I loved the characters and plot in book one in this series (learn more about the first book here), so couldn’t wait to see where book two would take us.

Dr. Brady is an orthopedic surgeon, who loves his work and helping his patients. He loves his family, seeks to only do good and has a natural curiosity that tends to get him in a bit of trouble (but also can save the day!). In this novel, Dr. Brady is being sued by a former patient who had lost his leg months after his procedure. Dr. Brady has reviewed the case over and over, with his colleagues and himself but still something doesn’t sit right with him. There is something missing from the lawsuit and case – something that may clear him from any wrongdoing.

His concerns are blown off by lawyers (‘don’t worry – that’s what insurance is for’) but this is more than just insurance – this is his passion, his livelihood, his pride. He becomes fed up with the answers and the lack of help he is receiving and takes matters into his own hands. He begins an investigation not only into his case but into the lawyer who is part of the lawsuit against him. He begins to uncover lawyers preying on patients, theft of medical documents, threats and more – not only stemming from his own case but from other cases in the hospital. Will he be able to defend himself before someone tries to silence him?

I loved this fast paced plot – it is unique, well developed and engaging. It kept me on my toes – I wanted and needed to know what would happen next. I felt anger at people preying on vulnerable patients, manipulating information and theft of medical documents. I wanted to see justice both for the patients but also the physicians. The ending of this novel was excellent and perfect for the plot. I enjoyed every moment of this well written novel.

Dr. Jim Bob Brady, an orthopedic surgeon, is being sued for medical malpractice. He performed a knee replacement on a patient and all went went ... except ... a strange infection caused the knee replacement to become an amputation.

The attorney for the patient, Donovan Shaw, is a friend of Brady's. But it becomes really personal when Shaw threatens, “I will do anything, and I mean anything, to win the case, even if I have to destroy you and that pretty wife of yours. I will stop at nothing. You remember that!”

Even stranger, Brady isn't the only doctor in his practice being sued. Something smells ...and Brady is determined to get to the truth of the matter.

The author has 30 years as a practicing orthopedic surgeon, and I expected a great deal of credibility to this story. I was not disappointed. This is a well written medical thriller with authentic conversations amid believable actions by the deftly drawn characters. The fast pacing is maintained from start to finish.

Although this is 2nd in the series, it reads easily as a stand alone. I do recommend reading the books in order and Book 3 will be available in September 2020.

Many thanks to the author / Mantid Press / Netgalley for the digital copy of this medical thriller. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

This book is intriguing from the start. The descriptions in the book are complex and give a level of depth not normally found in most books. The protagonist in the book has several friend and familial relationships and the characters being so well introduced and involved in sub plots ensure the background and depth of these relationships is well thought out and well explained. This means the reader not only gets a good insight into the protagonist but also into the personalities key to the plot and sub plots. At all times one is rooting for the right outcome and the fair outcome and I needed to keep reading to make sure this was the case. Highly recommended.

Act of Deception is a medical practice mystery and the second Doc Brady outing by Dr. John Bishop. Released 10th June 2020, it's 276 pages and available in paperback and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately. For Kindle Unlimited subscribers, the first book in the series is currently included in the KU subscription library to borrow and read for free.

This is a plain spoken directly written and engaging mystery set in 1995. It was the first of the series I've read and I was immediately hooked by the down-to-earth and likable protagonist and his genuine and loving family. He's an orthopedic surgeon in the middle of a multi-million dollar malpractice suit. I didn't find it difficult at all to dive into the story, the author is quite adept at providing backstory without spoon-feeding or info dumping. It works very well as a standalone. The background and the medical procedures are explained concisely and are easy to understand (layman accessible) in context.

The pacing was good, the plot moved along at a pleasant clip, and I never felt like it was a slog or a race. The characters were well written, fleshed out and distinct and true to their various internal motivations and personalities. The full-on Texas dialogue got to me a few times, but I'm a Yankee, and, well, Texans do Texas (y'all). It was at least very true to the local vernacular and had the absolute ring of verisimilitude. The author's a Texas native, clearly.

The only mystery which remained unresolved for me at the end of the book was just how much of the narrative was autobiographical. Another well known plainspoken author, Mark Twain, said "Write what you know", advice that Dr. Bishop clearly has taken to heart and used well.

Four stars. I've requested a review copy of the third book in the series and intend to go back and read the first book very soon.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

Thank you to #NetGalley for the opportunity to read & provide a honest review of Act of Deception by John Bishop. This is the 2nd book in the Dr. Brady (Doc Brady #2) series. While I did not read the 1st book (because I hadn’t heard of the series), it wasn’t necessary in order to enjoy this book. It was a fun, well paced, enjoyable read. I definitely recommended it especially if you’re in the medical and/or legal field. #goodreads #readingchallenge #ActofDeception

First, thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the opportunity to read and give an honest review on this book. This is book 2 of a series, which I wasn't aware of until I started it. This book can be read as a standalone, you won't be lost if you read this first. If you're like me and enjoy medical and legal thrillers, then this book is for you. Well written and interesting. There were a few small parts that felt like they dragged on but that could just be my mindset lately. I recommend this book and will be reading the 1st book and any subsequent books for the series.

An engrossing medical misadventure mystery, combining a page-turner plot line with wonderful scene-setting in Houston and Galveston. It’s 1995, and Houston orthopedic surgeon Dr. Jim Bob Brady is being sued for medical malpractice after one of his patients suffers a mysterious infection that caused a knee replacement to end up as an amputation.
The idealistic doc believes he's done the best by his patient and is bewildered by the very poor outcome. He suspects there has been some other incident or intervention - unbeknownst to him - that the patient and his attorney are concealing.
A fascinating insight into the world of medical malpractice and the clash of values between medical staff earnestly trying to do the best for their patients and lawyers and insurance companies who regard the whole medical misadventure field as a numbers game . . simply business with "nothing personal" involved.
When J. J. Brady discovers his isn’t the only practice being sued. he suspects there may be an organised racket with inside knowledge from hospital records being fed to unethical lawyers who then target vulnerable patients and promise them big handouts to lie. about their cases.
John Bishop's personal experience as an orthopedic surgeon in Texas for many years imbues the book with depth and authenticity, but he never lets his expertise get in the way of the story. I loved this book, the second in the series, for its sympathetic characters, rich Houston setting and insight into complicated legal and medical matters. Believe it or not you may even end up feeling more sympathy and understanding for those high earning surgeons in their penthouse apartments!

I have read the first book in this series. I kept my expectations high when I started to read this book. I am a little disappointed with the way things start. Jim Bob is sued for malpractice and he seems to be losing his nerve over it. As the story proceeds, we see it is more than just a case for the lawyers and the insurance company. The first half of the book deals with a lot of medical jargon and the daily life of Jim Bob - I found few things to be repetitive and it spoiled the mood a tad. The twist in the second half was unexpected. Things take a turn for the good in the second half and the story proceeds at a pretty good pace. Overall, this was an okay read. My rating is solely based on the expectations I had with this book.

Dr James Robert Brady (Jim Bob) is a valued orthopedic Houston surgeon with a reputation for excellent work when he discovers himself being sued for malpractice by one of his patients. William (Billy) Jones had his right leg amputated above the knee after a deadly infection sets in months following Dr Brady's original knee replacement.

The storyline examines the murky world of malpractice lawsuits, the difference between barratry and solicitation, ambulance chasers, and the insurance company's role in the escalating problems of skyrocketing insurance coverage and medical-legal support.

Feeling with absolute certainty that he did everything according to the book and as his colleagues concurred at the time, he wants to fight. Not that he's being hung out to dry all by his lonesome, but everyone soon begins to advocate his settling. Just make it go away... But he won't. They go to trial.

Plaintiff's lawyer is a sleaze. Moreover, his investigator is a despot. Dr. Brady collaborates with his sleuthing son, engages any help he can find, and desperately searches for the missing connection.

The author introduces a number of well-fleshed support characters, both protagonists and antagonists. Jim Bob is well-developed, given dimensions in his personal as well as professional life. It is a well-paced and plotted story into the reveal, which hands the reader one last little twist.

There are sufficient medical explanations and terminology to convince the reader of the expertise of the author and between that and the insight into the world of medical insurance and malpractice lawsuits, quite the eye-opener. I liked the way the courtroom scenes unfolded (loved the judge!).

I received this digital download from the publisher and NetGalley in the expectation of an honest review and appreciated the opportunity to read Book 2 of the series. I'll be interested to see what develops in Book 3. Recommended.

This book was given to me by NetGalley for my honest review.

This was a good read. Story was interesting with one problem for me. Politicizing the plight of the poor doctors--burdened with high insurance premiums, and the risk of lawsuits. It is kind of hard to sympathize with a Dr. who has a nice primary home and a vacation home on the beach.

There is no mention of the perks from the pharmaceutical industry, billing for an operation that was never done (happened to me), or as happened to a friend--he needed therapy and used his doctors therapy room. While he was in the therapy room the Dr. would stick his head in and say something like "How is it going?" Nice guy my buddy thought until the bill came with if each of those "Howdy moments" billed as an office visit!

Good read, but could do without the added politicking.

Superb thriller with Doc Brady facing a malpractice lawsuit and how he wriggles his way out. This is better than the first book with intact pace and less of romantic interlude. Would have liked to see more of JJ, but this time the doctor does things himself the old way. A tough competitor for Robin Cook.

Shades of Perry Mason! Older readers like myself have seen the story portrayed in Act of Deception multiple times. The dramatic, last-minute turn of events in a trial was well-captured in the Perry Mason shows. So there is not much new in Act of Deception. Even if not surprising, it is an engaging tale of a qualified surgeon having to face trial for malpractice despite his best efforts. The characters were great.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC.

I pretty much raved about John Bishop MD’s first novel in the Doc Brady series, entitled Act of Revenge. Now, he’s released the second book, Act of Revenge, and you’ll have to tolerate another rave by this reviewer. The protagonist, Dr. James Robert Brady, is an orthopedic surgeon working in Houston, and he specializing in doing hip and knee replacements. In this book, he’s the target of a malpractice claim by a patient whose knee replacement looked very good, but then became infected in the postoperative period. Treatment for the infection failed, and the patient ended up with an above-the-knee amputation.

I’ll admit that I’m biased in favor of orthopedic surgeons. My favorite med school mentor was a hotshot orthopedist who nearly had me convinced to follow him into his specialty (before I saw the light and became a psychiatrist/psychoanalyst), But, decades ago, I was privileged enough to serve as his first assistant on multiple patients who got hip and knee replacements. The surgeries were magical. And now I’ve benefitted from the continued improvement of the surgery and the materials that are used – I have an artificial hip which works great. But, I also saw a lot of things that did not go well. Infections are the bane of such operations.

As with his first book, the character development of Dr. Jim Bob, his wife, and those around him was excellent, and I only saw the plot come together near the end of this mystery – a very satisfying ending. I thought it was very realistic and there were both good guy attorneys, and despicable ones. I’ve also testified as an expert witness in a few medical malpractice cases, and I thought Dr. Bishop also captured the stress of being the target of a malpractice claim, as well as the impact of such on his family, colleagues, and friends.

This was an A+/5-star read. It’s due out in June 2020. And now I’m eager to see Bishop’s third book in this series which is to be published in September.

<i>Act of Deception</i> is a fast-paced mystery that takes us inside the murky world of lawsuits for medical malpractice. Dr James Robert Brady is an excellent orthopedic surgeon who values his reputation so much that even his defence lawyers feel he is losing his perspective. This is the second novel in the Doc Brady Series by John Bishop.

Dr. Brady is being sued. Mr. William Jones (Billy) is referred to him with a knee problem due to arthritis and Brady replaces the knee. Unfortunately, infection sets in and Billy loses his whole leg 5 months later. Brady feels he did everything properly and that there must be something Billy is concealing. There is no evidence of any wrongdoing and everyone recommends the doctor pay out. To Brady his reputation is everything and he refuses to concede. So, they go to trial. Billy’s lawyer is a barracuda when it comes to suits like this, and he has an excellent investigator on his side. What does Brady need to prove his innocence when no one thinks he can avoid losing the case?

The characters in the story are compelling. Billy and his wife are nice people who can’t farm if Billy only has one leg. You want them to win the case. James Brady is a very diligent doctor and you are on his side as well. Billy’s lawyer seems crooked and his investigator is too aggressive. The author does a good job of letting you get to know all the characters and it becomes hard to decide. The reveal at the end helps you settle your concerns but up to that point it is hard to choose sides.

There are too many similar characters that are difficult to separate. The doctor’s lawyer friends all seem to be in the suing doctor business and the doctors all are orthopedic specialists. This makes it a challenge to keep everyone straight since their roles are not unique enough.

The story is well written. It is fast paced even though there is very little violent action. A few unexpected events keep the readers interest throughout. The legal and medical terms are frequent enough, but not overwhelming. As well, I feel I have learned something about how the world of medicine and law interact.

I recommend this book to people who are interested in the world of medical/legal interactions or those who just like a good mystery. I give it a 4 on 5. I want to thank Net Galley and FSB Associates for providing me with a digital copy of the novel in exchange for a fair review

This book could be classified as a cosy mystery. It is not a whodunnit, but a comfortable jaunt along a well-trodden path about a doctor done wrong.

Jim Bob is an amazing orthopaedic surgeon, perhaps a little gone to seed but still able to walk with some swag in his leather cowboy boots and is married to the dazzling Mary-Louise, who is ravishing according to her husband's description. Both in their early 50’s, they live a charmed life in megacity Houston, Texas with a grown-up sleuth son who has more than landed on his feet since recently leaving college. The doctor was a talented musician before taking up his career in medicine and she is a society matron who swans around doing good works of charity and being the stuff of Jim Bobs slightly randy dreams. But there is a cloud hanging over this couple; Jim Bob is being sued for malpractice, although he states to any and everyone who will listen that he is not guilty of the said charges, but is unable to provide the proof to stand free of the weight of the accusation. This is the proviso of the book in which the good MD has to unravel the truth of the situation because his insurance company lawyers seem to be incapable of providing a clear investigation to defend their doctor and not collapse like a house of cards against the accuser and acquiesce to a huge, multi-million dollar payout – this being America and its health care system after all.

Having read About the Author at the end of the book, it's not hard to see that the author is writing about himself, taking his real life into the fantastical world of literature. One gets the impression that there isn’t a great deal of imagination to the storyline nor the character development involved from the author. It is a basic read with a great deal of medical jargon to prove to the reader that the author does indeed know what he is talking about when it comes to hip and knee surgery. One cannot help but get frustrated at them missing explanations of situations that occur within the story and wonder if they were simply used as a method of creating drama, and it is frustrating to the extreme in the manner in which the insurance company doesn’t fight to the bitter end to not have to pay out the money to the accuser, which we all know, having dealt with insurance companies outside of America, is exactly how they would behave.

It was nothing special, which was disappointing. I expected and hoped for more.

I want to thank NetGalley, Mantid Press, and author John Bishop for providing me with an ARC of this novel!

Act of Deception was such an amazing read! This side of the medical field has always interested me. The year is 1995, and we find ourselves following orthopedic surgeon Dr. Jim Bob Brady after he has been sued for medical malpractice. This brings to light some under the radar practices by doctors, insurance companies and lawyers. The characters are truly what make this story as amazing as it is. I definitely recommend this read if you’re at all interested in the medical field or law!

Thank you again to those named above for the opportunity to read and review this novel!

Excellent thriller about a medical malpractice case and some”shady” practices by doctors, insurance com, and lawyers. The plot is very well developed, but the characters are what really drive the story. The protagonist, an orthopedic surgeon and his very special wife, M.L., are very much in love, and she is the best support anyone could hope for..