Risk Factor

Against the noisy, violent frenzy of emergency room psychiatric admissions, Atkins' second psychological/medical thriller explores the world of children who kill. The book begins with the murder of a nurse on the juvenile psychiatric inpatient ward. A previously gentle schizophrenic boy has gone catatonic beside the body, bloody knife clutched in his hand. His assigned doctor, Molly Katz, a senior psychiatric resident, former nurse and single mother of two, struggles to understand, going so far as to get a night job at the prison hospital where the boy has been transferred. Although the writing is sometimes clunky, Atkins knows his dangerous kids. Confrontations with angry, unpredictable children who recognize absolutely no authority and respond to no threat or incentive, ratchet up the tension more than any number of murders. Are they born or made? Atkins does his best to build to an explosive climax but for most readers it's the hospital atmosphere and the ever-present buzz of background violence that will claim their attention.

Fascinating look at the psychological issues facing our youth today, gives you much to think about. Discusses origin and responsibility - but is all tied to a fantastic tale. Author obviously knows his topic and has been on the inside of HMO battles, broken families, and hopeless feelings about treating kids whose societies and families have failed them...as well as treating those kids who might just be "born bad" - I felt I arrived at a new understanding about an important social issue at the same time as being riveted by a spectacular read! You'll love it if you are in the mental health field, if you are a parent, if you are a resident, or if you just love a good mystery! My highest praise!

I purchased this book after reading a review of it in our Sunday paper. Being a teacher, I was interested in how it described troubled children, and the "making" of troubled children, from a psychiatrist's point of view. The book was all I hoped for, and more. Besides gaining insightful, factual information, I was thoroughly absorbed in the plot as it unfolded. I, too, could not put this down when I neared the end. Now I am looking forward to reading his first book, "The Portrait."

What a thriller! The book has it all. Intrigue, mystery, suspense! I picked up the book and did nothing until I finished it. Twist ending. I would love to see this made into a movie.

Like so many of us today, and especially those of us who have children, we become numb by media reports of youth violence. Although we strive to understand its' ramifications, we become overwhelmed, and at some point many of us tune out. Albeit a novel, RISK FACTOR explores the concept of nature vs. nurture further exploring why children turn to violence. It was refreshing for me to be able to enjoy myself throughout this read (it's quite thrilling and scary), while gaining a better understanding of this ugly phenomenon without media opinion and hype. Last, I felt restored; although Molly is a fictional character, I know that there are Molly's in this world - people who care about children.