"Fabulous psychological thriller"

In 1991, Ed Tyson proposes to Beth, who apologetically says no. Instead she marries another medical student Peter Grainger. Ed vows that one day Beth will be his at any cost as he thinks of his father the "Judge" saying the " end justifies the mean".

In 2004, Peter, now a psychiatrist, struggles with the accident that killed Beth and their unborn child. He currently works as the medical director for the University Hospital Mental Health Clinic, a job he got because of his pal Ed, Dean at the school. As a favor to Ed, he currently is seeing a twenty-two years old coed Ann Walsh who looks just like Beth. Ann apparently cut her wrists following a discussion with her drunken father renowned writer Carter Walsh. Soon other incidents each more dangerous than the previous occur with Peter wondering if Ed is setting him up for some reason or he is just going insane. Police Detective Nicole Sullivan, whose daughter remains traumatized from being molested by an uncle, looks into the strange happenings at the University Hospital Medical School.

THE CADAVER'S BALL is a fabulous psychological thriller starring a person at his most vulnerable as he still grieves deeply his loss; even his son cannot help Peter recover. Interestingly the manipulations of the twisted Ed are what snap a teetering Peter back to life. Though flashbacks by Peter to happier times add depth on the other hand Ed reflecting back to his childhood seems out of place although that provides some understanding as to his Bushian philosophy of the end always justifies the means.

Harriet Klausner

Reviewed by Harriet Klausner
Posted September 15, 2005

Summary

There are times when a trusted "friend" is so filled with hatred that he will do anything possible to ruin the other. Ed, Peter, and Beth had been friends through medical school. At the Cadaver's Ball, the somewhat ghoulish-named celebration that is the closest thing to a senior prom the hardworking medical students have, Ed confidently presents Beth with an engagement ring. She reluctantly has to tell him that she has already agreed to marry Peter---and Ed's life explodes. From then on, Ed's main goal is to make Beth realize she made the wrong choice---but fate intervenes. A car crash takes her life and that of the baby she and Peter had been expecting. Peter was the one driving, and the accident comes close to wrecking his own life irretrievably. Beth's death torches Ed's blazing hatred of Peter and he builds a complex and terrible program to destroy Peter. Peter doesn't suspect the cause of his growing difficulties until he becomes a suspect in the death of a patient. He must find a way to reclaim his life---if it is not already too late. In this riveting psychological thriller, Charles Atkins demonstrates his rare skill for creating passionate characters with a range of motivations, from obsession and vengeance to self-preservation.