A Particularly Nasty Case
Adam Kay. Mulholland, $29 (336p) ISBN 978-0-316-59754-8
Former physician Kay (This Is Going to Hurt) delivers a hilarious if uneven medical mystery farce. The only bright side of consulting rheumatologist Eitan Rose’s return to work after a bipolar breakdown is his budding romance with charming hospital porter Cole. But when Eitan’s boss—and soon after, the replacement boss—both die of heart attacks, Eitan becomes obsessed with the idea that foul play is afoot. Eitan is already on shaky ground mental health–wise, and his subsequent sleuthing lands him in hot water with friends, colleagues, and medical review boards alike. Scene by scene, the plot is a risqué riot; memorable episodes include Eitan stumbling into a gay bathhouse, trying to examine a corpse’s rear end during a funeral, and inadvertently dosing his supervisor with a cocaine-filled inhaler. But all that zaniness comes at a price: the book’s more serious moments fall flat, most of the investigation feels low stakes, and readers are likely to stop caring who the murderer is long before their identity is (clumsily) revealed. Those looking for a lighthearted farce will adore Eitan’s over-the-top antics; more hardcore mystery fans will likely be disappointed. Agent: Cathryn Summerhayes, Curtis Brown. (Sept.)
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Reviewed on: 06/24/2025
Genre: Mystery/Thriller