Mysteries Galore.com

Reviewed by Allen Hott

Miracle Cure is one of Harlan Coben’s earliest novels and it is somewhat different from the books he writes today. The story is about an Aids Clinic and a series of Gay Slasher murders that appear to be tied to the clinic.

The action starts with the brutal beating and eventual murder of one of the heads of the clinic. He had just arrived back in the States from their storage facility in Bangkok. The killer made the murder appear to be a suicide as the body was found outside the motel where the man was to have spent the night. A forced suicide note and busted out window made it look as though the man had taken his own life.

Two good friends of the Clinic’s doctor/owners happen to be a professional basketball player, Michael Silverman and his wife, Sara Lowell, who is a television reporter. They are not only remorseful about the death of the partner but also shocked at the recent deaths of several patients of the clinic. They were killed in what appears to be homophobic murders. And the surviving doctor/owner, Harvey Riker, is completely devastated by the three deaths.
A U.S. congressman and a holier than thou preacher also become quite involved in the dealings as they are attempting to shut down the clinic completely. Although their reasons are different they both are adamant about the hoped for results.

Max Bernstein, the homicide detective assigned to the case, is an acquaintance of both Sara and Michael. As he begins to get into the investigation of the murders/suicide Michael suddenly becomes violently ill and is diagnosed at first with hepatitis. However later testing shows that he has Aids that most probably was contracted from a transfusion that he had to have when he was injured in a boating accident in the Bahamas.

Throughout the story the hired killer is going about his business of “taking care of business” and the police are trying to figure out all the connections.

There are many twists and additional subplots woven into the master theme all of which holds the reader’s attention but doesn’t give up the mastermind behind the endeavor until the end.

Somewhat unusual for Coben is the appearance of a bit more foul language and sex as opposed to his later writings. Perhaps he felt that they were unnecessary and he decided to just write without the use of those tools.

The ending is pretty much a surprise for the reader as of the possible suspects the actual culprit is pretty much a true mystery though an integral part of the story.