I am extremely excited and humbled to share some book reviews done by Readers’ Favorites. You never know what to expect when trying to get reviews. I am pleased and impressed with the depth of these reviews.
Book Review #1
The Mind’s Echo is the first novel in the Dr. Theo Raden Medical Thriller series by Douglas Vaughn. Dr. Theo Raden was completing his first year of Residency at Scripps Mercy Hospital, and a new patient had him baffled. A pregnant and homeless woman is brought to the hospital. After investigation, they discover that their Jane Doe is Sophia LaCross who has no idea why she is at the hospital. Her life is in tatters. She has no idea how she got to be in this position, why her friends are not near her, and how she got pregnant. One thing is for sure, something terrible happened to her. With Dr. Theo and new friends at her side, Sophia remembered bits and pieces that finally explained the whole incident. What they discovered shook them to the core and revealed the bigger picture. Are Sophia, Nurse Jane, and Dr. Theo powerful enough to fight off the dangers lurking in the dark?
Medical thrillers have the potential to be bone-chilling, but none has come as close as The Mind’s Echo. Douglas Vaughn has created a plot that is intense and packed full of suspense from the beginning. Dr. Theo says that he doesn’t do surprises, and he lives by that principle. Dr. Theo is a simple man who believes he can help Sophia regain her memory, solve the mystery, and help her rebuild her life. He does exactly that. Sophia, on the other hand, is confused and unsure of herself. She relies on Dr. Theo and her other friends and they never let her down. Mental health is treated with respect in this story. The mystery as to why Sophia acted so strangely in the beginning was so realistic that it sent shivers down my spine. I highly recommend this thriller to everyone who loves reading realistic, yet entertaining novels.
Five Star Review by Rabia Tanveer
Book Review #2
Sophia LaCross was Doctor Theo Raden’s first patient of the day, but she was causing him concern. A pregnant woman with a fierce, primitive, and untamed look in her eyes had greeted Doctor Raden when he first stepped into the examination room. She was unpredictable and confused, and he didn’t know what to make of her. Sophia didn’t know who she was either. Why was she in a hospital and what did they mean when they said she was pregnant? The last time she checked she wasn’t but her swollen belly told her otherwise. Her memory concerning the last few months was gone and she was scared. What had happened to her and how did she end up like this? Read The Mind’s Echo: Dr. Theo Raden Medical Thriller Book 1 by Douglas Vaughn to find out.
Douglas Vaughn skillfully weaves an interesting narrative with a character evaluation in The Mind’s Echo. Mesmerizing and suspenseful, the first book of this new series left a deep impression on me from the very first chapter. The prose and dialogue were concise and readily understandable. I was drawn in by Doctor Raden’s mysterious patient and before I knew it I was right in the middle of the book, following this medical mystery with great fervor. Neither Doctor Raden nor I expected the depth of the conspiracy behind Sophia’s missing memories. The author has created an intriguing mystery that was hard to put down. The thrilling plot provided a whirlwind of possibilities that constantly had me guessing. Why did they do this to Sophia and what could come next? After solving one thrilling medical mystery, this page-turner is just the beginning of more to come. Great work.
Five Star Review by Jessica Barbosa
Book Review #3
The Mind’s Echo falls into the suspense, mystery, and thriller subgenres, and forms the first installment of the Dr. Theo Raden series of medical thriller novels. The work is best suited to mature adult readers owing to scenes of a sexual nature and the use of explicit language throughout. Penned by Douglas Vaughn, this tense and engrossing novel takes us into the complex lives of a doctor and patient, brought together by the strange memory problems that the patient claims to be suffering from. Sophia LaCross looks back on the tattered remnants of her life with fear, whilst her amnesia gives Dr. Theo Raden pause to reconsider his own life and the pressures put on him from all sides.
Douglas Vaughn has crafted an intimate and emotive interpersonal drama that handles a lot of interesting and complex psychology, and this realism sinks deeply into the plot and makes you root for the characters as they try to find their way through the mire of their lives. I was intrigued by the unreliability of Sophia as a core character, and it certainly makes for a tense mystery and thriller plot when you’re not sure that you can believe a word she says. As the more concrete clues come together, we see Theo risking a lot to try to help Sophia, and his motivations muddy the waters in a beautifully complex fashion. Overall, The Mind’s Echo is a must-read for fans of psychological and medical thrillers, but also anyone who enjoys fully-realized characters locked in a complex emotive drama.
Five Star Review by K.C. Finn
Book Review #4
The Mind’s Echo by Douglas Vaughn is indeed a medical thriller from beginning to end. Dr. Theo Raden is a first-year resident with little experience. Sophie LaCross has come into Scripps Mercy in a daze and is unaware of her surroundings in her pregnant condition. She appears to be homeless with no memory of where she has been and how she can be expecting a baby. Theo is unsure and uses all he has learned so far to help this strange young woman, knowing she needs him to find the solution. As Sophie calms down and explains what she remembers, Theo becomes even more concerned and is quickly involved. As the story progresses Theo and Sophie find themselves in some strange situations and places. There are many questions and few answers as they stop at nothing to find the answers.
I enjoyed The Mind’s Echo. I loved the immediate trust that Sophie has in Theo, and that Theo is willing to risk everything to help her. This is Douglas Vaughn’s first book in the Dr. Theo Raden Medical Thriller series and I cannot wait to continue learning more about Dr. Raden. The plot begins on page one and there is never a dull moment. Revealing too much of the plot will take away the suspense and you need to be sitting on the edge of your seat in excitement. If you like medical stories, thrillers, excitement, and daring characters then this is a must-read. It has all the makings of becoming a weekly TV show and I urge you to read it.
Five Star Review by Trudi LoPreto
Book Review #5
The Mind’s Echo: Dr. Theo Raden Medical Thriller Book 1 by Douglas Vaughn relates the story of a homeless pregnant woman who is found wandering the streets when an officer picks her up. She is taken to the Scripps Mercy Hospital, where Doctor Theo Raden, a first-year residency doctor, examines her. She cannot remember being pregnant, and she does not even have a boyfriend. Sophia LaCross reminds Theo of a bad period in his life, and he wants to help her. Sophia cannot remember anything that happened to her over the last few months or where she was. Theo takes Sophia to her apartment which she shares with her best friend. They hope that the friend might know where Sophia was and what happened to her. Theo and Sophia discover that the friend has drowned, and they now have to solve the puzzle themselves.
The Mind’s Echo is an outstanding medical thriller with a complicated and intriguing plot. Douglas Vaughn took me on a roller coaster ride. It was fast-paced and jam-packed with action. The story was engaging from the beginning and kept me on the edge of my seat. I never knew what to expect with all the twists and turns. As soon as I wanted to guess what would happen, there was a surprise waiting. It was a page-turner, and I could not put it down. The characters were authentic and well-defined. I felt sorry for Sophia, who lost several months of her life. She was pregnant too and had no idea as to how it happened. It was an excellent thriller that exceeded all my expectations.
Five Star Review by Alma Boucher
