An intriguing mystery and romance. A few exciting, nail-biting moments. Clever concept about the chain of hearts. It kept my interest. Thanks to the publisher for providing a copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary.

“Change of Heart” by Cristina LePort, MD is an interesting and well researched medical mystery about the very important societal issue of organ donation. In this thriller a “medical detective” is called in to consult with the FBI on the mysterious chain of suicides happening right in front of medical facilities. Somehow the donors know exactly where to shoot themselves so they don’t damage their hearts. There is a chain donor base that designates donors, except somehow unexpected incidents keep preventing the assigned recipient from receiving the heart that was designated for them. Someone is illegally controlling the data base and patient information and it seems whoever is doing it wants a heart to go to a particular patient!
It is clear that the author has a deep medical background and we benefit from her knowledge. I am giving the book 4 stars even though the story was somewhat predictable and a bit slow going. The topics of organ trafficking, advances in medicine and medical ethics alone kept me reading until the last page.

Thank you NetGalley and Bancroft Press for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was a really well-thought-out book. Great characters to become attached to. The story revolves around who is going to get heart transplants. There are some very good surprises in store for the reader. Nice combination of medical and mystery. I highly recommend this reading.

An excellent detective/FBI thriller involving heart transplant recipients and criminal tampering with the transplant database.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of the book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I truly wanted to give this book a fair chance, but unfortunately, I couldn't get past the second chapter. The detailed description of how the shot impacted the young victim just didn’t sit well with me. This was my first time reading from this series, and I’m sorry to say it wasn’t a good fit for me

I received a complimentary copy of the book from Bancroft Press through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I liked most everything about this suspenseful novel, aside from the romantic elements, which are unrealistic and far-fetched. The story of a female FBI agent investigating odd deaths of organ donors is intriguing. There is a twist at the halfway point I didn't see coming. But overall, it just wasn't for me. And let's not even mention that cover.

I appreciate the ARC provided from the publisher and NetGalley.

Change of Heart, written by medical doctor Cristina LePort, is a heart-pounding (pun intended) hard-to-put-down medical thriller that takes us into the world of heart transplantation. Suddenly there is an uptick in suicides that are carried out to protect the victim's heart and that occur close to major medical centers; that is accompanied by a complicated heart transplant chain scheme that is hacked by bad players who have a personal interest in manipulating the chain.. Enter dedicated but reckless FBI rookie cybersecurity-specialist Charlotte Bloom, her boss Director Jack Murville and former police detective-turned private consultant Kirk Miner, who is working with Murville, all attempting to crack this complex case, which is overlaid with secrets from the past and present. The novel, among the better of the medical thrillers, moves along at a fast, sometimes breakneck, pace and will appeal to fans of the genre. It would have earned 5 stars from me had there not been some hard to believe details that briefly broke the pace of the story. All-in-all, this is an excellent novel with authentic details. I look forward to reading the next one in the series.

This medical thriller was strong on medical information which isn't much of a surprise given that the author is a doctor. The central plot is that someone is killing people in order to get their organs for transplant.

It starts with the death of a young medical student outside New York Medical Center which brings in former cop, current private investigator Kirk Miner who has a sort of specialty in medical crimes. But soon the FBI is involved including FBI Director Jack Mulville and is new protegee probationary agent Charlotte Bloom.

Charlotte is willing to do anything to prove herself to her mentor and gain her place as a full-fledged FBI Agent. One of the things she is willing to do in ignore who own health until she has reached her goal. She has severe heart disease and is in need of a heart transplant herself.

This case slots in nicely with her goals, but she soon finds herself more central than she had wished to be when it turns out that some of the crime exists because of her need for a heart.

The story began slowly for me, but once I got about 20% into it, it picked up the pace. That was the point that made me invested in the characters and eager to see how things would work out. While Charlotte's involvement stretched coincidence almost to the breaking point, I did ultimately enjoy the story.

‘The bullet carrying Amy Winter’s name whooshed through her hair at a speed of fifteen hundred feet per second …’

Medical student Amy Winter has apparently committed suicide by shooting herself in the temporal lobe. She’s left a note indicating that she wants to donate her organs for transplant, and because her heart is still beating, she is a perfect candidate.

Former detective, now private investigator Kirk Miner is called to the scene. Investigations quickly reveal that Amy was shot: a victim of an organ harvesting conspiracy.

Charlotte Bloom, a probationer with the FBI, under the supervision of FBI Agent Jack Mulville, is assigned to work with Kirk Miner to investigate. Charlotte has a secret of her own: one she is desperate to hide until her probationary period ends.

‘You better choose wisely. Your life may be at stake.’

What follows is a fast moving and dangerous quest for the truth. The more Miner and Bloom investigate, the more complicated (and dangerous) their work becomes. Someone has managed to infiltrate donor-related records and other lives are at risk.

The first half of this novel had me totally engrossed. Then there were a couple of twists which I thought stretched credibility to breaking point. Yes,
those twists increase the stakes and add more colour to the story, but they didn’t really work for me. That said, I am interested enough to seek out the first novel in this series and (mostly) I enjoyed the way Dr LePort blended medical knowledge and fiction in this novel.

Note: My thanks to NetGalley and Bancroft Press for providing me with a free electronic copy of this book for review purposes.

Jennifer Cameron-Smith

Kirk Miner was nicknamed “The Medical Detective”. A former cop turned private investigator, he was often called in as a criminal case consultant. Medical student Amy Winters had seemingly committed suicide by shooting herself in the temporal lobe. She was found inside her vehicle parked in front of a NY Medical Center. The passenger seat, containing a signed and dated note, stated her intention to donate her organs. Before the fatal shot was fired, 911 had been called. In order to save lives, Amy must be rescued before her organs shut down.

In just two months, Charlotte Bloom’s probationary period would end and she would become FBI Cyber Special Agent Bloom. A glitch might disqualify her, one she must keep under wraps.

Kirk Miner and Charlotte Bloom, chosen by the FBI in conjunction with the NYPD, were tasked with investigating unsolved cybercrime, crimes that had been escalating since hospital medical records were hacked one year ago. The main suspect orchestrating these breaches was a slippery mobster, someone continuing to illegally access patient information. The death of Amy Winter, a homicide made to look like suicide, was an attempt to harvest her organs.

NY Medical Center maintained a chain donation database. Each patient signed up with a potential donor. To create anonymity, patients were identified by a letter and number. Suicides among chain donors were found to be at an all time high. Who would benefit? “Someone wanted Amy Winter’s heart to go to a certain patient, very badly.”

This medical thriller will leave the reader breathless. It has it all; medical expertise written in layman terms, mystery, cybercrime, ethics and moral issues and romance. The cast of protagonists are well fleshed out and relatable. Author Cristina LePort, MD has written an outstanding novel that is adrenaline charged and unputdownable.

Thank you Bancroft Press and Net Galley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Review of eBook

Amy Winters is dead, shot in the head. But her heart is still beating. And she’s left a note indicating her desire to be an organ donor.

Private investigator Kirk Miner, called to the scene by NYPD captain John Spencer, has been asked to consult. What, at first, seemed to be a suicide, may be murder.

FBI probationary special agent Charlotte Bloom, assigned to the cybercrime division, longs to be in the field, working on challenging cases.

Circumstances conspire to bring these people together in an unexpected way, setting the stage for long-held secrets to come to light. And why does the hacking of hospital records play such an important part in the investigation?

=========

Believable characters in plausible situations populate this medical thriller. Anchored by a strong sense of place and a clever, inventive plot, the unfolding narrative pulls readers into the telling of the tale from the outset. The medical details add depth to the telling of the tale and the fast pace keeps the story moving.

Moral and ethical questions, the inevitable politics, and the challenges faced by doctors all work together to make this tale both captivating and thought-provoking. Filled with surprising twists, this medical murder mystery keeps those pages turning as fast as possible. With readers on the edge of their seats, the revelations keep readers guessing right up to the satisfying denouement.

Readers who enjoy mysteries with a medical twist will find much to appreciate here as will those who are looking for a good mystery.

Highly recommended.

I received a free copy of this eBook from Bancroft Press and NetGalley
#ChangeofHeart #NetGalley

Change of Heart is a gripping medical thriller that explores cyber hacking, organised crime and the darker side to organ donation and transplants. It hooks you in immediately and keeps the pace up the whole way through the novel. There were a couple of twists I picked but didn’t quite get the motive right and I was kept guessing along the way.

It’s the second book in the Miner and Mulville medical thriller series. There was a couple of times I wished I knew a bit more about the characters back stories but it is one you can jump into without knowing a lot. I enjoyed PI Kirk Miner as a character-his medical background and family background real helped add to the plot. FBI Rookie Charlotte Bloom played off him nicely and they balanced out their different skills and experiences well. FBI Director Jack Mulville seemed more of a side character rather than headliner though. Overall the novel was hard to put down and I enjoyed the medical components and am definitely keen to go back to read the first in the series now.

In the bustling heart of New York City, a young medical student’s life is tragically cut short, though her heart continues to beat, holding the promise of life for another. Detective Kirk Miner is called to the scene and quickly uncovers a chilling conspiracy involving organ donations and high-stakes crime. As the investigation unfolds, Miner realizes the case is far more complex and dangerous than it initially seemed! This book took me a bit to get through I kept coming back to it, and I’m really glad I did! It ended up being a wry good book! It’s a bit different but I definitely enjoyed reading it! This book had suspense, murder, serial killer, mystery, suicide, organ theft, and some crazy twists and turns! The story was very interesting! I highly recommend reading this book! Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for sharing this book with me!

This is an enthralling story that I found nearly impossible to put down. It begins with finding a young woman, Amy Winters, a medical student, shot in the head, right in front of a hospital. She is brain dead; however, her heart is still beating, making her the perfect candidate to donate a heart for transplant to a patient waiting for a heart. Having her found right at the hospital, makes it possible to give her still beating heart a patient in need of a new heart.
Detective Kirk Miner is recruited to work with the New York Police, however, upon further investigation, a conspiracy theory is formed that necessitates getting the FBI involved. It seems careful murders and suicides are occurring for the sole purpose of harvesting organs to accommodate those on a patient transplant list, specifically waiting for a heart.
As the case becomes more complex and dangerous, the FBI is called in. Special Agent Charlotte Bloom, and her Supervisor, Agent Jack Mulville, join forces with Detective Miner and it is soon apparent this is a very dangerous and corrupt operation of organ trafficking.
This story takes the reader on a wild ride as more deceit and unscrupulousness acts are revealed. Shocking, life-changing secrets are revealed as more information and details comes to light.
I absolutely could not put this riveting book down and kept reading until the last page was turned.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. All comments and opinions are my own.

Another great entry into the medical thriller genre. In this story we learn a lot about the very lucrative organ donor-harvesting-transplant business. The investigation reveals lots of information as the detectives aren’t on Vince’s the death was accidental or coincidental. We’ll design plot with excellent characters.

In the bustling heart of New York City, a young medical student's life is tragically cut short, though her heart continues to beat, holding the promise of life for another. Detective Kirk Miner is called to the scene and quickly uncovers a chilling conspiracy involving organ donations and high-stakes crime. As the investigation unfolds, Miner realizes the case is far more complex and dangerous than it initially seemed.

Enter FBI Agent Jack Mulville, who steps in to supervise Special Agent Charlotte Bloom as they join forces with Miner. Together, they unravel a web of corruption, revealing that Amy Winter's death is connected to a ruthless organ trafficking ring. Amy Winter, a promising pre-med student, is found dead under mysterious circumstances. Her death triggers an investigation that pulls Miner, Mulville, and Bloom into a labyrinth of deceit and desperation. As they dig deeper, they discover that Amy's heart is not just a donor's gift but a coveted prize in a deadly game controlled by criminals willing to kill to keep their secrets hidden.

The quest for justice takes Miner, Mulville, and Bloom through the shadowy underbelly of organ trafficking, revealing the lengths to which people will go to secure life-saving transplants. Amidst the danger, they face moral dilemmas and personal risks, pushing them to their limits as they strive to protect innocent lives and dismantle a powerful criminal network.

"Change of Heart" is a gripping medical thriller that intertwines the intricacies of modern medicine with the relentless pursuit of justice. Cristina LePort, M.D., masterfully combines her medical expertise with edge-of-your-seat storytelling, delivering a novel that will keep you turning pages long into the night. Dr. LePort is an accomplished physician with a passion for weaving medical knowledge into thrilling narratives. Her extensive background in medicine lends authenticity and depth to her stories, making the Miner & Mulville series a unique blend of fact and fiction.

Loved it. Cannot wait to read more from the author. Will recommend to others.