Heart Failure, romance medical thriller by Richard L. Mabry, MD

When her fiancé’s dangerous secrets turn her world upside-down, a beautiful doctor must choose between her own safety and the man she loves—and thought she knew.

Dr. Carrie Markham’s heart was broken by the death of her husband two years ago. Now, just as her medical practice is taking off, her fresh engagement to paralegal Adam Davidson seems almost too good to be true . . . until a drive-by shooting leaves Carrie on the floor of his car with glass falling around her.

When he confesses that Adam isn’t his real name and that he fled the witness protection program, Carrie is left with an impossible choice: should she abandon the fiancé she isn’t sure she really knows, or accept his claim of innocence and help him fight back against this faceless


EXCERPT FROM HEART FAILURE

…He reached across to hug her, and she turned to find shelter in his arms. They stayed that way for a long moment, and the trembling inside her slowly eased. “What…what was that about?

“Nothing for you to worry about.”  Adam’s voice and manner were calm, and Carrie felt comforted by his very presence. Then, as suddenly as the turn of a page, he released her and swung around to face forward in the driver’s seat. His next words were terse, clipped.  “We have to get out of here.” He reached for the ignition, key in hand.

“Wait a minute!” Carrie pulled her cell phone from her purse and held it out to him. “We can’t leave. We need to call 911.”

Adam took her arm, a bit more firmly than necessary, and pushed the phone away. He shook his head. “No!”

 She flinched at his response, at the tone as much as the rebuke. “Why? Someone shot at us. We should call the police.”

“Look, I don’t have time to explain. Let’s go.” Adam’s voice was low.

What’s the matter with him? She took a deep breath, and let it out slowly. Twice she started to speak. Twice she stopped.

Adam turned the key and reached for the gearshift lever.

Carrie saw his jaw clench. She was terrified, but Adam wasn’t so much scared as —she searched for the right word—he was cold and determined. The sudden change frightened her. “If this was a drive-by, we need to report it. Maybe the police can catch them before they kill someone.”

“Just let me handle this,” Adam said. “Right now, let’s get you someplace safe.”

Although Adam’s voice was low, there was an intensity to his words that Carrie had never heard before. “You have to trust me. There are things you don’t know, things that make it dangerous for me to deal with the police right now.” He pointed to her seat belt. “Buckle up and let’s leave. I’ll explain soon.”

Carrie wanted to argue, but she could see it was no use. She put away her phone and fastened her seat belt.

The lights on the theatre marquee went out. In the distance, a siren sounded, faint at first but growing louder. “We’re out of here,” Adam said. He put the car in gear and eased out of the parking lot, peering through the starred windshield to navigate the dark streets.

Carrie studied Adam as he drove. Most men would be shaking after such a close encounter with death. But he wasn’t. Why would that be? Was he used to being shot at? She shook her head. That was plain silly. But how well did she really know him? They’d only been dating a few short months. She glanced at him again. Maybe she didn’t know him as well as she’d thought. That scared her even more than being shot at.

They rode in silence for a few moments, and during that time, Carrie recreated the shooting in her mind. Her talking about ice cream. The look in Adam’s eyes, as he stared past her. Then something clicked—something she hadn’t realized before. She turned to Adam. “You pushed me down before the shots were fired. You didn’t react to the shots. You knew they were coming.”

Adam glanced at her but he didn’t respond.

Carrie thought about it once more. “I’m sure of it. You shoved me below the dashboard before I heard three shots. How did you know what was about to happen?”

He continued to peer into the night. “I was backed into the parking space, so I had a good view of the cars moving down the aisle in front of us. A black SUV pulled even with us, and the barrel of a pistol came out the driver’s side window. That was when I pushed you down.”

“Lucky you saw it.”

 Adam shook his head. “Luck had nothing to do with it. I’m always watching.”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Dr. Richard Mabry is a retired physician, past Vice-President of the American Christian Fiction Writers, and the author of six published novels of medical suspense. His books have been finalists in competitions including ACFW’s Carol Award and Romantic Times’ Inspirational Book of the Year. His novel, Lethal Remedy, won a 2012 Selah Award from the Blue Ridge Mountain Christian Writers Conference. His medical thriller, Stress Test (Thomas Nelson), garnered rave reviews from Library Journal and Publisher’s Weekly. Richard’s latest novel, Heart Failure, releases on October 15.
You can learn more about Richard at his website: rmabry.com. He can be found on GoodReads, Twitter, and his Facebook fan page is “rmabrybooks.”


WHERE TO BUY HEART FAILURE

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Poison: A Novel (Bloodline Trilogy)

Poison synopsis: Five years ago, Keelyn Blake's armed, mentally ill stepfather took her family hostage in their house in rural Colorado. She and her half-sister Raven made it out alive, but others did not. Authorities blamed the father's frequent hallucinations about a being named Lucent, but in the end, even the best of the FBI's hostage negotiators failed to overcome the man's delusions and end the standoff peacefully.

Now, Lucent is back, and he's no hallucination. In fact, he is a very real person with dangerous motives. He has kidnapped Raven's daughter, and--Keelyn worries--maybe has hurt Raven as well. Though she is estranged from her sister, Keelyn feels the immediate need to find Raven and save what family she has left. But when others who were involved in that fateful day start dying, some by mysterious circumstances, Keelyn wonders if she can emerge unscathed a second time.


Free Chapters 1-5:  Go to this link to get the first five chapters for free: http://www.jordynredwood.net/resources/

Where to buy this book:    Amazon

Short bio: Jordyn Redwood is a pediatric ER nurse by day, suspense novelist by

Jordyn Redwood

night. She hosts Redwood’s Medical Edge, a blog devoted to helping contemporary and historical authors write medically accurate fiction. Her first two novels, Proof and Poison, garnered starred reviews from Library Journal and have been endorsed by the likes of Dr. Richard Mabry, Lynette Eason, and Mike Dellosso to name a few. You can connect with Jordyn via her website at www.jordynredwood.net.

STRESS TEST: A Medical Thriller

Richard L Mabry, M.D.

They may not have enough evidence to convict him, but they have enough to ruin his life.

Dr. Matt Newman thought he was leaving his life as a surgeon in private practice for a better one in academic medicine. But the kidnappers who attack him as he leaves the hospital at two AM have no such plans—they just want him dead. Bound and in the trunk of his car, Matt's only thought is fleeing with his life. He does escape, but at a price: a head injury that lands him in the ICU . . . where he awakens to discover he's being charged with murder.

Sandra Murray is a fiery, redheaded lawyer who swore she was done with doctors after her last relationship. But when Matt calls, she knows she can't walk away from defending someone who is truly innocent.

Matt's career is going down the drain. His freedom and perhaps his life may be next. But with the police convinced he's a killer and the kidnappers still trying to finish what they started, finding the truth—and the faith to keep going—will be the toughest stress test Matt has ever endured.

Excerpt From Chapter 1 of Stress Test:

It wasn’t hard for Dr. Matt Newman to spot his silver Chevy Impala in the darkest

corner of the deserted garage. There weren’t many cars still there at two a.m., and soon there would be one fewer. He fished his keys from the pocket of his white lab coat and thumbed the unlock button on his remote. His hand was on the door handle when something yanked him backward and cut off his air in mid-breath. Matt dropped the keys and reached up with both hands to pry at the arm that encircled his neck.

In an instant Matt was slammed facedown to the cement floor. He heard a crack and felt the knife-like agony of breaking ribs. The searing pain in his chest made each labored breath more difficult. A weight pinned him to the ground like a butterfly on a specimen board.

Matt struggled, but his assailant held him fast. Fire shot through his shoulders as his arms were yanked together. There was a quick rip of tape and in seconds, his wrists were bound tightly behind him. Rough hands encircled his ankles with more tape, leaving him helpless and immobile. At the same time, someone else grabbed his hair and lifted his head. Matt gave a shrill cry before three quick turns of tape muffled his voice and turned the world black.

He tried to lift his head, but stopped abruptly when something hard and cold pressed against the back of his neck. Matt lowered his face onto the garage floor and went limp. He felt hope escape like air from a punctured tire.

There were murmurs above him, questions in a high-pitched singsong, answers from a harsh rasp like grinding gears. At first the words were indistinguishable. Then they became louder as the exchange heated.

“Why not here?” Was there a faint Hispanic accent to the whining tenor?

“The boss said not at the hospital.” The growling bass flung out the words, and spittle dotted the back of Matt’s neck. “I know just the place to get rid of him. Let’s get him into the trunk of his car.”

In the darkness that now enveloped him, Matt struggled in vain to move, to speak. He strained to hear what was said. He could only make out a few words, but they were enough to drive his heart into his shoes. “Get rid of him.”

He angled his head to catch the sounds around him: a jingle of keys, the sharp click of the trunk lock. Hinges squeaked. Matt had a momentary sensation of floating as he was lifted, carried, dropped. His head struck something hard. Splashes of red flashed behind his closed eyelids, then vanished into nothingness.

Matt floated back to consciousness like a swimmer emerging from the depths. How long had he been out? Hours? Minutes? A few seconds? At first he had no idea where he was or what was happening. Little by little, his senses cleared. He tried to open his eyes but there was no light. He tried to speak, but his lips were sealed. He cried out, but the result was only a strained grunt. Finally, he heard the faint sound of voices from inside the car, a menacing rumble and a high-pitched whine. The voices brought it all back to him.

He was on the way to his death. And the trunk of his car would be his coffin.

BIO: Richard L. Mabry, MD

A retired physician, Dr. Richard Mabry’s four previous novels have won critical acclaim. Honors include inclusion as finalists for the Carol Award and Romantic Times Reader’s Choice Award, and winner of the Selah Award. In addition, they have garnered the coveted 4 ½ star rating from Romantic Times Book Reviews. He is past Vice-President of American Christian Fiction Writers and a member of the International Thriller Writers. He and his wife live in North Texas.

Where to buy STESS TEST:

Amazon: http://tinyurl.com/stresstestamazon
Barnes & Noble: http://tinyurl.com/stresstestb-n
Christian Books: http://tinyurl.com/stresstestcbe
Thomas Nelson: http://tinyurl.com/stresstesttn
Independent Bookseller:   http://www.indiebound.org/indie-store-finder

Citizen's Police Academy

A Nurse Goes To Police Academy

By Jordyn Redwood

(Editor's Note: Hey, novelists, want to write about crime scenes and police work with authenticity? Today’s guest–registered nurse and suspense novelist Jordyn Redwood—did just that. She ventured out and joined other brave citizens to learn first-hand about police work. Welcome Jordyn to Hook’em and Book’em  as she tells us about her experiences.)

I’m a nurse and self proclaimed medical nerd. After all, I do read medical textbooks for fun. That’s why medical inaccuracies in novels irritate me as much as someone dragging their nails down a chalkboard. Writing a medical scene is more than just being able to describe how to do a particular medical procedure. It’s about capturing the culture of how medical professionals interact with each other.

I face this problem when I write a scene that deals with law enforcement. I can do hours of research at Google University but still miss the nuances, those little details, that would enrich the scene because I’m not involved in the culture of a law enforcement agency. How can a writer learn about these subtleties from a book? Really, you can’t. What the next best thing?

Check out your local police department and see if they offer a Citizen’s Police Academy (CPA). If there isn’t one locally, look to the next largest city.

The CPA I’m taking meets weekly for three hours for fourteen weeks. As part of the class, I’ve been able to ride-a-long with a patrol officer twice, seen the K-9 unit in action, and will be able to fire a weapon with the SWAT team. Some CPA’s may not have the same time commitment, so don’t let that dissuade you.

What are some of the finer details I’ve picked up? One interesting thing I never considered is where would a K-9 officer keep the dog’s leash when the dog is set free to search for or chase a suspect? It’s better if both of the officer’s hands are free versus having one holding the lead. They clip it around their waist. Now, both hands are free for work. I’m not sure that’s listed in many books that write about K-9 units. The dogs are working animals. They’re not allowed to cozy up with “dad”, as one K-9 officer referred to himself, at home in bed on a cold winter’s night. The dogs train on their key scents at least weekly. They also bite “the easiest available area."

Reason?

Evidently in one K-9 unit, the dogs were trained to only bite someone’s arm. Criminals caught on to this method and when they were being pursued by the dog, they would run with their arms up in the air. The dogs wouldn’t bite. Training changed.

Writing is always more than translating a particular protocol onto the page. It’s about capturing the spirit, dedication, and culture of the professionals you’re fictionalizing. A CPA is one way to deepen your ability to write about law enforcement.

By the way, the CPA I was involved with did a background check. I wonder if they’ve ever arrested anyone who’s applied? 

*******

Jordyn’s blog offers new readers a chance to win money by just signing up by October 30, 2010. Here is the link if you’d like to find more about her blog and this great opportunity. It is also a great site for those writers wanting to make their scenes medically believable.

Jordyn Redwood is a pediatric emergency nurse by day and suspense novelist by night. Redwood’s Medical Edge is her blog that deals with how to write medically accurate fiction for both historical and contemporary writers. Check it out at www.jordynredwood.com.        

Richard L. Mabry, M.D.

Author Interview: Richard L. Mabry

Writer Richard L. Mabry’s debut novel, Code Blue, opens with an accident. His main character

—

Dr. Cathy Sewell—swerves to avoid an oncoming car and finds her world turned upside down. This accident is followed by other accidents as life batters Cathy until the last pages of this well-written novel It is a story of a woman struggling with the past while trying to find her place in a small rural town in Texas. It is a story of survival.

Richard Mabry, M.D., has taken a lifetime of experiences in the medical field—physician and medical school professor—to create this medical thriller that seems timely given our nation’s current battle over health care. Code Blue is just what the doctor ordered. Readers can learn more about Richard from his web site and his blog, Random Jottings.

Aspiring authors might want to pay heed to Richard as he shares with us his experiences and journey to be published in this article.

MARK: Thanks for joining us today, Richard. Tell us what kind of story readers will encounter when they pick up a copy of Code Blue?

RICHARD: My tagline is “medical suspense with heart,” and Code Blue hews to that line. There’s a medical setting, because that’s my background. There’s suspense, but not the kind that makes you sleep with the light on. And, just as in much of life, there’s a bit of romance.

MARK: In Code Blue, your main character, Dr. Cathy Sewell, returns to her hometown after a stint in the big city. What is Sewell’s motivation and what kind of obstacles does she face in this small town?

RICHARD: Cathy is devastated when her fiancé breaks their engagement. This isn’t the first relationship that’s gone wrong for her. She can’t face the memories associated with the city where she trained and fell in love, so she flees. Cathy hopes to start over, establishing her practice in her hometown, where her late father was a respected surgeon. However, she soon finds that not everyone in town is on her side. As a matter of fact, it appears that someone doesn’t just want her gone, they want her dead. To further complicate matters, although her heart is still broken from her experiences, two men compete for her affection.

MARK: Where is this novel located? Can you tell us a little about the town and people?

RICHARD:  Dainger, Texas, is a purely fictional composite of several cities in North Texas with which I’m familiar. It has the characteristics of a small town, yet is large enough to have a modern medical community. The doctors in town have all the virtues and failings of any group of physicians, and the people in Dainger display a full spectrum of emotions and character traits, good and bad, just as in any town or city in the country.

MARK: Your story is ripe with opportunities for accidents in the practice of medicine. In this novel, there are several ‘mistakes’ in the prescription and handling of medicine. You make it very believable. How prevalent are these kinds of incidents? How easy would it be for someone to tamper with medications?

RICHARD: Obviously, the incidents to which you refer are contrived, but in medicine—as in all walks of life—mistakes can happen. Because the consequences of such a mistake can be disastrous, the medical and ancillary professions have a number of fail-safe measures in place, many of which the public doesn’t realize. Again, because Dainger is my own creation, I could set up scenarios that one wouldn’t expect to encounter in real life.

MARK: As a nation, we’ve just endured intense debate over the cost of national health care. Without renewing those arguments, what kind of financial difficulties do doctors struggle over as they try to start up a new practice like Dr. Sewell in Code Blue?

RICHARD:  A physician’s income comes from services provided to patients. Cathy encounters a whispering campaign and opposition from a few local doctors, making it difficult for her to build a practice. No patients, no income. Big problem.

Then comes the difficulty of getting paid for services. Cathy’s constant struggle with third party payers—delays in payment, requirements for resubmission of claims, etc.—is a real one for physicians. As the solo practitioner vanishes from the scene, doctors are often unaware of this, because the billing operations manager of their group practice fights these battles, but they’re all too real.