Act of Negligence (A Doc Brady Mystery, #4)

by John Bishop

[annieb123]

Originally posted on my blog: Nonstop Reader.

Act of Negligence is the 4th Doc Brady medical mystery by Dr. John Bishop. Released 15th June 2021, it's 282 pages and is available in paperback and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately. For Kindle Unlimited subscribers, this book is currently included in the KU subscription library to borrow and read for free.

This book and this series are entertaining and well written with cleverly crafted medical procedural mysteries starring a good-guy orthopedic surgeon and his colleagues, family, and friends in the highest echelons of Houston society. Dr. Brady is a bit of a southern conundrum, well educated and urbane (and he really loves his wife), but who's also a Silverado driving, smoking, drinking, cowboy-boots-wearing patriarchal white-guy who has never once questioned the order of the universe or his place in it. All that being said, he is appealingly written, competent, and has a strong desire to see justice done.

The author doesn't shy away from using correct medical and procedural terminology, and it gives the book verisimilitude. Medical terms are used in context and will (mostly) be easily understood by the majority of readers without any problem.

This is a series which has achieved a degree of success despite being independently published, and, in my opinion, deserves a much wider exposure and following. Although this is the fourth book in the series, it works fine as a standalone. There are some minor references throughout this installment which hearken back to things in the earlier books, but no major spoilers, and they can be read in any order.

The language is PG/R rated with some realistically raw cursing. There is also some strongly implied consensual sexual content. Main character Jim Bob likes his wife a lot and the feeling is emphatically mutual. It's nice to see a middle aged married couple who still love one another. They even have a good relationship with their adult son. It's wholesome and I really like that aspect of these books.

Four stars. I am looking forward to reading more.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.