Book Review: Lethal Dose

Reviewed By: Harriet Klausner

Lethal Dose     Amazon US PB Amazon Canada PB
Jeff Buick
Class/Genre:   Mystery   Thriller   Medical
Leisure, Sep 2005, $6.99

Near Canyon Creek, Montana, self made-millionaire Gordon Buchanan, his brother Billy and others struggle to contain a fire that threatens to destroy his brand new sawmill. When Billy accidentally slices his leg to the bone with a saw, first aid fails to stop the bleeding. Gordon is stunned to watch his sibling die in spite of doing everything right. Billy’s blood simply failed to coagulate like it should have.

Gordon cleans out Billy’s house only to find strange green pills Triaxcion prescribed by highly regarded Dr. Hastings of Butte. He learns from the doctor that the drug is making a fortune for its manufacturer Veritas Pharmaceutical of Richmond, Virginia; it used to prevent baldness. Gordon has a nagging feeling that the drug killed his sibling by preventing his blood from coagulating. The legal system offers no relief since the drug company is “protected” by the FDA. The company CEO Bruce Andrews refuses to listen to Gordon claiming he grieves by seeking culpability elsewhere. As Gordon continues to dig he gains an ally Jennifer Pearce of Veritas and begins to find evidence of deadly foul play.

LETHAL DOSE is a tense thriller that will shake up the audience with the recent withdrawals of drugs due to adverse deadly side effects. The story line is at its best when Gordon, who has more going for him than most people would believe, takes on the Fortune 500 giant. When the tale spins into a murder thriller, it remains an exciting action packed tale, but loses some of its condemnation steam of pointing fingers at the American pharmaceutical-government incest. Still Jeff Buick writes a thought provoking suspense filled novel.

Harriet Klausner

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Harriet Klausner