Wendell Black, MD: A Novel
Returning home from London, NYPD police surgeon Wendell Black warily raises his hand when a flight attendant asks if there’s a doctor on board. A young passenger has collapsed. While performing CPR, Black notices that the passenger is covered in surgical tape indicative of breast-implant surgery. What he doesn’t notice is that the passenger is male. It’s not until the autopsy that he learns that the implants were filled with high-grade heroin. Plastic surgeon and former flame Alice Sheppard contacts Black about the case, revealing that she is an undercover operative collecting evidence about terrorist ties to the smuggling ring. Drug mules may be just the beginning in a plot to transport deadly biological agents into the country. Unable to confirm Alice’s cover story, Black must decide how much to trust her claims that she needs his help stopping a deadly contamination. Imber’s debut is a fast-paced thriller with plenty of twists, and the author shows a deft hand at including just the right medical details. Imber is a well-known New York City plastic surgeon with several beauty books to his credit. --Karen Keefe