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What Doctor Doesn't Know May Hurt

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By LARRY GANDLE

The Tampa Tribune

Published: July 6, 2008

"Rules of Deception," by Christopher Reich (Doubleday, $24.95)
Jonathan Ransom, a surgeon for Doctors Without Borders, is devastated when his wife, Emma, is killed while mountaineering in Switzerland. As he attempts to get her affairs in order, he is made aware his wife was not at all that she appeared to be. He discovers she had an entirely separate identity.

As Jonathan looks into his wife's past, he finds himself the target of a professional hit man.

At the same time, law enforcement agents become aware of a possible terrorist plot that could start a nuclear war in the Middle East. Jonathan is suddenly considered a chief suspect in this plot.
Jonathan must keep one step ahead of the authorities while continuing to search for answers in his wife's past. He soon realizes he is at the center of the possible start of a major war. Can he save the day?
Christopher Reich has written a fun thriller that is timely and frightening. Characters are realistic but lack a great deal of depth. There is also an annoying tendency to overuse detailed descriptions of the past lives of each character - even if they live for only a few pages.

Yet, as the book reaches the end, the pages do fly. The end is unrealistic, and there is a plot twist concerning someone from Jonathan's past reappearing, which I considered lazy writing. But overall, this is a solid thriller.

Larry Gandle of Tampa is a freelance writer.

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