I like Michael Palmer's medical thrillers, but Natural Causes is not his best.
Put simply, the plot revolves around the conflict between traditional doctors and so-called "naturalists". So when a high number of pregnant women suffer bizarre bleeding complications just as they're going into labor, practitioners on both sides of the debate start pointing their fingers of blame.
Caught in the middle is Sarah, an ob/gyn who believes that both disciplines have their place. She dispenses acupuncture and herbal remedies as easily as she does FDA-approved drugs. But when the women seem to have nothing in common except for the fact that they all took Sarah's "herbal vitamins", guess who becomes the easy scapegoat.
Now it's up to Sarah and her lawyer/love-interest to prove her innocence. And, more importantly, to find the real cause of the disease before more women and babies die. But there are other forces at play - forces that care far more about the all mighty dollar, than they do about a few deaths.
The book held my interest, and I did want to see how it all worked out. For the most part, the "good guys" are likeable characters, and you certainly want them to come out ahead.
However, the book suffers from several flaws.
The biggest problem was its reliance on clichés - plot devices I've seen played out so many times, it's ridiculous. A few examples: Sarah and her lawyer fall instantly in love with each other, despite the obvious conflict of interest. Mysterious strangers show up out of the blue to offer assistance, and people trust them unconditionally. Anonymous tips come along and the recipient follows their advice without question. And, of course, last minute confessions that tie loose ends together. Yup, Palmer used all of those devices - and more - in one book. It was lazy writing, and made my eyes hurt from all the rolling.
Another flaw is that it is stated a number of times that the only thing the affected women had in common was having taken Sarah's vitamins. This, despite a representative from the CDC spending every waking moment studying the victims' histories looking for any other commonality. Yet we, the readers, can figure out another connection right away. Something that seemed very obvious to me, very early on. So why didn't the so-called experts see it? Because that would have shortened the story, and Palmer clearly didn't want that.
Overall, it's a readable book, but not the best Palmer has to offer. Read it, if you happen to find it abandoned at a bus stop. But don't spend a penny to buy it.
A Heartbeat Away
Extreme Measures
Miracle Cure
Silent Treatment
The Sisterhood
The Society
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