Bitter Pill

By: Richard L. Mabry MD

Narrated by: Bill Nevitt

Things were going along just fine.

Until the miracle fouled them up.

“Brother” Bob Bannister is content with his life and his itinerant healing ministry, until one night he finds that the woman who walks off the stage under her own power isn’t one of his shills. At that point, doubts begin to intrude on his previously untroubled existence.

Dr. Abby Davis is tired of her family practice and at odds with God. Dealing with critically ill and dying patients has crushed her spirit to the point she’s ready to quit. But she soon realizes that there’s more to healing than ministering to the physical body.

Scott Anderson was the oldest graduate of his seminary class. Then again, most of them hadn’t turned away from a medical practice, hoping to atone for past mistakes (including his wife’s death) by ministering to men’s souls. Now he hopes he hasn’t made a colossal mistake in switching careers.

Each of these individuals becomes linked to the other, and each finds that God has a purpose for them - but, as it often does, the lesson comes with discomfort.

©2019 Richard L. Mabry (P)2019 Richard L. Mabry

Enjoyable short novel, character more than mystery

An unlikely collection of people in Goldman, Texas find themselves facing life-changing choices, and reaching out to each other in unexpected ways.

"Brother" Bob Bannister is your basic fraudulent evangelical preacher, with a fake "healing" at the end of each Saturday night service. Then one Saturday, a woman bribes an usher and takes the place of the planted shill. And she is, apparently, healed, leaving her wheelchair behind as she dances down the aisle and out the door. Was it a real miracle, or an investigative journalist? Bannister finds either possibility about equally disturbing.

Dr. Abby Davis is a family practice doctor in a town with an aging population, and is finding herself doing counseling as much as treating illness. At the same time, when she has to refer a patient to a cancer specialist, she's sending them out of town rather than to the in-town doctor whom she feels is too cold for patients facing a life crisis, and this isn't going over well in the small medical community in this small town.

Ed Farmer is the past at her church, and he's been diagnosed with a brain aneurysm, which may well prove fatal. Surgery is scheduled, but it means his associate pastor, Scott Anderson,will have to take over temporarily.

Scott is a fairly recent seminary graduate, older than most new graduates because he used to be a surgeon. Then his wife died of ovarian cancer, and he felt unable to continue a medical career. But is the ministry the right choice?

In amongst all this, Bannister is getting threatening notes, and then dangerous acts of vandalism start happening.

Ed Farmer asks Abby Davis, a member of his congregation, to be his prayer partner while he faces the upcoming surgery. Bob Bannister goes to talk to Ed Farmer about his new crisis of faith. Scott Anderson talks to Abby about his conflicting feelings about staying in the ministry or going back to medicine.

This is an interesting group of characters. It is an explicitly Christian novel, but for these characters, religion is a natural part of their lives, and, except for Bob Bannister, they haven't been "selling" it. It's character novel, with a bit of a mystery woven in, and I found it enjoyable and satisfying.

Recommended.

I received a free copy of this audiobook from the narrator, and am reviewing it voluntarily.

Many question their faith in this medical mystery

I really enjoyed this book with its realistic Christian basis combining matters of people not sure about God's direction for their life when they and/or people around them are facing medical problems..
I think that the way that the narrator did a great job that really made the story, live.
A very good read.

Faith tested

This is a good, thought provoking book. Three people, seemingly very different, are brought together through one pastor. "Brother" Bob Bannister is a fake, paying people to pretend to be healed during his services. Scott Anderson was one an up and coming surgeon. After his wife's death, he turns from medicine to become a minister. But, is his a true calling or just a way to escape his past? Dr. Abby Davis is a Doctor, but more and more, she is called upon to also act as prayer partner and counselor to her patients.

This book has a little bit of mystery, a few sad moments and a lot of Biblical inspiration. The author does a good job of weaving the main characters together as they each try to come to terms with God's will in their lives. This was a quick, well-written read and a good break from a lot of the heavier books that I tend to read.

The narrator does a good job, but some of his female voices are a little grating. All in all, he does a good job and his narration keeps the action going at just the right pace. I was given the chance to listen to this audiobook by the narrator and chose to review it.

Intriguing

I was gifted this audiobook with the understanding that I would leave an honest review.
I liked this book well really more of a novella. The genre I would say for this book is Christian mystery or suspense. As a Christian myself I had no problem with the dialogue but at times it was a little strong bordering on preachy. The story was wonderful, funny at times, and deep in meaning too. I enjoyed the narration of the book as well. Bill Nevitt is a wonderful narration and this book is no exception. I know this is not a series but I really enjoyed the character Dr. Abby and would like to see more books with her in them.

Bitter Pill

Three very different people, a doctor who is getting tired of her family practice, a priest who used to be a doctor but is trying to amend for what he thinks are his sins, and a man of the cloth that is tired and ready for a younger person to take over. Three different tired people, that all end up in one place, their faith. Three people that need to take the bitter pill and get on with it.

This book was set up well and is very interesting, you won't want to put it down. The character development was awesome, you really get to know all the characters as if you are their best friends, the one they tell all their secrets too. If you are lucky enough to get the audio version narrated by Bill Nevitt than you really will get lost in the story as he has a way of transforming you to that place and time to live with these characters, it is truly amazing. Which ever format you choose you won't go wrong with this book.