Don't Go Author: Visit Amazon's Lisa Scottoline Page | Language: English | ISBN:
125001008X | Format: PDF
Don't Go Description
From Booklist
Writing for the first time from a male perspective, Scottoline tackles a number of heavy issues in this story of a soldier returning from Afghanistan who is forced to deal with even more dire crises on the home front. Mike Scanlon finds his skills as a podiatric surgeon in increasing demand in Afghanistan as a result of the proliferation of IEDs and feels grateful to be able to help so many wounded soldiers. Then he learns his wife has died as the result of a freak household accident, leaving their newborn baby girl without a mother. Overwhelmed, he agrees to let his sister-in-law and her husband take over parenting duties, and re-ups for another tour. But a devastating injury sends him home once again, where he learns a shocking secret about his wife, one that presents the possibility that her death was not an accident. Although this novel feels, at times, overstuffed with issues and superficial in its treatment of PTSD, it will no doubt find a ready audience among Scottoline’s enormous fan base. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: Best-selling Scottoline’s hugely popular Rosato & Associates series as well as the success of her recent stand-alone titles guarantee an audience for this one. --Joanne Wilkinson
--This text refers to the
Hardcover
edition.
Review
“Lisa Scottoline is one of the very best writers at work today. Don’t Go proves it once again. This is a story that is heavily muscled, emotional, and relevant. They don’t come any better.” —Michael Connelly
“This stand-alone from Scottoline effectively tugs at the emotions.” —Publisher’s WeeklyPraise for Don't Go:“In her first book featuring a male protagonist, Scottoline spins a compelling drama that reads like the literary lovechild of Jodi Picoult and Nicholas Sparks. Readers will fall in love with this war vet father who fights seemingly insurmountable odds, and his powerfully addictive story will haunt them long after the final page.” —Library Journal
“Scottoline offers readers a nuanced, multi-dimensional portrait of a young man in crisis, couched in a page-turner of a story that will appeal to her many fans.” —Book Reporter
“This story grabbed me from the very first chapter…This is a story about family, loss, love, dedication, conviction, addiction, betrayal, redemption and so much more. It's a bit of a: thriller, mystery, legal drama, war story and romance. It's real and human. The characters are so complete and full. These are people that I know, that you know. People that live in our neighborhood.” —Crochet Nirvana
“This is a powerful story about how soldiers are changed forever and the difficulties of returning to civilian life. There is also the mystery surrounding Mike's wife's death, which is well-written, and the courtroom battle for the custody of Emily, which is heart-wrenching. Scottoline really delivers with this book.” —Parkersburg News & Sentinel
“Don’t Go marks the biggest step forward yet by this great storyteller — a novel about war, and the toll it takes on decent men.” —CT News“A compelling and suspenseful thriller. It will keep you guessing right up to the unexpected end…I just couldn’t put it down!” —Portland Book Review
“A deeply emotional book that explores complex family dynamics. The story powerfully conveys what it really means to be a hero.” —Deseret News
See all Editorial Reviews
- Paperback: 416 pages
- Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin; Reprint edition (March 4, 2014)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 125001008X
- ISBN-13: 978-1250010087
- Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.4 x 1.2 inches
- Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
Lisa Scottoline's most recent book -"Don't Go" - takes a trip into previously uncharted Scottoline territory. It's the story of Dr. Mike Scanlon, a foot surgeon who leaves his loving wife, thriving medical practice, and infant daughter to serve in Afghanistan. While he is there, his wife dies in a household accident and, when he looks over the post mortem results, he discovers that she was pregnant with another man's child. His sister and brother in law take in baby Emily, raising her as their own while Dr. Mike's life goes from bad to worse to even worse. The book tells of his struggles to survive, serve, deal with his return, and find his way in the world.
This has many of the earmarks of classic Scottoline. There's a legal battle and some courtroom drama. There's someone wronged going after the bad guy on their own. There's the recurring "I found a piece of evidence and I have to show this to the police right away" scene. But it doesn't have the story-telling glue that usually holds it all together.
It's really two books, and neither is in the mystery/crime genre where it is classified.
The first book is Dr. Mike's war story, with gripping detail and insights about an Afghanistan deployment - the daily threats, the feel of the countryside, the lurking dangers. It gives a compelling description of the medical team and how it works. You understand the pressures these soldiers withstand and deal with. You come to understand their fierce dedication and devotion to each other. You will come away with an even greater respect for soldiers and what they endure and surmount.
The other story is not a mystery, either. It's sort a sad love story, of Dr. Mike pining for his wife Chloe, who died in a bizarre kitchen accident.
Don't Go - by: Lisa Scottoline
It is going to be quite difficult to describe why I did not see this novel in the same light so many others have. However, I will try. I have to wonder just why the editor/publisher chose not to add a synopsis of the book here but used the first chapter, which has nothing to do with giving an over-all look at the book.
Ms. Scottoline wrote this as if it was two almost separate books in one. The first book was the emotional one, dealing with the death of Chloe and then several of the members of his medical team. This first half was written while Mike was still at war and was filled with a lot of medical technical jargon.
The second book deals with Mike coming back to the US, dealing with his medical condition and trying to become a proper father to his daughter. It reads as if the time passage is much longer but only about a week goes by while it is all hitting the fan.
All I could think while I was reading this novel was just how obvious everything was. You knew every mistake Mike was making BEFORE he made it just by reading closely
I had no sympathy for Mike or any of the other main characters in this book. Where I should have been experiencing deep emotion, I was rolling my eyes. He was always using what could be termed `the easy way out' and I never saw him as good father material. ------------> SPOILERISH <--------- By the time Bob and Danielle was having Mike's parental judgment questioned and they all went to court, if you read between the lines as I did, you knew it was coming right from the time that he went back to war after Chloe's death. You just knew these two were hoping that he would make some sort of mistake and they would get Emily's custody.
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