Dr. Will Grant is a surgeon associated with Frederickston Surgical associates. He treats his patients at Frederickston General Hospital, a full service trauma center located some thirty miles southwest of Boston. Will is a firm believer in the goals of the Hippocrates Society, attending their meetings faithfully and has lately been publicity chairman for a debate between a managed-care professional and a physician. When he learns that he will be the debater, his anxiety level is raised severely. He is to oppose Boyd Halliday, the CEO of Excelsius Health, a slick operator.

The debate promises to be well attended, because of Will’s publicity efforts, and because of the recent bizarre deaths of two prominent managed-care professionals. Remarkably, Will emerges as the winner, having read a first hand account of one man’s misfortune due to managed-care policies.

Will does not remain a winner for long. Soon, during a delicate operation, Will loses consciousness and is found to have ingested a large quantity of fentanyl, a powerful narcotic. Despite his insistence that he did not knowingly take the drug, his hospital privileges are suspended, and he has become a prime suspect for the murder of two managed-care professionals. In addition, he is receiving calls from someone who claims to have committed the murders and views Will as his ally.

Patty Moriarty, the original lead detective on the managed-care murders, is ambivalent about Will Grant. Her research into his background reveals a man with a violent temper who has had several run-ins with the law. Speaking to him she detects his compassion for humanity, as well as a personal physical attraction to the young doctor. When she is removed from the case by her chauvinistic male superiors, Patty commits to joining forces with Will as he seems her best hope of getting to the truth about the murders.

Michael Palmer, himself a physician, writes with authority in his latest medical thriller. Hospital scenes are described carefully with just enough detail to ensure authenticity, but devoid of the medical jargon which tends to confuse laymen. The theme of the battle between managed medical care and physician control over what he deems best for his patient is a real world scenario. Palmer presents a strong case for physicians through his fictionalized account.

The author shows as much care in character development and description as he does in detailing the problems of modern health care. His depiction of Wayne Brasco, Patty Moriarty’s self serving boss, conveys Brasco’s mind set as well as his physical description so vividly that most readers could recognize the man were they to meet him on the street. He succeeds in convincing his audience that Patty’s disgust and dislike for her boss are justified.

The pace of the book is rapid, befitting a thriller. The Society is a quick and compelling read. One could easily find oneself ignoring more important tasks to find out what happens to Will next. The fact that there is a message beyond mere entertainment allows the reader to rationalize his self-indulgence.

There are places in the story which while undoubtedly possible (Palmer is the physician, not I), are not very likely. Moriarty has been severely injured and in a coma, yet she manages some pretty strenuous activities which enable her and Will to escape their captors. In another scene, Augie Micelli, Will’s lawyer and a former physician, is a down and out drunk. He has been for years, following the death of his child for which he feels responsible. Suddenly, he is able to conquer his addiction to alcohol, and play a decisive role in Will’s defense. Tinkering with characters’ abilities allows the action to be much more exciting, but much less plausible. Despite these flaws which strain the reader’s credulity, The Society is a very worthwhile use of one’s time for an evening or two.

--Andy Plonka