House Call

By: Darden North

Narrated by: Michael Robbins

Length: 10 hrs and 54 mins

Publisher's Summary

In national award-winning author Darden North's debut novel, House Call, a police investigation into the murder of a young hospital nurse rips through a Mississippi community consumed in self-indulgence, reverse sexual discrimination, and cut-throat medical politics. Before a psychopath can be stopped, another will die. 

In House Call, Dr. Knox Chamblee joins a prominent medical clinic in a small southern town and soon finds himself the object of reverse sexual discrimination in the workforce. Worse yet, he is possibly a murder suspect. 

There are no real leads in the stabbing of nurse Taylor Richards until police uncover tire prints in a driveway that lead them to an answer in backwoods Mississippi.

©2010 Darden North (P)2019 Darden North

Did not disappoint!

I read Darden North’s first novel, “House Call,” when it was first published and have enjoyed his other novels since. Recently, I’ve gotten into listening to audiobooks on my drive to and from work, so I was thrilled to see that “House Call” had just come out—and I was not disappointed. Narrator Michael Robbins nailed it with his southern dialect and portrayal of the unique characters. Robbins could pass for a Mississippi native! His versatility as an actor came through with other character dialects as well. The narrator added to the professional performance by including an occasional sound effect and a few seconds of introductory and closing music. For me, it was like listening to a movie or play. Now, I feel like I truly know Darden North’s characters in “House Call”: the haughty Dr. Aslyn Hawes; the self-confident but still naïve Dr. Cullen Gwinn and his society-drenched, spoiled wife Madelyn; Jimmy the great-looking ambulance driver, and nurse Taylor Richards whose murder sets the stage for this well-plotted, one-of-a-kind mystery—a story with an ending that no one sees coming.

Good story

If you like medical drama your gonna love this
Good narrator and Well written medical situations with a end reveal I dident see coming
Some parts did get a little slow for me but overall I enjoyed this
I received a free review audiobook and voluntarily left this review

Slow slow slow...

Slow narration, slow progress, plodding along... this book spent more time explaining the process of a nurse scheduling a patient than the main points in the book. It was not worth my time, nor my Audible credit.

A passable debut

This story is drowning in medical politics, but the underdeveloped legal and police procedural elements of the story are seriously lacking in authenticity and believability. Moreover, the story fails to fully engage the reader. The characters aren't particularly compelling -- some aren't even very likable. Michael Robbins performs satisfactorily. This book is a passable debut.

NOTE: I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

Medical mystery

A nurse is murdered in a small southern town, The police suspect her ex husband, but this is only the beginning. I really liked this story with its many interesting characters, The book keeps you guessing and I was surprised at the end. It was nicely read by the narrator. I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

Excellent medical scenarios

Excellent L&D OB/GYN scenarios, characters and backstories. I have been a Doula for many years and got a good look into many medical practices. Right out of the gate this book resonates true. The Drs, nurses and patients all come off as believable and I found myself really investing in a number of the characters. The murder mystery doesn’t come off as the main theme because the medical parts were so well written.

This audiobook has an excellent Narrator so much so I will actually look for more books he’s narrated. He brought the various characters from all phases of life and careers to life.

I was given a free copy of this book in lieu of an honest review. I honestly recommend this book.

Chilling!

First, I have to start off by stating that I got this book free of charge in exchange for a review, but as I always state, this does not in any way impact my review. My reviews are always honest and my own.

From the first page of the nurse's murder scene, this book had me hooked. This is my first introduction to the author's work, but I look forward to reading the rest of Darden North's books. The unique characters in "House Call" kept me guessing about what they could possibly do next. I have never met a psychopath like the one in this story. North writes with great detail but makes the medical aspects of this story easy to absorb. I have recommended this book to several of my friends.

Murder in a Medical Practice

I received this book for free. I am voluntarily leaving this review and all opinions expressed herein are my own.

Here, young handsome Dr. Knox Chamblee joined an obstectrics/gynecology practice. At the same time that Dr. Chamblee is trying to establish his worth to the partners, a nurse who used to work for the practice is murdered. Law enforcement believe that the murderer might be her ex-husband. However, soon thereafter, one of the partners dies while hunting. Is his death accidental or is it murder?

Overall, I really liked this story [I learned later that this was the author's first book]. There are a lot of characters and side stories [some of these stories/characters could have been edited or excised as it slowed the story related to the murders a bit]. I think the cut throat world of thriving in the medical world could easily be it's own completely fascinating book [it was really intersting how volume rather than medical care dominated decisions.] However, even with all of these characters, each character is well developed, interesting and kept me wanting to know more. The description of the initial murder is scary and creepy [completely pulled me in.] The setting of the book is the South, which the author clearly knows and loves, is so well described.

The narrator did a great job with the different voices of the characters and establishing that southern flavor.

Good

For the first novel this was good, two stories run together. With hope of starting a career Dr .Chamblee joins a medical practice, when a nurse is murdered. The story investigates her murder, as well as the medical field. Will keep your interest, and enjoyed the narration. Given audio for my voluntary review and my honest opinion

Insightful and entertaining

From the start, this story demands your attention. As Dr Knox Chamblee takes up a position at an obstetrics/gynaecology practice, across town a young nurse is found brutally murdered in her home. Yet, you'd be forgiven for thinking this is just another police procedural. In facts, the individual stories of the doctors at the practice run alongside the police investigation. 

Most interestingly, the author delves into the harsh reality of the medical profession in the US, where the almighty dollar rules, and productivity is more important than ability when it comes to keeping your job, as Knox soon discovers.

More deaths occur, and we are kept wondering who the killer is and why is he murdering these medical professionals? The intertwining lives of the doctors continue to unravel, with secrets galore coming out of the woodwork. Not all of the doctors are likeable, and they strive to keep their messy, personal lives private from their colleagues. 

There are a lot of characters and side stories, and the switching of POV mid-chapter is a bit jarring as a listener; I was constantly waiting to put a name to the scene after an abrupt change of character. Some of these subplots slowed the story down, heavy as they were in detail. I imagine some of those scenes could have been removed easily without impacting the overall story. That said, the extra detail does mean that each character is well developed and fully fleshed-out, even if not all of their daily habits are necessary. 

The narrator does a good job at conveying the varied emotions experienced by these people giving them clear and distinct personalities, and the accent portrayed the right tone for the setting (as far as I can judge on that anyway - it came across "Southern" to me, ;) but what do I know as a Brit?)

This is an entertaining murder-mystery story which highlights the strains of the medical practice and the professionals therein, mixing in political and social issues to further mirror reality.

Pleasant read

Good bit of light reading although a bit predictable. Might need to give some thought to the people you get to read your books.

House Call

I nearly stopped reading this before getting halfway through.It just came off as bad taste,then it picked up and I couldn't put it down!A really good medical mystery. Michael Robbins was a good narrator. I was given this book by the narrator,author or publisher free for an honest review.

You're having some hard knocks, Knox.

House Call is an immersive and enjoyable slow burn mystery thriller which follows various life threads in addition to that of the main killings. The reader is immediately plunged into the story with the brutal murder of Taylor Richards, a thirty three years old hospital nurse, in her bathtub by an unknown intruder, only to then be whisked away to Taylor's former workplace, and the trauma of an understaffed medical unit trying to cope with several near simultaneous birth crises. The reader is introduced to numerous characters directly or indirectly connected with the Mont Claire Centre for Women's Medical and Surgical Services, Taylor's employer, several of whom become the focus of their own individual stories, making this book far more than just a straightforward murder mystery, incorporating sexual discrimination, addiction, confidentiality, practice politics, relationships, drug testing - and more.
The characters are well developed, becoming fully rounded people with personal aspirations and reactions which felt realistic: it was easy to relate to them, whether in a positive way or otherwise, and it was fascinating to feel the deaths in the book to be almost overshadowed by consequences, rather than the loss of the person and the search for the killer. At times, quite harrowing, there are flashes of humour, too. Very expertly done. The narration fits well. Clearly articulated with good intonation, the reading is not over dramatised, letting the story tell itself. But the characters are each individually and appropriately voiced, giving them even greater depth. A fine, subdued performance matching the timbre of the book.

I was very fortunate in being freely gifted with a complimentary copy of House Call, by the rights holder, after my request via Audiobook Boom. Thank you. I very much enjoyed this organic way of experiencing a murder mystery and will be looking out for more books by this author, himself a medical practitioner, in the future. It is a slice of life story centred around the deaths and, as such, has a depth of personality not often found in straightforward murder mysteries.
Recommended.

Nice book

House Call is a nice book. Darden North did a great job. I loved it. thank you Darden North.