I had difficulty getting into this novel. It did not capture me in the initial fifty pages. If I had not agreed to review it, I probably would not have finished it. I could not identify with the characters at all nor did they elicit my compassion. The author's writing style is mostly long passages of prose interspersed with short bursts of dialogue or action. Much of the prose is character thoughts. In that sense this is very much a character driven novel. The pace picked up near the end of the book but that did not make up for the slow pace for the rest of the novel.

I found the change in points of view disturbing. Meghan's section is first person, from inside her head. Other sections, such as Becky, Meghan's mom, Zach, one of Meghan's doctors, are in the third person, from a universal point of view. I felt the changes distracting and it did not work for me.

There is a great deal of medical information included in the novel. I learned about mitochondrial disease and Munchausen by proxy, for example.

I would have appreciated this book much more if 50-60 pages had been edited out. Readers who appreciate long passages of character ruminations might enjoy this book. It was just not the writing style I like. I did enjoy the intense suspense at the end. I do wish there had been more of it throughout the entire book.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.

How to best describe this book? Definitely, gripping and addicting! Once I began this book I simply did not want to put it down because it is that good. I will admit to going back and forth between #ProtectMeghan and #BelieveBecky and by the end my mind was all over the place. I thank @STMartinsPress and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this excellent book!

Excerpt from Review: "...I must warn you: you are going to get very angry while reading this book. Some will direct their anger at Becky, certain that she is creating or contributing to Meghan’s illness. Some will be angry with Carl for his seeming lack of belief. Some will be angry at Meghan for keeping secrets detrimental to what is occurring in this story. And, if I’m not mistaken, all will be angry at the GI doctor for the tricky way she manages to set the ball rolling against the Gerards with her Munchausen claim...I would definitely recommend Saving Meghan for fans of the mystery/thriller genre. The writing was captivating, the characters easily relatable, the storyline believable and the suspense was definitely attention grabbing."

I read this book in one day and loved it despite it being totally ridiculous. If you allow yourself to ignore all of the ridiculous plot lines it’s a very quick and exciting read.

I absolutely loved this book. It was an engrossing read. I would classify it more as a domestic suspense. In reading this it was hard to determine what was really going on with the daughter and who was really at fault. I love that it kept me guessing and that it plays on your emotions.

Being well ... a Meaghan, I had to read Saving Meghan simply because of the namesake.

The story opens to Becky Gerard boarding a plane to go see her dying mother but in the back of her heard she cannot stop thinking about her daughter, Meghan, who has been ill as well. Just before take off Becky receives an alarming text for her husband - their daughter has been rushed to the hospital. Becky switches courses to be by her daughters side.

Quickly, the doctors come to the conclusion that Becky might be suffering from Munchausen syndrome by proxy (MSBP) - a mental disorder in which the caregiver either makes up or cause illness or injury to a person under their care. Given the circumstances Meghan is taken into the care of the hospital. Determined to find answers, Becky will do whatever she can to save Meghan.

The premise definitely sounds intriguing but I couldn't connect with the characters and found it to be too far-fetched. However, I will say that the writing was good and I did find myself flopping back and forth about Meghan's illness. Well played D.J. Palmer!

Saving Meghan is almost impossible to put down. Meghan is almost sixteen years old and she has a mysterious illness. Or does she? Her mother, Becky, devotes her life to finding the answer to what ails Meghan. Meghan's father Carl wonders if Becky is embellishing Meghan's symptoms to direct attention toward herself. The plot takes an unexpected turn when Meghan is removed from her parents' custody and committed to the hospital's psychiatric ward. The story is told from alternating viewpoints and this technique provides the reader with many different perspectives, as well as many questions. Who can Meghan trust? Is she really sick? Suspenseful writing and great characters make this novel a definite page turner.

This is another amazing addition to the books written by Daniel Palmer. (I don’t know why he changed his name for this one from Daniel to D.J., but D.J. is just as good as Daniel.)

Meghan is a sick 15 year old, or is she? Meghan has spent the last few years in and out of hospitals, back and forth to doctors, and tired and worn out. She has been tested for all sorts of diseases and issues, but no diagnosis has stuck. Just when she thinks she has a name for what she has, another doctor accuses her mother of Munchausen syndrome by proxy. The story takes off from there and is hard to put down. Meghan is removed from her parents and just wants to go home. Her mom wants her to come home too, but her father doesn’t know who to believe. The last ten percent of the book is crazy with action, twists and turns, and an amazing conclusion. This is a great thriller and highly recommended.

Saving Meghan
By DJ Palmer St Martins Press
Happy Publication Day ! April 9, 2019

Synopsis
Some would say Becky Gerard is a devoted mother and would do anything for her only child. Others, including her husband Carl, claim she's obsessed and can't stop the vicious circle of finding a cure at her daughter's expense.

Fifteen-year-old Meghan has been in and out of hospitals with a plague of unexplained illnesses. But when the ailments take a sharp turn, clashing medical opinions begin to raise questions about the puzzling nature of Meghan’s illness. Doctors suspect Munchhausen syndrome by proxy, a rare behavioral disorder where the primary caretaker seeks medical help for made-up symptoms of a child. Is this what's going on? Or is there something even more sinister at hand?

#Thriller Thursday Alert.. Calling all #Thriller reviewers****** Amazing 4.5 star read/ out of 5
Thank you #Netgalley and #StMartinPress for the advanced reader of this high suspense book.!
Let me preface by saying this was a cover to cover without much of a break read, I stayed up all night to finish!, The author covers a very serious topic that has been a PSA on Law and Order SVU, Without a Trace and Criminal Minds and for fans of these shows it will be a true page turner.
Let's be honest ; I hated the father's character and without spoilers I was believing he was the evil behind Meghan's illness, and part of me was thinking Meghan was making herself sick since her parents were so self absorbed and too busy thinking they are the most important people in the room. DJ Palmer you have brought McDreamy from Grey's Anatomy back from the dead and reincarnated in the character of our important specialist,Dr Fisher. You had the reader believing he is the only one who can save Meghan; give him the golden scalpel award!!
What would have made this a Five star book*****
Every good book has .1. A character you never want to say goodbye to... I truly believe this author has the ability to create this character..; a character we don't ever forget like Jerry Maguire or Pretty Woman..In Saving Meghan.. we really didn't have one character that stood out as a quotable character we would want to see again in a future book, but there was a lot of potential in our doctor Mc Dreamy.
2. The signature thriller twist .: Stephen King had this in each of his books; a car that killed, a dog that became a monster, and they are timeless stories that read well generation to generation There was nothing that jumped and leaped out at the reader with this story no Bates Motel with a knife plunge.. There were the bread crumb clues that had the reader searching for answers like the Agatha Christie classics , and when there was the pivotal leap off the cliff , the reader wasn't shocked at the outcome. .
3. The ending must make the reader want to read the book again!.. Yes the famous reread.. did I miss something? What is going to happen with our fave character next? In Saving Meghan , it really was tied up too nice with a bow and a box of tissues. there was no special effect previews into future stories, there was a happy ending, and I don't know if this was the book I wanted a happy ending ; Infinity War didn't get a happy ending Mr Palmer, why should Becky get Mc Dreamy?

Even so I await DJ Palmer's next book ; maybe he may even read my review and create that perfect character that he is destined to create. ; maybe she will be redhaired, green eyed, and haunts libraries. .

Saving Meghan by D.J. Palmer will grab you from the first page until the last page so prepare to clear out your schedule! I literally gave up an entire day because I could not rest until I knew how the story resolved. There are many twists in this story about a child, apparently seriously ill from a mysterious cause, and her mother whose hovering raises suspicions about the source of her daughter’s ailment. At times, I suspected every main character, and in the end, I was not even close!

I confess, however, that this was not my ideal thriller. Not one of the characters seemed authentic or consistent in their behavior. Neither was any character particularly likable. This is a wonderful novel if you need to escape for a day or if you love the action of a thriller. But, for me, there was just not a lot to hold on to.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read an electronic ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book is beyond intense. I believed Becky that Meghan was sick, but no one had any idea what was wrong with her and that meant that it was impossible to fix. Also, her symptoms were so vague that it could be anything or nothing.

I love Daniel Palmer's books (this is his first one writing as DJ Palmer) and this is no exception. It's so smart and so thrilling and I had no idea what was coming or who was responsible. (I did not call the ending at all.)

I absolutely recommend this and all my thriller-loving friends will be getting copies for Christmas or their birthdays. Clear your schedules for this one; you won't want to stop until you finish.

Saving Meghan by D.J. Palmer is a thriller that tackles the question of how far a mother will go for her child and is there such a thing as too far?? The book changes the point of view between several characters with the biggest coming from Becky, the mother.

The book begins with Becky aboard an airplane waiting for the plane to depart worried that her husband was not answering her last minute texts checking on her daughter Meghan. Right as the plane begins to make it’s way to the runway Becky gets the news she was afraid of, Meghan is in the hospital again and she begs to be let off the plane.

You see, Meghan has had every symptom known to man by this point and in and out of the hospital emergency rooms along with test after test from numerous doctors. There’s never an answer to why this once vibrant girl is wasting away but her mother will not give up until she is healthy again.

Now perhaps it’s my own medical history of being passed around from doctor to doctor or just a child in danger but I was immediately drawn into this book and could not put it down. As intense as the beginning was to me the story never really seemed to slow down keeping me on the edge wondering what twist would come next and how it would all turn out. Definitely a book that I recommend checking out and reading yourself.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

Saving Meghan by D.J. Palmer

Saving Meghan reads like something out of the Newspaper. A girl, sick seemingly with vague symptoms is at the crux of the story. Her mother, Becky Gerard, is all over it. She is constantly looking for more information trying to find an explanation as to why her daughter is so sick. Everything is so vague. No one seems to know what is going on. Her husband, Carl seems to feel his wife, Becky is over reacting. Finally, she finds a Dr. Fisher, a man who specializes mitochondrial disorder, and matches all the vague symptoms. Then Munchausen by proxy was suggested and everything changes.


The chapters change the speaker and reading Meghan’s chapters about how she feels like her body is shutting off one switch at a time was really eerie. I found myself finding everyone guilty at one point or another and was positive a couple of times that I was totally right only to be wrong. The twists did keep me interested although I felt the book was too wordy in other places. Saving Megahn by D. J. Palmer was a ride of a read.

Five big stars for this book!! It's truly hard to put down!! Great, believable characters, good pacing, and a fascinating plot. Very well written. This should definitely be the thriller of the summer.

The twists and turns and hints and red herrings had me changing my mind every few pages as to exactly who was responsible for what was happening with Meghan. I think I suspected absolutely everybody at one time or another. When the ending was revealed, it blew me away. I definitely did not see that coming!!

Kudos to D. J. Palmer for one thriller of a book!!

Meghan is a very sick girl.. or is she? Tests after tests can’t figure out what is wrong. Yet her mother Becky pushes on. New doctors, new tests. But is she really the loving, concerned mother she appears to be? Her husband Carl has doubts. But will her new doctor find answers before the hospital takes her away for suspected abuse?

This was a great story that kept me very interested. Several times I thought o knew what was going on only to find out I was wrong. When I finally read what was going on 🤯. I definitely recommend.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for a review copy!

3.75 of 5 stars

you had me at munchausen by proxy...ever since I read #SharpObjects, I’ve been fascinated by the topic and was excited to read this book, even if I was a little hesitant by the idea of a book about a sick kid with a crazy mom...but this one surprised me. Part medical mystery, part courtroom drama, party soapy thriller, I found myself racing through this book anticipating what was going to happen next. Becky starts off as a really unlikable hysterical character so it’s quite the feat that Palmer is able to make readers root for her by the end. I think that was my favorite part of the story: there are no black and white good/bad characters; everyone is a shade of gray, which makes the narrative that much more interesting. I will note there is a HUGE exposition dump at the end that bummed me out, but that shouldn’t deter you from checking this one out. Thanks to my friends at @stmartinspress and net galley for the advanced copy.

Thank you St. Martins Press and Net-Galley for the copy of this book.

I am so glad I took the chance on this author. I loved the suspense of this story.

Meghan is sick but the doctors can't seem to figure out what is going on. Her mom takes her from one doctor to another. Knowing that something is really wrong with her or she believes something is wrong. There is strain on Meghans' parents marriage, her father having enough of her seeing doctor after doctor.


Once they finally think they might have a diagnosis, things start changing, everything gets turned upside down and Meghan is left to suffer. It wasn't easy to figure out who the bad person was, it was a guessing game the entire time.

Will Meghan ever truly know what is wrong with her? Will her parents over come all the stress brought on. One click this book today to find out!!

hank you so much to St. Martins Press and NetGalley for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I'm not even sure where to start with this book. After reading the synopsis I immediately thought it was the mom making the kid sick and I thought to myself why would the author give that much information away which would leave no mystery or thrills to the novel. Then as I started reading the book I strongly felt it was the mom, then I thought it was someone else, and then I got to the end of the book and found out who was really hurting Meghan and I was in complete shock.

Becky's daughter Meghan has been sick for awhile and no doctor or specialist can seem to figure out why. All of her test results come back normal and she appears to be a healthy 15-year-old, just skinny and pale which could be attributed to the fact that she never has an appetite.

After Becky's husband Carl finds a specialist for a disease they hadn't considered they think they will finally get the answers they've been searching for. Then Becky starts being investigated for Munchausen syndrome by proxy which Carl believes stems from Becky's mother faking illnesses and having Becky lie for her growing up. Just as the Gerard family feels they're starting to get answers their while world is taken from them by someone with a sinister plot.

This was honestly one of the best mystery/suspense novels I've read in a very long time. I found the beginning of the book to be a little slow for me but I think that was due to a lot of information being thrown out at once. Once I started reading further into the book I was drawn in and couldn't finish the book fast enough.

I loved all of the characters especially Becky since she was a total mama bear determined to get her child better no matter what it took. There was a few times in the book where I feel she reverted back to how her mother used to have her act but she was honestly trying to do it in the best interest of her child which I think any mom with a sick kid would do.

Trust me when I say the ending will leave you reeling.

Saving Meghan will have you, as the reader, questioning each character's motive and wondering who you can believe. And then, when you least expect it, you'll get hit from left field.

I knew when I started this book that there were going to be twists and unexpected turns so as I was reading it, I kept looking for the holes in peoples' stories, doubting everyone's actions. Reading like that, expecting the worst in everyone, had me on the edge of my seat through the whole book. What a tense, but exciting journey!

I loved this page-turning, extraordinary story and can't wait to see what else D. J. has in store for his readers.

I received a complimentary copy of Saving Meghan from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.
Saving Meghan begins with Becky on a plane about to leave Boston for Los Angeles to see her dying mother. Her daughter, Meghan, has had a strange illness for years and after receiving a text from her husband that Meghan is in the hospital, Becky forces the plane back to the terminal. Becky believes her daughter and has taken her to see many doctors to try to figure out what's wrong, while Becky's husband, Carl, believes it's Becky's messed up childhood that's making her think Meghan is sick when she isn't. Carl finds a new doctor, Dr. Zach, who thinks Meghan has mitochondrial disease. Meghan is secretly taken to the mental health ward while Becky and Carl are in the emergency waiting room. The mental health professionals think Meghan's illness is in her mind and her mother is charged with Münchausen syndrome by proxy. The rest of the story is a roller coaster that'll keep you guessing till the end.
The writing style was a little strange for me at first because two perspectives (Becky and Zach) are told in third person, while Meghan's is first person point of view. They are all unreliable and unlikable, which made me second-guess myself and not
trust any of them.

› Becky, 48 years-old, is described as "annoyingly thin". What's that all about? The women are painted as "bad", and pretty much all the women doubted themselves, had anxiety or a mental health issue.

› I would have liked to have seen more diversity and gender equality. It would have been fantastic to have had more scenes with Becky's mother, Cora.

› Unrealistic incidents made Saving Meghan feel corny. I did figure out one part of the mystery but blindsided by another piece. It's refreshing when a mystery/thriller has a smaller cast, and the big reveal is a character that isn't some stranger on the sidelines.

› Parenthood, in particular mother/daughter relationships, is a big theme in this novel. As a mother, my heart broke for Becky and I often found myself taking her side.

› Dr. Zach is the one character that I liked for the entire story. After his son died from mitochondrial disease Zach became an expert in the field and some have accused him of over-diagnosing the disease. My heart broke for him. I just wanted him to have a happy ending.

› Truth and trust also play a big part in this thriller. Becky is on the verge of losing her sanity and she somehow needs to figure out who she can trust. After twenty years of marriage, Becky and Carl learn just how much their marriage can be tested.

› The big question is, how far would you go to save your child? A few years ago my daughter was experiencing strange stomach pains for about a year. I brought her to our family doctor and the emergency room and they would send us home saying she's probably just constipated. No one was listening to what we said and it was incredibly frustrating. Thankfully, after pushing for a referral we were able to see a Pediatric Gastroenterologist who was extremely thorough and able to fix the problem. If her pain would have continued for years as it did for Meghan, I probably would have become just as angry as Becky.

› I liked the ending even though I did guess a part of the mystery early-on.
With secrets, likes, and drama, Saving Meghan is an exciting read, great for fans of domestic thrillers and medical mysteries.