Do you love books that are filled with suspense, twisted schemes and great characters caught up in a tempest of crime, corruption and lies?Do you love a hero who pulls no punches and never gives up?Richard Kurtz was looking forward to spending a few weeks in the West Virginia mountains, covering for another surgeon. It should have been a pleasant break from his busy New York practice, giving … practice, giving Kurtz and his wife, Lenore, a good excuse to return home to the family farm and reconnect with his father and his father’s new family.
And then Lenore stumbles on the skull of a young girl at the bottom of a creek and fifteen dead bodies are discovered in a shallow grave.
Kurtz never intended to become a crime fighter. Kurtz is a surgeon. Surgeons heal people.
But fate has a way of interfering and Richard Kurtz has a knack for stumbling into trouble. Kurtz is a part time police surgeon, with close connections to law enforcement and the NYPD.
So, it’s only natural that Kurtz cannot resist trying to untangle a conspiracy that involves organized crime, political corruption and a serial killer hiding out in the woods, who is determined to continue killing, no matter the cost.
From USA Today Bestselling author Robert I. Katz.
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With an impressive medical background, author, Robert I. Katz is uniquely qualified to spin medical thrillers with authentic accuracy, and “If a Tree Falls” exemplifies his talent. Book six in his Kurtz and Barent Mystery series, finds Richard Kurtz, the main character of the series, filling in a six-week surgeon position stint at Clinton Memorial Hospital, which just happened to be very close to his fathers home — a father he hadn’t seen in far too long. The well-paid position seemed like the perfect way to kill two birds with one stone, so, he accepted the job, never anticipating he’d find himself assisting the local sheriff to unravel a serial killer mystery.
Though the antagonist, Seamus Sullivan, enjoys playing the part of Santa for the local children at Christmas time, this book is not a Christmas story. But, like Santa, Sullivan had his own list.
Kurtz’s writing style, medical background, and his talent to probe into the dark mind of a sociopath, makes this book a fascinating medical, psychological thriller. If you love books that draw you in with nail-biting, intense, thrills and chills, pick up a copy of “If a tree falls.”
‘If a Tree Falls’, the sixth novel in Robert I. Katz’s Kurtz and Barent Mystery series is a solid medical thriller with serial killer overtones. His protagonist, surgeon Richard Kurtz, has accepted a six-week assignment to cover for an unexpected vacancy in a hospital in Cook County. As this is near his father’s ranch, he sees it as an opportunity to reconnect with his parent and get to know his father’s new wife. The assignment pays well and it’s only six weeks, he keeps telling himself. His first issue is with the other surgeon he has to work with. The guy is obviously not up to par and Kurtz finds himself in a delicate situation. Add to this the gruesome discovery of a series of bodies in a nearby woodland indicate there is a serial killer operating in the area. Kurtz finds himself helping the local Sheriff, the State Police and the FBI, as well as collaborating with his old friend Barent in New York P.D. To top off the complex situation the protagonist is thrust into, an aggressive conglomerate is buying up land to develop a vacation resort and both the hospital and his father’s farm are in their sights.
This is a very entertaining read from author Katz, with myriad, though interconnected, events pulling his protagonist in different directions. The author cleverly uses this to convey Kurtz’s increasing level of stress and anxiety to the reader, drawing them into the novel.
Another great crime fiction read from this solid author and recommended to lovers of Robin Cook’s medical thrillers.
I loved this mystery. Richard Kurtz is a surgeon and amateur sleuth who returns home to a small town hospital in West Virginia to fill in for another surgeon who has died. Richard and his artist wife, Lenore, will stay at the family farm, reconnecting with Richard’s father and his step-mother. Then things get complicated when Lenore stumbles on the skull of a young woman in a nearby stream. Up go Richard’s antennae for crime, and he joins the investigation.
If A Tree Falls is a terrific mystery. Although sixth in this exciting series, it can be read as a standalone. What’s special here is entering the surgeon’s mind of Richard Kurtz to see his keen observations of other characters. We also get a glimpse into the mind of a very scary criminal. This is a clever and gripping thriller, highly recommended for fans of crime novels that have a medical twist. Well done – five stars!
If A Tree Falls by Robert I. Katz is a medical mystery-thriller featuring general surgeon and amateur sleuth, Richard Kurtz, who takes a leave of absence from his busy big-city practice to spend time in his old home town in rural West Virginia. But this is not a vacation for the good doctor. No, he will be working at the local hospital, filling in for a surgeon who unexpectedly passed away. Richard and his artist wife, Lenore, will stay at the family farm, visiting with Richard’s father and his step-mother. However, not long after they arrive, things begin to get complicated. The skull of a young woman surfaces in a nearby trout stream, exposing the existence of a possible serial killer living somewhere close by. This sets Richard’s antenna for crime on high alert and he can’t help but join in the investigation. Toss in a little political intrigue and the result is an addictive read that’s hard to put down.
This is a fun mystery novel with numerous threads weaving their way throughout the work, giving the reader an intense and intriguing puzzle to try to solve. While this book represents the sixth novel in the series, it can easily be read as a stand-alone.
If A Tree Falls is highly recommended for fans of mystery and crime novels that have a medical twist. Five Stars.
If a Tree Falls lets you get a glimpse of the criminal mind. “Seamus Sullivan almost always felt good after a job had been completed, with the getaway complete and the money safely tucked away in one of three anonymous accounts.” As sinister as this feels at times, it is done in with an ironic, matter-of-fact touch.
The story lets you enter the mind of Richard Kurtz, who true to his profession has incisive observations of the other characters. Richard is a surgeon who comes to fill a temporary position at Clinton Memorial, unaware that it has certain problems. As a healer, the last thing on his mind is to become a crime fighter. By contrast to his wife, Lenore, who is a city girl, he would rather spend time with a hunting rifle or a fishing rod than wandering through a museum. But then, she stumbles on the skull of a young girl at the bottom of a creek, which leads to the discovery of more remains, other bodies buried in a shallow grave.
In this gripping thriller, the experience is enriched by taking a peek into the sick, criminal mind and into the mind of the good doctor who can’t resist untangling the mystery.
Five stars.
I was not disappointed in the book description because I love a hero who doesn’t pull punches, and a book with suspense with twists, turns and a criminal conspiracy. When Kurtz, a surgeon, returns to his country hometown to fill in for a few weeks at a small hospital and visit his dad, the intrigue starts while fishing with his city girl, wife. She finds a skull. That leads forensics to a mass grave.
The skillful eye of the surgeon watches, listens and hears tidbits that to most would go unnoticed. Dr. Kurtz not only skillfully connects the pieces and solves the horrific crimes along with connecting a more sinister villain, but he has to deal with the egos and feelings of those he is suspected of replacing.
The complex plot, character interactions and evil exposed in this book made it hard to put down until I was finished!
“It’ll be a nice little trip back home.” Famous last words for Dr. Kurtz, a general surgeon. He thought being asked to fill in for a few weeks for a surgeon in his hometown would be a good chance to spend time w/ his father and have a nice vacation from NYC w/ his wife. Wrong! He soon becomes entangled in hospital politics because he fears the surgeon who he is partnering with is becoming senile and incompetent. He gets involved in local and state politics because a company of suspicious repute it buying up land all around his hometown for a new resort…or maybe something more. And, to top it all off, he and his wife unwittingly become involved in a serial killer investigation Whew! What a “vacation”, eh? It seems to be a habit of Kurtz to stumble into this sort of mayhem and he’s hip-deep in it in this story. If you like crime mysteries with lots of twists and turns along the way, you’ll really enjoy this book! I highly recommend it