The second semester of first-year veterinary school is beginning for Jack Doyle, Anna Heywood, Sam Stone, and the other members of the Death Row Crew. Just as they're starting to get used to an animal life, their fourth-year advisors, Trisha Maxwell and Mike London are just trying to make it out alive. Trisha's impending marriage to the vagabond cowboy Buck could be a massive hurdle for her shot at getting a job after school, and Mike is facing maybe the first crisis of his veterinary career when a careless mistake nearly ends the life of Petunia, Anna's service dog. As if the guilt from that alone weren't enough, a surgeon who calls himself Special K is making sure Mike's time under his wing is as hellish as possible. From the still green Death Row students to the shaken confidence of their advisors, nothing about having a routine means that life at vet school is any easier.

Like the first book in the series, this book is written to entertain and enthrall readers from cover to cover. At first, it's hard to imagine Mike London doing anything but coasting his way to the finish line, but with some skillful flashbacks and a nemesis whose antagonism rivals Mike's calm demeanor, London goes from being a Ferris Bueller-type who can do no wrong to a fragile, vulnerable human being. The story manages to balance the tone of the first book when dealing with the younger students, but it's the sections that focus on Mike that stand out. A coming-of-age movie ethos sticks with this book from beginning to end, from the snappy, hilarious dialogue to the soundtrack suggestions for each scene at the end of the book. Even the glossary of terms are entertaining to read. This is a book for anyone who loves a good story no matter how they prefer hearing it, from the page, the silver screen, or the oral history of a friend who's seen some strange things in their time.

RECOMMENDED by the US Review

Return to USR Home