Review: Saving Meghan by D.J. Palmer

Title: Saving Meghan

Author: D.J. Palmer

Published: April 2019, St. Martin’s Press

Format: ARC Paperback, 384 pages

Source: Publisher

Summary: 

Can you love someone to death?

Some
would say Becky Gerard is a devoted mother and would do anything for
her only child. Others claim she’s obsessed and can’t stop the vicious
circle of finding a cure at her daughter’s expense.

Fifteen-year-old
Meghan has been in and out of hospitals with a plague of unexplained
illnesses. But when the ailments take a sharp turn, doctors intervene
and immediately suspect Munchausen syndrome by proxy, a rare behavioral
disorder where the primary caretaker, typically the mother, seeks
medical help for made-up symptoms of a child. Is this what’s going on?
Or is there something even more sinister at hand?

Saving Meghan is a riveting new thriller full of secrets and lies from author D.J. Palmer.

My thoughts:  What a wild, crazy ride this medical thriller was…and let me just tell you…this one will totally get under your skin! I loved every single second of this book and not having kids probably upped the ante for me because I was able to be hyper-critical of all the players without feeling any guilt.

Is it possible to love someone to death? That is what is at play here…that and the Munchausen syndrome by proxy phenomenon, though it does take that and turn it on it’s head. What I loved here is that I was constantly wondering what was really going on…is Meghan really sick or is her mother, Becky, somehow manipulating her into believing she is sick? Or is someone else to blame? 

I loved that this book is a slow-burning suspense that ups the ante ever so slightly as you meet all the players and get to the bottom of things. There are twists and turns here and there to keep you on your toes and just when you think you have it all figured out something else would be thrown at you to turn everything upside down. 

This is the first time I’ve read anything dealing with Munchausen syndrome by proxy and I have to say it is quite fascinating. I’ve certainly heard about it but to see it play out in a story is what made this book all the more compelling. The lengths that Becky goes to for her child – her determination and doggedness at getting answers is astonishing. She was also quite manipulative…is that how all parents are with this? Now I’m curious!

All along I was back and forth as to whether I was #BelieveBecky or #ProtectMeghan and I wavered all through the book. To me, that’s the sign of really good writing – that I could go back and forth the entire book and still enjoy it. I cannot wait to read more from D.J. Palmer – this was the first book I’ve read by him but it certainly will not be the last!