Sat 11 Mar 2017
Archived Review: R. B. DOMINIC – The Attending Physician.
Posted by Steve under Bibliographies, Lists & Checklists , Characters , Reviews[3] Comments
R. B. DOMINIC – The Attending Physician. Harper & Row, hardcover, 1980. Pinnacle, paperback, 1981.
The pair of ladies who write as R. B. Dominic [Mary Jane Latsis & Martha Henissart], as well as the more famous Emma Lathen, obviously do not care much for doctors. This is the first murder adventure their series character hero, Congressman Ben Safford (D-Ohio), has stumbled across in some time. Where the medical industry fits in is right from the beginning, with a series of hearings Safford’s subcommittee as part of their investigation into widespread fraud in the Medicaid program.
According to Dominic, doctors are an arrogant lot, but in works of fiction, at least, authors have a distinct advantage over the rest of us. They can make sure that at least one prime specimen chosen from among their targets of outrage gets, for once, what’s coming to him.
Such as a mammoth malpractice suit, right after the subcommittee learns that one such doctor has falsely billed the same welfare mother for two hysterectomies and one abortion. And in that order, no less.
Standing nervously in line to await the authors’ wrath are nursing homes and pharmacies as well. At times you may feel that the ensuing murder investigation has been all but forgotten, but have no fear. You’ll probably spot the culprit(s) easily enough without it. If you tend to agree with Ms. Dominic, the fun lies here in foiling villains of quite another stripe.
The Ben Safford series —
Murder Sunny Side Up. Abelard-Schuman 1968
Murder in High Place. Doubleday 1970
There Is No Justice. Doubleday 1971
Epitaph for a Lobbyist. Doubleday 1974
Murder Out of Commission. Doubleday 1976
The Attending Physician.Harper 1980
Unexpected Developments.St. Martin’s 1984
March 11th, 2017 at 11:44 pm
I never read the Safford books, but remain a huge Lathen fan, and straw men in fiction are half the fun of reading and writing if done right.
March 12th, 2017 at 7:57 am
I read all the Lathen and Dominic books up to a point (without my database handy can’t say exactly when, but it was the large majority), then stopped and have never successfully gone back to finish them. In the ’70s the Lathen series was one of my favorites.
March 12th, 2017 at 1:04 pm
I have not read all of either series either. I liked the Lathen books more than the Dominic ones, but it’s 30 years since I read one.
I guess we’re alike, Jeff. When we’re done with a series, we’re done.
IF I remember correctly, it was Jon Breen who uncovered the fact that Dominic and Lathen were one and the same.