Fiona Blakemore Independently published, 2019, PB, 454pp, £8.99, 978-1697350999
Ruth Cooper is a young GP, recently returned from Australia and recovering from a personal trauma, and working under pressure in an urban practice. A couple of clinical errors lead to a formal complaints procedure, and at this vulnerable time she is introduced to Dominic Peters, not long widowed and caring for his 4-year-old daughter, Bella. Ruth is soon emotionally engaged with both of them, and finds herself drawn into a complex situation involving suspicions of fabricated illness and doubts about Dominic’s motives. The narrative races along, helped by the use of the present tense and the bite-sized chapters, and the tension ramps up steadily towards the satisfying denouement. It comes as no surprise to learn that Fiona Blakemore is the pseudonym of a practising doctor, and this is her first, self-published novel. As a medical psychological thriller it succeeds well enough, and may provide some welcome relief from reading about COVID-19.
Some recent Amazon reviews:
‘There’s quite a lot of medical stuff, as you would expect but this is an impressive debut.’
‘Very good character development and an interesting insight into the world of a GP. The plot developed well and the ending was very well crafted and kept me guessing until the last.’
‘Intertwined themes of Medicine, finance and controlling behaviour make for a real page-turner.’
- © British Journal of General Practice 2020
