The Face Transplant

Dr. Matthew MacAulay is a facial transplant surgeon working in a prestigious New York hospital. He is forced at gunpoint to perform a facial transplant in the middle of the night. The surgical team includes Dr. Sarah Larsson the anesthetist and his scrub nurse Marcia Lopez. They work under intense pressure but unfortunately the patient dies. The next day Matthew learns that Dr. Tom Grabowski, leader of the facial transplant program in Palo Alto, died last night. Initially classified as a heart attack, Matthew is suspicious. Tom was a close friend and mentor to Matthew. He goes to Palo Alto and learns that Tom was murdered. The US government is secretly funding the research. The Secretary of Defense personally oversees the project. Matthew is stunned to learn that Tom recently developed a compound that allows facial transplants to be performed seamlessly. No scars, no incisions. The possibilities are endless. Tom had also pioneered a surgical robot named Alice. She is the next generation surgical robot, not only able to assist but possesses almost human abilities. The Secretary of Defense assigns Jonathan to investigate Tom’s death and ensure no vital secrets have gone missing. Jonathan carries a personal vendetta against Matthew. He is willing to kill Matthew to gain revenge. Within no time Jonathan has convinced the Secretary of Defense that Matthew is behind the death of Tom Grabowski. Jonathan also convinces him that Matthew may be selling secrets. Matthew must evade the relentless pursuit of Jonathan. He continues to investigate the murder of Tom with the help of his friends. Quentin takes a meeting with the President of the United States. He informs the President that the transplant program has been compromised by a member of the team, Dr. Matthew MacAulay. The President orders Matthew to be contained, at all costs. The President is happy to learn that the Binary Sequence, a classified document, has not been compromised. Dr. Matthew MacAulay realizes that he is not only being hunted by the US government, but also someone else is trying to eliminate him so he cannot uncover the reason Tom Grabowski was killed. In order to avoid detection Matthew undergoes a face transplant. Alice, the surgical robot, not only helps with the transplant, but provides analysis and is like another member of the team. While transplanted Matthew’s identity is safe and he can investigate freely. The transplanted face has some limitations. If the temperature rises above 80 degrees Fahrenheit the transplanted face may suffer a catastrophic failure and separate. Matthew and Sarah visit another transplant surgeon, Michael. They quickly realize he may hold many of the clues to the mystery. Matthew must reverse the transplant and travel with Sarah to Macau to continue the investigation. On Macau he meets a disgraced surgeon who holds an important clue. Matthew and Sarah go to Karakatura, the deadliest mountain in the Himalayas. Matthew uncovers the final pieces of the puzzle and realizes that Tom’s death is part of a much large plan. A plan of monumental proportions involving the highest levels of government. Matthew and Sarah grow closer as they investigate. Matthew is forced to confront feelings from the past he wanted hidden forever. Sarah has a secret that will change forever Matthew’s feelings for her. Can they get past the obstacles that keep them apart? If Matthew cannot stop this plot, the consequences will change his country forever. Matthew and Sarah begin a race against time to prevent a catastrophe of epic scale. The Face Transplant is a powerful medical suspense thriller of the first order. The novel was written by a surgeon who weaves medicine, romance, politics, and espionage into a tightly paced, intelligent thriller.