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Learn moreMichael Palmer, the New York Times bestselling author of A Heartbeat Away and The Last Surgeon brings us a shocking new thriller at the crossroads of politics and medicine.
What if a well respected doctor inexplicably goes on a murderous rampage?
When Dr. John Meacham goes on a shooting spree the office, his business partner, staff, and two patients are killed in the bloodbath. Then Meacham turns the gun on himself.
The blame falls on Dr. Lou Welcome. Welcome worked with Meacham years before as a counselor after John's medical license had been revoked for drug addiction. Lou knew that John was an excellent doctor and deserved to be practicing medicine and fought hard for his license to be restored. After hearing the news of the violent outburst, Lou is in shock like everyone else, but mostly he's incredulous. And when he begins to look into it further, the terrifying evidence he finds takes him down a path to an unspeakable conspiracy that seems to lead directly to the White House and those in the highest positions of power.
Michael Palmer (1942-2013) wrote internationally bestselling novels of medical suspense, including The First Patient, The Second Opinion, The Last Surgeon, A Heartbeat Away, Oath of Office and Political Suicide. His book Extreme Measures was adapted into a movie starring Hugh Grant and Gene Hackman. His books have been translated into thirty-five languages.
Palmer earned his bachelor's degree at Wesleyan University, and he attended medical school at Case Western Reserve University. He trained in internal medicine at Boston City and Massachusetts General Hospitals. He spent twenty years as a full-time practitioner of internal and emergency medicine. In addition to his writing, Palmer was an associate director of the Massachusetts Medical Society Physician Health Services, devoted to helping physicians troubled by mental illness, physical illness, behavioral issues, and chemical dependency.
He lived in eastern Massachusetts.
Robert Petkoff has won multiple AudioFile Earphones awards for his acclaimed narrations. He was named Best Voice of Fiction & Classics for his reading of The Evolution of Bruno Littlemore by Benjamin Hale. His other narration credits include Oath of Office by Michael Palmer, Gangster Squad by Paul Lieberman, and books by David Foster Wallace.Petkoff has appeared on Broadway, Off-Broadway, and in theaters across America and Europe. He has worked in television and film. His theater credits include Lord Evelyn Oakleigh in the Broadway production of Anything Goes, Perchik as part of the Tony-nomianted cast of Fiddler on the Roof, and Hubert Humphrey in the Tony award-winning play All the Way. He has also had numerous roles in television on shows such as Law and Order and Married with Children.
Reviews
“Robert Petkoff's narration adds drama and tension to this chilling story based on ‘advances' in agricultural science…Listeners, especially those who enjoy conspiracy thrillers, will be thoroughly engaged.” —AudioFile Magazine
“Robert Petkoff delivers solid narration…Petkoff's pacing is spot on and his reading often chilling. He infuses his performance with just enough melodrama to maintain suspense while keeping the novel grounded in reality…The result is an enjoyable listen.” —Publishers Weekly
“A tense, driven story from the beginning to end, Oath of Office is an excellent choice for mystery lovers and is sure to be a popular pick in public library audiobook collections.” —The Midwest Book Review
“Robert Petkoff delivers a tense, exciting performance. He's especially proficient as the crafty female Speaker of the House. Petkoff's virtuosity makes this thriller intense and as close to reality as one dares to think about.” —Audiofile on A Heartbeat Away
“Robert Petkoff proves to be the perfect choice to narrate Palmer's latest medical thriller…Petkoff never misses a beat in his reading of this high-octane medical thriller, fully realizing each scene and character with ease. His energetic and skillful performance will keep listeners on the edge of their seats.” —Publisher's Weekly on A Heartbeat Away
“Actor Robert Petkoff does an exceptional job of narrating Palmer's follow-up to The Last Surgeon (2010), perfectly capturing each character's unique accent, quirks, and personality and rendering Griffin's best friend and colleague Melvin especially well. Sure to keep listeners on the edge of their seats; highly recommended for mystery/thriller fans.” —Library Journal on A Heartbeat Away
“The twists fly in A Heartbeat Away and the results create a terrifying scenario...Palmer has a mastery of the medical science involved in such an elaborate conspiracy, plus the intricacies of presidential succession.” —Associated Press on A Heartbeat Away
“When it comes to inventive plots for medical thrillers nobody does it better than Michael Palmer… This premise is explosive and compelling and grabs the readers from the very first page.” —The Huffington Post on A Heartbeat Away
“Fans of Michael Palmer will love the Boston-based doctor/crime writer's latest thriller...Prepare to burn some serious midnight oil.” —The Boston Herald on The Last Surgeon
“The novel is not merely a thriller but also an exploration of its central character's unique gifts and her determination to communicate with hercomatose father despite overwhelming odds. Another winner from a consistently fine writer.” —Booklist on The Second Opinion
“The First Patient is an exciting thriller that is full of surprises and captures the intense atmosphere of the White House, how the medical system works, and how the 25th Amendment could be brought into play. I thoroughly enjoyed it.” —Bill Clinton on The First Patient
“This latest should please Palmer's fans and all those who enjoy their suspense mixed with medical characters and settings.” —Library Journal on The Last Surgeon
“A heart-pounding medical thriller.” —The Boston Globe on The Second Opinion