Hot Cure

Hopelessly arthritic, young Sarah Batten seeks an unorthodox cure at a remote Irish clinic. It works spectacularly well but harbors a deadly secret. In a desperate race to reverse the treatment she must also elude clinic thugs who will stop at nothing, even murder. It all begins on a crisp New Hampshire day when Sarah tells her physician brother, Kyle, about the miraculous treatment. Burnt out at only 35, he has quit his practice and is struggling to make ends meet as a standup comedian. "e;I went through a rough time after I graduated from medical school. I didn't know what I wanted to do with my life. My father not only suggested a career in Medicine, but also proposed a tuition repayment schedule."e; Sarah's best friend and Kyle's onetime flame, paramedic Liz Ashton, accompanies the Battens to Ireland. The clinic is housed in an old castle. Kyle and Liz are skeptical of a $50,000 miracle cure that the world has never heard of. Determined as they are to dislike the head of the clinic, they are soon charmed by the affable Irishman and his beautiful associate, Mairead McBride. Only Liz notices that Dr. Batten's presence makes him uneasy. The next day, Sarah is off for an exhaustive battery of pretreatment tests. Her two companions head for a scenic ramble through the countryside. Kyle is desperate to rekindle their faded romance. Liz is not so sure. Later that evening, Sarah exultantly reports that she is an "e;excellent candidate"e; for the treatment. Still in the dark about its nature, Liz and Kyle do a little nocturnal snooping. Just as they discover the clinic's barbaric secret, the two are collared by a beefy Irishman with anvil fists. Stott McFee snarls, "e;Are ye lost, kiddies?"e;"e;So you know,"e; says the clinic head. "e;Well, then that's that. Will ye be havin' any last wishes?"e;Sarah, Kyle, and Liz are locked up in the castle keep. Mairead turns on her boss and is also imprisoned. Early the next morning Stott McFee and two henchmen are to load them into a truck for transport to the coast. There they will slip off the rocks and drown - a favorite McFee method. Even if they escape, the toxic effects of Sarah's treatment must soon be reversed or she will suffer a far worse death. HOT CURE is a medical thriller like no other. Chilling, spine tingling suspense blends seamlessly with struggling romance and refreshing wit. Compelling, irresistible characters will take readers on an unforgettable journey into the dark zone between medical science and unspeakable evil.