Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience.

This was an interesting and intriguing thriller that I couldn't wait to start, just sorry I didn't get around to it earlier! This was really written well, and I will read some more by this author again.

This was an interesting and intriguing thriller with a premise that I could not wait to dive into. The beginning was good, the end was good, but the middle was weirdly slow and a bit boring. I found the writing to be good most of the way through, but the middle just let it down, which is such a disappointment. I will read from this author again, but this book was just not for me.

Unfortunately, I have not been able to read and review this book.

After losing and replacing my broken Kindle and getting a new phone I was unable to download the title again for review as it was no longer available on Netgalley.

I’m really sorry about this and hope that it won’t affect you allowing me to read and review your titles in the future.

Thank you so much for giving me this opportunity.
Natalie.

I had been pushing this down my TBR pile due to a few negative Goodreads reviews but I absolutely loved it!

Dr Kash Devan is working under highly esteemed surgeon Michael Trenchard. He looks up to him as he's rather charming, confident and great at his job.

Everything changes when Trenchard is discovered unresponsive, the cause thought to be autoerotic asphyxiation. He is then left in what seems to be a persistent vegetative state. Kash is convinced that someone else played a part in this, he didn't do this to himself, and sets out to find the truth.

I love hospital dramas, like Grey's Anatomy, and this reads exactly like one. You could definitely see it as a movie. The surgery scenes are described wonderfully - I even felt a bit queasy reading one of them and you can feel the sense of urgency during an emergency operation.

The book switches between the narrative of Kash as he searches for answers and Trenchard whilst in his state, these are brilliantly written. The stories of Kash's possible suspects are woven well together so you do suspect everyone and there are a few red herrings and curveballs.

I've knocked a star off because there is an undertone of kink-shaming throughout the book. I think people are allowed to be into whatever they're into, as long as they aren't hurting anyone, and we can't really judge.

A great read!

This was an interesting thriller but it was quite patchy for me in places. I liked the first section but the middle portion was a little ridiculous and i got annoyed with the character of Cash. There are definatley better medical thrillers out there.

Control follows the life of Kash (a junior doctor) after his superior (Trenchard) is found in a compromising position, close to death. It reads like a series of Grey's Anatomy (which I love). The medical aspects of the story are detailed and interesting. Control is fast-paced, plot-driven and filled with a mystery that takes the whole novel to unravel. Trenchard was a controlling man, and a lot of people had reasons to dislike him and want him gone, so when Kash starts looking into what happened, he finds a lot of suspects. I didn't like Trenchard at all, he was arrogant and full of himself, but I was scared for him so many times in this book. Hugh's writing keeps you on the edge of your seat, wondering what will happen next. Kash is a perfectly likeable character, a little naive and stupid at times, but it was old Liz who stole the show for me. She is an elderly woman on a ward of patients waiting to die. People ignore her and dismiss her, but she misses nothing and she is a much needed ray of sunshine in this book. Brilliant if you like medical books and gripping mysteries.

Brilliant- a thumping good read!!!
Really enjoyable and absorbing tale that draws you in. Twists and turns - a medical whodunnit that keep you on your toes, reading way past your bedtime for just one more chapter. Deserves a 5* rating and to be known as a page-turner! Brilliant!

Control is a surprising medical drama centred around newly qualified Junior Doctor Kash Devan and renowned surgeon Michael Trenchard who are both in residence at the Victory hospital in London. Trenchard is a bit of a rock star at the hospital and appears to be loved and hated in equal measure. He quickly takes Kash under his wing and enjoys the starry-eyed respect he gets from the younger doctor.

One evening, Kash attends an emergency call to Trenchard’s office and finds him in cardiac arrest, apparently the victim of an auto-erotic asphyxiation session gone badly wrong. As a result, Trenchard is in a coma with seemingly little hope of recovery. As the weeks go by, Kash becomes convinced that Trenchard’s accident may have been something more sinister, but how can he find out if Trenchard is deep in a coma and has no idea what is going on around him? Odd things are happening on the wards which lead Kash to become suspicious, and he decides to look into the surgeon’s condition a little more closely. The way Kash teases out information and uses it to build a picture is very cleverly done and some of the parts written from Trenchard’s perspective were absolutely claustrophobic and skin-crawlingly real.

This is a really unusual book – I really liked some parts, and really disliked others especially a couple of situations that felt forced to further the plot. The premise was really good but the execution was a bit over the top – it didn’t seem to know if it wanted to be a serious, horrifying drama – which it could have been, or a soap opera where everyone is related in some way and characters are at times unrealistic and over-sexualised for shock value. I also I felt that the message was a bit sanctimonious. So a successful life-saving surgeon might make a mistake, he might even make some selfish decisions – but is that really a good enough justification for murder? The ending was weird as well, and it definitely did shock me, but I’m not sure it was the right way to finish things. It seemed like a massive about turn from the characters involved. Obviously that’s a matter of personal choice though and I’m sure others will enjoy the way it ends.

I am a HUGE fan of medical dramas on TV (ER, Grey’s Anatomy, The Good Doctor and The Resident) and surprisingly I don’t think I have actually ever read a medical themed thriller so when I saw the blurb above and the words “auto-erotic asphyxiation” I was “sold” instantly. If you are a fan of any of the above TV dramas then you should LOVE Control.

Dr Kash Devan is a junior doctor working at the Victory Hospital in South East London under the enigmatic, charming and highly successful surgeon Michael Trenchard. Working tirelessly to impress his mentor Kash finds himself in the middle of a traumatic situation when his boss is discovered in his office alone in a very compromising position.

Michael Trenchard appears to have been a victim of an auto-erotic asphyxiation which has left him in a horrific locked-in coma. With his reputation in tatters and the hospital now under the scrutiny of the press and police, Kash doesn’t believe this was an accident and decides to secretly investigate to find out what really happened to Trenchard.

This is Hugh Montgomery’s debut novel and it is clear from the opening chapter that he knows what he’s talking about (obviously I wasn’t implying Hugh partakes in auto-erotic asphyxiation himself) but his in-depth knowledge of the medical world, the life of a junior doctor and how a hospital runs helps make this book more believable and even the medical jargon is explained which enables to reader to understand what is happening throughout the story.

The story is narrated by the two main characters; Kash who is inquisitive and loyal and determined to find the truth out and Trenchard who narrates his story whilst being in a locked-in coma. Trenchard’s story was hard to read and quite unsettling in places especially as he was an esteemed and respected doctor now unable to even blink or move.

There were lots of characters who had reasons to hate Trenchard and several red-herrings thrown in to keep the reader on their toes and once again, I didn’t work out what happened until the reveal.

A great medical thriller which I would recommend.

A twisted tale of revenge

Imagine your worst fear, being conscious but unable to move or communicate. To feel pain and discomfort but have no way to stop it, to know that your life hangs in the balance and that your killer is keeping you alive to torture you.

Michael Trenchard is a top surgeon, at the peak of his career when he is found unresponsive in his office, seemingly the result of an autoerotic sex act gone horribly wrong. Although alive, he is thought to be in a coma, possibly brain dead. However, he is suffering from 'Locked-in' syndrome and is fully awake and able to experience pain but has no way of communicating with the medical staff. He comes to realise that he has been the victim of a cruel plot, an act of revenge designed to cause the maximum of pain and humiliation to a once arrogant and proud man.

Dr Kash Devan starts to suspect that there is more to the incident than meets the eye and he sets out to discover the truth, putting his own career in jeopardy.

The intelligent writing style allows the reader different perspectives, that of the victim, his young protege Dr Kash Devan and also the killer. The writer manages to evoke empathy for the victim, even though he is not a nice person and conveys the horror of being 'locked-in'. At first, I wasn't sure I would enjoy the book as I couldn’t figure out where the story was going but as it picked up the pace I was enthralled and couldn’t wait to discover the ending.

The ending is certainly a surprise, as well.

Gillian

Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of the book to review

Control is a book of two halves for me, on the whole it was enjoyable but the last quarter of the book didn’t really fit in for me.
Michael Trenchard is a senior physician, he is held in high esteem until he is found in a situation that involved pornography, a noose and drugs. Junior doctor Kasha’s is quick to jump to Trenchards defence, convinced that someone has tried to murder him. Trenchard is now in a locked in state.
The books blurb sounded great the first three quarters were good, the last not so. The characters were good and seemed believable until the last part as the way they had been perceived to me, I’m sure they would not have made the choices that they did.
The ending was a shock and not one I saw coming which was a nice surprise. This is the first book I’ve read by Hugh Montgomery and am interested in what’s next.
I would like to thank Netgalley and Bonnier Zaffre for this ARC I received in exchange for an honest review.

A great medical thriller, with plenty of life saving drama.

A renowned surgeon, Michael Trenchard, is discovered near to death in his office but the circumstances of his death cause some scandal for the hospital. Junior Doctor, Kash, has an inkling that all is not as it seems and there is more to the story. No one takes Kash seriously, including the police, so he decides to investigate himself. Will he discover the truth before it’s too late ?

This is Hugh Montgomery’s debut novel and it definitely didn’t disappoint. You can tell right from the start that Hugh knows what he is writing about. Am looking forward to reading more from him in the future. Although based in a hospital it is not all about medical jargon, it is a true mystery thriller.

Thank you to Bonnier Zaffre and NetGalley for a digital copy of this book.

There are far too few hospital based thrillers these days. I love a medical thriller and, like many others, I grew up reading Robin Cook novels so I knew I could rely upon a new hospital drama arriving once a year. Then the hospitals seemed to fade from the pages of crime novels (other than the morgues) and the courtrooms took over. So when I read the blurb for Control and realised the lead character was a junior doctor and the victim was his boss I had high hopes. I was not disappointed.

Control was exactly what I have been missing. A tense thriller set in a hospital where doctors and nurses are the key players and the patients could be suspects, witnesses or even a killer. Nobody is above suspicion and there are some very nasty twists in the tale to make readers aware as to how much you can be at the mercy of your medical staff.

Control had me hooked. The narrative is driven by Kash, a young doctor who finds himself working under the powerful and influential surgeon Michael Trenchard. Trenchard is very much the man in control of his staff but there are signs that his authority is not welcomed by everyone.

The early part of the story settles the reader into life at the hospital. Kash is run ragged coping with all his responsibilities and there seems little time for himself. Yet he finds a way to balance life with the unrelenting work demands and we see how young doctors are expected to cope in the modern NHS.

But before we get too comfortable with hospital life a dramatic incident. Trenchard is found in his office, barely alive, and it appears he has accidentally lost control during an auto-erotic asphyxiation. Kash is one of the first on scene and tries to save his mentor’s reputation but his efforts will be largely futile.

Kash refuses to believe Trenchard could have indulged in auto-erotic asphyxiation and he is sure the surgeon would not have indulged in his office at the hospital. As such Kash starts to ask questions and challenge the findings of the police. Unfortunately for Kash someone doesn’t want him to look too closely into what actually occurred.

Clever writing and some very nasty medical twists and turns made Control one of my favourite reads of the summer – highly recommended.

I do love a good medical thriller and in Control, Hugh Montgomery has given us a well paced and chilling thriller with all the elements required to make the reader wonder if they ever want to endure a stay in hospital again.

Kash Devan is a junior doctor at the Victory Hospital. It is all he has ever wanted to do and despite the incredibly long hours, the lack of sleep and the constant stress from making life and death decisions in the early stage of his career, he would not change his life for the world.

Kash is assigned to the team of Consultant Surgeon Mr Michael Trenchard. Trenchard is smooth, suave and inspires respect. He is handsome and caring and he has some useful survival tips for Kash, who hangs on his every word.

Not everyone in the hospital is enamoured of Mr Trenchard’s bedside manner, though. As in all intense workplaces, gossip is rife and it seems that Mr Trenchard is a bit of a Lothario – and as if that were not enough, he also maintains surgeon’s privileges at a nearby private hospital.

Kash picks up hints here and there that Trenchard isn’t everyone’s favourite surgeon, but that doesn’t diminish his enthusiasm for his mentor.

Then one evening when Kash is on call, his pager erupts with an urgent message to – unusually – go to Trenchard’s office. There he finds Trenchard comatose, on the floor wearing a bra and panties and with a noose round his neck. This looks like an erotic game gone wrong and it doesn’t take long before Trenchard’s reputation is trashed and his exploits the subject of tabloid fodder. The medical team check all his vital signs and believe him to be in a vegetative coma. In fact, as Kash discovers while tending to him, Trenchard is ‘locked-in’; that is he is alive and his brain is functioning, but he is unable to move a muscle, or speak. Kash suspects that Trenchard has been the victim of a cruel assault and determines to find out who has done this.

The story is told by Kash, our naïve junior doctor and by Trenchard in his locked-in state. Montgomery uses his medical knowledge and his own experience of being a junior doctor to ensure that there is a strong thread of authenticity running through the core of this medical thriller.

That’s just as well, because like most books of this genre, the reader will require some suspension of disbelief to get the most from this book. That sits perfectly well with me, because I want my cast of suspects to come from those who interact with Kash and Trenchard on a daily basis in order to squeeze the most tension out of the scenario.

And Control is indeed tense, dark and very chilling. Those who use medical knowledge to kill deserve a special kind of hell for running counter to the credo of all medical professionals; first do no harm. Montgomery has taken the intricate medical procedures and daily dramas that occur in all hospitals and amplified them in intensity until we do not know who to trust and the number of motives is stockpiling beside Trenchard’s bedside.

Then just when you think you have worked everything out, Montgomery throws a curveball that completely disturbs your balance….

Verdict: Authentic, suspenseful, dark and terrifying, Control is a medical thriller that keeps you praying you’ll never have to go to hospital again.

I feel there haven’t been enough decent medical thrillers in recent memory and Control certainly hits the sweet spot in that regard – plenty of medicine and life saving excitement wrapped up in a tense and atmospheric mystery.

I loved it. The hospital setting was superb and the tale was creepy and excellent with plenty of perfectly placed twists and turns creating a proper page turner of a novel that I devoured in two big gulps.

The characters are all hugely intriguing, the outcome is unpredictable and it is beautifully written.

Really looking forward to what this author does next. Hopefully lots more medical mayhem.

Recommended.

Control by Hugh Montgomery is a unique and compelling medical thriller that will keep you guessing throughout. Renowned surgeon Michael Trenchard is found in his office in a locked-in coma, the victim of auto-erotic asphyxiation. His young protégé, Doctor Kash Devan, believes there is more to this than meets the eye and sets out to discover the truth. But what he discovers is more chilling than even he could ever have anticipated…

What follows is a fast paced and terrifying medical thriller that is most definitely not for those of a squeamish nature! The book is set in a hospital which makes for an even more chilling read, with detailed descriptions of medical procedures that made me squirm. There is a fair bit of medical jargon, but not enough to put me off reading it, and used in an easy to understand way that didn’t pull me out of the story.

I loved Kash and his enthusiastic, but sometimes naive, attitude. His determination to uncover the truth leaves him vulnerable and fearing for his own life, while Michael Trenchard, on the other hand, has left a trail of wrecked lives and angry people behind him on his way to the top. A ruthless character who is difficult to like, I still couldn’t help but empathise with the situation he found himself in. The thought of a locked-in coma is terrifying to me, and this claustrophobic feeling was brought oh so vividly and horrifyingly to life in this story. Who hated Dr Trenchard so much they were prepared to go to such horrifying lengths to punish him?

Control is a stylish psychological thriller, with plenty of twists and turns that kept me turning pages long after the lights should have gone out. This is a book that chilled me to the bone, with a story that kept me on my toes throughout. There are some shocking moments that literally made me gasp out loud and every time I thought I had it all worked out, something else happened that changed everything. The tension increased tenfold as the story raced to its conclusion, leading to a shocking denouement I did not see coming!

Hugh Montgomery has written a taut, unique thriller that kept me gripped throughout. The medical nature of this book sets it apart from other thrillers and is unlike any I’ve ever read before. A thoroughly enjoyable read that I would recommend.

Goodness me - I have never, EVER read a book like this before! A book which was so gripping, yet mindblowingly farfetched at times, I just simply couldn't tear my eyes away.

I didn't dislike the book, in fact, I really did enjoy it. However, certain eventualities within the storyline were a bit too unbelievable at times, and my enjoyment dipped ever so slightly because of that. I am fully aware that 'Control' is the work of fiction and the author is well within their right to overuse their imagination wherever they see fit and, seeing as I have my own overactive imagination at times, I don't mind when situations go off on their own little tangent. To a point. There's always that fine line, isn't there?

Kash Devan is fresh meat, so to speak, and he finds himself under the wing of an exceptionally well known surgeon, Michael Trenchard. As far as Kash is concerned, as soon as he steps foot onto the various wards, the life and health of his patients take precedence over everything else. Did I mention he was under the wing of a well known surgeon? I never stated whether Trenchard was well known due to his positive actions, or whether he was well known because more people seemed to dislike him than genuinely like him.....

Let's just say that Kash Devan's mind was elsewhere due to the Chinese whispers around the hospital. Were they true, or were they purely fiction?

What I enjoyed most about 'Control' was how the author incorporates the reader into the storyline which enables them to form their own opinion of certain characters, as well as trying to work out who should be in the firing line, if anyone at all. It was as though Hugh Montgomery refused to steer his readers down his thought path in an obvious manner, even though deep down I knew that that was going to happen, simply because he knew what was going to happen and us readers could only attempt to guess.

The medical side of the book were incredibly eye-opening and very, very dark. Some of the descriptions are a teeny bit graphic, however the book isn't full of scenes which would make you chuck up your previous meal. At times I thought that there was a lot of medical jargon which flew over my head, but I just went with the flow as 'Control' is centred around medicine due to it being predominantly set in a hospital. That said, if you're wanting to feel as though you could go on and become a doctor right after finishing read this, kudos to the medical jargon!

'Control' is a compulsive, complex and psychologically twisted novel which kept on surprising me and left me in a false sense of security. I thought that the characters were brilliantly written, each adding their own dynamics to the overall vibe of the book.

I really do recommend picking up 'Control' if you're a fan of dark, medical reads - just not straight after eating food....

Engrossing, dramatic, and with plenty of twists and turns, CONTROL by Hugh Montgomery is an excellent medical drama that is perfect for all lovers of psychological thriller fiction.

Dr. Kash Devan is excited for his future and working under the highly esteemed Michael Trenchard is only going to help him learn and become better. But looks can be deceiving and when Michael Trenchard is discovered almost dead in a very compromising position, it soon becomes obvious that he didn't know anything about this man and not everyone liked him. But something doesn't sit right with Kash and as he begins to dig deeper he starts to suspect that what happened to Michael may not have been self-inflicted. Somebody did this to Trenchard, somebody wanted to destroy him, and they will do whatever it takes to finish the job. Can Kash figure out the truth before someone else is hurt? And can he live with the truth about his mentor?

​I thoroughly enjoyed this medical thriller which wasn't brimming with confusing technical jargon but still made the hospital care setting come alive. Kash is a likeable character if a little naive at times, but I enjoyed watching him unravel the truth and there were moments which really surprised me.

CONTROL by Hugh Montgomery is an edgy thriller that worked and I look forward to more from this author.

Control is a compelling tale of greed and ambition. It is well researched and uses the right balance of medical jargon, ensuring the reader is not alienated whilst remaining technically sharp.

Be warned! This book is set in a hospital, and contains detailed and gruesome descriptions of various medical procedures, something I found fascinating but would certainly not be for the faint hearted! It tackles difficult and often distressing themes which Montgomery covers with clinical succinctness. There are no hearts and flowers here.

Control is a terrifying medical thriller; an intelligent “whodunnit” oozing clever twists but with plenty of pace; a gripping page turner which kept me guessing right until the last page.

If you are looking for the ideal holiday read, something that will keep you on the edge of your seat in the heat, then look no further than Control.

Control is out now in paperback and you can buy it here