Eitan Rose was given a suspension of his license that was rescinded after a medical tribunal heard his case. A consulting rheumatologist at one of London's National Health Service hospitals, Rose's bipolar syndrome kicked in when a patient of his died, even though he wasn't responsible for the death. In his manic states, Rosen would go off his meds and off the rails. His antics would notch up to eleven, much to the displeasure of Dr. Morgan, his medical director, who couldn't stand him (the feeling was mutual). After he returned from his enforced rest period, Rose went back to seeing patients, which he loved to do, but was shadowed by the medical director who made sure to continue to beat him down. After losing his live-in boyfriend, his spirits were raised when Cole, a hospital porter, put the make on him and encouraged some truly bad behavior after hours in the medical director's office Unfortunately the director returned and caught them at it, and he vowed to report Rose and end his career for good. After a sleepless night, he showed up at the hospital ready to be disgraced, but it wasn't to be. Amazingly, Dr. Morgan died of a massive heart attack that night, even though he had a normal EKG and stress test just the week before. Instead of wallowing in happiness and gratitude for his reprieve, Rose suspected something was not right and began his own investigation when no one would listen to his concerns.
With Rose as a wired Sherlock and Cole as his long suffering Watson, the pair delve into the many ways Morgan could be killed and the many suspects who wouldn't mind him dead. But as his manic behavior became more and more unhinged, the medical staff and police started believing that Morgan might have been murdered-and Rose was beginning to look more like the prime suspect. What is even worse, Morgan's replacement for medical director is next on the hit list and Rose still can't solve this particularly nasty case.
This is a book that does it all-it's hysterically laugh-out-loud funny while, at the same time very sad. Rose is a young doctor with multiple problems; beside his bipolar syndrome he is gay, his family can't accept it, and his beloved sister's death might have been partly his fault. His interactions with his best friends keep him anchored to a degree but he can't help making bad decisions and regretting them later. This is Adam Kay's debut mystery novel but he certainly knows his way around writing. When he was a doctor, he kept a secret diary of his trials as a young resident, which was published as This is Going to Hurt, and subsequently made into an award winning AMC TV series. Like Serge Storms in Tim Dorsey's Florida novels, Eitan Rose is a very flawed but darkly humorous character who makes a very interesting detective. Hope to read more of Kay's mysteries soon.
Reviewed by Donna Ballard
September 16, 2025
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