Beat the Reaper

A Novel

By: Josh Bazell

Narrated by: Robert Petkoff

Dr. Peter Brown is an intern at Manhattan's worst hospital, with a talent for medicine, a shift from hell, and a past he'd prefer to keep hidden. Whether it's a blocked circumflex artery or a plan to land a massive malpractice suit, he knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men.

Pietro "Bearclaw" Brnwna is a hitman for the mob, with a genius for violence, a well-earned fear of sharks, and an overly close relationship with the Federal Witness Relocation Program. More likely to leave a trail of dead gangsters than a molecule of evidence, he's the last person you want to see in your hospital room.

Nicholas LoBrutto, aka Eddy Squillante, is Dr. Brown's new patient, with three months to live and a very strange idea: that Peter Brown and Pietro Brnwa might-just might-be the same person . . .

Now, with the mob, the government, and death itself descending on the hospital, Peter has to buy time and do whatever it takes to keep his patients, himself, and his last shot at redemption alive. To get through the next eight hours-and somehow beat the reaper.

Spattered in adrenaline-fueled action and bone-saw-sharp dialogue, Beat the Reaper is a debut thriller so utterly original you won't be able to guess what happens next, and so shockingly entertaining you won't be able to put it down.©2009 Josh Bazell; (P)2009 Josh Bazell

Critic reviews

"This mordant and maniacal debut has junkie doctors and negligent nurses galore, which is somewhat brow-raising given that it was penned by a genuine doctor. Robert Petkoff does an excellent job integrating the author's dispassionate asides (figured in the printed book as footnotes) into the main story."—Audible.Com Editor's Pick

"I couldn't wait to slip in the next CD...It's not just this setup that works so wonderfully; it's Bazell's brutal, completely contemporary way of telling his story that is so compelling. Brown is a fully realized, pill-popping, arm-twisting maniac whose back-story is told exuberantly by first-person narrator Robert Petkoff, in a brilliant performance."—Winston Salem Journal

Crazy Mix of Medicine and Mafia

Beat the Reaper is a crazy mix of medicine and Mafia. If you like medicine that it technically accurate and deservedly cynical, add in a Mafia hit man who becomes a doctor and you will be on track. Clearly, Josh Bazell used the on-call sleepless hours of his medical training letting his imagination run in a variety of misguided directions. Even when you know where he is taking you can’t really believe it. This is a book I couldn’t wait for friends to read so we could talk about the crazy ending. Catch the YouTube trailer and you will get the flavor of Beat the Reaper.

Dude Lit?

Beat The Reaper is squarely aimed at men -- DUDES, actually -- with plenty of violence, sex, profanity, and assorted other "tough guy" stuff. It's a fun, different, and fast-paced thrill ride. Its narrator uses medical and scientific explanations of things that happen to him. These expositions provide a sense of medical credibility and realism that entertain and even educate. Where the story lacks is in realism of another sort, related to is its plot focus on the mafia, hit men, hit jobs, the Federal Witness Protection Program, and just about any way that these things connect to the physician narrator's life--even if he is supposed to have a checkered past. Beat The Reaper is not a taut medical thriller or even a suspenseful medical story. But it's a fun ride, set in a hospital, centered around a doctor, and chocked full of testosterone, blood, and bravado. If you can suspend your disbelief, you will enjoy the story; it moves at a refreshingly fast, and action-laden pace. Forget what you thought you knew about doctors and strap in for an adventure.

Simple minded, Fun Antihero escapism

The book is a fun read if you don't mind the over the top profanity. Interesting idea to have a former mafia/russian mob hitman enter witness protection and become a physician. Enjoyed some of the information imparted from the good doctor but IMHO this is not worth your credit.

Before its too late!

Beat the Reaper is a high octane race against time, when a doctor with a mysterious past works in an ER. But what happens when that mysterious past shows up on his front door step? Do everything he can to save it before poop hits the fan.

This is book features a main character, who is tri-state born and bred, that surgically takes you through his story. You'll get and idea of what type of person you're dealing with through flashbacks and the company he keeps. Warning: this book is not for the faint at heart. But, if you're into foul mouth New York/New Jerseyians and the occasional gore, then it's right up your alley.

But being an avid comic book reader as well, I got the sense of something deeper in the story. It harkens back to a certain boy turned caped crusader after the death of his parents whilst leaving a showing of the Mark of Zorro. I think you get where I'm going with this. The protagonist in the story may not be a hero, but he is definitely something born from tragedy.

For me the best news at the end of this tale was finding out there was a sequel!

One of the Best Audible Books Ever!!!

Don't let the title cover fool you, this is one FABULOUS book! It has it all, and I do mean all, intrigue, suspense, history, murder, medical, mob, drama, sharks (yes sharks). Sooooo credit worthy and you won't want it to end,