Rating: 5/5 stars.

“Fatal Intent” is a thrilling medical mystery from start to finish. For someone like myself who is not in the healthcare field, the plot is very believable and not outlandish. The author is a doctor as well so it is likely fairly accurate, although I cannot speak to this with certainty. The novel also touches on a lot of controversial topics, such as the right-to-die debate, and is sure to inspire a lot of conversation at book club meetings. I also loved that the novel is not bogged down by overuse of medical jargon, an issue that plagues a lot of medical thrillers. This means that “Fatal Intent” can be enjoyable and readable by both newcomers and veterans to the genre.

Right away the plot draws you in. It is easy to relate and be empathetic to the main character’s position and predicaments. As her life gets more and more complicated, the protagonist emerges as a hero and the reader just really wants her to succeed and find happiness. There are some killer twists along the way, and the action moves quickly. I hope to see more awesome novels from this author soon.

*I received a complimentary copy of this book on NetGalley and have provided an honest review.*

Oh my, this will raise some book club debate. I am sure. What a tremendous. impact story this is. When patients with underlining health problems have routine surgery at the hospital, they are dying. unexpectedly, within days of discharge.
Dr Kate Downey, an anesthesiologist, has to put her career on the line to find out why so many patients are dying as she seems to be part of a lot of these surgeries. The more she pushes for answers, the more danger she is putting herself in.
I enjoyed this medical thriller which made me think of the quality of life of a patient. Do we selfishly sometimes keep a loved one alive for our own need rather than for the good of them? It brings up my ethical thoughts and makes you stop and think.
I liked Kate, who has a husband who was reliant on medical intervention to be kept alive. It lets you see both sides of the picture and opens your mind to what you think the right thing would be to do. It is so different looking into a situation rather than living it.
The story builds and becomes tenser in the last few chapters. It is a book to make you think. I wish to thank Net Galley and the publisher for an e-copy of this book.

While I've read novels written by lawyers before, I've never read one written by a doctor. Fatal Intent is a medical thriller regarding end-of-life issues that Tammy Euliano MD wrote hoping to start "discussion and prompts families to consider Living Wills and Health Care Surrogates." Thank you to Netgalley, Oceanview Publishing and the author for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Dr. Kate Downey is an attending anesthesiologist and assistant professor living in Florida and working at a teaching hospital. Kate learns that two of her patients from have died two days after simple, routine surgery. The chair of her department tries to reassure her that she's not to blame - that these were just end-of-life cases, but Kate is still worried.

As Kate starts poking around and asking questions, more deaths occur, the danger escalates, and action ramps up. Together with her own scooby gang - Christian, the son of one of her deceased patients, Jenn, one of her medical students and her Great Aunt Irm - will Kate be able to figure out what's happening in time to prevent any more deaths?

I enjoyed this book. It was a fun, quick, entertaining read, something I can easily see becoming a series. The medical thriller genre isn't a huge one, so it's always nice to read another one. It's apparent the book is written by someone with knowledge of the field of medicine, which is really nice in a book like this. I also really appreciate the author's intent for the book. End-of-life issues is something, we as a society, don't talk about much everyday.

I did have a few issues with the book. The dialogue at times was clunky and juvenile.

"Bless you," I giggled.
"He killed himself. Spoiler's father committed suicide. Wow."
"Holy crap."

These are all examples the MC, a roughly late 30s - early 40s woman says in the book. It took the book down from the level it was aiming to be. Instead the book came off as kinda goofy or quirky.

The book can also seem hard to follow in the beginning for a while because it introduces a lot of secondary characters, most of whom are just not important. For example, if Kate were to check out at the grocery store, we would learn the clerk's name and then never see that person again. The book throws a lot of names at you - stay patient and just keep reading.

The only other thing that might be an issue is the amount of medical terminology that's used. And not explained. For example, the term CRNA is used a lot, and it's as if the reader is expected to know it means Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists.

I'm rating Fatal Intent three stars. If the author turns this into a series, I would definitely read more. I would recommend this book to fans of thrillers, medical thrillers, Robin Cook, Tess Gerritsen and Michael Palmer.

I have reviewed this book for New York Journal of Books where it will be posted the evening prior to the release date!


"Fatal Intent" by Tammy Euliano MD
Oceanview Publishing
March 2, 2021
10-1608094162
320 pages
Medical Thriller



“A definite must read for those who enjoy medical thrillers.”

Florida anesthesiologist Dr. Kate Downey has a lot on her mind. Not only is she grieving over the accident her beloved husband Greg suffered, leaving him in a vegetative state, but she also mourns a little girl she lost through miscarriage. Greg's brother Adam is stressing her out further. Adam wants to pull the plug on Greg, but she disagrees wholeheartedly.

In addition to these stressors, she learns that several of the patients she administered anesthesia to for minor elective surgery are dying at home a few days later. This new revelation proves to be disturbing, and Kate needs to know what is causing these patients to pass within days of their surgery—many of them are elderly.

Dr. Charles Ricken, a surgeon Kate distrusts and dislikes, claims she is at fault and places responsibility for these untimely deaths on her. To save her career and good name, she must prove her innocence. But where does she begin and who can she trust?

Jennifer Mason, a gifted med student Kate mentors, is also concerned. Could she have caused these fatalities? Kate confides in Jen about her worries as well as in her great aunt Irm, a feisty and sharp-as-a-tack senior citizen who lives with Kate.

Dr. Ricken claims Jen botched the intubation of the first patient who died, yet Kate insists that although there was some some difficulty at first, everything went smoothly, and no way could anything she did cause a fatality.

When Kate attends the funeral of Dr. O'Donnell, one of her first deceased patients, she meets his lawyer son, Christian. She praises him for his lovely eulogy of his father, yet she is somewhat worried he may blame her for his father's demise. When he invites her to grab a bite to eat, he mentions his brother wants copies of the records from their dad's surgery. This raises red flags for Kate. Could they really consider his death her fault?

When other patients die shortly after surgery—and those who were ones in Kate's care—distrust of her runs rampant in the hospital, and she is temporarily suspended from duty. Kate knows something sinister is going on, and to save her good name and career, she decides to investigate.

Kate and Jennifer peruse all the surgical records of those who died, trying to find a common factor. Kate asks to attain some diagnostic testing on lab work done on a few victims only to learn said patients have been cremated, so samples cannot be attained. What next? Putting their heads together, Irm offers suppositions pointing to Brad Jernigan, a recently employed substitute Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA). He just happened to attend to all of those who perished. A search for him finds he has mysteriously left the job and the hospital.

Tension escalates when Kate hears from her friend Randi, whose attorney husband confides in her brother-in-law, that Adam impersonated Greg by selling their mother's home, which Greg received in trust, yet due to his current condition, the estate reverts to Kate. Adam, a reformed drug and alcohol addict, cannot be trusted, but Kate has other important matters on her mind.

When Randi discusses this, she tells Kate her husband is worried that Adam may be impersonating Greg in other ways. They are similar in appearance, and Adam is known to be devious. Kate asks,

"'What ways?'

"'Your mortgage, credit cards, bank accounts, he could do a lot of damage.'"

Kate is further apprehensive about Adam and his shenanigans, yet all she can deal with is being suspected of killing her patients, so she puts this situation on the back burner. Now her main and only concern is to find out the truth about those who perished under her care.

Christian befriends Kate and includes himself in the search for answers. When her home is vandalized, he comes to her rescue. It appears someone broke through the sliding glass door, and Kate’s dog Shadow sustains several cuts in his paws. She believes this is a random break-in. That is until a note attached to Shadow’s collar reading “Back off” is discovered. Could this be Brad? Though she refuses, Christian insists Kate and her aunt stay at his place, specifying mostly to keep Irm safe.

More tragedy strikes when Jen goes missing. This is right after she contacts Kate with a cryptic text message saying, "He's here!" Kate knows she’s been doing some sleuthing on her own, so could she have found this man who they’ve discovered is going under many aliases? How much worse can things get? Is Jen in danger?

"Fatal Intent," a fast-faced read, is both terrifying and captivating, with many intriguing subplots. This debut novel written with accurate knowledge of the medical field is straightforward and easy to understand without the addition of too much medical jargon. What is hair-raising is the possibility that someone so deranged could perpetrate such transgressions though they allege these acts are executed with good intentions—even if they are devastating and illegal. A definite must read for those who enjoy medical thrillers.

“Fatal Intent” is a medical thriller that deals with the end-of-life issues, the DNR orders and the difficult decisions that love ones, attending physicians and nurses have to face. In fact “Playing God” is always difficult when one pulls the plug on a respirator and allows the end of life to occur. This is the fictional story of anesthesiologist Dr. Kate Downey who became aware that several patients were dying after what had been minor surgeries. Kate decided to look into the matter but some people in the hospital hierarchy did not support her investigation into the matter....

The narration slowly set the stage and picks up speed at the right moment to intrigue and engage us. Although I admit the huge cast of characters is a challenge to keep track of but that aside the drama is written in such a way that those not familiar with the medical jargon can easily follow the plot. For excitement, the story has a fair share of twists and turns to keep us going and guessing till the very end. This is a gripping read and an interesting subject of euthanasia or mercy killing and those who are willing to do the deed for a buck.

Kate is not alone in her mission to flush the person behind the incidents Christian O’Donnell, a lawyer and the son of one of the victim offers to help her find the truth and the culprit. Will they be able to get to the bottom...yes drip by drip well placed clues will give the duo the final solution....with a bang no less...The climax reveals the killer but what I did not see coming was by the manner in which it was done. Excellent.

I enjoyed reading this book

I'm not exactly sure what was off in the writing, just know I couldn't bring myself to keep reading. (sorry, I know that is incredibly unhelpful) The main character does not inspire enough empathy in the reader. The story does not have a compelling enough start to make me want to keep reading. As a physician, I also find the POV of the anesthesiologist being culpable for patients dying post-OR unconvincing. I just didn't care enough about where the story was going to want to keep reading.

Review of Fatal Intent by Tammy Euliano.

When I began my clinical years in medical school, I soon realized that we humans often mishandled end-of-life issues. I particularly remember an attending physician who believed that if we did nothing heroic to save a person’s life, even if they had begged us not to, that this was “playing god.” It seemed to me that making such lifesaving efforts no matter what the patient wanted was exactly like “playing god,” but the attending would hear nothing of such an argument. I no longer remember that doctor’s name, but I can still feel the chill from his gaze as he pointed his finger at all the house officers and medical students while saying that this was his intent and we better not disobey him. There was an older male patient who was terminal from metastatic lung cancer. He could no longer communicate with us, but he had previously told us he did not want to be kept alive with respirators and other such devices. His family begged us to put him on a DNR (do not resuscitate) list, but the attending told us not to observe such wishes. The nurses, residents, interns and medical students were aghast. I had no authority, but I agreed with the rest of the staff that if a life threatening matter arose, we would do what we could to honor the patient’s and family’s wishes. Late at night, already unconscious, he involuntarily extubated himself. Given the hour of the day, the attending was at home, probably already asleep. Those of us who were in the hospital just moved slowly to respond, and the patient died. The attending was none the wiser. In what I judged to be inhumane attitude by the attending, I remember being horrified at being placed in such an unreasonable position by an inflexible and haughty physician. The decisions about such patients is always difficult, when one should pull the plug on a respirator and allow the end of life to occur. It is not always obvious when one should make all possible heroic efforts and such dramas play out on a daily basis throughout the world.

Fatal Intent by Ms. Euliana is about an end of life circumstance for a much younger man, Greg, who was Kate’s husband who was being kept alive. Kate was an anesthesiologist, having completed medical school and her residency. She had become an attending physician at the local medical school. She became aware that several patients were dying after what had been minor surgeries (the definition of minor surgery is surgery that’s done to anyone else but you). She suspected she was encountering someone who had found a way to terminate patients without it appearing to look like murder. There were some people in the hospital hierarchy who did not appreciate Kate’s investigation into the matter and who tried to ruin her reputation. This was a well-written murder mystery which presented the real human struggles that are behind such circumstances. Well done Ms. Euliano – you’ve brought to mind some of my own memories that I had not thought about in many years, and you’ve done so with compassion.

I liked this one. It was so interesting to see the inner workings of a hospital and how things run. (whether accurate or not, it was interesting getting that glimpse)

I was not disappointed with the action and the pace. However, some of the characters felt a little bland to me and needed further development. Also, the medical jargan was a lot and could have had some further explanation to some pieces while still maintaining the medical background.

The ending came as a bit of a surprise. I don't think anyone really could have pieced this together to figure it out before the reveal. Overall, not bad but could have used some edits to smooth some areas out.

I received this book through "NetGalley" Read Now program.

This story begins with Kate discovering that 3 of the patients that she performed anesthesia on have died. Since she was placed on probation, she decided that she needed too look into the cases to find out what happened. She brought this to the attention of the surgeon to see if he had any ideas. He just said that they were all sick and people die. Because of this conversation, the surgeon filed a complaint with the chief of staff as well as the Medical Board. In her defense, she explained to the chief of staff and the people dying as well as an explanation for a complaint filed by a study that she tried to help with his problem solving an simulation of a person going into distress. The student needed to be able to perform in order to pass her course.

Kate was place on a leave of absence, so she continued investigating the deaths of patients in her hospital. She along with Chris, a son of one of the patients, in addition to one her students. In the course of the investigation, Kate had her house broken into as well as potentially being killed while vising one of the patients that was still alive. Also, the pursuit of other cases which were similar as well as 2 that happened just recently in Atlanta and which resulted in the death of Kate's student.

After the Atlanta incident, Kate was placed in another predicament when she received a call that her husband, who was in a coma, required emergency surgery. The facts all fell in place while at this location.

To find out the events that happened at the hospital her husband was in, whether Kate was vindicated, and who all of the parties involved with the killings were, then you must read this book. You won't be disappointed.

Fatal Intent is the story of an anesthesiologist who begins to suspect a collegue is a killer when patients of hers start dying after getting released from the hospital. Dr. Kate Downey is an expert in her field. She can't figure out why patients are dying after fully recovering from surgery until she begins to connect the dots: each patient was dependent on a family member to give full time care. She works with a family member of one of the victims to figure out who the "mercy killer" is before more people die. This was the first book of Tammy Euliano's that I've read and I enjoyed it. I would read another book in this series if it continues.

Probably not the best book to read 4 weeks out from surgery but a great read following Dr. Kate Downey and the mysterious deaths of patients after minor surgeries.

A gripping tale, and a very interesting topic as there are not enough medical thrillers in my opinion! I did find it a little tricky to keep up at first as there were so many characters introduced in a short period of time, but underneath that was a great thriller which developed clearly once I pushed through my initial confusion.

I loved reading through Kate's discoveries, investigations and the twists and turns along the way. I really think this was a great book and i'm excited to see more from the author.

Fatal Intent came out of nowhere for me and sucked me in. A thrilling medical story that has it's fair share of twists and turns with action and friendships to keep things real.

I am really hoping that the author has more books with these characters up her sleeve.

Fatal Intent by Tammy Euliano was an enjoyable read. The topic was intriguing, and the characters and plot held my attention from the beginning. Even though this was a medical mystery, it was written in such a way that individuals who are not in the medical field, would be able to understand and follow the plot. I like reading mysteries that keep me guessing, and offer a surprise ending. This novel did both! I would recommend this book, and I'm looking forward to reading additional novels by Tammy Euilano.

Great read. The author really draws the reader into the story. Will definitely read another book by this author. This was very well written, I could not put the book down.

This medical thriller raises all the questions around death and dying and whether individuals are permitted to “play God”. It was a good book, fast paced with its twists and turns. A Medical ethical mystery. I got somewhat confused attempting to keep all the characters straight but overall would recommend reading Fatal Intent.

Great book from a great author full of suspense and drama would read more from this author in the future

When patients begin to die mysteriously after simple procedures, Dr. Kate Downey is determined to get to the bottom of it, and with a lot of effort and fortitude, she ferrets out the ugly truth.

This book had promise as a subject. Sadly, it was unnecessarily convoluted, with two-dimensional characters who were either good or evil. While I read the entire book, I cannot say that it was well-written.

I received this book as an ARC from the publisher and NetGalley.

I thought I knew what was going to happen. I did not see all of what was coming! Love that! Great book

3.9 Stars

Anesthesiologist, Dr. Kate Downey, has enough issues to deal with. When the elderly patients who were under the care start to die, she worries how it would affect her already troubled career. As more deaths occur, and Christian, the son of one of the dead men, wants to check if there was something sinister, Kate agrees to check the reports with him.
The incidents at the hospital, the hostility from the Chief of Staff, a surgeon, and a medical student begin to push her into a corner. Kate knows she needs to get to the bottom of the issue. Together with Christian, Aunt Erm, and a few others, she starts collecting information.
She gets threats, has to take a leave of absence, and almost loses her life. With her husband, Greg, lying in a coma for a year with no signs of improvement, Kate has a lot to lose. How she gathers evidence, fights the killer, and finally comes to terms with some things in her life forms the story.
The book starts on a slow note, and with so many characters being introduced, it gets hard to keep track. But the story picks up speed, and it gets easier to remember the characters. Not all of them are important, so it’s easy once we get into the story.
The narration slows down and picks up at the appropriate places, making the story quite intriguing and engaging. While the readers know who the killer is and even probably why the way the climax was handled was very good. There is action, enough of it to keep us reading page after page without taking a break.
Some of the characters felt unidimensional as if that’s all they could do. It did bring down the interest a little. However, Aunt Irm, gets our attention. The way her mind works, and how she expresses it makes her a strong and sensible character. While Kate is hesitant, cautious, and wondering, Aunt Irm doesn’t hesitate or stall. She is straightforward and better at connecting the dots.
The theme deals with Religion and God, but the author handled it deftly without overemphasizing, taking sides, or preaching. This balance works well for the book.
Overall, the story needs some patience and determination to read the first 20%. But stick around, and you’ll enjoy a good medical thriller (even if some of it is too complex for non-medics to understand).
Thank you, NetGalley and Oceanview Publishing, for the ARC copy.

#FatalIntent #NetGalley

A very good read. It gripped me from the start. The topic is an interesting one. I for one would not want to live a half life and would hope for a mercy killing, so my family didn't have to willow in my slow passing. We often joke about it, but it is a very serious subject with very serious consequences, I would hope by then there will not be any legal issues. All in all a very thought provoking topic.