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Dr. Earl Garnet #1
Lethal Practice
St. Paul’s Hospital, Buffalo, New York. Scandal rocks the medical community when someone murders the chief administrator, plunging a long thin cardiac needle into his heart with deadly precision.
Top ER physician Earl Garnet is one of the few doctors who knows how to insert a cardiac needle. Now a suspect, Garnet races to uncover the truth, even as he becomes embroiled in a conspiracy far bigger and more sinister than he could ever imagine . . . a secret that could blow apart the very medical establishment Garnet has sworn to serve.
Top ER physician Earl Garnet is one of the few doctors who knows how to insert a cardiac needle. Now a suspect, Garnet races to uncover the truth, even as he becomes embroiled in a conspiracy far bigger and more sinister than he could ever imagine . . . a secret that could blow apart the very medical establishment Garnet has sworn to serve.
352 pages, Paperback
First published March 13, 1997
22 people are currently reading
662 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
July 28, 2018
While clearing my bookshelves I came across this book. Bought & filed meaning to read sometime.
It was a good read. Could not put it down.
Those who like Robin Cook will find this of equal value, with all the twists and turns and probably a little easier to read as not so much hospital jargon and an easier to understand plot.
Will certainly look out for Peter Clement's future books involving Dr. Garnet.
This is number 1 in the series.
It was a good read. Could not put it down.
Those who like Robin Cook will find this of equal value, with all the twists and turns and probably a little easier to read as not so much hospital jargon and an easier to understand plot.
Will certainly look out for Peter Clement's future books involving Dr. Garnet.
This is number 1 in the series.
May 16, 2014
I found most of the plot fascinating; mostly believable, written by an actual former ER doctor. The medical/financial/clashes/cover-ups involved in big Hospital life he related well, but some of the personal interactions and outlandish schemes were credulity tests. (Greed is such a toxic motivator.) Not many worthy characters to root for, but of course a sweet dog added to the mix was additional "page-turning" inspiration. All in all, a good read for those interested in medical murder and mayhem ........ a few good twists, satisfying Epilogue which supplied the last puzzle piece.
December 27, 2018
This medical mystery had me jittery within the first quarter of the book. At first I felt like there was too much going on, but then I realized the author wants us to know how hectic a doctor's life is without the threat of murder mixed in. I didn't understand all the medical jargon, but he explained enough to understand what had happened. With all the pressure, it made me wonder why anyone would want to have a job like that. Tense-filled mystery--worth the read.
January 30, 2025
The chapters are long, u prefer short chapters! However it is a read that kept me interested! The ending is surprising! Good read.
September 22, 2018
Peter Clement is a new-to-me author, and I wish he hadn't stopped writing! Oh well, I'll just have to enjoy the books he has written, then; just my luck to discover someone I really like and then find that he only wrote a few books before returning to practising medicine. I found this book to be really enjoyable because Clement is able to take such complicated medical issues and write them in a way that a non-medical person can understand. I enjoyed reading a thriller set in a hospital emergency room, and I found the plot and the actions of the characters rang true to me. I was actually unable to guess who the bad guy was until I read it in the book. I can't wait to read the next book in this series.
November 1, 2018
I was worried about a book from the 1990s translating to 2018, specifically on the tech side. This did pretty well. Though, the use of loppy disk and car phones gave me a chuckle.
July 25, 2022
Lethal Practice is a thrilling story. Dr. Garnet's investigative and inquisitive narration style pulls the reader along through a sinister conspiracy until the crime is solved. Still, Dr. Garnet's ability and need to quickly and accurately come to a medical diagnosis to save lives, motivates him to solve a crime after the case has been closed.
While the story is engrossing and suspenseful, there was a moment when suspension of disbelief was lifted. Still, the story gets off to a slow start. Doubt arose from several occurrences in the story. For instance, Dr. Garnet is the discoverer of cardiac needle punctures in two people. Still, after an attempt is made on his life, he witnesses a doctor commit suicide.
Despite this instance of doubt and a slow start, Dr. Garnet's amateur sleuthing makes one question who among the hospital's employees is the villain. This engagement with the story keeps the pages turning. Also, his love for his wife, unborn child, and dog makes hime relatable for the reader. Lethal Practice is a thrilling story with some heavy themes like idolized ambition and exalted pride.
A satifactory story told by a persistent, inquisitive character makes Lethal Practice a good read for thriller fans. Still, Those who enjoy stories that delve into the dark side that people can fall into when the chance for greater achievements become a need instead of an opportunity.
While the story is engrossing and suspenseful, there was a moment when suspension of disbelief was lifted. Still, the story gets off to a slow start. Doubt arose from several occurrences in the story. For instance, Dr. Garnet is the discoverer of cardiac needle punctures in two people. Still, after an attempt is made on his life, he witnesses a doctor commit suicide.
Despite this instance of doubt and a slow start, Dr. Garnet's amateur sleuthing makes one question who among the hospital's employees is the villain. This engagement with the story keeps the pages turning. Also, his love for his wife, unborn child, and dog makes hime relatable for the reader. Lethal Practice is a thrilling story with some heavy themes like idolized ambition and exalted pride.
A satifactory story told by a persistent, inquisitive character makes Lethal Practice a good read for thriller fans. Still, Those who enjoy stories that delve into the dark side that people can fall into when the chance for greater achievements become a need instead of an opportunity.
May 18, 2018
Some medical books are just written with a viewpoint so far outside my own experience, there's no bridge. This felt like one of those, I couldn't get into Garnet's head very well. So enjoyable enough as a story, but nothing particularly impressive for me.
September 24, 2018
2.5 stars. I may try the next book in the series to see if they get any better. They are quick reads.
October 25, 2019
I had a problem getting started with this book but it seemed to take off. Ending up being entertaining. Not my favorite author, however.
March 23, 2024
Second book by this author that I am reading. Boring as the first. Read 15% and left.
February 20, 2017
In 'Lethal Practice', no one mourns the death of St. Paul's Hospital's chief executive offer Kingsly due to his well-known unprofessional behaviour. His untimely death would have been dismissed as unsuspicious if not for ER physician Earl who notices a cardiac needle embedded into the centre of Kingsly's heart. As Earl embarks on an investigation to discover the identity of the killer, he soon realizes that the killer will do whatever it takes to stop him..
The author wasted no time getting to the meat of the story namely the moment Kingsly was found dead and naked in his office. Unfortunately, the fast pace and excitement ended here as there was too much stalling concerning the investigative aspect. Although I did enjoy reading about Earl's daily routine at the hospital as he went about saving lives, I would have preferred more focus on his personal investigation. Instead, Earl's thoughts regarding the murderer's motive were repeated throughout the story. They served no purpose except to perhaps pad up the book.
Thankfully, there was plenty of suspense which kept me hooked to the book. There were numerous suspects though in terms of motive, it was challenging to figure out. There was no doubt that the murderer was willing to add Earl to his or her list of victims. The scenes in which he was attacked were well-written, conveying his fear and panic. However, the one involving Earl being chased by a vehicle was a little too over-the-top for my liking and didn't quite fit the killer's profile. He also got a lot of help from a bunch of characters later on but none of this was written convincingly.
Although Earl's colleagues were named and played their respective roles in the story, none of them had any personality or presence because the author didn't bother developing them. As a result, it was hard to care about any of them. The last quarter of the story in which Earl finally got face-to-face with the killer was interesting but it was drawn out with more descriptions of the location and temperature than Earl's thoughts and feelings. Something about the ending felt somewhat contrived but the twist was a welcome addition.
Overall, 'Lethal Practice' was a moderately fun, enjoyable medical mystery though it certainly would have benefited from thorough editing to eliminate its tiresome long-windedness. With tighter copy and fleshed out characters, this could have been a lot better.
The author wasted no time getting to the meat of the story namely the moment Kingsly was found dead and naked in his office. Unfortunately, the fast pace and excitement ended here as there was too much stalling concerning the investigative aspect. Although I did enjoy reading about Earl's daily routine at the hospital as he went about saving lives, I would have preferred more focus on his personal investigation. Instead, Earl's thoughts regarding the murderer's motive were repeated throughout the story. They served no purpose except to perhaps pad up the book.
Thankfully, there was plenty of suspense which kept me hooked to the book. There were numerous suspects though in terms of motive, it was challenging to figure out. There was no doubt that the murderer was willing to add Earl to his or her list of victims. The scenes in which he was attacked were well-written, conveying his fear and panic. However, the one involving Earl being chased by a vehicle was a little too over-the-top for my liking and didn't quite fit the killer's profile. He also got a lot of help from a bunch of characters later on but none of this was written convincingly.
Although Earl's colleagues were named and played their respective roles in the story, none of them had any personality or presence because the author didn't bother developing them. As a result, it was hard to care about any of them. The last quarter of the story in which Earl finally got face-to-face with the killer was interesting but it was drawn out with more descriptions of the location and temperature than Earl's thoughts and feelings. Something about the ending felt somewhat contrived but the twist was a welcome addition.
Overall, 'Lethal Practice' was a moderately fun, enjoyable medical mystery though it certainly would have benefited from thorough editing to eliminate its tiresome long-windedness. With tighter copy and fleshed out characters, this could have been a lot better.
March 9, 2009
LETHAL PRACTICE (Med. Mys-Earl Garnet-NY-Cont) - Okay
Clement, Peter - 1st in series
From Fantastic Fiction: St. Paul's Hospital. Buffalo, New York. Scandal rocks the medical community when someone murders the chief administrator, plunging a long thin cardiac needle into his heart with deadly precision.
I liked the main character but the rest seemed detatched. it was only okay.
Clement, Peter - 1st in series
From Fantastic Fiction: St. Paul's Hospital. Buffalo, New York. Scandal rocks the medical community when someone murders the chief administrator, plunging a long thin cardiac needle into his heart with deadly precision.
I liked the main character but the rest seemed detatched. it was only okay.
January 12, 2013
An exciting mystery. I loved the insight into medical practices and politics. I grew a little tired of Garnet's inner thoughts as he tried to figure out the mystery; it felt as if Clement was stalling to add pages to the book, rather than build up suspense. I liked Garnet's character, but his wife was too demanding. Overall, it was a fun read.
March 2, 2009
This was good. I liked not knowing who did it, but it had me going right along. I did not want to put the book down. Enjoyed trying to figure it out and how the doctor tried to catch the killer.
September 1, 2009
#1 in series -- ER Doc Earl Garnet
February 27, 2012
First one I read in series & loved it. I cannot wait to read the next one. Very real without talking in too much medical speak. Great start!
November 11, 2012
Clement's Earl Garnet series is good. I enjoyed the character.
July 25, 2016
Just wasn't that interesting. Seemed that all of these medical professionals were pretty much jerks.
July 4, 2012
An okay book
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews