This fall, the Hippocratic Oath promise “Do no harm” takes on a whole new meaning in the nail-biting new medical thriller DISSECTION by debut author Cristina LePort, MD (Bancroft Press/ October 20, 2022; $27.95), perfect for fans of Vince Flynn's Mitch Rapp novels and Robin Cook's medical thrillers. In DISSECTION Dr. LePort tells the story of DC heart surgeon Dr. Steven Leeds, who is suddenly besieged by a handful of complicated heart attack and stroke cases, all caused by a rare arterial injury―a dissection. All the victims have first received cards announcing: “Your heart attack/stroke will arrive within one hour!” Private detective Kirk Miner and FBI agent Jack Mulville investigate, and they immediately suspect Leeds' former lover, Dr. Silvana Moretti, a brilliant research scientist who harbors a grudge against all the victims. When prominent people in the U.S. government begin to receive the same threatening cards and almost immediately experience these same deadly cardiac emergencies, it falls to an unlikely team of three―the headstrong FBI agent, the gifted private investigator, and the conflicted heart surgeon―to find the actual perpetrators and foil the catastrophic plot before it's too late. Says Dr. LePort, “At medical school, I specialized in Internal Medicine, and had been practicing for over 17 years when, one day, while attempting to get into a Cardiology fellowship, I started to listen to Ayn Rand's lectures The Art of Fiction. I was inspired to write a novel and I became addicted to the feeling of entering a world where I could make anything happen.” "High stakes, breathless suspense, and real insider authenticity―a terrific debut." ― Lee Child, New York Times Bestselling Author and 2020 Booker Prize Judge “With a terrifying premise and riveting medical details, Dissection moves at a frantic pace.” ―Tess Gerritsen, New York Times Bestselling Author “A breakthrough novel―suspenseful, fast, and furious.” ― , New York Times Bestselling Author of Timescape “A fast-paced and well-written medical thriller. Grab a copy and enjoy the ride.” ―D.P. Lyle, MD, Award-winning Author of the Jake Longly and Cain/Harper Thriller Series “DISSECTION is a remarkable novel by Dr. Cristina LePort, a cardiologist who combines medical knowledge with a deep understanding of how bad the Iranian dictatorship is and how easily medical terrorism could occur. It’s a great read!” ―Newt Gingrich, Former Speaker of the House “LePort’s debut thriller …offers many twists and turns certain to keep readers engaged. The author’s prose will be accessible to readers with little medical knowledge, as the characters explain aortic and coronary dissections in ways that feel natural and that provide a basic but clear understanding of what’s happening to the victims. The blending of medical emergencies with political thriller tropes is relatively uncommon… LePort uses her own experience as a cardiovascular specialist to enhance an already engaging actioner.” ―Kirkus Reviews “A frightening, action-packed plot, skillful descriptions of surgical processes, political issues that all too often impact medical care, and expert crafting of key characters … Readers will be satisfied with the characters’ well-deserved fates as they travel to the nail-biting finish.” ―BookLife (Offshoot of Publishers Weekly) “An action-packed medical thriller in which Dr. Steven Leeds, a renowned cardiac surgeon at a prestigious DC hospital, is caught in a plot to destabilize global diplomatic relations… The mystery behind a raft of cardiac assassinations he must deal with is built on a foundation of well-explained medical technology, while the story’s explosive pivot toward an intricate terrorist plot to destabilize the US government and kick off a nuclear war is captivating. And the efforts to prove the innocence of the surgeon’s girlfriend, a prominent medical researcher, lead to an additional and intriguing cat-and-mouse chase. Leeds’ determination to exonerate her while utilizing his medical expertise to thwart the terrorist plot leads to ultimate rewards as the story crescendos with a series of rapid-fire, dangerous actions. Dissection is a riveting medical thriller in which a shrouded cabal puts their villainous plans into motion―with only a heart surgeon to stop them." ―Foreword Clarion Reviews “ Dissection is a terrifying medical thriller that is not only frightening on paper, but truly blood-curdling to think about in a real-world application. It is a tense, tautly written, descriptive, electrifying, and formidable novel that makes you think, and most of all makes you feel every single thing that’s happening as it occurs. I read this work like someone thirsting for water after days in the desert sun―voraciously ingesting the pages as quickly as I could to reach the stunning climax and marvelous ending. I cannot recommend Dr. Cristina LePort’s expertly written novel highly enough to all fans of medical and psychological thrillers.