Horror Book Review: Keep The Doctor Away by James Caine
This week’s Horror Book Pick is KEEP THE DOCTOR AWAY written by James Caine.
This psychological thriller was released in September 2024 and has obtained a bestseller’s rank in the Horror Suspense category.
Readers have praised the author’s storytelling style and the creepy premise while some felt let down by the rushed and predictable ending.
Keep The Doctor Away is about Lily Parker accompanying her husband David to an island called Northwind where he has been offered a job as a plastic surgeon.
Their welcome is marred by stormy and wet weather along with hostile residents.
In the prologue, we learn that Lily had a traumatic event during her childhood. She is awakened at night by her mother, who tells her to be quiet or else “they” will come for her. She leads her daughter outside and tells her to close her eyes.
But Lily being curious, opens her eyes and catches a glimpse of her father sleeping in front of the TV. Except, of course, he is not really sleeping. There is a large red stain on his shirt, and Lily quickly guesses that her father is dead.
When she hears knocking on the door, she rushes to open it and gets behind the police officers who have come for her mother.
In the next chapter, Lily isn’t really happy leaving behind her job and small circle of friends to go to a secluded island. But her husband has been out of a job for a long time and they really need the money to be cleared from debt.
Lily is initially imagining a luxurious villa only to have her hopes dashed when it is mentioned by their driver that they are to live in a compound. The couple meets David’s employer Dr Keenan whose wife Cordelia is rather aloof towards them.
Lily attempts to breaks the ice with her only to find herself being rebuffed. A strange woman appears and when Lily sees a knife in her hands, she imagines herself being killed and remembers seeing the same madness in her eyes as her mother’s.
The book has enough suspense and thrills to keep you captivated from the prologue itself.
Clearly, the clinic is not what it appears to be and Lily will soon find herself in quite a bit of trouble.
TO READ OR NOT TO READ
Keep The Doctor Away at first appears to be a cozy thriller that will unravel a twist gradually. But James Caine quickly dives into the premise and horror elements. There is murder in the prologue itself. The next chapter quickly establishes the characters and their motives.
There’s much to tell by the way Lily has several questions about her new home only for David to show his annoyance at her relatable curiosity. David may not be so trustworthy after all and seems too desperate for a job and to get out of his mounting debt.
Lily comes off as an interesting protagonist who has her flaws and is awkward but you do sympathize with her immediately.
The characterization in this book is flawless, and the story begs to be read.
I would definitely want to continue reading this thriller.
You can find KEEP THE DOCTOR AWAY on Amazon
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