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The Second Opinion: A Novel Paperback – December 29, 2009

by Michael Palmer (Author)
4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 466 ratings
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Struck down by a hit-and-run driver, one of the world's most respected doctors lies comatose in the ICU unit of Boston's Beaumont Clinic. No one thinks he will survive. Two of his children believe treatment should be stopped. But his daughter Thea refuses to give up hope―and begins to suspect a cover-up. As a brilliant physician who left the hospital to work with the poor, Thea knows all too well the hidden agendas and personal conflicts that lurk beneath the surface of an elite medical center. When a late-night hospital intruder is identified as a professional killer, Thea is convinced her father's accident was no accident―and someone plans to finish the job…

Who would want to kill a man who saves lives―and why? The answers, Thea fears, are locked deep inside the mind of the only living witness―her father―a man who cannot move or speak. Until the flutter of a single eyelid provides him the means to communicate…and offers Thea a terrifying glimpse into an unfathomable conspiracy.

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  1. Print length
    432 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    St. Martin's Paperbacks
  4. Publication date
    December 29, 2009
  5. Dimensions
    4.25 x 1.25 x 8 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    0312937768
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0312937768
  8. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

“A heart-pounding medical thriller…satisfying, expertly paced [with] enough suspense to keep readers happily turning the pages.” ―Boston Globe

“The novel is not merely a thriller but also an exploration of its central character's unique gifts and her determination to communicate with her comatose father despite overwhelming odds. Another winner from a consistently fine writer.” ―Booklist

“A splendid novel.” ―Globe and Mail (Canada)

From the Back Cover

From the New York Times bestselling author Michael Palmer comes a high-powered thriller that changes the rules of life and death, money and murder―all in the blink of an eye…

Struck down by a hit-and-run driver, one of the world's most respected doctors lies comatose in the ICU unit of Boston's Beaumont Clinic. No one thinks he will survive. Two of his children believe treatment should be stopped. But his daughter Thea refuses to give up hope―and begins to suspect a cover-up. As a brilliant physician who left the hospital to work with the poor, Thea knows all too well the hidden agendas and personal conflicts that lurk beneath the surface of an elite medical center. When a late-night hospital intruder is identified as a professional killer, Thea is convinced her father's accident was no accident―and someone plans to finish the job…

"Suspenseful…intriguing…The Second Opinion is another winner from a consistently fine writer."―Booklist

Who would want to kill a man who saves lives―and why? The answers, Thea fears, are locked deep inside the mind of the only living witness―her father―a man who cannot move or speak. Until the flutter of a single eyelid provides him the means to communicate…and offers Thea a terrifying glimpse into an unfathomable conspiracy.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ St. Martin's Paperbacks; First Edition (December 29, 2009)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 432 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0312937768
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0312937768
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 9.6 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 4.25 x 1.25 x 8 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 466 ratings

About the author

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Michael Palmer

Michael Palmer

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Michael Palmer, medical thriller author and physician, died unexpectedly on October 30, 2013. Michael wrote 18 novels of medical and political suspense, all international bestsellers. In addition to writing, Palmer served as 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. His 19th novel RESISTANT will be released on May 20, 2014.

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
4.4 out of 5
466 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Ross Durham
5.0 out of 5 stars Legions on the British and German Frontiers of Rome
Reviewed in the United States on April 19, 2014
Verified Purchase
All of Rich's books have been good -- and if not historically precise, he lets the reader know where and in what way they are not. That's handy indeed and educational, especially for those of us interested in Ancient History but whose attraction is primarily avocational.

The stories are fascinating and descriptions of the kind of war that was fought in those days can be startling. We of today seem to feel that hand-to-hand combat is the kind of fighting - even in war - to be avoided at all costs is locked in the barbaric past and better left there. We forget that for centuries leading up to the invention of gunpowder, that was the only method of fighting available to soldiers or anyone else who was not a skilled archer. These books certainly represent that aspect of war in gory and sometimes vicious detail. It was the way of life for the soldiers of Rome and these books feature it on a more or less constant basis. That, indeed, is my chief - if mild - complaint. It seems that the cohorts featured are never allowed to settle down and have a few weeks of peace and relative calm. Admittedly the German and British frontiers were never very calm, but surely the legions and auxiliaries fighting in those fronts were relieved periodically and sent to rest camps for a little R & R.
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Tessarat
4.0 out of 5 stars Great twist at the end - didn't see it coming
Reviewed in the United States on December 22, 2020
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I thought the plot was interesting and topical. The characters were mostly true to type. I say mostly because the main character - a physician with Asperger's syndrome - was super smart, but in a few places in the plot she acted on some quite unintelligent decisions. It seemed a little like a horror movie where a woman wakes up to a strange sound in the middle of the night and goes into the basement in her nightgown to investigate - you want to scream, "Don't do that!"

But overall I was fully engaged in the story. It had interesting twists and turns, and in the end I was blindsided by who the bad guy really was - didn't see it coming. I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in medical murder mysteries.
One person found this helpful
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Anne Phillips
5.0 out of 5 stars Good read
Reviewed in the United States on April 5, 2022
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A good read as always The usual great twists and turns I expect from Palmer and the late night because I must absolutely finish the novel to find out the conclusion Thanks for the lack of sleep!!!
One person found this helpful
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Angelica Alman
5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing book
Reviewed in the United States on June 13, 2018
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This is one of Michael Palmers' best books. Being a nurse, I understood many of the medical issues in the story. I found Thea to be a charming and delightful heroine. The story had many twists and turns and I was sorry that Dimitri had suffered so. I loved this book.
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Emily
3.0 out of 5 stars Good, Solid Mystery
Reviewed in the United States on December 31, 2013
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3.5/5 stars. This is the first mystery I’ve read by Michael Palmer, and I generally enjoyed it. This is the selection for my January 2014 mystery book club meeting, so I’m already ahead of the game (no more procrastinating on book club reads this year!)

Things I liked: I was most engaged by the medical details woven throughout the narrative. Several times throughout the book, the memoir, “The Diving Bell and the Butterfly” was referred to. Having read it several years ago, it was interesting seeing how Palmer tied it into the story. I’m guessing he was inspired by it, and perhaps it played a part in his original thinking about this plot. I’m glad I was able to learn more about “locked-in syndrome”.

I also enjoyed Thea as a narrator. It took me a few chapters to get used to her voice (as someone with Asperger’s), but it was unique and lent a different tone to the story – one not typical of most mysteries I read. Sometimes I felt annoyed with her and had trouble relating to her as the main character, but I suppose that’s likely because I don’t have Asperger’s! Again, though, it was interesting having an insight into what some of those struggles might be like – how difficult it can be managing social interactions with “neurotypicals” like me :) It gave me a new perspective on Asperger’s, and I appreciated the Author’s Note (Q&A) about Asperger’s included at the end of the book.

This final point may seem strange, but I was amused by the tie-in to development and fundraising. As a side note, my day job is in development for a major research university that includes a hospital, so I had some insight into the drive, desire, and need for funds to support general operating and research work. Of course, I can’t imagine someone doing the terrible things that the chief Development Director at Beaumont did, but it was fun for me to see my seemingly ho-hum industry dramatized :)

Things that bothered me about this book: The romance between Thea and Dan felt a little forced. I think I would have enjoyed the book just much (if not more?) if it hadn’t been included at all. Or, it might have been more believable if Dan had become a close friend or confidant. I just had trouble buying-into the immediate romance/love affair – especially given Thea’s struggles with complex social interactions. Dan was also not as well developed as I would have liked. We learned his back story, and Thea seemed to enjoy thinking about his physical attributes and his kindness and sensitivity… but I still felt like he was flat. If he’s going to be in the story, it would have been nice to have him be more consistently included in the plot. It felt like he was coming and going – important, yet not. Also, Thea’s fantasies about Dan seemed contrived – they didn’t really seem like fantasies a woman would have. They seemed a little flat and cliched. I don’t know… those sections seemed like descriptions of fantasies that men think that woman have (which would make sense, since our author is male).

The pace of the plotting was a little uneven. It seems like we spent a lot of time in the hospital with Thea trying to piece things together. As soon as she starting putting the pieces together – particularly during the office break-in, the motive and tie-in to development/fundraising seemed clear and obvious. The rest of the book was really just showing the reader how Thea resolved the situation. And then, all the tension happened right at the very end of the book- during the last 50 pages of the book (of a 400 page book). Much of the rest of the book was set-up and build-up for the end, so be prepared for that (outside of just a couple of other scenes – mainly the break-in and the sinking car). There’s a lot of thinking, pondering, analyzing facts, etc…

Overall, this was a good, solid mystery. Would I recommend it to a friend? Maybe – it would depend on the circumstances and what kind of book said friend was looking for. I categorize this as a good airport/travel reading. It’s solid, but not blow-your mind phenomenal.
3 people found this helpful
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Bobs
4.0 out of 5 stars Interesting, easy read
Reviewed in the United States on June 21, 2014
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I would recommend this book to anyone who wants an easy "beach" or vacation read. The plot is interesting, the medical jargon makes sense and the characters are unusual. Thea, the leading lady has Asperger's Syndrome but she also has almost total recall so her train of thought is intriguing to follow. The story also leaves some questions unanswered but since I was reading it for a book club and we were having a discussion on it - those things made for interesting speculation. If you are a fan of Robin Cook's you will enjoy this one.
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Teresa Burrell
5.0 out of 5 stars The Second Opinion
Reviewed in the United States on July 9, 2009
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Michael Palmer has done it again with another exciting medical suspense thriller. Much of what is so enthralling about his books is the frightening possibilities he presents and the way he authenticates every issue making you believe it could happen to you. His characters were varied and interesting with real medical problems of their own. He provides us with a good understanding of Asberger's syndrome while he weaves us through a plot that keeps us in total suspense.
3 people found this helpful
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Hilda V. Carpenter
5.0 out of 5 stars fascinating medical thriller that introduces a lay concept of Asberger's syndrome
Reviewed in the United States on November 23, 2013
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Michael Palmer's book Second Opinion has excellent character development, for exMple, one of the main characters is supposedly in a coma, but actually has locked-in, meaning the patient is conscious, but unable to communicate. The eloquence in which Palmer handles this main character through interactis with ha Asberger daughter is brilliant. At the end of the book, Palmer Answers questions about these special people who have AS
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Top reviews from other countries

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Lynn Lea
5.0 out of 5 stars Medical novel, informative, mixed with a little romance and an engrossing plot.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 1, 2015
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I am presently reading this book. Have something to look forward to at the end of the day when I retire to bed - can't wait for the next couple of chapters. Don't like to read a book all in one go - rather savour it! Not only is the plot suspenseful but one also learns much about Asperger's syndrome as well as locked-in syndrome which makes reading more interesting - that's what makes a bestselling author.
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タズオ
5.0 out of 5 stars アスペルガー症候群、医学スリラー
Reviewed in Japan on May 24, 2011
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ギリシャからの移民でアメリカで名声を得ることができた医者が交通事故に見せかけて殺されかけ、瞼だけを動かすことができる閉じ込め症候群になってしまう。その医者にはアスペルガー症候群と考えられるコンピューター天才の長男、医者になった双子の兄妹、アスペルガー症候群の末娘がおり、医者の末娘が父親との意思疎通ができることに気付き、殺人を企てた犯人を突き止めようとする。
父親が一人で気付きあげた医療センターは、世界的に有名ですい臓がんに特異的な治療を開発中であり、そのセンターで治療を受け、奇跡的にすい臓がんが治った人もいた。
現在ではすい臓がんと診断され長期生存することは極めてまれであり、すい臓がんが治ったことに医者のコンピュータ天才の長男は、医者の末娘に、父親の事故は事故に見せかけた殺人であると、コンピュータで説明するが、長男の説明に理解を示したものは、末娘だけであった。
父親が気付きあげた財産の相続、父親からの愛情、医療センターで働く人の葛藤、そして末娘が犯人を突き止めていく。
最後はどんでん返しの犯人であるが、マイケルパーマーの医学小説につき物の、夜中に読むと眠られなくなり、睡眠不足になると思います。
今日から安心して、眠られます。
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