Pharmacology is Murder

This Candidi mystery, as it is so categorized by reviews on the back of the book, tells the story of an unmotivated, underachieving lab technician who unveils a murder conspiracy in a Miami medical school. Ben Candidi, the lab technician, is portrayed as an ordinary guy with no intentions of moving on from his dead-end labeled job. This is the case until approached by his boss and chief medical examiner Dr. Geoffrey Westley entices Candidi to implement himself into the local medical school, Bryan Medical School, to unravel findings of a murder Westley believed to be caused by the victim?s coworkers. This was the suspected murder of the Chairman of the Department of Pharmacology at Bryan Medical School, Dr. Charles D. Cooper. Candidi accepts the proposal and moves on as a normal grad student to infiltrate the medical school and derive the source of the conspiracy.As time passes, Candidi is generalized as a normal grad student who attempts to keep his motives secret to protect the case while at the same time himself. Upon learning different methods and uses of many proteins that were originally thought to solely be taken orally, Candidi discovered what he had been searching for. The book was written in an overall technical manner which appealed to my scientific mind. However, a scientific mind is not necessary to take an interest in this book. This book did promote a stern interest about other innovative chemicals and methods of using pharmacology for reasons deemed both good and bad. As a reader, I was highly impressed with the author's style. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys creative murder mysteries.

As a murder mystery involving pharmacology, this novel allowed the introduction of pharmacological techniques with related terminology. The author, Dirk Wyle, is able to describe to the reader very complex concepts and terminology of pharmacology in an understandable language. At the Dade County Medical Examiners Office in Miami, the Chief Medical Examiner, Dr. Geoffrey Westley, suspects foul play in the death of the chairman at the local pharmacology college, Bryan Medical School. The medical examiner believes the murderer used a protein toxin to facilitate the death of the department chair at the local pharmacology college; however, no puncture marks were visible on the victim. The technician in the examiner's office, Ben Candidi, is assigned to enroll in the college and determine the method of death and the person responsible. Enrolling into the college allows Ben and the reader to be introduced to many concepts and practices of pharmacology. After acceptance by the pharmacology department, Ben Candidi analyses many toxins and their mechanism of action to determine their probability of being the device of death.

Tired of the same old mystery novel? Bored with clue-esque who-dun-its that gives away the killer before you get through chapter 2? If so, have a look at Pharmacology is Murder by Dirk Wyle. Don't let the thought of "techno babble" scare you away: this book has something for everyone to connect with.Our hero, Ben Candidi finds himself roped into an undercover investigation of an atypical murder. While we discover such profound things as HPLC, the potency of cobra venom, and why proteins aren't orally active, the author explains each concept with the grace and accuracy of a well-seasoned professor. I doubt that anyone would come away from this book saying "What on earth was the author talking about?"The setting for this James Bondish tale takes place in sultry Miami, described all too well by the author on multiple occasions. The author's love for and knowledge of his residence shines through as he describes the beauty of an oceanic sunset, the heat of an August midday, and the gentle rocking of a cove wave against the sides of a steadfast sailboat. The tale's characters are no less vibrant. Each come to life and truly has substance beyond just the necessary characteristics to fulfill their role in the story. Ben and his love Rebecca so came to life for me, that upon running into a 30-something man and his date at a restaurant one evening, I indeed saw them as Ben and Rebecca. The professors at Bryan Medical School are no less forgettable. From Dr. Johnson, the laser-crazed to the stern and tight-lipped Dr. Stampawicz down the hall, each professor was so realistic, they reminded me of professors I once knew.I highly recommend that anyone who enjoys a good book or figuring out a mystery to read Pharmacology is Murder. Even if you're not a biologist or PhD chemist, it is easy to pick this book up and become enthralled with it due to the author's elegant weaving of technical subtleties with an outstanding plot, intricate descriptions, and characters that leap out of the pages of the book into real life.

I was so impressed with this book that I have decided to add it to my reading list for a senior/graduate student Chemistry course. While I also assign a more traditional text for my "Organic Chemistry of Drug Design" class, I thought this mystery would be a fun way to reinforce certain principles of biomedical science including analytical methods, peptide and protein stabilities, and basic deductive reasoning. I think most college students will love following the path of Ben Candidi as he enters graduate school, meets every stereotypical professor you can think of, and learns that no field is immune from its characters, petty jealousies, and intrigue. It's far more believable than a typical 007 yarn, and yet is just as entertaining. Dirk Wyle followed this up with two more books, including the late 2001 release of "Medical School is Murder", surely an aptly titled tome if ever there was one. I look forward to more such fun from this clever and talented author.

REVIEW: "First-time novelist Dirk Wyle skillfully pairs the tone of the hard-boiled mystery with the intricate scientific detail common to the medical thriller. The result is an excellent whodunit. Ben Candidi is a 28-year-old Mensa member, living in Coconut Grove, Florida, and trapped in a boring job at the county morgue, unable to advance without a Ph.D. in pharmacology. Then the stuffy British medical examiner proposes that Ben enter the Ph.D. program while working half-time. But there's a catch: Ben is being planted in the pharmacology school to help the medical examiner determine who killed the department head. The relationship that builds between the cocky Generation Xer and the reserved British doctor is slow to develop but, in the end, touching and genuine. Though the medical jargon here may seem daunting, it is part of the fabric of the story and helps set the tone for a first-class mystery that combines elements of Michael Crichton, Patricia Cornwell, and even Edna Buchanan." -- Booklist (Mystery Showcase issue)15APR98REVIEW: "Collectors should jump on this one-it's a small print run first novel from a small press, by an author with a promising future. It isn't a 'wham-bam thank you ma'am' but a good solid interesting mystery in the traditional style of literate storytelling. This is the first of a series featuring Ben Candidi . . . Ben's voice is distinct and fun. He can laugh at himself as well as philosophize about the human condition. The prose is very smooth and intelligent. Explains biochemical terms and the significance of biochemical interactions without being pedantic or slowing the story . . . I read it straight through, as slowly as I could manage." -- Sharon Villines, Manhattan, Archives of Detective Fiction (online, 1/98)REVIEW: "This is a refreshingly wonderful book. The reader will step into the scientific world, the Mensa Society, be led down a heady path of suspense, and witness in our main character an emergence of love and vulnurability." -- Linda Tharp, The Snooper newsletter, Snoop Sisters Bookstore, FL, 5/98REVIEW: "An exhilarating trip through Coconut Grove, Miami, and the clear waters of the Bahamas - just like being there. The murder motive is traditional but the method anything but that. Here's a murder mystery with the intellectual, educated appeal of a Michael Crichton story. The perfect mystery for readers interested in science, medicine, sailing, South Florida and suspense." -- Publisher's Report (1JAN98)REVIEW: "A first novel, Pharmacology Is Murder is . . . an interesting read, the murder involving, and the characters well presented. It is far more than just a *mystery,* it depicts the evolution of a young man's life. Congratulations, Mr. Wyle, I'm expecting your literary star to shine in the same firmament as Michael Crichton's." -- Under the Covers Book Reviews (25MAR98) OnlineREVIEW: " . . . For a first-time novelist, Wyle demonstrates a breezy style, a flair