022
A medical thriller to makes you realize that technology is much more far-reaching than it seems! I work in the medical field, so this book immediately drew me in and had me hooked. The story follows Kate Downey as she investigates misfires of an AICD called the Kadence device, which contains all new technology. The investigation becomes more personal when her own great Aunt Irm gets involved, who happens to have the Kadence implanted in her own chest. This book is the second of the Kate Downey Mystery Series but can be read as a stand-alone like I did. There was some reference to what happened in the first, but the story was easy to follow without reading the first. It does make me want to go back and read number one though! Overall, this was a great read and is perfect for someone wanting a medical thriller with twists and turns and revenge all wrapped in one.
A big thank you to NetGalley, Oceanview Publishing, and Tammy Euliano for providing me with this gifted copy in exchange for my honest review.
A big thank you to NetGalley, Oceanview Publishing, and Tammy Euliano for providing me with this gifted copy in exchange for my honest review.
February 27, 2024
Reads great as a stand-alone. Great pace, although others have said it’s slow for their taste. I like the medical add ins that are actually believable, but enough layman’s terms/explanations throughout to make it digestible by anyone. We all need an Aunt Irm.
June 17, 2022
Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher, and author for the ARC of this interesting novel. The following review reflects my own honest opinion:
The major thing that gives this book massive points is the totally screwed up (in a good way) and utterly freaky ending. While I suspected the villain had something to do with the mystery, I did not think the character would have gone so far!
Speaking of, calling this a mystery is a bit of an exaggeration. It was more about finding the perpetrator than figuring out what was going on with the medical devices. I was going to give this 2 stars because it was extremely confusing with more characters than a Raymond Chandler novel, all of whom were terribly hard to follow and easy to get mixed-up.
So this is a medical thriller. It's about a brand new uber special heart device called the Kadence. I've recently learned more about people who have heart conditions, and I feel great sympathy for what they go through. Thus, this was quite freaky. The Kadence begins to malfunction more and more frequently in its patients causing a "misfire". Essentially, someone is hacking the device (hooked to the cloud of course because it's modern day!) and causing patients' hearts to do strange things: irregular heartbeats, rapid beating, slow beating, etc. These "misfire" attacks have started causing suspicious deaths.
As interesting of a premise as that may be- it takes the book a VERY long time to get to the point which was a big problem. Mind you, I barely wanted to give this a 3 stars.
On a personal note I'm not sure why I read this because it definitely isn't the time in my life to read a medical thriller, and it did do a good job of freaking me out (especially the author's note mentioning that this book is not unrealistic). See the thing is I might be getting brain surgery within the next year- a procedure called deep brain stimulation. I'm on the Mayo Clinic waitlist. They explained this to me as being, in essence, a "brain pacemaker". While I believe it is an elective surgery, if my rare movement disorder doesn't improve within the next year (and I'm rapidly declining) it's a last resort procedure that could fix me, as risky and expensive as it is. They apparently put a battery pack in your chest and somehow run electrodes under your skin into your brain through holes they drill in your skull. Does anyone else want to throw up? My doctor told me two days ago that I had the worst case of cervical dystonia (this is a neurological movement disorder of the cervical spine- not the cervix as people seem to get extremely confused about) that he's seen. My physician is upset, my family is upset, and I'm unable to process it. So yeah hey strangers there's my little rant off my chest.
So if I had electrodes in my head could I get hacked? Yikes! Anyway this was a pretty quick read. I could have done it in an afternoon if I had to, but it took me a while because I was terribly bored and confused by it for about 75% of the book.
I don't particularly recommend it. I really don't recommend reading this if you have a serious medical problem that's irking you.
~J
The major thing that gives this book massive points is the totally screwed up (in a good way) and utterly freaky ending. While I suspected the villain had something to do with the mystery, I did not think the character would have gone so far!
Speaking of, calling this a mystery is a bit of an exaggeration. It was more about finding the perpetrator than figuring out what was going on with the medical devices. I was going to give this 2 stars because it was extremely confusing with more characters than a Raymond Chandler novel, all of whom were terribly hard to follow and easy to get mixed-up.
So this is a medical thriller. It's about a brand new uber special heart device called the Kadence. I've recently learned more about people who have heart conditions, and I feel great sympathy for what they go through. Thus, this was quite freaky. The Kadence begins to malfunction more and more frequently in its patients causing a "misfire". Essentially, someone is hacking the device (hooked to the cloud of course because it's modern day!) and causing patients' hearts to do strange things: irregular heartbeats, rapid beating, slow beating, etc. These "misfire" attacks have started causing suspicious deaths.
As interesting of a premise as that may be- it takes the book a VERY long time to get to the point which was a big problem. Mind you, I barely wanted to give this a 3 stars.
On a personal note I'm not sure why I read this because it definitely isn't the time in my life to read a medical thriller, and it did do a good job of freaking me out (especially the author's note mentioning that this book is not unrealistic). See the thing is I might be getting brain surgery within the next year- a procedure called deep brain stimulation. I'm on the Mayo Clinic waitlist. They explained this to me as being, in essence, a "brain pacemaker". While I believe it is an elective surgery, if my rare movement disorder doesn't improve within the next year (and I'm rapidly declining) it's a last resort procedure that could fix me, as risky and expensive as it is. They apparently put a battery pack in your chest and somehow run electrodes under your skin into your brain through holes they drill in your skull. Does anyone else want to throw up? My doctor told me two days ago that I had the worst case of cervical dystonia (this is a neurological movement disorder of the cervical spine- not the cervix as people seem to get extremely confused about) that he's seen. My physician is upset, my family is upset, and I'm unable to process it. So yeah hey strangers there's my little rant off my chest.
So if I had electrodes in my head could I get hacked? Yikes! Anyway this was a pretty quick read. I could have done it in an afternoon if I had to, but it took me a while because I was terribly bored and confused by it for about 75% of the book.
I don't particularly recommend it. I really don't recommend reading this if you have a serious medical problem that's irking you.
~J
July 24, 2022
"Anesthesia is unique in that. We take people who are breathing fine, mess it up, then fix it, so the surgeon can correct the real problem." This is my first book by Tammy Euliano, revolving around the life of Dr Kate Downey, an anesthesiologist in a busy hospital setting. While medical thrillers aren't my regular fare, I do like plausible science-based crimes. What I don't like is books in a series that don't standalone. I have to say Misfire is borderline in this regard.
Euliano has clearly written a previous book, and this one is littered with tedious explanations that hark back to it: "A friend who could be more. He'd helped me prove a nurse anesthetist, Brian Jacobs, was killing patients—a mercy-killer-for-hire—one of the victims had been Christian's father." Not only are these explanations clunky and convoluted, slowing down the pace of the action in the novel, they also attack the reader's ability to think of the book as plausible.
"The key on post call days is to sleep just enough to make it through the day, but not so much as to cause a persistent sleep disturbance." While the medical aspects are very well handled, both in terms of descriptions of the misfiring implanted defibrillator, background to registrar life, and information about medical patents, Misfire stretches the bounds of belief that one doctor could encounter two medical killers in two years. In my opinion, interconnectivity between books should be planted like Easter eggs—hidden away for the regular reader to spot, but not disrupt the flow for the first time reader. It's good writing and a sense of intrigue, not annoying explanations, that makes a reader delve into an author's back catalogue.
With thanks to NetGalley and Oceanview Publishing for sending me a copy to read.
Euliano has clearly written a previous book, and this one is littered with tedious explanations that hark back to it: "A friend who could be more. He'd helped me prove a nurse anesthetist, Brian Jacobs, was killing patients—a mercy-killer-for-hire—one of the victims had been Christian's father." Not only are these explanations clunky and convoluted, slowing down the pace of the action in the novel, they also attack the reader's ability to think of the book as plausible.
"The key on post call days is to sleep just enough to make it through the day, but not so much as to cause a persistent sleep disturbance." While the medical aspects are very well handled, both in terms of descriptions of the misfiring implanted defibrillator, background to registrar life, and information about medical patents, Misfire stretches the bounds of belief that one doctor could encounter two medical killers in two years. In my opinion, interconnectivity between books should be planted like Easter eggs—hidden away for the regular reader to spot, but not disrupt the flow for the first time reader. It's good writing and a sense of intrigue, not annoying explanations, that makes a reader delve into an author's back catalogue.
With thanks to NetGalley and Oceanview Publishing for sending me a copy to read.
July 3, 2022
Thanks to the author and publisher for the opportunity to review an ARC. I didn't want to put the book down. Always in suspense. I love the characters. I enjoyed Tammy's first book "Fatal Intent". I enjoyed "Misfire"even more. Reminds me of my younger years reading all the "Nancy Drew" series. So looking forward to more. I'm hooked Tammy Euliano. Keep ✍
January 8, 2023
First, I want to thank Tammy Euliano, Oceanview Publishing, NetGalley and Author Marketing Experts for providing me with this book so I can bring you this review.
YES!! If you know me you know I love a good medical thriller! Tammy Euliano definitely satisfied my craving with her latest Misfire! It was incredibly fast paced, fascinating, intense, suspenseful, and even a little bit of romance intertwined.
The graphic artists who created Misfire’s cover are geniuses! The image captures your attention and makes you want to know what the book is about.
Misfire is the follow up to Tammy Euliano’s Fatal Intent. I will admit that I had not had the opportunity to read that one. However, this book can be read as a standalone as Tammy recaps the first book. Let me tell you that I was intrigued and shocked by the recap.
Having a medical background (I was a Medical Assistant and Medical Office Assistant back in the day) I had an understanding of the medical terms and situations which made it a very interesting read.
It was much appreciated that Tammy reached out to her doctor and lawyer friends for their insight and expertise on various subjects.
Governor Michaelson’s storyline was one of my favorite storylines within the book. However, there was one incident that involved him that was totally uncalled for and shocked me! My heart went out to those involved.
After reading Tammy’s book you will realize why the book was called Misfire!
YES!! If you know me you know I love a good medical thriller! Tammy Euliano definitely satisfied my craving with her latest Misfire! It was incredibly fast paced, fascinating, intense, suspenseful, and even a little bit of romance intertwined.
The graphic artists who created Misfire’s cover are geniuses! The image captures your attention and makes you want to know what the book is about.
Misfire is the follow up to Tammy Euliano’s Fatal Intent. I will admit that I had not had the opportunity to read that one. However, this book can be read as a standalone as Tammy recaps the first book. Let me tell you that I was intrigued and shocked by the recap.
Having a medical background (I was a Medical Assistant and Medical Office Assistant back in the day) I had an understanding of the medical terms and situations which made it a very interesting read.
It was much appreciated that Tammy reached out to her doctor and lawyer friends for their insight and expertise on various subjects.
Governor Michaelson’s storyline was one of my favorite storylines within the book. However, there was one incident that involved him that was totally uncalled for and shocked me! My heart went out to those involved.
After reading Tammy’s book you will realize why the book was called Misfire!
January 13, 2023
Tammy Euliano is a practicing anesthesiologist and a professor so if you're looking for a medical thriller where the suspense is authentic right down to the fine details - this is the book!
I love when a medical drama/thriller immerses you in the medical field, and only a trained physician can truly take you there. Some of the twists and turns here are a little scary, especially when you think of how medical devices could be used for nefarious intent.
Thank you @therealbookgal and @teuliano for a gifted copy and a tour spot.
I love when a medical drama/thriller immerses you in the medical field, and only a trained physician can truly take you there. Some of the twists and turns here are a little scary, especially when you think of how medical devices could be used for nefarious intent.
Thank you @therealbookgal and @teuliano for a gifted copy and a tour spot.
August 7, 2022
Thanks to the author and publisher for the opportunity to review an ARC. This in no way affects my review.
“Misfire” does not fall short on suspense, character development or intrigue. I settled back in immediately to Dr. Kate Downey and her chosen family, many of whom I met in “Fatal Intent”. I was quickly drawn into the plot as it made its twists and turns. I thoroughly enjoyed the journey of the relationships built along the way as the story progresses. The realistic nature of this thriller had me on edge in the first few pages and I found myself, once again, rooting for Dr.Downey and her closest confidants. Highly recommend- and looking forward to the next one!
“Misfire” does not fall short on suspense, character development or intrigue. I settled back in immediately to Dr. Kate Downey and her chosen family, many of whom I met in “Fatal Intent”. I was quickly drawn into the plot as it made its twists and turns. I thoroughly enjoyed the journey of the relationships built along the way as the story progresses. The realistic nature of this thriller had me on edge in the first few pages and I found myself, once again, rooting for Dr.Downey and her closest confidants. Highly recommend- and looking forward to the next one!
August 2, 2022
Thank you to the author for providing an advanced reading of this book.
A sequel to Fatal Intent, this book is a refreshing mix of medical thriller, cozy mystery, and romance. The plot is intriguing and the characters well-fleshed out, from the protag's dog to the dear great-aunt. Entertaining and page-turning - I loved it!
A sequel to Fatal Intent, this book is a refreshing mix of medical thriller, cozy mystery, and romance. The plot is intriguing and the characters well-fleshed out, from the protag's dog to the dear great-aunt. Entertaining and page-turning - I loved it!
July 18, 2022
Romance? Check. Medical thriller? Check. Cozy? Mmm…sort of. This book has something for a range of readers, from those who like a second-chance romance to fans of Michael Crichton’s medical thrillers as well as readers who get a kick out of elderly relatives as sleuthing sidekicks.
It stars Dr. Kate Downey, a young, widowed anesthesiologist (same profession as the author) who lives with her opinionated Aunt Irm. Irm has recently had an AICD implanted, an internal defibrillator that can shock the heart back to the right rhythm if necessary. (An author’s note explains that Dick Cheney had his AICD’s wireless capability disabled while he was Vice President so that nobody could control it and kill him.) At work, Kate sees a frightening pattern developing over a matter of days. Several AICD users have “misfires,” meaning that their device shocks them at just the wrong moment in a heartbeat, greatly endangering their lives. The suddenness and frequency of these issues seem suspect. As Kate rushes to protect Aunt Irm, she gains the help of a man she’s interested in, but is it too soon since her husband’s death, and what about her new love’s involvement in the business that makes the aberrant AICDs?
Get ready for realistic and emotionally intertwined characters throughout this fast-moving tech puzzle; the shocking ending leaves much to ponder, making this a great choice for book clubs (discussion guide included).—Henrietta Verma
For more reviews of forthcoming Crime Fiction, subscribe to our weekly newsletter, First Clue: https://www.getrevue.co/profile/First...
It stars Dr. Kate Downey, a young, widowed anesthesiologist (same profession as the author) who lives with her opinionated Aunt Irm. Irm has recently had an AICD implanted, an internal defibrillator that can shock the heart back to the right rhythm if necessary. (An author’s note explains that Dick Cheney had his AICD’s wireless capability disabled while he was Vice President so that nobody could control it and kill him.) At work, Kate sees a frightening pattern developing over a matter of days. Several AICD users have “misfires,” meaning that their device shocks them at just the wrong moment in a heartbeat, greatly endangering their lives. The suddenness and frequency of these issues seem suspect. As Kate rushes to protect Aunt Irm, she gains the help of a man she’s interested in, but is it too soon since her husband’s death, and what about her new love’s involvement in the business that makes the aberrant AICDs?
Get ready for realistic and emotionally intertwined characters throughout this fast-moving tech puzzle; the shocking ending leaves much to ponder, making this a great choice for book clubs (discussion guide included).—Henrietta Verma
For more reviews of forthcoming Crime Fiction, subscribe to our weekly newsletter, First Clue: https://www.getrevue.co/profile/First...
November 5, 2023
Misfire Audible Version.
Absolutely engrossing medical thriller with many likable well rounded out characters . I really liked Aunt Irma and her “sayings” as well as her insight. The characters that weren’t likable were just as fleshed out and required a good amount of thought to work out who was good and who wasn’t . One female character made me suspicious from the get go! Kate’s intelligence and kind nature didn’t always serve her well until it eventually did.
Top notch narration and a highly recommended read!
Absolutely engrossing medical thriller with many likable well rounded out characters . I really liked Aunt Irma and her “sayings” as well as her insight. The characters that weren’t likable were just as fleshed out and required a good amount of thought to work out who was good and who wasn’t . One female character made me suspicious from the get go! Kate’s intelligence and kind nature didn’t always serve her well until it eventually did.
Top notch narration and a highly recommended read!
June 22, 2022
A good medical thriller. Lots of character players but not to hard to keep up on who is who and their roles. Thank you @netgalley for this ARC
July 8, 2022
Thank you Netgalley and Oceanview publishing for allowing me to read this exciting book. A fascinating story of what could / does go wrong if medical lifesaving devices get into the wrong hands. I loved the switching from the cruel world of deciet, to the soft loving world of how close family's can be. How important food is to show care, love and understanding. I will definitely be going back to read Tammy Euliano's first books in this series: Fatal Intent.
I also learned a lot about business, finance, law and medicine. All in all a very good read👍
I also learned a lot about business, finance, law and medicine. All in all a very good read👍
October 23, 2022
Thanks to the writer for the ARC copy.
Dr Kate Downey is an anesthesiologist whose patient’s new defibrillator has misfired prior to a surgical procedure. Misfires are rare but she’s noticing these new Kadence defibrillators are misfiring at a worrisome rate. What makes this personal is that her dear great-aunt Irm has a Kadence. The competition to develop and sell new health devices has a sinister side in this novel and Dr Downey must use her instincts and skills to protect the Kadence recipients before it’s too late.
The writing is gripping and medically accurate which makes this a very enjoyable thriller. Reminiscent of medical thrillers by Robin Cook and Michael Crichton this is sure to delight fans of this genre.
Dr Kate Downey is an anesthesiologist whose patient’s new defibrillator has misfired prior to a surgical procedure. Misfires are rare but she’s noticing these new Kadence defibrillators are misfiring at a worrisome rate. What makes this personal is that her dear great-aunt Irm has a Kadence. The competition to develop and sell new health devices has a sinister side in this novel and Dr Downey must use her instincts and skills to protect the Kadence recipients before it’s too late.
The writing is gripping and medically accurate which makes this a very enjoyable thriller. Reminiscent of medical thrillers by Robin Cook and Michael Crichton this is sure to delight fans of this genre.
August 20, 2022
Overall, I thought the premise of this book was good, but I had a couple of issues with it. First, it is a sequel. I almost would have preferred to be left in the dark, since so much of the backstory took up unnecessary space. I felt like I had read the first one, too, by the time I was done. Second, it was just clunky. The hints for the ending weren't subtle at all, and so much of the dialogue was expositional and unnatural. Overall, I wasn't blown away, but I also don't regret reading it. It's a good rainy weekend read.
November 30, 2022
Misfire by Tammy Euliano is book #2 in the Kate Downey Mystery Series, but the first I have read & can easily be read as a standalone. Misfire is at the top of the list in terms of mysteries I’ve read this year with its’ meticulously intertwined thrilling storylines with a dash of romance to keep you on your toes. It is definitely one of the most inventive plot lines that’s made even more intriguing with its’ realistic nature.
Dr. Kate Downey is a brilliant anesthesiologist & recent widower working in the ER when there’s another bout of trouble on her doorstep: Dr. Downey is forced to resuscitate a patient with the same implanted medical device as her beloved Great-Aunt Irm. With the help of her friend & cardiologist, Dr. Nikki Yarborough, they are able to protect her Great-Aunt, but unfortunately her hands are tied at going public with the issue. Thanks to office politics, boss’s ties to manufacturers & corporate greed, the misfires are being swept under the rug as a software bug soon to be fixed. But what happens when the misfires don’t stop & even more lives become at risk?!
This book illicited strong emotions from me as I was reading, which to me showcases what excellent writing it has. I experienced everything from feeling heart-wrenching to laughing & all the way to fear, surprise & even a little swoon.
I am chronically ill & have spent an exorbitant amount of time in hospitals & acquired some medical knowledge along the way. I say all this to say that I was thoroughly impressed with the accuracy of the medical aspects as well as the way it was interwoven into such a fascinating mystery while still being easy to ingest.
I was thoroughly impressed with the author’s ability to pack so much story into one entertaining read. This is a very intelligent & dark mystery that’s full of twists & turns that will shock you to keep turning the pages. I would recommend checking trigger warnings thanks to the heavy nature of some topics.
If anyone is looking for a very interesting & inventive medical mystery, then I would highly recommend Misfire by Tammy Euliana.
Massive thanks to NetGalley & Oceanview Publishing for the arc, which I voluntarily read & reviewed. All thoughts & opinions are my own.
Trigger warnings: This book mentions &/or contains death, medical emergency, murder, car accidents, emergency Caesarian, violence, kidnapping, suicide & murder of baby.
Dr. Kate Downey is a brilliant anesthesiologist & recent widower working in the ER when there’s another bout of trouble on her doorstep: Dr. Downey is forced to resuscitate a patient with the same implanted medical device as her beloved Great-Aunt Irm. With the help of her friend & cardiologist, Dr. Nikki Yarborough, they are able to protect her Great-Aunt, but unfortunately her hands are tied at going public with the issue. Thanks to office politics, boss’s ties to manufacturers & corporate greed, the misfires are being swept under the rug as a software bug soon to be fixed. But what happens when the misfires don’t stop & even more lives become at risk?!
This book illicited strong emotions from me as I was reading, which to me showcases what excellent writing it has. I experienced everything from feeling heart-wrenching to laughing & all the way to fear, surprise & even a little swoon.
I am chronically ill & have spent an exorbitant amount of time in hospitals & acquired some medical knowledge along the way. I say all this to say that I was thoroughly impressed with the accuracy of the medical aspects as well as the way it was interwoven into such a fascinating mystery while still being easy to ingest.
I was thoroughly impressed with the author’s ability to pack so much story into one entertaining read. This is a very intelligent & dark mystery that’s full of twists & turns that will shock you to keep turning the pages. I would recommend checking trigger warnings thanks to the heavy nature of some topics.
If anyone is looking for a very interesting & inventive medical mystery, then I would highly recommend Misfire by Tammy Euliana.
Massive thanks to NetGalley & Oceanview Publishing for the arc, which I voluntarily read & reviewed. All thoughts & opinions are my own.
Trigger warnings: This book mentions &/or contains death, medical emergency, murder, car accidents, emergency Caesarian, violence, kidnapping, suicide & murder of baby.
December 28, 2022
One thing about me.. I LOVE medical thrillers! I feel like there aren’t enough good ones out there and this is a good one.
MISFIRE is the second book in a series but can be read as a stand-alone. I haven’t read the first book and I must say that while yes, it can be read as a stand-alone, I felt like I missed a lot of pertinent backstory by not reading the first book. It wasn’t confusing or anything but I felt like a lot of character development/relationships happened in the first book that would have made me like this story better if I had read the first book beforehand. There were so many references to the first book that as a reader, I would not recommend reading this as a stand-alone.
MISFIRE is verryyyyyy complex and definitely is a book that requires attention to detail throughout the story. I did enjoy this aspect, just know this is not a popcorn thriller whatsoever. There are A LOT of moving parts and a lot of characters to keep track of (not impossible but also would have been easier if I read the first book first)
For me, this was not a downside, but a beware to readers that this book uses very complex medical and business language. The medical language didn’t bother me because I am well versed, but the business language definitely went over my head. If you’re okay with reading big words and letting them go over your head, I would still recommend this! If you’re someone who will be bothered by the fact that you don’t know where the fossa on a bone is, this may impact your enjoyment of the book.
Overall, the plot/story is good and I would absolutely tell someone looking for a medical thriller to read this…. After you read the first book 😉
Thank you NetGalley for the free ARC in exchange for an honest review!
MISFIRE is the second book in a series but can be read as a stand-alone. I haven’t read the first book and I must say that while yes, it can be read as a stand-alone, I felt like I missed a lot of pertinent backstory by not reading the first book. It wasn’t confusing or anything but I felt like a lot of character development/relationships happened in the first book that would have made me like this story better if I had read the first book beforehand. There were so many references to the first book that as a reader, I would not recommend reading this as a stand-alone.
MISFIRE is verryyyyyy complex and definitely is a book that requires attention to detail throughout the story. I did enjoy this aspect, just know this is not a popcorn thriller whatsoever. There are A LOT of moving parts and a lot of characters to keep track of (not impossible but also would have been easier if I read the first book first)
For me, this was not a downside, but a beware to readers that this book uses very complex medical and business language. The medical language didn’t bother me because I am well versed, but the business language definitely went over my head. If you’re okay with reading big words and letting them go over your head, I would still recommend this! If you’re someone who will be bothered by the fact that you don’t know where the fossa on a bone is, this may impact your enjoyment of the book.
Overall, the plot/story is good and I would absolutely tell someone looking for a medical thriller to read this…. After you read the first book 😉
Thank you NetGalley for the free ARC in exchange for an honest review!
January 13, 2023
Misfire by Tammy Euliano is a medical thriller and second in a series. Kadence is a new type of implanted defibrillator that corrects a heart problem called afib. This is an Automatic Implantable Cardioverter Defibrilator (AICD)
Dr. Kate Downey is an anesthesiologist and when one of her patient's AICD misfires, thus the title, and nearly causes her patients life she begins to get concerned. She along with the cardiologist, Nikki Yarborough they need to figure out what happened. Kate is doubly concerned as her Great Aunt Erm has one of these devices. It is kind of scary because I have a similiar device.
She is very concerned and long with another friend, Christian O'Donnell they find that these are not just misfires, they are done intentially, but why? As they investigate further, they realize that it is done out of greed and money. It is now a race against time to stop whoever is triggering the misfires. As time goes on everyone is in danger from the person or persons doing this.
As a side note Dr Kate recently lost her husband and newborn daughter, Christian also lost his wife and child, killed in an accident. These two are drawn together in their grief and there is a budding romance going on also.
I have always enjoyed medical thrillers, and this was a good one. Well written, lots of suspense and a surprise ending. Oh yes, did I mention Great Aunt Erm? What a character this lady is, very savvy and downright funny! I had not read the first book as some suggested but was able to get to know the characters from the first book. It did help that the author is a Professor of Anesthesiology, she knows her stuff!
I really enjoyed this book and intend to read the 1st in the series and look forward to the third one, if there is one.
I give it 5 stars!
I received a copy of the book for review purposes only.
Dr. Kate Downey is an anesthesiologist and when one of her patient's AICD misfires, thus the title, and nearly causes her patients life she begins to get concerned. She along with the cardiologist, Nikki Yarborough they need to figure out what happened. Kate is doubly concerned as her Great Aunt Erm has one of these devices. It is kind of scary because I have a similiar device.
She is very concerned and long with another friend, Christian O'Donnell they find that these are not just misfires, they are done intentially, but why? As they investigate further, they realize that it is done out of greed and money. It is now a race against time to stop whoever is triggering the misfires. As time goes on everyone is in danger from the person or persons doing this.
As a side note Dr Kate recently lost her husband and newborn daughter, Christian also lost his wife and child, killed in an accident. These two are drawn together in their grief and there is a budding romance going on also.
I have always enjoyed medical thrillers, and this was a good one. Well written, lots of suspense and a surprise ending. Oh yes, did I mention Great Aunt Erm? What a character this lady is, very savvy and downright funny! I had not read the first book as some suggested but was able to get to know the characters from the first book. It did help that the author is a Professor of Anesthesiology, she knows her stuff!
I really enjoyed this book and intend to read the 1st in the series and look forward to the third one, if there is one.
I give it 5 stars!
I received a copy of the book for review purposes only.
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June 23, 2022Thanks so much to the author and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of the book. This in no way affects my review. All opinions are my own.
Having said that, I loved the book!!! After reading Tammy's first novel Fatal Intent, Book one of the Kate Downey medical mystery series, I couldn't wait to find out what new intrigue these characters were involved in. I was hooked from the start, and enjoyed getting reacquainted with the delightful Aunt Irm and a host of other characters from book one. Tammy does a great job of incorporating elements from book one into book two so that the reader does not have to have read Fatal Intent to enjoy Misfire. Her characters are vidid and she does a great job of concealing the surprise until the end. Although it is very evident from the details that she writes these medical mysteries from a firsthand experience, she does not bog the novice down in too many details but rather makes the whole experience more authentic. When I am reading her books, I feel like I am in the experience myself and am totally lost in it, which I love. I can't wait until her next novel comes out and can't wait to see what mystery these characters get into again.
JoAnn
Having said that, I loved the book!!! After reading Tammy's first novel Fatal Intent, Book one of the Kate Downey medical mystery series, I couldn't wait to find out what new intrigue these characters were involved in. I was hooked from the start, and enjoyed getting reacquainted with the delightful Aunt Irm and a host of other characters from book one. Tammy does a great job of incorporating elements from book one into book two so that the reader does not have to have read Fatal Intent to enjoy Misfire. Her characters are vidid and she does a great job of concealing the surprise until the end. Although it is very evident from the details that she writes these medical mysteries from a firsthand experience, she does not bog the novice down in too many details but rather makes the whole experience more authentic. When I am reading her books, I feel like I am in the experience myself and am totally lost in it, which I love. I can't wait until her next novel comes out and can't wait to see what mystery these characters get into again.
JoAnn
January 13, 2023
I received an advance review copy for free and am leaving this review voluntarily. Thank you @tueliano and @therealbookgal for my #giftedbook!
Misfire is the second in the Kate Downey Medical Mystery Series but can easily be read as a standalone. The author does an excellent job bringing an entire cast of characters to life and taking the reader into the world of medical devices. The characters are realistic and well written. I found myself identifying with them as their relationships built as the story unfolded.
I also enjoyed learning about medical devices as Kate tried to figure out why they were misfiring. The personal touch of her aunt being impacted drew me into the story further. The book's descriptions are easy to follow, I didn't feel like I was lost in medical jargon.
Over all, this book is fast paced and filled with twists you won't see coming. I looked forward to seeing how this series unfolds.
Misfire is the second in the Kate Downey Medical Mystery Series but can easily be read as a standalone. The author does an excellent job bringing an entire cast of characters to life and taking the reader into the world of medical devices. The characters are realistic and well written. I found myself identifying with them as their relationships built as the story unfolded.
I also enjoyed learning about medical devices as Kate tried to figure out why they were misfiring. The personal touch of her aunt being impacted drew me into the story further. The book's descriptions are easy to follow, I didn't feel like I was lost in medical jargon.
Over all, this book is fast paced and filled with twists you won't see coming. I looked forward to seeing how this series unfolds.
September 1, 2022
Misfire is another action-packed, fast-paced medical thriller. And while this is the second book in the Kate Downey series, the books can be read as standalones. You won’t feel like you’re missing out on anything. Euliano has a way with twists! Even while, in hindsight, there are some breadcrumbs, I didn’t put much thought into it and the ending of this book contains a jaw-dropping twist! My favorite character is Aunt Irm – she is the wisest one if anyone is listening; I described her as “sly with bright ideas.” What is enjoyable about these novels is Euliano’s experience shines through, providing the reader with enough information to understand, but not going so far into medical jargon where the reader feels confused. Misfire is due out in January 2023, and I already can’t wait to read a third one in the series!
August 6, 2022
Thanks to the author and publisher for an advance reader copy. The opinions expressed are my own. I am a big fan of medical thrillers and have read Michael Palmer, Tess Gerritsen, and Robin Cook for years. I was delighted to discover Fatal Intent, Tammy Euliano's debut novel. Dr. Kate Downey is the protagonist, an experienced anesthesiologist. In Euliano's second book, Misfire, she brings back Dr. Downey, Aunt Irm, and her friend Christian O'Donnell. The writing is crisp, and the storyline could be ripped from today's headlines. Medicine and technology merge in this novel about an Automatic Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator (AICD) that misfires on random patients. Kate's beloved Aunt Irm has one implanted. Kate is determined to understand why some AICDs are misfiring and causing cardiovascular events. As Dr. Downey investigates, she comes across greed, evil, and the truth that a heart could be stopped remotely. I enjoyed the book. The terminology is not overly complex, and the story is easy to follow. Tammy developed a lovely cast of supporting characters as well. Though you don't need to read Fatal Intent first, I recommend it. Fatal Intent introduces many characters and helps the reader understand Kate's challenges and history.
I look forward to the next book in the series and recommend reading Misfire.
I look forward to the next book in the series and recommend reading Misfire.
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