Review: Creed's Craven Cousin
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 04 13, 2012
Gideon Box, John Locke's latest creation, is a dissolute sociopath with one redeeming characteristic: he's the world's greatest pediatric surgeon.  He's also an angry, confused, depressive swine with the bedside manner of Charles Manson on crack.  In other words, (for fans of Locke's other series) he's like Donovan Creed, the contract killer, but without the heart of gold.Box needs intense diversions to help maintain his sanity under the pressure of trying to save lost-cause infants in their final death throes.  He's given up on gambling in favor of dangerous sexual liaisons.This time he stumbles a little too close to the flame, and it almost costs him his life.As in all Locke's novels, the pace is blinding, the characters are pedal to the metal, and the dialogue breezes.  He's a master of hidden agendas and furious plot reversals.BAD DOCTOR is no exception.  Several characters from his previous works appear in this one, including the mysterious Rose, but it stands alone fairly well.It is suggested to go back and read all the books in order, of course, which is not as daunting as it may sound.  The novels are short and one could probably mow down the entire library in a week.  I digested BAD DOCTOR in an afternoon.One quibble might be that Gideon Box and Donovan Creed are almost the same character--right down to their taste in women and all things sexual.  Their occupations may be different but their sensibilities are basically identical.  It didn't bother me much.  I was too busy laughing.A great read for those of us who like to read for fun, BAD DOC is a blast.