Night Shift by Robin Cook
Rating: 4 stars

When a very popular Doctor at A Manhattan hospital is found dead in her car Jack Stapleton is asked by his wife to look into it and perform the autopsy. Jack doesn’t like what he sees but can’t prove anything either. In long tradition Jack goes into investigation mode, even though he’s been pretty well forbidden.

Comments: Medical thrillers are always fun and Cook knows how to create a page turner. Don’t worry about a slow parts because there are none.

Medical Examiners Dr. Laurie Montgomery and Dr. Jack Stapleton return. I have enjoyed reading Robin Cooks books since Coma was published. He is one of my favorite authors! I was disappointed that this new book featured these Medical Examiners as I feel that the stories are all the same plot and the ending is always predictable. I enjoyed his earlier novels much more than this book. I hope that Robin Cook will again publish a blockbuster like he used to. Excellent author but I no longer enjoy the Montgomery/Stapleton books. Thanks to Penguin Group, NetGalley and Robin Cook for the opportunity to read this ARC.

I have loved every book Robin Cook has written!! This one is no different! I love any book that's a hospital setting and this book did not disappoint!! Robin Cook does not ever disappoint!!

I feel like Robin Cook invented the “medical thriller” genre! If he didn’t he certainly deserves the credit. I’ve loved his books for decades and this new title, Night Shift confirms it! Cook’s characters are relatable with his descriptions of daily life and yet the thrilling ride they invite the reader to join them in kept me up late into the night turning the pages. And what an end!!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to read the next installment in this series early. I was excited to start this, as I thoroughly enjoy medical thrillers and have liked the past books involving Jack and Laurie. This one seemed repetitive to me; the storyline was very similar to a previous one. It just didn’t click for me this time.

This is the 13th book starring Laurie Montgomery and her husband Jack Stapleton. Its ok if you haven't read the others in the series, because the author inserts storylines from prior books by way of character memories. You get enough from those to get the idea of these two individuals' past.

Jack is a medical examiner; Laurie is also a medical examiner but in this book, she is now the Chief Medical Examiner, so she's his boss. This is leading to some difficult times in their relationship, as she tends to bring her work-boss attitude back home.

Jack isn't a rule follower, he goes by his gut when trying to assign a reason to a patient's death certificate. When a friend of Jack and Laurie's turns up on his autopsy table one morning, Jack is determined to find out why this healthy, active woman passed away. His investigation takes him down a rabbit hole of possibilities, and more bodies show up in his path. Is danger heading Jack's way too?

I liked this book, can't say I loved it. I think the author has slipped a bit in his ability to write a good medical mystery. He used to be more detailed and specific, I get the impression that this book could actually be on a 5-6th grade reading level; not too complicated, not many "big" words, just kind of basic. I had a hard time keeping my attention on the story. Nonetheless, I think anyone looking for a fast, uncomplicated read will enjoy this book.

Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book, but my opinions are my own.

Night Shift by Robin Cook was just an okay read for me. Laurie and Jack work in a hospital, and when a coworker and friend is found murdered, they begin the search for the cause of death.

There was sometimes silly and cliche dialogue, often stilted and repetitive information. I was also not a fan of Jack in this book.

I usually enjoy reading Robin Cook books, but this one left me flat, and it was hard to engage with the characters and the storyline.

I would rate this a 2.5 out of 5 stars (rounded to 3).

#NightShift #NetGalley @PutnamBooks

Personal Note:

I cannot believe that I read “Contagion” all the way back in 1987. It was my very first Robin Cook novel and I was only 17 at the time. Over the years, I of course would read almost every one of his books, plus add various other medical thriller authors. But at 17, the thought of Ebola should have scared the living “CRAP” out of me. However, it did not! It made me see even more, how wonderful the world of medicine is.

Robin Cook once again brings us this spellbinding thriller, a novel of “WHODUNNIT.” Only this time, it is a murder within the confines of a place we should trust the most.

Let us begin:

Laurie Montgomery has been newly promoted to Chief Medical Examiner.
While husband Jack is happy for his wife, he cannot help but feel a bit envious and upset. Not only is she his Wife, but now she is also his “Boss.”
To make matters worse, his mother-In-Law has announced she has come for an “extended” visit. In the guise that she is helping with the children. “What else can happen” Jack thinks?

Jack has two outlets, one is riding his bike, which he does every day. Even though it is dangerous, and Laurie does not like it.
And his love of performing autopsies, while he is performing autopsies, he can lose himself completely, shut out the world. Which means forgetting about his current situation at home for the moment.

When Laurie arrives at work, she finds that her good friend Dr. Susan “Sue” Passero is dead. Dr. Passero had been found dead, in her car in the parking garage.

To the police, it appears as if it were by natural causes, however they will not know decisively until they complete the autopsy and get a tox screen back.

Jack on the other hand is waiting for that one big case. The case that he will be able to leave his mark on. But that case is not happening for him today. Because Laurie brings him Dr. Passero’s case and tells him she wants him to manage this one with care. The kind of care as if it were a family member, because she was their good friend. Jack of course cannot refuse his wife, nor his “BOSS.”

Together Jack and his assistant Vinnie get to work performing Dr. Passero’s autopsy and what they find is absolutely “ASTOUNDING!”
This only makes Jack more interested now! Now this has his full attention, and he wants to know what exactly happened to Dr. Passero.

Jack begins to question Dr. Passero’s co-workers, to see if they heard or saw anything suspicious. All they knew is that earlier on she had trouble with three men, and that she was researching serial killers for some odd reason. For whom and for what, was beyond them. No one thought to ask her, it did not seem like it was that important at the time.

The further jack digs and the more questions he asks…………... The next thing we know is, “ULTIMATE COOK!” Style takes off!!

“HEART RACING,” PAGES TURNING FURIOUSLY,” “THRILL RIDE” to the very end.

Cook is the creator of Medical/Suspense/Thrillers, and he is proficient at his skill.

Classic “WHODUNNIT” and your guess might not be who you thought it was.

Another “STELLAR” Performance from Cook

Real time current events happening in the world, dealing with COVID19 “PANDEMIC.”

Especially incorporating the importance of proper PPE such as Masks.

The importance of the Vaccination.

Cook always finds a way to fuse a teachable moment within his novels. No matter how big or minute.

Kudos to you Cook!

JOB WELL DONE!

Keep on writing, never stop!

Thank you, NetGalley/Robin Cook/PENGUIN GROUP G.P. Putnam's Sons/ For this thrilling eARC for my honest review. My opinions are of my own volition.

Love Robin cook novels. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.
Another good one. I wish it wasn’t part of a series but I still enjoyed it.
I’ve enjoyed most of his books in the past so I was excited for the chance to read this one early!

This ARC was provided to me via Kindle, from PENGUIN GROUP Putnam and #NetGalley. Thank you for the opportunity to preview and review. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

Suspense from the beginning. This one will keep you on edge.

Another great medical mystery by the master Robin Cook. Jack Stapleton and Laurie are bock, at odds with each other, but always working together for the better cause!

In originally reading the description I didn’t realize that this was a series, if I knew I might not have chosen to read this. I wasn’t a huge fan of the protagonist, Dr. Jack Stapleton—he seemed like a know it all, better than. you type (no better than the surgeons in the book) also a tad chauvinistic-not ok with the wife being the boss at work and at home. I wasn’t a fan of the authors writing style, it seemed unnecessarily wordy- and even if we needed a little hint about the finale-we didn’t need him to continually write about how he likes to ride his bike (this isn’t a book about the Tour de France). Also for being a medical thriller the conversations between the medical professionals were jilted, as a nurse there were some lines where I was like no doctor I have worked with has talked like that. Truthfully this book wasn’t my cup of tea, and I don’t think I will be reading anymore in this series 2/5. Thanks NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC in order for my honest review.

Yet another exciting book by Robin Cook. Laurie and Jack work in a hospital where Laurie is the Chief Medical Examiner and Jack as a Medical Examiner. When a co-worker and friend is found murdered, they can not find the cause of death. The team works together to investigate what is happening to their friend an co worker. This is a solid thriller with the medical trop. Thank you for the preread! I really appreciate it! THANKS NetGalley.

I have read almost all of Robin Cook''s books and although he is pretty wordy, I have liked most of them. This one seemed quite long to have to read on my Kindle, and I felt that the first 40% of the book was mainly filled with complaints from Jack. In fact, I have felt like in the last few books that Jack is becoming increasingly whiny and that he feels like he can do anything because he is "special." Want a sample of tissue checked right this minute, although several other orders are in front of you? No problem. Leave the office to investigate something although you know it is not permitted? No problem, what the boss (also his wife) doesn't know won't hurt her. Always want things done my way at work and at home, No problem. Well, maybe a small one. And isn't this a bit of a rerun plot, as it is mentioned several times that the same serial killer in the hospital thing happened to Laurie a few books back? Not so happy with this one.

Another satisfying Jack Stapleton book. The writing on these is always meh to me. Dialogue just seems really stilted and not very natural. But I enjoy the stories in general. This one is pretty repetitive in that the crime mirrors an earlier novel. So less enjoyable than past installments but still a good escape.

From the most reliable and exciting medical thriller writer in the universe, Robin Cook, comes another adventure for our married protagonists Jack and Laurie, this time with a medical serial killer running loose in their hospital.

I have loved Robin Cook since Coma, and he has yet to disappoint me. Even though he's been writing medical thrillers for decades, his research and cutting-edge issues and commentary on medicine stay current and relevant. His characters are a little old-fashioned, exclaiming things like, "Good gravy!" when they learn about serial killings, but somehow from Cook this is adorable and not at all dated when coupled with current research and interesting and creepy medical issues and pitfalls in the Covid era.

Here, medical examiner Jack is investigating the untimely and seemingly natural death of a promising young doctor who happened to be doing research on medical serial killers at the time of her demise. If we know anything about Jack, it's that he's going to leave the morgue and go out into the world to investigate the death scene better than the police ever will. Also, if we know Robin Cook, his plucky medical examiner hero is going to determine the true cause of death, and of course simultaneously encounter shadowy corporate hospital overlords who are doing their best to cover up nefarious medical disasters.

Robin Cook knows his formula works and he definitely knows what his readers want to see -- and here, as always, he delivers the thrills: the research, the science, the corporate espionage, and the medical folks playing God. Page after page practically turns itself.

So in conclusion, good gravy! If you like nonstop medical thrills and chills, and strong scientific heros and heroines fighting the forces of evil in a corporate hospital, you're going to love this book. A highly enjoyable read.

Thanks to the publisher, Robin Cook, and NetGalley for a wonderful read! 4.5 shiny stars.

I have enjoyed this series for a long time, this was a good one. Laurie and Jack are a great pair, wish they had gotten together with their theories a bit more, but with Laurie as chief, they aren't as good together. Still it was a good story and suspenseful. Highly recommend.

Night Shift by Robin Cook Classic Robin Cook medical thriller, entertaining, fast paced with an engaging couple of medical examiners, Jack Stapleton and Laurie Montgomery. Good solid mystery and of course, medical information.

Thank you to Robin Cook, Penguin Group Putnam, G.P, Putnam and NetGalley for the opportunity to preview the book.

This was my first read of Robins and I must say I really liked it. This book was thought provoking and very well written. I did learn it was number 13 in a series but that didn’t matter I was able to read it as a stand alone and enjoyed all of it, it was easy to follow along and I was able to really get into this story. This drama/thriller is enriched by having real medical analysis. When this outstanding medical examiner family speaks for the dead, these readers are in for a treat of a book! This book went so perfectly with everything going on in the world, it takes place during a pandemic, masks and all.

I love medical thrillers and this book did not disappoint! This book is part of a series but I had no problem catching up and understanding all the characters.

Dr Jack Stapleton is having a heck of a time at home. His wife, Dr Laurie Montgomery has just been promoted and bringing the boss mentality home – his kids are struggling, and the icing on the cake – his mother in law has moved in seemingly indefinitely. Dr Stapleton is an ME and gets to work begging for a challenging case but is disappointed to find out that there aren’t any and he will be stuck on the case of his wife’s friend who apparently had a heart attack. However as Jack delves deeper into the case he is stumped. This woman was perfectly healthy. With not much to go on Jack starts looking for answers by asking the woman’s co-workers questions. Doesn’t help that the lady was also a Dr, and working for the company Jack vehemently hates. As Jack digs deeper into this mystery strange things start happening and he himself seems to be at risk. Will he be able to solve this mystery and make it out alive?

This book was very detailed and at points I appreciated the writing, but at others I got frustrated. This book is set in our current post but still active COVID world and a lot of that makes it into the book. There are lots of mask and vaccine references. I’m not sure if its just because we’re living this time, or what but reading about it just was a turn off for me in a way. This book was intriguing and while this book is long, it did keep me engaged. I was able to quickly read it in about a day and a half and found myself not wanting to put it down. Things really picked up about the half way point and then it was un-put-down-able. Overall this book worked, I liked the story, and it was interesting. I gave it a 4/5 and would read his author, and perhaps another Dr Jack Stapleton and Dr Laurie Montgomery book in the future. Special thanks to the publisher and @netgalley for my e-ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.