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When FBI Agents Ragetti and Smitty land a high-profile case involving some of the town’s most prominent citizens, even they are shocked at the depth of greed involved. With the potential for the case to become a media sensation, they realize time is of the essence and recruit young, sharp, and computer-savvy Patty Jones to help with researching and tracing the large amount of money that has been accumulating in the accounts of doctors, nurses, and a medical examiner associated with St. Mary’s Hospital. As Patty begins to follow the steady flow of cash, it becomes apparent that it flows from one doctor—St. Mary’s colonoscopy specialist, Dr. Clint Gordon. After only a few interviews, it becomes obvious that Dr. Gordon is head of a fraud that exploits the government’s Medicare program and puts his patients at risk. After a meticulous investigation that uncovers the disheartening fact that Gordon’s fraud reaches even into the ranks of the FBI, Ragetti and Smitty head to court as witnesses.
DeLange’s crime novel, the first in a proposed series based around Ragetti and Smitty, deals with one of the most sacred of trusts: one’s trust of the medical profession. It is a chilling scenario when a surgeon tasked with cancer screening takes shortcuts in order to perform more surgeries to enrich himself. The fact that others, by necessity, must be involved further makes the novel truly disquieting. For those who enjoy reading stories about medicine and trials, this will be an enjoyable read. In addition, the juxtaposition of two very different agents, the bitterly divorced Ragetti and the happily married Smitty, makes for an interesting partnership. Though the plot is not filled with a lot of action, the characters are intriguing, leaving one hoping for more twists and turns in future books.