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The Double Life
Diagnosis Murder #7

by Lee Goldberg



      Dr. Mark Sloan is hot on the heels of a killer when an attempt on his life lands him in Intensive Care. He wakes up in strange surroundings to find that much of his recent memory has been erased... or has it? His son, a local police detective, picks up on the investigation and learns that nearly a dozen murders are connected to a company that provides home nursing care. In each case, the causes of death had been listed as natural, but there are too many similarities to be coincidental and it appears that the company employs a duo of murdering health care providers who are playing a deadly game of "game over". Meanwhile, Dr. Sloan is haunted by strange dreams that may hold the key to solving the mystery. As the father and son duo get closer to the killers, the action heats up, concluding in the typical edge-of-the-seat manner that characterizes a good murder mystery.

While entertaining at times, I’m afraid this book lacked big-picture appeal. The main character is saddled with amnesia and nightmares, and the dream sequences interspersed throughout the book add a sense of confusion. This is likely the desired effect the author intended, but it could potentially frustrate the casual reader. The father and son competition gives the narrative some added personality, but the mystery itself is a little dry. Most hardcore mystery fans will enjoy this book despite the vanilla-like taste you get from the memory loss and multiple dream sequences, but anyone who doesn’t appreciate the genre would be better off staying away.

The Book

Signet
November 7, 2006
Paperback
0451219856
Mystery / Traditional
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Excerpt
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The Reviewer

John Washburn
Reviewed 2007
NOTE: Reviewer John Washburn is the author of When Evil Prospers.
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