WENDELL BLACK, MD

A high-stakes debut thriller by plastic surgeon Imber, featuring an NYPD surgeon whose troubles begin with an in-flight emergency high over the Atlantic.

The surprises start right away when Dr. Wendell Black vainly attempts to resuscitate a dying passenger and makes a strange discovery. The events that follow pull Dr. Black into a dangerous swirl of drug dealers, murder and terror. Luckily, he is just the man to see the threat and persuade the authorities in Homeland Security to investigate his suspicions. Black and his smart, sexy girlfriend, Dr. Alice Sheppard, stay deep in the middle of a situation that is filled with escalating danger. The pace is generally fast, with engaging and mostly likable characters. A couple of local cops who see Dr. Black as a nefarious criminal seem less than plausible as they keep trying to arrest him on drug charges, but the others are pros who add details about police and investigative procedures. The scenes are filled with clever language and rich descriptions, even if at times they tell more than the reader may want to learn. (Who needs to know that Dr. Black used the toilet?) Still, Dr. Black is sympathetic, and the writing is otherwise first class. The author's professional background adds credibility, as when Dr. Sheppard, a plastic surgeon and so much more, removes broken glass from Dr. Black’s eye.

A heck of a story, with a hero who deserves a series of books.