The Anatomy of Deception

Starred review from November 12, 2007
Goldstone, an acclaimed popular historian (Out of the Flames
; The Friar and the Cipher
), marks out new terrain with his compelling fiction debut, a medical thriller set in 1889 Philadelphia. The narrator, Ephraim Carroll, a young, idealistic and somewhat naïve doctor, works alongside the real-life William Osler, often described as the father of modern medicine. Carroll is troubled when Osler, the head of clinical medicine at the University of Pennsylvania medical school, forgoes an autopsy of a woman without explanation. Carroll’s curiosity is further piqued after George Turk, a colleague who also seemed unsettled by Osler’s actions, dies, apparently of cholera. When Turk’s autopsy reveals trace amounts of arsenic, Carroll’s suspicions of foul play are confirmed. Goldstone artfully integrates a manuscript the actual Dr. Osler wrote and ordered sealed for half a century after his death. With this top-notch historical page-turner and his proven versatility in nonfiction, Goldstone can expect to win over many new fans.

Ephraim Carroll is an idealistic young physician who comes to Philadelphia in 1889 to study medicine with the real-life Dr. William Osler, the father of modern medicine, who is preparing to head the nascent Johns Hopkins Medical School. Instead, Carroll finds himself at the center of the search for the person who murdered a prominent young woman, as well as some of his own colleagues. Historian Lawrence Goldstone's debut novel is highly entertaining, with plenty of twists, medical intrigue, and political implications. David Ackroyd is an effective narrator who captures the characters with vocal inflections and deft timing. Although Ackroyd mispronounces a few medical terms, his overall performance is captivating, and complements the book's engaging dialogue. D.J.S. (c) AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine