Official Review: Unraveling by E.W. Johnson M.D.
Posted: 05 Aug 2020, 05:46
[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Unraveling" by E.W. Johnson M.D..]
One of the joys that come from an author creating fiction around his/her home area or profession is an ingenious flow of narration and descriptions. It is no wonder then that E.W Johnson’s Unraveling, centered around a town physician in rural Southwest Washington, is so believably and vividly crafted. I filed away many nuggets for future play-the-doctor references. You see, for years, E.W Johnson was the town physician for a Southwest Washington rural community.
When Dr. Sean Nolan notices an upsurge in cancer-related illnesses in his patients, he decides to look deeper into statistics of the same for his county, going back a few years. What he unravels is an unsettling geographically centered area, around his neighborhood, for most cancer incidents. Propelled by his love for the community, Dr. Nolan decides to utilize his resources to get to the bottom of the phenomenon.
The fact that his wife died from cancer, a few years back, brings the need for answers even closer home. Can a simple town physician-turned-sleuth expose giant money hungry corporations determined to cover their tracks at whatever cost? What happens when murder comes knocking?
The plot is straight forward and tame - kind of a walk in a park comprising a few disconcerting sections. The author gently eases the reader into the plot through close-knit family and small-town community interactions. He successfully creates an environment where the rumor network equals the speed and efficiency of the internet. Soon enough, robust community involvement becomes the go-to solution to some of the doctor’s major challenges.
Dr. Nolan is himself a breath of fresh air – understanding, witty, and an amazing father and physician. He has a smart-comebacks streak, a mile wide. Indeed, his dry humor had me turning pages with chuckles. The comedian hat fits so smugly that the author’s attempts to portray an impatient side to him didn't make strong impressions.
E.W Johnson’s witty friendly tone in the third-person narration makes for an uncomplicated interesting read whether one is on a queue, train, or beach. I enjoyed the banter and camaraderie between colleagues, family, and friends. The protagonist and most supporting characters are well developed.
Even though the antagonist is not convincingly fleshed out, a haphazard ‘enemy’s camp’ leads to many threads and a surprising twist. Arising pertinent issues are satisfactorily concluded, yet there is room for a thread or two to be fully unraveled in the sequel waiting in the wings. To be precise, the book does not end in a cliffhanger. Yay!
The one thing I found uncomfortable was the extensive use of profanities. Granted, the F-word was mainly missing. I nonetheless found it alarming that even the good doctor’s middle school children used expletives. Ironically, it is the ‘good guys’ that propagated and perfected the vice! In my opinion, profanity wasn’t necessary for the book to be practical or believable. For this reason, I took a star from my overall rating of the book.
I can't belabor enough the detrimental use of profanity because the wit, family dynamics, and lack of sexual content would have made unraveling of this mystery a safe venture for older children.Finding a wholesome stimulating read for this group isn't always easy. The book appears to have been professionally edited. I didn’t come across a single error. I, therefore, give it a 3 out of 4 stars rating.
Unraveling is an evenly paced, engaging, and easy-to-follow read that serves those moments you don’t require a too-intense crime/murder thriller. I, therefore, recommend it to anyone looking for an enjoyable casual read. I, however, advise parental discretion for older children.
******
Unraveling
View: on Bookshelves
One of the joys that come from an author creating fiction around his/her home area or profession is an ingenious flow of narration and descriptions. It is no wonder then that E.W Johnson’s Unraveling, centered around a town physician in rural Southwest Washington, is so believably and vividly crafted. I filed away many nuggets for future play-the-doctor references. You see, for years, E.W Johnson was the town physician for a Southwest Washington rural community.
When Dr. Sean Nolan notices an upsurge in cancer-related illnesses in his patients, he decides to look deeper into statistics of the same for his county, going back a few years. What he unravels is an unsettling geographically centered area, around his neighborhood, for most cancer incidents. Propelled by his love for the community, Dr. Nolan decides to utilize his resources to get to the bottom of the phenomenon.
The fact that his wife died from cancer, a few years back, brings the need for answers even closer home. Can a simple town physician-turned-sleuth expose giant money hungry corporations determined to cover their tracks at whatever cost? What happens when murder comes knocking?
The plot is straight forward and tame - kind of a walk in a park comprising a few disconcerting sections. The author gently eases the reader into the plot through close-knit family and small-town community interactions. He successfully creates an environment where the rumor network equals the speed and efficiency of the internet. Soon enough, robust community involvement becomes the go-to solution to some of the doctor’s major challenges.
Dr. Nolan is himself a breath of fresh air – understanding, witty, and an amazing father and physician. He has a smart-comebacks streak, a mile wide. Indeed, his dry humor had me turning pages with chuckles. The comedian hat fits so smugly that the author’s attempts to portray an impatient side to him didn't make strong impressions.
E.W Johnson’s witty friendly tone in the third-person narration makes for an uncomplicated interesting read whether one is on a queue, train, or beach. I enjoyed the banter and camaraderie between colleagues, family, and friends. The protagonist and most supporting characters are well developed.
Even though the antagonist is not convincingly fleshed out, a haphazard ‘enemy’s camp’ leads to many threads and a surprising twist. Arising pertinent issues are satisfactorily concluded, yet there is room for a thread or two to be fully unraveled in the sequel waiting in the wings. To be precise, the book does not end in a cliffhanger. Yay!
The one thing I found uncomfortable was the extensive use of profanities. Granted, the F-word was mainly missing. I nonetheless found it alarming that even the good doctor’s middle school children used expletives. Ironically, it is the ‘good guys’ that propagated and perfected the vice! In my opinion, profanity wasn’t necessary for the book to be practical or believable. For this reason, I took a star from my overall rating of the book.
I can't belabor enough the detrimental use of profanity because the wit, family dynamics, and lack of sexual content would have made unraveling of this mystery a safe venture for older children.Finding a wholesome stimulating read for this group isn't always easy. The book appears to have been professionally edited. I didn’t come across a single error. I, therefore, give it a 3 out of 4 stars rating.
Unraveling is an evenly paced, engaging, and easy-to-follow read that serves those moments you don’t require a too-intense crime/murder thriller. I, therefore, recommend it to anyone looking for an enjoyable casual read. I, however, advise parental discretion for older children.
******
Unraveling
View: on Bookshelves
Thanks for the detailed review and recommendation. Good job!
Thank you for a great review!
! But, parents, kids and good neighbors?