Malicious Intent - Softcover

Fox, Kathryn

3.77

1,528 ratings by Goodreads

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1405035757 ISBN 13: 9781405035750

Publisher: Pan Macmillan, 2004

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Dr Anya Crichton, a pathologist and forensic physician, finds work is sparse for the only female freelancer in the field. Between paying child support, a mortgage and struggling to get her business off the ground, Anya can’t yet afford to fight her ex-husband for custody of their three-year-old son, Ben. While investigating the drug overdose of a young Lebanese girl, Anya notices startling coincidences in a number of unrelated suicides she’s been asked to examine by friend and colleague, Detective Sergeant Kate Farrer. All the victims disappeared for a period of time, before committing suicide in bizarre circumstances. As Anya delves deeper, the pathological findings point to the frightening possibility that the deaths are not only linked, but part of a sinister plot. One in which Anya is unwillingly immersed ...

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Review:

Kathryn Fox has created a forensic physician who readers of Patricia Cornwell will adore (James Patterson)

Much better than anything Cornwell has written lately, and much superior to anything Reichs has ever written . . . deeply satisfying. A new talent to watch (Australian Book Review)

Will keep you gripped from start to finish...break-neck plots...fascinating medical and police procedural details . . . What a compelling new talent! (Jeffery Deaver)

It's a wonderful moment when you track down something that's really worth reading... Gripping from its very first page, it carries you breathlessly through its deftly plotted twists and turns (Australian Vogue)

MALICIOUS INTENT is top-notch in its genre (Sunday Telegraph (Australia))

Fox is stomach-churningly good... (Mail on Sunday)

From the Author:

I’ve always had a passion for reading, writing and science. From high school, I had ideas for a novel, but lacked the confidence and time to write it. Although medicine took me away from writing, it gave me a wealth of exposure to stories that would have been unbelievable if I hadn’t been there, seen them or lived them. Medicine shows you the best and seediest sides of human nature, and vulnerability at its greatest.
It didn’t take long to discover that every victim sees a doctor at some stage. So does every criminal. Over time I saw both the short and long-term effects of criminal acts - not just on individuals, but on the whole community. That was how I became involved with the study of forensic medicine.
About the same time, I rekindled a love of writing and the ideas behind the plot and characters for MALICIOUS INTENT were born.
Not surprisingly, vulnerability is a theme I like to explore. Not just of the victims, but of the investigators as well.
When I read a novel, I like three dimensional characters and clever plots full of twists and turns. I also love to learn about forensic science and techniques. And that’s exactly how I wanted MALICIOUS INTENT to be.
Although the story is complete fiction, there is a reality to it, in the way crimes are investigated, victims are dealt with and especially in the forensic medicine. The lead character, Dr Anya Crichton, is a pathologist and forensic physician. She reviews post-mortem results but also is involved in the initial treatment of sexual assault victims. As a result, she is often caught between the needs of the victim, police and prosecuting lawyers and faces significant ethical and moral dilemmas in the process. Conflict is never far away, and that’s just when Anya deals with the good guys!
I sincerely hope that readers will enjoy MALICIOUS INTENT for its intricate plot, mix of varied characters and forensic detail. It also sets the scene for WITHOUT CONSENT, Anya’s second adventure.

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