Addiction

Finally - a book that gets psychology right! It's wonderful to read such a well-written, exciting story set in a psychiatric hospital. The authors clearly know how testing is done, how drugs are prescribed, and how drug companies do what they do. In addition, the authors know a lot about human behavior, about men, women,adolescents and the political life of mental health facilities. The story is captivating, and I found myself "addicted" until I found "who did it"! This is not only a good mystery, but one in which you can learn a lot about the world of psychology. There are also wonderful food tips for you Boston fans - where to get great ice cream , for example! The writing is great - spare, clean and a lot easier to read than to write! Like the other reviewers, I couldn't put it down!

Peter Zak, the hero of Addicted, the second in a series of mysteries set in Boston, is my kind of guy -- compassionate yet slightly cynical, willing to rush headlong into an obviously dangerous situation to protect those whom he loves, and smart!I couldn't figure out who done it, kept turning the pages as fast as I could read because I wanted to know "what happens next," and rushed to a very satisfying end.But come on, Pete, stop neglecting Annie's obvious interest in you and get on with life!A great and satisfying mystery read. Five stars, easily.

The setting is Boston, where Dr. Peter Zak is a forensic neuropsychologist at the Pearce Psychiatric Institute. Dr. Zak's longtime college friend and fellow psychologist at The Pearce, Temple Channing, is found dead. Soon afterwards, Temple's drug-addicted daughter, Olivia, is charged with her murder. Through a vivid portrayal of words and scenarios the reader can feel the plot thicken and see the dastardly deeds unfold. How can a drug addicted individual defend an action they don't recollect? Weaving through the web of suspects are a teenager abusing Ritalin; doctors self-treating with Ativan; and pharmaceutical researchers competing to make the "best" new drug. "Addiction" is a novel worthy of reading not only because it's a great mystery, but more importantly because it intertwines the facts of today's newspaper headlines with fiction in an easy to understand and heartstopping manner.

It has been a couple of years since the psychopath killed his wife as an act of revenge for Dr. Peter Zak's testimony against him. The forensic psychologist and teacher is regaining control of his life and is even seeing someone, albeit a bit sporadically. After Peter and a peer give a lecture to students at the Massachusetts Pearce Psychiatric Institute, psychiatrist Dr. Channing Temple asks for a favor. She wants Peter to help her teenage daughter Olivia, who is withdrawing from the world. Channing already sees a psychiatrist, her mother's mentor Dr. Daphne Smythe-Gooding, but Peter reluctantly agrees to help for old time's sake, as Chaining was his college lover. However, instead of a patient, Peter finds Olivia holding a discharged gun with a dead Channing nearby. Daphne insists suicide occurred because of the pressure on Channing due to her research and her clinic work being challenged. Peter takes Olivia under his care even as he begins to apply his investigative skills as a forensic expert to learn what really happened. The superb second Zak novel allows readers to observe an intriguing type of mental illness while providing a cleverly designed mystery. The story line is filled with action and a few twists to keep the audience alert. Peter is a wonderful character struggling with his guilt while resolving to move on in life and the support cast further hones his personality. With novels like this one and AMNESIA, readers will quickly forget other sub-genre authors as this writing team turns into an ADDICTION.Harriet Klausner