Book review: The Hollow Men

IF you are looking for a well-informed thriller with lots of intrigue and plot twists, or if you enjoy the medical dramas that are plentiful on TV, you won’t be disappointed with Rob McCarthy’s debut crime novel The Hollow Men.

Sat, 26 Mar, 2016 - 00:00

Review: Phil Robinson

Rob McCarthy

Mulholland Books, £14.99; ebook, £9.99

The main character is Dr Harry Kent, a London-based former Army medic, currently working as a hospital registrar and police surgeon.

One morning, after a busy night, he is contacted by the police and asked to attend a hostage situation involving a 17-year-old.

When things turn sour, Harry is forced to save the boy’s life and protect him from further danger — danger that could be close to home and even closer to Harry’s inner circle of fellow doctors.

Rob McCarthy wrote this book while in his fourth year of medical school and, technically, it is superior to many previous medical thrillers I’ve read.

I found myself gripped with the story from page one.