Saving Meghan is a riveting new thriller full of secrets and lies from author D.J. Palmer. Can you love someone to death? Some would say Becky Gerard is a devoted mother and would do anything for her only child. Others, including her husband Carl, claim she’s obsessed and can’t stop the vicious circle of finding a cure at her daughter’s expense. Fifteen-year-old Meghan has been in and out of … Fifteen-year-old Meghan has been in and out of hospitals with a plague of unexplained illnesses. But when the ailments take a sharp turn, clashing medical opinions begin to raise questions about the puzzling nature of Meghan’s illness. Doctors suspect Munchausen syndrome by proxy, a rare behavioral disorder where the primary caretaker seeks medical help for made-up symptoms of a child. Is this what’s going on? Or is there something even more sinister at hand?
As the Gerards grow more and more suspicious of each other and their medical team, Becky must race against time to prove her daughter has a deadly disease. But first, she must confront her darkest fears and family secrets that threaten to not only upend her once-ordered life…but to destroy it.
Praise for Saving Meghan:
“Plenty of twists…will keep you turning the pages as you guess…and guess again.” –Lisa Scottoline, New York Times bestselling author of After Anna
“An acute, sensitive portrayal of family love under extreme stress...[with] a touch of Hitchcock.” –William Landay, New York Times bestselling author of Defending Jacob
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This book had me turning the pages!! Twists and turns throughout this book had me questioning everything. By far one of the best psychological suspense books of the year! I have to admit, I was completely wrong on my guess! #savemeghan
4.5 . This was truly a page turner! The pacing was great and the writing was excellent. This was my first book that had munchausen by proxy and wow it just added so much to the story, was the mom really making Meghan sick? Why is her dad so convinced she’s not sick? Why can’t the doctors figure it out!! This book held my attention the whole time and I had hard time putting it down! The ending though ! It was action packed, what a great way to end this is she, isn’t she story!
Thank you to St. Martins Press for my free copy in exchange for an honest review.
4 stumped me stars!! This book had me guessing (wrong at that) the entire time!!
This book is a story of a young girl who has fallen ill (for quite some time now) and she has no clue what is wrong. Her mother is determined to figure out what is wrong, no matter what the cost. But is the mother the real problem?!?!
Ok I want to say if you have read this book you probably thought this one person was responsible for it all and could pretty much assume he/she was doing it through one thing (I don’t want to say what cuz it will spoil it). I can’t believe I was so far off. I was the entire time team #SavingMeghan!!
Now I will say some of this book just fell off for me. It was stagnant. Same ole same ole. But the parts that were great were so good it made up for it. And the last few chapters were fantastic!!
This book is a definite medical thriller. And when reading any book that has medical terminology I am definitely a stickler. Everything was just how it was suppose to be and I adored this book even more for that. The second half of this book I could not put it down. So many characters and so many secrets and twists. This is a book you will want to take a chance on!!
**I received this book as a paperback ARC from St Martins Press and in return I gave my honest review**
Saving Meghan by D.J. Palmer, I was really drawn into this story of 15 year old Meghan who has been sick with no diagnosis that sticks and her mother who seems to be pushing hard for tests and diagnosis and her father who does not seem to believe there is anything really wrong with her….I had a hard time putting this down once I got started and with the twists and turns, a murder here and there….definitely a book that holds your attention and makes you think! Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for allowing me to read this ARC book and give my honest opinion. *****
What can I say? This book blew me away and more. The characters were well developed and emotionally charged. You’re constantly on edge wondering who is responsible for what. The twist is one I never saw coming and I can usually figure it out early on.
This is the first I have read from this author and I will definitely be reading more of his work.
If you like medical thrillers with some psychological torment thrown in, this is the book for you.
Thank you St. Martin Press for sending me a copy!
It’s been a very long time since I read a truly non-romantic medical thriller but I have absolutely NO regrets. Saving Meghan by DJ Palmer will keep you riveted from the beginning. Every other chapter brought you to a different “conclusion”. You think you have it all figured until bam!! He throws something else at you and soon you are doubting not only your own conclusions but the characters you WANT to believe in. If you love Michael Palmer or Robin Cook (heck those were the medical thrillers of my younger days), you will absolutely LOVE this book. and even right to the end…the last several chapters…I still didn’t have it QUITE right. A GREAT read!
Saving Meghan poses the question, “Can you love someone to death?” Becky Gerard is a devoted mother and would do anything for her only child, fifteen-year-old Meghan. Her husband, Carl, is exasperated and frustrated, accusing Becky of being obsessed and unable to break the vicious cycle of doctor’s visits and diagnostic tests in the quest to find a cure for Meghan’s mysterious debilitating illness.
Divergent theories from two different physicians bring matters to a head. Dr. Amanda Nash suspects that Becky has Munchausen syndrome by proxy, a rare behavioral disorder that causes a primary caregiver to seek continuous medical treatment for exaggerated or imaginary symptoms suffered by a child. Becky is adamant that she would never do anything to hurt Meghan and the doctors have simply failed to come up with an accurate diagnosis and treatment plan. But Dr. Zach Fisher, an expert on mitochondrial disease who lost his own son to the illness, might have the answer. Unfortunately, the test results are inconclusive and more invasive testing is an impossibility due to Meghan’s phobia about needles (for which Carl blames Becky).
Becky and Carl grow increasingly estranged and suspicious of each other, as well as the medical professionals, one of whom takes matters into her own hands which lands Meghan in the custody of the state and confined to a behavioral health unit.
D.J. Palmer has deftly made nearly every character, aside from Meghan herself, a suspect. Primarily, of course, Becky, who is overbearing, pushy, emotional, manipulative, and determined to prove that Meghan is truly ill and she is obsessed only with finding a cure. Becky and Carl lost a baby to sudden infant death syndrome and Becky’s mother was a habitual scam artist who faked various ailments in order to collect disability benefits, with the forced assistance of her children. Thus, she fits the profile of an abuser and much is the circumstantial evidence is quite damning.
However, the narrative alternates between a third-person narrative focused on Becky and her perspective, and a first-person recitation by Meghan of what she is experiencing. Several times she references something horrible that Carl did and that fact that she is keeping it a secret from her mother. Meghan’s condition continues to deteriorate, causing Becky to resort to desperate measures. Eventually she finds herself enmeshed in serious legal trouble.
Author D.J. Palmer includes plot twists and shocking developments as the tension mounts and the pace of the story quickens. The tale includes a couple of murders in addition to the medical mystery. Many readers will never see the jaw-dropping conclusion coming! Saving Meghan is an entertaining and enjoyable thriller.
Thanks to NetGalley for an Advance Reader’s Copy of the book.
Linda’s Book Obsession Reviews “Saving Meghan” by D.J.Palmer, St. Martin’s Press, April 9, 2019
D.J. Palmer has written a captivating, shocking, riveting, intense, intriguing and chilling thriller. The Genres for this novel are Thriller, Mystery, Suspense and Fiction. The time-line for this story is in the present and goes back to the past when it pertains to the characters or events in the story. The author describes her characters as complex, complicated, dysfunctional and suspect.
Meghan is a teenager, that always seems to be getting sick. Her mother is constantly taking her to doctors and hospitals. Nothing is conclusive. The only conclusion is Meghan sick, or is there something else that is going on? Does Becky, Meghan’s Mom care too much.? Could this be more than just worry and caring? Is there any way that this can be “Munchausen syndrome by proxy” ? Or is there a possibility there is something else that is causing the symptoms? After the last incident, the hospital and some doctors are investigating Becky and Meghan.
Kudos to St. Martin’s Press for the ingenuous marketing tactics. St. Martins as part of its marketing strategy asked readers to tag #Saving Meghan by choosing your side #Protect Meghan or #BelieveBecky” This does indeed bring up many thought-provoking questions. Who should have the power to decide? Is everything always in black and white?
Of course, this would be too easy. All of a sudden, there are suspicious deaths, and strange things are occurring. Something sinister seems to be going on. Caution: I would recommend not reading before going to sleep. I was up all night, sitting at the edge of my seat. There are twists and turns, and ups and downs. I would highly recommend this intense and frightening thriller. Happy Reading!!!!
Full of fast turning twists that has you on the edge turning pages as fast as you can read! Saving Meghan is a must read medical thriller where the puzzle will not be figured out until the last piece is in placed! Such clever writing!
Meghan has a mystery illness that is causing her a variety of random symptoms. Her mother, Becky, is constantly taking her to see a new specialist in hopes of getting a diagnoses. Her father, Carl, waivers between wanting to help his daughter and believing it isn’t real. Carl finds a doctor with a diagnoses that seems to explain so much of what has been going on. This sets off a chain of events that turn their entire world upside down.
Wow what an amazing job the author did of bringing this story to life. It is a new to me author and I will be looking for more of his work. He has created characters that everyone can relate to. Even if we have not experienced the heartbreak this family has gone through, we can feel for them. The author kept you guessing right up until the end who was to blame. I honestly can say I suspected everyone but the one responsible so job well done. I love a good thriller and this one delivered!
“It’s all real.” “It’s all in your head.” What a twisty, turny, suspense filled family medical drama that I couldn’t put down. From the very first scene with Becky Gerard desperate to get to her sick daughter to the unpredictable, shocking end of the book…I was riveted. I would think I had an idea of what or why Meghan was sick and then I would read along and the suspicion would transfer to another character. Even to Meghan herself. I loved that the story kept me guessing and that it wasn’t obvious or blatant as to what was causing Meghan’s sickness or possibly who.
This novel took me into the medical field of a couple of different medical diagnosis’ that I learned so much about……Munchausen by proxy and mitochondrial disease. Either of these could have been the ailment that Meghan was suffering from. The author wrote the story in a way that I couldn’t tell which was the case. I even did my own research to see if I could guess. There were other possibilities that popped up, too. This was a mystery in several different ways from being suspicious of the characters to the cause of Meghan being sick. Is it psychological or physical or a combination or both? I kept reading to find out!
I thought the format of the story written from different POV worked great in creating the suspense in the book. Each had a viewpoint that would make me think YES! that’s who the suspect is! Then the next thing I know, I’m seeing another side to things.
This is a great book that had me guessing, anxious, surprised, and totally shocked at the end. I never even guessed who was behind it all.
I want to thank St. Martin’s Press for the ARC copy of this book. It’s definitely a “grab you by the lab coat and yank you in” book that was so hard to put down. Great read!
This is my honest and freely written opinion of a 5 star novel.
Saving Meghan is an edge of your seat medical thriller that will keep reading into the wee hours of the night. This book has everything from medicine, family, love, and destruction.
With chapters being broken down into different points of view it added a good dramatic touch. It kept me guessing until the end. I had no inkling of what was happening.
Fans of Jodi Picoult should definitely pick up DJ Palmer’s Saving Meghan and give it a well-deserved read.
I received a complimentary copy from St. Martins Press through NetGalley. Any and all opinions expressed in the above review are entirely my own.
This was a good story that bounced back and forth leading you on and then boom what a surprise. Mothers will fight for their children to the ends of the earth especially when it involves their health and finding a diagnosis for what ails them. I did find the story went on way too long and could of ended sooner but it didn’t keep me from reading till the last page.
Meghan, a 15 year old girl, has an illness that none of the doctors can diagnose. Is her illness real? Is she faking it? Is someone making her sick? You will ask yourself all these questions as you read this book? I liked this psychological thriller and at varying times I thought various things were going on. The ending was a surprise, which is always a good thing. I did feel like the ending was a little rushed after the beginning was so well-developed. A whole lot happened in a short time at the end. This is the main reason I gave it 4 Stars not 5. A good read if you are a fan of psychological thrillers.
5 out of 5 Stars
First I would like to thank Netgalley and St. Martins Press for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
Meghan went from a happy, healthy and athletic girl to weak sick ghost of her former self almost overnight. Her Mother Becky believes that there is something terribly wrong with Meghan but the doctors can’t seem to figure out what it is. There are too many symptoms that are pointing in too many directions. One day Meghan’s Father , Carl finally has a suggestion, maybe Meghan has something called Mitochondrial disease. A friend of his suggested it as the disease has a different symptoms for each and everyone person. It is a very hard disease to diagnose. Luckily his friend knows a doctor who specializes in it. Becky is thrilled with the idea that they may finally have an answer and she is thrilled to meet Dr. Zach Fisher.
Though Dr. Fisher believes she does have Mito when Meghan starts to exhibit new & different symptoms he sends Becky and Meghan to Dr.Nash. Next thing Becky knows she is being accused of Munchausen syndrome by proxy, a rare behavioral disorder where a parent, usually the Mother makes her child sick to garner attention. Becky is shocked and a battle begins between Becky and Dr. Nash for Meghan’s very life.
This book will get hooked and keep you hooked all the way through. This is a taut family drama that will hole your interest. It has a feel much like a Jodi Picoult novel.
I would highly suggest you picking this up!
I received the ARC Saving Meghan from St. Martin’s Press, this is my fair and honest review. My first book from this author, and wow was it one that makes you stop and think. A sick child, a determined mother with quite a childhood experience of her own to come to terms with. Is she sick, is it her mother causing her to sick those are the questions running through your mind as you read this book. I found the book to be well written, it did tend to drag at a few places but overall I found myself very caught up in the storyline. I sort of had my opinion of the outcome of the storyline but having said that I can honestly say that I didn’t foresee the twist and turns that were to come before the conclusion of the book. I would certainly recommend the book to anyone that enjoys a good thriller. It was so hard to pick a side because of course we all want to #ProtectMeghan yet I also felt like I #BelievedBecky
What a great book! I wanted to find out how this book ended, but I didn’t want the book to be over! I loved the whole story, it kept my interest throughout the entire book.
If you like a good suspense/thriller novel, pick this one up!
Wow! Just wow! This book kept my interest the whole time! I could not put it down! You will think you know what’s going on but No! Think again! That ending will surprise you! Loved this book!
“Can you love someone to death?” that is the question posed by this book.
Some would say Becky would do anything for her daughter; and at any cost. She is very devoted and wants to find a cure for what is wrong with Meghan.
Meghan is 15 and has had many trips to the doctors and the hospitals for the past few years. Her illness is unexplained and all the tests and labs come back negative & “normal”.
Suddenly the health issues take a sharp turn and next thing you know the doctors are thinking along the lines of Munchausen syndrome by proxy. Becky is looked at with mistrust from the doctors because they think she has this behavioral disorder where she seeks help for her daughter with made up symptoms.
Are the doctors right in “assuming” it is the mother causing the problems? could it be the father is the one causing Meghan to be “sick”? Is Meghan being “coached” into believing her symptoms or are they real?
This book had me thinking one thing and then another, then i thought it was the father. I never thought it would turn out to be what it ended up being! This book is one that will have you guessing what is going to happen next. The sense of love within the family takes a turn that will leave you surprised at the end!
Saving Meghan is an engrossing domestic/medical thriller that I thoroughly enjoyed and found hard to put down. Fifteen-year old Meghan has been sick for a few years with an array of unexplained symptoms and is getting progressively worth but the doctors are unable to give a definitive diagnosis. Most of the doctors seem to think that Meghan doesn’t have an illness and this is a case of Munchausen syndrome by proxy. They think that Meghan’s mom Becky is making her daughter sick. The lines are drown between those how believe Becky and those who think that Meghan needs saving from her mother.
There are so many unlikable characters and unreliable narrators in the book that it was hard for me to decide whose side I was on. Was Becky making her daughter sick? At times I was sure she was. Were doctors dismissing Becky’s valid concerns and didn’t have Meghan’s best interests in mind? Highly likely! The story has so many twists and turns, I changed my mind a few times about whom to believe and what was actually happening. The ending was very satisfying and delivered all the answers I wanted. Saving Meghan is a riveting read, I am glad I had the chance to read it!
*ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.