Book Review: Dead Certain

Reviewed By: Harriet Klausner

Dead Certain     Amazon US PB Amazon Canada PB
Gini Hartzmark
Class/Genre:   Mystery   Legal Setting
Series: Kate Millholland # 6
Fawcett, Jan 2000, $6.50, 320 pp.

Kate Millholland is 100 percent pure blue blood, but shuns the society work of her aristocratic mother for the pleasure of toiling at a prestigious law firm. She shares an apartment with her best friend, Prescott Memorial trauma specialist Claudia Stein, in a middle class neighborhood in Hyde Park. Kate’s family founded Prescott and along with wealthy individuals provides endowments that allow the hospital to remain a great place for teaching and for coverage for people without insurance.

The Millholland role in the hospital will change now that Prescott’s Board of Directors accepted a deal to be bought out by Health Care Corporation, a company that prefers a large profit at the cost of medical care. Kate’s mother is irate and legally challenges the deal. At the same time, a series of mysterious patient deaths occurs. Kate begins to investigate, but even she does not yet know the level of ruthlessness several individuals will go to attain what they want.

Gini Hartzmark writes legal thrillers that are as good as any of the works found in bookstores today. Her latest tale, DEAD CERTAIN, rivals the best of Rosenberg and McGuire. The story line continually surprises the reader with twists that are unexpected but logically developed so the plot retains a sense of reality to it. The mystery is entertaining and after seven books, Kate Millholland is a friend, who the audience knows well. She still manages to remain fresh and keep us off balance and alert with her unusual approach to a problem. One thing is DEAD CERTAIN: this novel is a great way to open the new year.

Harriet Klausner

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