The Reading Bud

Book Details:

Author: Geoffrey M Cooper 
Release Date: October 7, 2025
Series: Brad Parker and Karen Richmond Medical Thrillers
Genre: Medical Thriller, Suspense
Format: E-book 
Pages: 229 pages
Publisher: Captain Thomas Publishing
Blurb:
Who’s killing the cancer researchers?
A leading clinical investigator is butchered in his hotel room hours after receiving a prestigious award for cancer research. Weeks later, a second researcher is the victim of an apparently random mugging in a parking garage. Unexpectedly, crime scene DNA establishes that the two men were killed by the same woman. But her identity remains unknown, her motive is mysterious, and the connections between the victims are scant—except that they were both collaborating with Professor Brad Parker at the Maine Translational Research Institute. When the killer strikes close to home, Brad and his fiancée—state police lieutenant Karen Richmond—are drawn into a nightmare of maniacal revenge. Until Brad sets a trap for the killer…or falls prey to a trap the killer has set for him.

Review

Geoffrey M. Cooper’s Betrayal of Trust sets its sights on the shadowy intersections of science, power, and morality, delivering a story that is as intellectually gripping as it is emotionally charged. It opens with a fiery hook and from that moment, the novel grips you with a potent mix of scientific intrigue, psychological drama, and the high stakes of justice gone personal.

The novel dives into the murky underbelly of academic medicine, exposing how power, reputation, and predation intertwine. As the story progresses, the author does a great job of raising the stakes from personal revenge to systemic rot. Author Cooper’s background in science lends the novel a razor-sharp authenticity. From clinical trial data to DNA evidence, the details never feel forced, but rather elevate the story’s stakes.

Brad Parker is an excellent protagonist and Shirley makes for a fascinating antagonist; she is morally complex, technically skilled, and driven by both revenge and justice. The interplay between Brad Parker and Karen Richmond is one of the book’s greatest strengths. Their combined expertise, science and law enforcement, creates a dynamic that’s both intellectual and emotional.

While I thoroughly enjoyed the book, there are moments where the narrative could have been tighter. Surveillance details and hacking logistics, while realistic, occasionally slowed the pace. Additionally, some of the secondary characters could have been fleshed out more deeply to add layers of emotional resonance. These are, however, just minor issues compared to the overall experience of reading this book.

Betrayal of Trust is a tense and timely thriller that explores what happens when power, science, and exploitation collide. Author Cooper balances ethical questions with a strong, suspenseful narrative, making this one of the more thought-provoking medical thrillers I’ve read recently. If you enjoy Robin Cook or Michael Palmer, this book deserves a spot on your shelf.

You can also read this review at: