Protocol (A Maggie O’Malley Mystery)
Medical Thriller/Mystery
1st in Series
Setting – Midwest U.S.
Henery Press (September 5, 2017)
Paperback: 276 pages
ISBN-13: 978-1635112399
E-Book ASIN: B072JZK43D
Freshly minted college graduate Maggie O’Malley embarks on a career fueled by professional ambition and a desire to escape the past. As a pharmaceutical researcher, she’s determined to save lives from the shelter of her lab. But on her very first day she’s pulled into a world of uncertainty. Reminders appear on her phone for meetings she’s never scheduled with people she’s never met. People who end up dead.
With help from her best friend, Maggie discovers the victims on her phone are connected to each other and her new employer. She soon unearths a treacherous plot that threatens her mission—and her life. Maggie must unlock deadly secrets to stop horrific abuses of power before death comes calling for her.
Dollycas’s Thoughts
This is one of those stories that sucks you right in and holds on tight.
Maggie O’Malley has landed a dream job as a pharmaceutical researcher. She wants to save lives and work on a team that could cure cancer or any of the other diseases the world faces. Her first day starts off well until she receives an alert on her cell phone about a meeting she didn’t set up with a person she doesn’t know. She later learns the person was killed at the time she was supposed to meet them. The alerts keep coming and people keep dying. The friend who gave her the phone tries to help her find out why she is receiving the messages but what they find puts them both in danger.
As if Big Pharma isn’t scary enough this book turns it inside out. Full of twists and turns our protagonist, Maggie O’Malley, has no idea who she can trust. Excited about her job and the fine salary she is thrilled to be able to subsidize her father’s business keeping him from filing bankruptcy. When the messages keep coming and her job starts to fall apart her close friend, Constantine tries to help. Neither one knew the enormity of the situation. We also see that Gus (Constantine) has feelings for Maggie that are more than just friendship. If they live to the end of this maybe he will share those feelings.
The plot is full of drama and suspense. As the book continues we see the PROTOCOL appears to be murder but how is it connected to Maggie and her job at Rxcellance. The pages keep flying at an extreme pace to an ending that totally caught me by off-guard, surprised, and chilled to the bone.
I read this book all in one sitting. It was absolutely impossible to put down. It will be a long time before I will look at a cell phone alert and not think of this about this story.
Kathleen Valenti has written an excellent suspense novel combining greed and medicine and the lengths people will go to for that almighty dollar. I am shocked this is her debut effort in the mystery realm. She hit it out of the park!
Just one question Ms. Valenti, where in the Midwest is Rxcellance? Hopefully not in my home state of Wisconsin……
About the Author
When Kathleen Valenti isn’t writing page-turning mysteries that combine humor and suspense, she works as a nationally award-winning advertising copywriter. Protocol is her debut novel and the first of the Maggie O’Malley mystery series. Kathleen lives in Oregon with her family where she pretends to enjoy running.
Author Links
Webpage – Facebook – Twitter – GoodReads
Purchase Links
Praise for Protocol (A Maggie O’Malley Mystery)
by Kathleen Valenti
The plot was intriguing and twisty turny …You’ll be on the edge of your seat while your wondering who is behind all the mayhem.
~My Reading Journeys
Protocol by Kathleen Valenti will keep your pulse racing and keep you on the edge of your seat.
~Reading is my SuperPower
Protocol by Kathleen Valenti is definitely not a cozy, but a gripping medical thriller and suspense/thriller. Protocol is a fast-moving page-turner, with a complex, intriguing, and exciting plot.
~Jane Reads
TOUR PARTICIPANTS
September 5 – Cozy Up With Kathy – INTERVIEW
September 6 – My Reading Journeys – REVIEW, EXCERPT
September 7 – A Holland Reads – CHARACTER GUEST POST
September 8 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
September 9 – Reading Is My SuperPower – REVIEW
September 10 – 3 Partners in Shopping, Nana, Mommy, &, Sissy, Too! – SPOTLIGHT
September 11 – Jane Reads – REVIEW, GUEST POST
September 12 – Girl with Book Lungs – INTERVIEW
September 13 – Island Confidential – INTERVIEW
September 14 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW
September 15 – A Blue Million Books – CHARACTER GUEST POST, EXCERPT
September 16 – Lori’s Reading Corner – GUEST POST
September 17 – Socrates Book Reviews – REVIEW
September 18 – Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting – REVIEW
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Looks like an interesting book–I’d love to win it.
Hmm, definitely not a cozy; but intriguing plot. Having had interaction with a number of pharma companies in my former life (before retirement) and your review, I find myself wanting to add this one to the TBR list.
Thank you so much for the kind words, Lori!! You just made my day (month and year!!).
Both my Midwestern town and Rxcellance are fictional, so we’re all safe there. Well…safe-ish. 🙂
Thanks again!
Kathleen (a.k.a. Kathy)
Congratulations, Kathleen, on the release of Protocol and for getting Lori’s “Trip to Paradise” review. I can’t wait to read this book!!
Thank you, Celia!! 🙂 🙂
Sounds like a good read.
“A trip to paradise” review here is quite a statement! Well done.
Thank you so much! I am thrilled!!
Enjoy a good mystery, Thanks for this opportunity.
I really like that this is a medical thriller. Sounds like a real page-turner. Looking forward to reading.
I am interested! Sounds intriguing, I live in Wisconsin too. I’d stay up all night reading it! Thank you for the chance!