Most of what I read is material that I find useful for my life, from my work in ministry to fatherhood, and every topic in between. Every once in a while, though, I like to grab a good fiction novel and enjoy some lighter reading for a change.
Last week, I picked up a new novel by Richard Mabry, called Critical Condition. I managed to digest the entire book in just a couple of evenings, and enjoyed it.
I’ve read several other books by Mabry in the past, and thoroughly enjoyed each one of them. This one just didn’t seem to be as good as the rest that I’ve read.
The premise of the story is based around Dr. Shannon Frasier. During a dinner party, a man is shot in her front yard, and dies in her arms. Add to that Dr. Frasier’s younger sister moving in after a fight with her boyfriend, and with drug trouble a possibility, Dr. Frasier is suddenly overwhelmed.
That’s when the questions and threats start coming. And they are coming from both the police and a mysterious caller. Dr. Frasier’s life becomes a nightmare, and just staying alive seems an impossibility.
I found the story line to be a great idea. The details were well situated and the plot carried itself along very nicely. The biggest problem was in the character development. I had a hard time understanding several key aspects of each of the major characters. Several times, it felt like Mabry assumed that the reader knows something about one of the characters that hasn’t been revealed yet. Dialog was forced, and occasionally the story would jump to conclusions that didn’t fit.
I found that disappointing. I was expecting to enjoy this story like the others I’ve read. Sadly, that was not the case. Overall though, it wasn’t a terrible novel. It felt as if Mabry were rushing to get Critical Condition finished before a deadline. A bit more effort would have turned this into another spectacular story.
Question: Do you read medical suspense fiction? If so, who is your favorite author? You can leave a comment by clicking here.
I received this book free from Harper Collins Christian Publishing as part of their BookLook Bloggers review program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
Jeff, I’m glad you’ve enjoyed my novels in the past, but sorry you didn’t find this one quite as good as the others. As you know, whether it’s a sermon or a novel, it’s going to be impossible to hit a home run every time with everyone, but we keep trying. I hope you’ll keep an eye out for my next novel, Fatal Trauma, which comes out next spring. Meanwhile, thanks for your review.
Thanks for dropping by and leaving a comment. No need to apologize, I understand completely. And as I mentioned in the review, while this one didn’t sit with me as well, the others you’ve written have. I am looking forward to the next one, and a few from the past that I haven’t managed to get a hold of yet. Thanks for doing what you do!