When I was approached to review new medical thriller Control, I jumped at the chance. Especially as the plot involves a doctor being involved in some sort of auto-erotic asphyxiation. Yes you read that right – auto-erotic asphyxiation! I was intrigued…
Set in the 1980s, Dr Kash Devan is a young junior doctor new to the Victory Hospital. Kash is dedicated, diligent and naive. He is also in awe of his mentor, renowned surgeon Michael Trenchard “the eye of the storm, the unmoving mover, like God himself.” Kash’s admiration for Trenchard intensifies as the suave, controlled senior surgeon takes Kash under his wing.
One evening Kash is called to an emergency where he is shocked to discover Trenchard unconscious in his office dressed in women’s underwear surrounded by pornographic magazines with a noose tight around his neck!
Once so highly regarded, everyone now believes Trenchard to be a sick sadist. Even though he is now in a locked-in coma, Trenchard’s colleagues blame him and his secret sexual exploits for tarnishing the hospital’s reputation. Everyone apart from Kash as aspects about the incident appear suspicious to him. Kash believes Trenchard is the victim of a horrific crime.
Even though he is mocked by the police and his colleagues, Kash decides to investigate further. His suspicions intensify when he is also the victim of a mysterious medical accident.
I did enjoy Control, especially as I have never read a medical thriller before. The pressure of working as a junior doctor is portrayed with vivid realism. This is not surprising as Hugh Montgomery, the author is a distinguished physician. In writing Control, he uses his vast medical experience to great effect.
However I did feel that the medical terminology a bit over used at times. For me it was slightly distracting, taking me away from the drama of the story. I also felt the plot a tad clunky; Control is a ‘whodunit’- for me one that I worked out fairly early on.
But as I say, I did enjoy it. It is an intense story all about power and control. Being set in a busy hospital enhanced the intensity to great effect.
Thank you Tracy Fenton from Compulsive Readers for inviting me to be involved in the blog tour of Control. To follow my fellow book bloggers also on the blog tour, please see below.
Control was published on 8th August 2019, so if you fancy a dark medical thriller, give it a read.
Happy reading everyone! 🙂
