- Mass Market Paperback: 320 pages
- Publisher: Little, Brown and Company (Jan 2010)
- ISBN-10: 0316073768
- ISBN-13: 978-0316073769
- Product Dimensions: 10.8 x 2.1 x 17.1 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars See all reviews (24 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 1,845,392 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
Beat The Reaper
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Product Description
Amazon.co.uk Review
Publishers are given to attempts to whip up excitement about debut novels (it’s their job, after all), and often such fireworks splutter out all too quickly. But that’s not going to happen with Josh Bazell’s debut thriller Beat the Reaper, which is (it has to be said) quite as impressive as his publishers are trumpeting – in fact, if this book doesn’t take the crime and thriller world by storm, there's no justice. What marks the book out from the rest of an increasingly overcrowded field is its vibrant, glittering prose – streaked through with a mordant wit (highlighted by a series of pithy – and highly entertaining – footnotes; an unusual element in the thriller genre)
The plot is highly original. Peter Brown is a young Manhattan intern who is not all he seems to be. He has a past – and as any reader of crime novels knows – the past never stays buried for long. Peter has had an edgy run-in with a mugger and a more congenial elevator one-to-one with a female pharmaceutics rep. But his most significant encounter is to be with a new hospital patient, Nicholas LoBrutto – a man who knows the truth behind Peter’s artificially contrived façade: the young intern is, in fact, in the Witness Protection program, and he remains in the gunsights of some unpleasant New Jersey heavies. And things are about to get very hot for both Peter and LoBrutto. Josh Bazell, as Beat the Reaper, demonstrates, is the real deal, and the auguries for this debut are very good. If he can just sustain this level of invention and energy thoughout that difficult second novel… --Barry Forshaw --This text refers to the Paperback edition.
Review
Hold on to your hats. Josh Bazell's first novel is a roller-coaster ride from the very first page, fast, furious, and - believe it or not - funny...A cross between ER and the Sopranos, this is House on speed, with a little Dexter thrown in and wisecracking dialogue to boot. It's breathtakingly accomplished for a debut. Bazell is a name to watch.' --Geoffrey Wansell, Daily Mail (23.1.09)
`Beat the Reaper is way cool and ice cold. A ferocious read.'
`Beat the Reaper is way cool and ice cold. A ferocious read.' --This text refers to the Paperback edition.
`Beat the Reaper is way cool and ice cold. A ferocious read.'
`Beat the Reaper is way cool and ice cold. A ferocious read.' --This text refers to the Paperback edition.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Beat the Reaper is one of the best books I have read for a long time & I read a lot of books. It's Sopranos meets Scrubs meets Quentin Tarantino and had me gripped throughout, one moment in fits of giggles at the sardonic humour the next slightly nauseous at the gore & pain our reckless protagonist goes through.
All I can say is if you like your fiction cutting edge, buzzing and fast paced buy this book you absolutely will not regret it.
All I can say is if you like your fiction cutting edge, buzzing and fast paced buy this book you absolutely will not regret it.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Beat the Reaper is described on its cover as being like "mixing a hospital drama with Godfather and Tarantino" - rather apt I think.
Peter Brown is an intern at a New York hospital - he's also a member of the Witness Protection Programme, having been a mafia hitman in a prior life. He's the guy you want around when things start to go bad, but you probably would be slightly worried if he sat next to you on the bus. When an old connection turns up in the hospital with potentially terminal stomach cancer, Peter's new life changes in a heartbeat.
Peppered with violent scenes, medical tips, expletives and fun, Beat the Reaper is a great piece of humourous, lightweight reading with a dark touch.
Peter Brown is an intern at a New York hospital - he's also a member of the Witness Protection Programme, having been a mafia hitman in a prior life. He's the guy you want around when things start to go bad, but you probably would be slightly worried if he sat next to you on the bus. When an old connection turns up in the hospital with potentially terminal stomach cancer, Peter's new life changes in a heartbeat.
Peppered with violent scenes, medical tips, expletives and fun, Beat the Reaper is a great piece of humourous, lightweight reading with a dark touch.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Mass Market Paperback
I must say I'm using my husband's account as he bought the book for me. I also must apologize about my writing, as I'm spanish. As one of the reviewers above, I usually don't have much to say about books apart from love/hate it, but I feel compelled to say I thoroughly enjoyed this book and read it in record time. Never had read a book like this before. It made me laugh and it actually made me dizzy (oh that walk-in freezer scene!), I don't know if it was because I was on a bus. It feels like a Tarantino film; and I guess maybe we'll see it on the big or small screen some time soon.
My only criticism is when the book starts taking off from reality, like the shark-tank part and again that memorable walk-in freezer part. It reminds me of those old films where the good guy fights fifty really mean guys, wins and doesn't even get a wrinkle on his perfect suit or a hair out of place (I know that Dr Brnwa ends up with a bit more than a hair out of place, it's just a manner of speaking) I also found the 'avenging angel' attitude a bit stale. Well, maybe I still need a few more books like this to get used to, I'll keep trying.
My only criticism is when the book starts taking off from reality, like the shark-tank part and again that memorable walk-in freezer part. It reminds me of those old films where the good guy fights fifty really mean guys, wins and doesn't even get a wrinkle on his perfect suit or a hair out of place (I know that Dr Brnwa ends up with a bit more than a hair out of place, it's just a manner of speaking) I also found the 'avenging angel' attitude a bit stale. Well, maybe I still need a few more books like this to get used to, I'll keep trying.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Weird and a lot of fun
AS someone says, The Sopranos meets Scrubs. Fast, funny, modern and televisual. A great read in its way. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Helen
Fun and full of action!
This book is full of action! The medical and gangster related information the author presents through the story are both funny and very interesting. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Jacob Holm
funny,interesting, great ending
Loved this book...the brilliant story line, and really funny. It is beautifully written, and a really funny, entertaining story about a mob hitman who trains as a doctor after... Read more
Published 6 months ago by naa
Judge it by its cover!
The inside of this book's cover is filled with succinct portrayals of Bazell's writing style. At first this made me think it was going for the hard sell, but once I got into it... Read more
Published 18 months ago by Black Orchid
Beatdown
Beat The Reaper opens up with Dr. Peter Brown M.D. being held at gun point by a mugger and the rather suspicious death of a patient on the wards. Read more
Published 18 months ago by P. J. Potter
Autofibulectomy anyone?
A very different book in the crime genre,involving La cosa nostra;lots of criminals;hospitals;medical students;doctors;drug company saleswomen; patients;musicians etc in an amazing... Read more
Published 22 months ago by C.Elder
Violent, outrageous, fun!
Josh Bazell's fast paced thriller teeters on the brink of the unbelievable without ever quite tipping over. Read more
Published 22 months ago by Mark R. N. Jones
Utterly Brilliant
Think narrated by an older Holden Caulfield from Catcher in the Rye as the retired best hitman in the business now in witness protection as a doctor in Scrubs with the same... Read more
Published 22 months ago by Mr. J. E. Stammers
Not for those of gentle persuasion
I really enjoyed this book. Especially the hugely informative and at times utterly hilarious footnotes throughout. Read more
Published on 25 May 2010 by Mrs. Ann M. Spicer
Damn it feels good to be a Hitman
What a terrific novel. Josh Bazell fuses a most unlikely collection of plot drivers: medical procedural; lowlife mob escapades, witness protection; starcross'd and doomed lovers... Read more
Published on 7 Mar 2010 by O. Buxton
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