"Promise Me Eternity", by Ian Fox

After reading this novel I still have mixed thoughts on how to label it. I went through the usual list: is it a tale of suspense, a thriller, a medical mystery, a psychological drama, a simple fiction or a combination of all of the above? Don’t mistake me it was a fair read although at times hard to grasp but what intrigued me the most was its premise. As I carried on I became quite curious by the life of the many characters, many lived a very shallow life style. I was captivated by the things they did for money and their outrageous behaviour in their quest for romance and love. 

The story centers on Simon Patterson, a dedicated neurosurgeon at a local hospital and at home an obsessed researcher looking for eternal youth in his spare time. His research takes his attention away from his wife who complains about their dull life, his neglect towards her and his spending habits regarding his experiments. The household finances are a continual source of friction until the day he saved the life of a powerful mobster Carlo Vucci….. This is the start of a turning point in their life.

In gratitude, the Pattersons are invited for dinner at Carlo Vucci’s residence and when he introduces his wife, the beautiful Christine, to the doctor there is instant chemistry. A few weeks later when Christine shows up at the hospital faking terrible headaches, the doctor is all too willing to help her. Meeting her outside the possessive eyes of Vucci proves to be the start of a downhill spiral for the doctor, a nightmare that eventually opens the doors to multiple murders…..

We start with one chapter after another with events that at first seem like unrelated stories however when the catalyst kicks in, the doctor surfaces as the main character. At this point, the story becomes interesting and starts to gel but eventually it became so predictable that I started to lose interest once again. The plot has many characters, some are rather stiff and others are so naïve, stereotypical and immensely frustrating, they became a turn off. In my opinion, the main characters had a lackluster appeal at times and the secondary characters were a little overdone. A good part of the novel moves at a snail pace but to be fair to the author there are some interesting twists and turns along the way. Sorry Mr. Fox “Promise Me Eternity” is not one of my favourites….