Pulse: A Dick Francis Novel
Review
Pulse: A Dick Francis Novel
PULSE is a masterful mystery from Felix Francis, featuring his first female protagonist. Dr. Chris Rankin is a senior physician in the Cheltenham General Hospital accident and emergency department. As an accomplished practitioner in her mid-40s, Chris is accustomed to crisis and stress, but her skills are tested when a comatose patient is admitted to the emergency room.
The unidentified and unconscious man was discovered in the men’s room at the horse track. He appears to be drunk, but there is little evidence of alcohol or apparent drug abuse. The patient is critical, and Chris intervenes with what she believes is the best treatment. The hospital is busy that night, and she is called away to another emergency while waiting to see how he will respond. But while she is dealing with the new case, he dies.
"Felix Francis has written a marvelous, enthralling and thrilling mystery while creating a sympathetic, intelligent heroine. Chris’ personal struggles and her dedication to her work and family endeared to her to this reader."
The toxicology report reveals massive amounts of cocaine in the dead man’s system. Chris, who is already on the brink of a breakdown over her own personal demons, questions her role in his death. Could she be to blame? Have her anxiety and panic attacks begun to affect her job?
In the wake of her patient’s death, Chris is suspended from her duties. Determined to see the case through, she delivers the blood test results to the police department on her way home. At the station, she discovers that they still don’t know who the man is or where he is from. She is told that there was an empty bottle of whiskey nearby, and she suspects that the cocaine that killed him could have been in the alcohol.
But before she can follow up on her theory, Chris’ state of mind takes a turn for the worse and lands her back at Cheltenham General --- and then the mental hospital. She begins putting the pieces of her life and her health back together during her stay, and upon her release returns to her daily routine. Her suspension from the hospital is lifted, but she still needs to wait for approval from the medical director before she can go back to work. In the meantime, she picks up some hours as the on-site medical officer at the racetrack, which she has taken on as a side job over the years.
Chris, who still needs closure around the incident, is surprised to learn that the patient who died remains unidentified and the inquest regarding his death has yet to be held. Curiosity and concern goad her to question the employees and patrons at the track, but apparently her inquiries unnerve the wrong person. Her life is threatened, but given her recent stay in the mental ward, the authorities are hesitant to take her too seriously. Chris isn’t about to let this murder go unsolved, especially with her reputation and her life on the line. But will she be able to figure it all out before her family or herself winds up dead too?
Felix Francis has written a marvelous, enthralling and thrilling mystery while creating a sympathetic, intelligent heroine. Chris’ personal struggles and her dedication to her work and family endeared to her to this reader. Add to that the unexpected twists and turns, and PULSE will keep any reader turning the pages to find out what really happened to the unknown victim.
Reviewed by Jennifer McCord on October 20, 2017