Finished with First Patient by Michael Palmer

Housework be damned, I just couldn't resist polishing off First Patient this afternoon. I did manage to load the dishwasher, mop the floors, run the vacuum and do two loads of laundry, so I figured I deserved a little break.

First Patient begins with Dr. Gabe Singleton receiving a visit from POTUS, that's President of the United States, Drew Stoddard. Drew is running for re-election and has his sights set on another term to continue his work as President. POTUS is looking for a new doc, since his has gone missing, and has flown to Wyoming to beg his former roommate to take the job. Somewhat reluctantly, Gabe takes the job and soon becomes enmeshed in Washington's political machine, whether he likes it or not.

Gabe finds out that his patient has been holding out on him. Rumors are swirling that the POTUS is mentally unstable. After witnessing a particularly bad episode, Gabe must decide whether or not to invoke the 25th Amendment and have the powers of the Presidency transferred to the VP. Along the way, he meets Alison Cromartie, a nurse assigned to the White House medical office, who ends up saving his life by rear-ending his car. It seems no one in Washington is who they appear to be. Gabe doesn't know who to trust or who to turn to for help. The POTUS is his primary concern above all else. Gabe must uncover the cause of the POTUS' transient attacks of mental instability.

The political intrigue plays out magnificently. I very much liked the pace of the book. None of the chapters are more than just a few pages and you are given many good places to stop reading, but you just want to keep going. The fast-paced storyline is well crafted and full of interesting plot twists. I felt an instant connection with characters; they were so real to me from page one. The use of nanotechnology in this book was intriguing and believable. First Patient has just the right mix of medicine, science, sleuthing and realism to make the story work. In my honest opinion, I think First Patient would make an awesome movie. In reading this book, I thought of Tom Clancy. So if you are a Tom Clancy fan, be sure to check out this book!