Preventable Tragedies

Reviewed by Carl Hoffman 

Hard on the heels of her two previous novels, The Rosebush Murders and Murder in the Choir, author and Tel Aviv-based psychologist Ruth Shidlo has feted her readers with a third offering, Preventable Tragedies. Those who enjoyed the earlier works will not be disappointed in this one.

Again, the hero of the story is Detective Helen Mirkin, now assigned to the “National Serious and International Crimes Unit” in Tel Aviv. And once again, Shidlo takes an approach similar to that seen time and again in Ed McBain’s iconic 87^th Precinct police procedural detective novels, only now transposed to Israel and expanded to dealing with international crime.

In Preventable Tragedies, Detective Mirkin responds to an Interpol alert about an international drug ring manufacturing counterfeit prescription medicines, and selling them worldwide to fund terrorist groups and activities. A sort of sub-narrative about legitimate drug companies knowingly manufacturing useless food supplements and selling unnecessary medications, both deepens the main story and casts a dark shadow on the multi-billion dollar pharmaceutical industry.

The book is well-researched and written almost academically. This, as well as the two previous Helen Mirkin novels, are available from the author, at www.ruthshidlo.com.