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Murder, hospital corruption, and more money than one person can handle are combined in this mystery novel. A man is found stark naked and murdered with a pencil jabbed through his ear at Cincinnati’s New City Hospital, and it’s up to Ron Looney and his partner Gene Novalchek to figure out what happened. What they unravel leads them down a path of scandal and corruption like they haven’t seen before.
Barbour’s book is a vastly exciting and complex mystery. It weaves the puzzle of the murder itself into getting to the bottom of the corruption seeping through the hospital walls. Literally no stone is left unturned. While other writers in the genre sometimes rely more heavily upon suspension of disbelief to make their plot work, every detail in this story seems to have been carefully curated to ensure everything lines up perfectly. This is done in a way that still leaves room for surprises and twists but without hindering one’s complete immersion into the developing situation.
The plot leaves readers on the edge of their seats, waiting to turn the page to find out what happens next and learn who is responsible. Additionally, one can tell how well the author knows the intricacies of hospital work because of how detailed everything is. Rather than distracting one’s attention from the storyline, the planting of these realistic and believable details plunges the reader deeper into the narrative. The partnership between Ron and Gene is also interesting, making for a great personal dynamic that is enjoyable to follow.