Dissection: A Medical and Political Thriller

(Hardback)

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High stakes, breathless suspense, and real insider authenticity a terrific debut. -- LEE CHILD, New York Times Bestselling Author AND 2020 BOOKER PRIZE JUDGE "With a terrifying premise and riveting medical details, DISSECTION moves at a frantic pace." -- TESS GERRITSEN, NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR DC heart surgeon Dr. Steven Leeds is suddenly besieged by a handful of immensely complicated heart attack and stroke cases, all caused by a rare arterial injury--a dissection. And all the victims have first received innocuous-looking cards announcing: "Your heart attack/stroke will arrive within one hour!" Private detective Kirk Miner and FBI agent Jack Mulville investigate, and they immediately suspect Leeds' former lover, Dr. Silvana Moretti, a brilliant research scientist who harbors a grudge against all the victims. Then when prominent people in the U.S. government begin to receive these same threatening cards and almost immediately experience these same deadly cardiac emergencies, it falls to the unlikely team of three--the headstrong FBI agent, the gifted private investigator, and the brilliant but conflicted heart surgeon--to find the actual perpetrators and to snuff out a catastrophic plot that only the medically astute can divine. Dr. Cristina LePort's story is vaguely reminiscent of the artfully nightmarish scenarios in Vince Flynn's Mitch Rapp novels, combined with the fast-paced tempo of Robin Cook's medical thrillers. Her Dissection features page-turning suspense, action-packed climaxes, and thoughtful character development, set against a believable backdrop of medical science informed by her long career as a cardiologist. Her style, though accessible, is more sophisticated than superficial, and, with strong protagonists on both sides of the gender divide, appeals to both male and female readers. DISSECTION is a taut thriller with complex characters that combines cutting-edge medical technology with horrific yet still believable terrorist plots. DISSECTION represents her brilliant print debut.

Reviews

"High stakes, breathless suspense, and real insider authenticity--a terrific debut."
--Lee Child, New York Times Bestselling Author and 2020 Booker Prize Judge

"With a terrifying premise and riveting medical details, Dissection moves at a frantic pace."
--Tess Gerritsen, New York Times Bestselling Author

"A breakthrough novel--suspenseful, fast, and furious."
--Gregory Benford, New York Times Bestselling Author of Timescape

"A fast-paced and well-written medical thriller. Grab a copy and enjoy the ride."
--D.P. Lyle, MD, Award-winning Author of the Jake Longly and Cain/Harper Thriller Series

"DISSECTION is a remarkable novel by Dr. Cristina LePort, a cardiologist who combines medical knowledge with a deep understanding of how bad the Iranian dictatorship is and how easily medical terrorism could occur. It's a great read!"
--Newt Gingrich, Former Speaker of the House

"LePort's debut thriller ...offers many twists and turns certain to keep readers engaged. The author's prose will be accessible to readers with little medical knowledge, as the characters explain aortic and coronary dissections in ways that feel natural and that provide a basic but clear understanding of what's happening to the victims. The blending of medical emergencies with political thriller tropes is relatively uncommon... LePort uses her own experience as a cardiovascular specialist to enhance an already engaging actioner."
Kirkus Reviews

"A frightening, action-packed plot, skillful descriptions of surgical processes, political issues that all too often impact medical care, and expert crafting of key characters ... Readers will be satisfied with the characters' well-deserved fates as they travel to the nail-biting finish."
--BookLife (Offshoot of Publishers Weekly)

"An action-packed medical thriller in which Dr. Steven Leeds, a renowned cardiac surgeon at a prestigious DC hospital, is caught in a plot to destabilize global diplomatic relations... The mystery behind a raft of cardiac assassinations he must deal with is built on a foundation of well-explained medical technology, while the story's explosive pivot toward an intricate terrorist plot to destabilize the US government and kick off a nuclear war is captivating. And the efforts to prove the innocence of the surgeon's girlfriend, a prominent medical researcher, lead to an additional and intriguing cat-and-mouse chase. Leeds' determination to exonerate her while utilizing his medical expertise to thwart the terrorist plot leads to ultimate rewards as the story crescendos with a series of rapid-fire, dangerous actions. Dissection is a riveting medical thriller in which a shrouded cabal puts their villainous plans into motion--with only a heart surgeon to stop them."
--Foreword Clarion Reviews

"Dissection is a terrifying medical thriller that is not only frightening on paper, but truly blood-curdling to think about in a real-world application. It is a tense, tautly written, descriptive, electrifying, and formidable novel that makes you think, and most of all makes you feel every single thing that's happening as it occurs. I read this work like someone thirsting for water after days in the desert sun--voraciously ingesting the pages as quickly as I could to reach the stunning climax and marvelous ending. I cannot recommend Dr. Cristina LePort's expertly written novel highly enough to all fans of medical and psychological thrillers. It's a compelling, page-turning, exceptional book that will leave you breathless. A five out of five stars MUST READ!"
Reedsy Discovery

"A suspenseful, ingenious, and well-written thriller, with a fully satisfying conclusion. I can't wait to read the author's next one."
Leonard Peikoff, Philosopher and Author of Objectivism: The Philosophy of Ayn Rand

"Surgically weaves romance, national political intrigue, international peril, a constitutional crisis, and an emergency medical catastrophe into a creative thriller of gripping intensity."
--Steven Lansman, MD, PhD, Director of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Westchester Medical Center

"A fun and fast-paced medical thriller I gobbled down like candy. Weaving politics, ethics, and morality, it's a frenzied who-done-it that kept me glued until the end."
--Jonathan Hoenig, Hedge fund founder and regular Fox News Channel Contributor and Panelist

"A gripping page-turner fueled by a spine-chilling premise. Delivers all the high drama of an emergency room heart attack."
--Jeff Oliver, Author, The Two-Plate Solution (A PW-Starred Thriller)

"Fill Dr. LePort's prescription for Dissection, then buckle up 'cause you're in for a helluva heart-pounder."
--Harry Newman, World-Famous Architect Who's Designed or Redone Houses for Many Hollywood Celebrities

"Sucked me into its whirlwind of intrigue and compelling characters and wouldn't release me. Bravo, Dr. LePort!"
--Laurel Anne Hill, Award-winning Author of Plague of Flies, and The Engine Woman's Light

"A wild thrill ride from beginning to end. Its original high concept, relentless pace, and lively characters will captivate you right through the very last satisfying page."
Kira Peikoff Author of Such Thrillers as Living Proof, and No Time to Die

Author Bio

Dr. Cristina LePort was born in Bologna, Italy, where she attended medical school before emigrating to the USA to complete her Internal Medicine residency at Long Island College Hospital in Brooklyn and her Cardiology fellowship at West Los Angeles VA/UCLA.

She has been practicing medicine for more than 30 years as Dr. Cristina Rizza.

She currently resides in Orange County, California, with her husband, Peter LePort.

They have three grown children and three grandchildren.

Dissection is her first published novel.