Diamonds of Death - Softcover

Luck, John

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1589851005 ISBN 13: 9781589851009

Publisher: Five Star Pubns, 2008

Synopsis

WHAT IS THIS BOOK ABOUT? From the hand of skilled surgeon Dr. John Raffensperger, writing as John Luck M.D., comes a penetrating medical thriller that lays the essence of corrupt 1950s Chicago open to the bone, deftly weaving a story that is equal parts mob, murder and medicine. When a local gangster loses the priceless diamonds he planned to steal from his mob boss, a doctor is suspected of recovering the loot from a wounded bagman hurt during the melee. For Cook County Hospital's Dr. Tom Slocum, a returning Korean war veteran in doubt of his ability as a doctor after losing a buddy during a battlefield surgery, the last thing he needs is another war-this time with the Chicago mafia, corrupt city workers and cops on the take. Will Dr. Slocum's scalpel save his own life as he tries to choose whom to trust? Will diamonds be the death of him? WHAT MAKES THIS BOOK UNIQUE? The author is a renowned surgeon. A 1953 graduate of the University of Illinois Medical School, Dr. Raffensperger interned at Chicago's Cook County Hospital and was a Medical Officer in the U.S. Navy. He went on to become the Chief of Pediatric Surgery and Surgeon in Chief at Children's Memorial Hospital, and is still a Professor of Surgery (emeritus) at Northwestern University. Diamonds of Death brings detail of medical and forensic procedures few could match. His in-depth knowledge and vivid descriptions of Cook County Hospital and Chicago bring the city to life, conjuring images of mafia-laden lairs, antiseptic smells and sounds of swishing surgical scrubs of fast-moving interns in a busy hospital ward. The medical and forensic aspect of the book will appeal to fans of authors such as Robin Cook and to fans of TV shows such as Grey's Anatomy and C.S.I.

About this title

About the Author

Like many physician-authors, John Raffensperger M.D. was torn between medicine and literature. While pediatric surgery became his vocation, he's equally passionate about writing. "It's as difficult and important to turn thoughts into words as it is to perform a good surgical operation," he says, "and I've made every effort to create readable, interesting literature using my experiences as a surgeon and a sailor as a backdrop." A 1953 graduate of the University of Illinois Medical School, Dr. Raffensperger interned at Chicago's Cook County Hospital and was a Medical Officer in the U.S. Navy. He went on to become the Chief of Pediatric Surgery and Surgeon in Chief at Children's Memorial Hospital, and is still a Professor of Surgery (emeritus) at Northwestern University. Having published more than 250 articles, book reviews, textbooks, histories, and ethical essays in the medical/surgical literature, Dr. Raffensperger sharpened his writing skills with courses at the Journal of the American Medical Association, the University of Chicago, and the Writers Loft. He's currently a member of the Chicago Literary Club, the Midwest Authors Society, and the Sanibel, Florida Writers Group. An avid sailor, (who for seven straight years beginning in 1998 crossed the Atlantic and back), Dr. Raffensperger has also written short pieces for Ocean Navigator, Grey's Sporting Journal, and the Easter Island Journal. Prior to writing Diamonds of Death, Dr. Raffensperger published The Old Lady on Harrison Street: The History of the Cook County Hospital (Peter Lange, 1997) and Ward 41, Tales of a County Intern (Discovery Association Press, 2004). Diamonds of Death is Dr. Raffensperger's first work of fiction. A stickler for historical accuracy, he claims that "the morgue is depicted exactly as it was during the 1950s and 1960s, right down to the smell, dirt, and cigar smoke."

From the Inside Flap

Since returning to Chicago from the Korean War, Dr. Tom Slocum thinks his biggest problem will be getting back the nerve for surgery and escaping the flashbacks of his fellow soldier and close friend dying on his battlefield operating table. But, one of his first surgeries back on duty at Cook County Hospital drags him into a mafia war over a cache of priceless diamonds. Joined by ambitious reporter Lauren Nordstrom who seems more focused on the stones than the story, Tom must stay one step ahead of the mob, corrupt city officials and dirty cops who want him dead and the diamonds all for themselves. Tom s last hope is his boss, Chief Mayerling, who steers an unwitting Tom into using his scalpel as his best and only defense.

Edition details

• Publisher: Five Star Pubns
• Publication date: 2008
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1589851005
• ISBN 13: 9781589851009
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 318