Do No Harm

This book was exactly what I needed after a string of good but depressing stories. I had tried, unsuccessfully, to get my hands on a Robert Pobi book a few years ago so when this one was offered to me I jumped at it despite it being #3 in a series.

Dr Lucas Page is a brilliant astrophysicist who has an uncanny ability to see patterns in data that no one else does so he is often called upon by the FBI to interpret things. The fact that he has an artificial arm, an artificial leg and a false eye doesn’t slow him down at all. These injuries were not explained in this book except for some vague references to “the event”. I might have to read the earlier books to learn more. His wife Dr Erin Page is a surgeon and they have five children, some of which at least are adopted. Lucas himself was adopted and is paying it forward.

The doctors Page attend an annual medical fraternity dinner at which there is always a memorial mention of hospital doctors who have died in the last year. On this occasion the number seems unusually high and there is a significant number of strange accidents and suicides. Lucas ponders this and decides there’s something fishy going on. The very fact that everything about the deaths seems to be totally random proves to him that it is most definitely not random. He takes his concerns to the FBI and when they don’t bite he gives them an 8 page calculation proving it.

Long story short, the deaths are reevaluated and slowly but surely they are all shown to be suspicious. Who is killing doctors and why? He works with Detective Russo from the precinct of the latest death and is also partnered up with Special Agent Whittaker who is still recovering from the last case they worked together. I loved the Lucas character, he has no sense of humour but I found his outcome focussed, curmudgeonly approach quite amusing. Whittaker is very droll and has the dubious distinction of writing off every vehicle that she is assigned. Well it’s not her fault that bodies tend to fall on them from a great height although she does drive like the devil is at her heels!

Things get more serious when Erin is targeted and shot while returning from a shopping trip with the kids. This time Whittaker is solely responsible for a one woman demolition derby as she races to get Erin to the hospital before she bleeds out. Now the gloves are off and Lucas is solely focussed on solving this case. It was very cleverly written and a diabolical mystery. With twists aplenty and many red herrings and lots of pulse pounding action. Did I mention the action? And the jaw dropping twists? It may have gotten a little bonkers towards the end but I was fully invested in this memorable story that it mattered not. I loved every minute of it! Robert Pobi has a new fan! Many thanks to Netgalley and Hodder & Stoughton for the much appreciated arc which I reviewed voluntarily and honestly.

This is the latest stunning high octane fuelled, action packed, and fast paced thriller in Robert Pobi's series featuring Dr Lucas Page, polymath, astrophysicist, university professor and former FBI agent, and father to 5 adopted children, with his state of the art prosthetics. Still recovering from his last set of injuries, he is planning on settling into life away from the heat of the action. He hopes the days of putting his extraordinary gifts in pattern recognition, put to use hunting New York City's deadliest killers are behind him. Now, he is looking forward to a quiet life raising his children and supporting his wife Erin's work as a surgeon. There is going to be no chance of this, attending a medical charity bash with Erin, Page is surprised by the annual memorial video documenting the high number of doctors who have died in apparent accidents or by suicide. Something is very wrong, it just isn't possible statistically that these could be random deaths.

Doctors are being murdered, including a close friend of Erin's, plastic surgeon Dr Dove Knox, this is going to be a tough, challenging bare knuckle investigation that Page has no choice but to work flat out on, for the killer has his eyes on his wife, Erin, as a target. He has to call on the FBI, drawing on its vast resources, led by Special Agent in Charge, Brett Kehoe and his team for assistance, they and every other law enforcement agency had missed these murders entirely. It soon emerges that Page has unearthed a widespread and well organised deadly operation to wipe out members of the medical profession. He is aided by his old partner, Special Agent Alice Whitaker, still recovering from her injuries and using a cane, and they are joined by ex-military NYPD Detective Johnny 'Jackets' Russo, who takes an immediate shine to Page, unfazed by Page's trademark cantankerousness and rudeness.

It goes almost without saying that Page and Whitaker are going to collect a new set of injuries as they race against time to find those behind the murders, particularly with the rising number of dead and the increasing danger that threatens them and Lucas's family. Highlights for me include the dry and witty banter between Lucas and Alice, and the insights into Lucas's children and household, adding a greater depth to his otherwise rock hard anti-social personality. This is a dark, engaging, a thrill a minute read with numerous twists and turns, and the non-stop tension and suspense kept me turning the pages as fast as I possibly could, entertained as practically every new FBI SUV that is issued to Page and Whitaker is wrecked almost immediately. This is a great series that will appeal to those readers who love well written and well plotted superior thrillers with great, complex characters. Highly recommended. Many thanks to the publisher for an ARC.

Lucas Page is a high level investigator, who notices patterns where no one else can, because there are few people who have his skills with numbers
When he attends a social event with Erin he notices that many doctors have died, in so called accidents or suicides, but he thinks they are homicides. I will not reveal any more of the plot, in case I spoil the novel.
I would recommend the book as a good read, and thank you to netgalley and the publishers for giving me a copy of the book.

5 massive stars and more !
I hadn’t realised just how much I had missed this series until I started this third instalment and immediately I was drawn into the story and wow what a story it is !
So we are back with the wonderful Lucas Page an astrophysicist (with a brain I would die for) who has the ability to see patterns and connections in what would seem to be completely random events and information and when he sees a link to what seems to be accidental deaths or suicide in the medical profession alarm bells begin ring in his head and from then on it’s a rollercoaster ride and the pace just never lets up.
What makes this book for me apart from the ingenious plot is the razor sharp humour, the rapport between Lucas and Special Agent Alice Whitaker is brilliant and they make a funny and superb team although a warning never let Whitaker borrow your car! The other characters from previous books are here also and they too are wonderfully written as it the book because try as I might I never guessed the perpetrator.
So a book I loved it had everything that makes a 5 star read I can’t wait for more and many thanks to Robert Pobi for a thrill a minute read.
My thanks also to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for giving me the chance to read the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion