Oath of Office

In this suspenseful thriller from bestseller Palmer (A Heartbeat Away), Dr. Lou Welcome, who nine years earlier lost his medical license “for self-prescribing amphetamines,” now works for the organization that cured him of his addiction, the Physician Wellness Office, counseling doctors with similar problems in Kings Ridge, Va., outside Washington, D.C. When John Meacham, a client of Lou’s who had “a better-than-decent recovery program,” fatally shoots seven patients and staff members at his office before shooting himself, the PWO suspends Lou. Other strange anomalies in Kings Ridge that Lou uncovers lead him to the U.S. president’s wife, who’s received a mysterious warning from a man known only as Double M. An unusual corn crop, giant termites, and greed combine to create a grave threat. Palmer’s easy mix of science and individual courage should please his many fans. Agent: Jane Rotrosen Agency. (Feb.)