Unnatural Causes: A Dr. Katie LeClair Mystery

Dawn Eastman

Dec 2017 · A Dr. Katie LeClair Mystery Book 1 · Crooked Lane Books

About this ebook

A small-town doctor finds herself embroiled in a “fascinating murder mystery” in this series debut for fans Tess Gerritsen and J. T. Ellison (Karen Harper, New York Times–bestselling author of Chasing Shadows).

Dr. Katie LeClair examines small-town secrets when her patient’s sudden suicide rocks the quiet life of Baxter, Michigan.

Katie LeClair has finally settled down as the new doctor in Baxter, MI. After years of moving, schooling, and training, she wants nothing more than to find a place she can call home, and a small town outside of Ann Arbor seemed perfect.

Katie quickly gets to work in building a life for herself in Baxter, and beyond reviving her love life, she also finds a pair of business partners in a team of father and son family practitioners. But that idyllic dream is immediately shattered when one of her patients is found dead. That wouldn't be the worst thing, except the death is ruled a suicide, and as evidence has it, the suicide was a result of the medication Katie had prescribed. But she doesn’t remember writing it.

When a closer investigation reveals it was murder, Katie is catapulted into an off-the-books investigation that leads her down a dark path of past secrets. But someone is willing to kill to keep part of the town’s history in the shadows, and Katie must race to find out who before it's too late in nationally bestselling author Dawn Eastman’s riveting series debut Unnatural Causes.

Ratings and reviews

Unnatural Causes by Dawn Eastman is the first book in A Dr. Katie LeClair Mystery series. Dr. Katie LeClair has joined the family practice of Dr.’s Emmett and Nick Hawkins (father and son) in Baxter, Michigan. She is called into the hospital when Ellen Riley is brought in from an overdose of diazepam (and Nick did not answer his page). The bottle states that Katie wrote the prescription, but she never issued it to Ellen. The police believe it is suicide, until Ellen’s daughter, Beth convinces them to take another look. Beth states that Ellen was stressed over research she had been conducting. Ellen had discovered something—did it get her killed? Katie wants answers and enlists her brother, Caleb to assist her. What was Ellen Riley researching and why did Nick not answer his page? Someone is not happy with Katie’s meddling and warns her off her search. Can Katie uncover the killer, or will she end up the next victim? I thought Unnatural Causes was nicely written and had a good pace. The author establishes Katie’s background early in the story and I found her a likeable, relatable character. The transitions between scenes was smooth (nicely handled by author). There is a repetition of information that could have been eliminated. The same details do not need to be repeated throughout the book. There are two mysteries in the book and both can be solved. The murderer can be discerned early in the story. The why is slowly revealed as the story progresses. There are good clues that will aid readers in solving the mystery. It is slightly convoluted and there is a surprise that readers may not anticipate. There are several suspects and some nice misdirection. The secondary mystery (regarding Nick Hawkins) is interesting and a common problem in our society (unfortunately). The action ramps up in the last 12% of the story. There is a love interest for Katie in the story. I was glad that the romance element was light and not rushed. Unnatural Causes is different from Dawn Eastman’s A Family Fortune Mystery series. It shows the author’s versatility. Unnatural Causes has good bones, and I look forward to reading the next book in A Dr. Katie LeClair Mystery series.

4.5 stars. I thought Unnatural Causes was nicely written and had a good pace. The author establishes Katie’s background early in the story and I found her a likeable, relatable character.

4.5 stars. I thought Unnatural Causes was nicely written and had a good pace. The author establishes Katie’s background early in the story and I found her a likeable, relatable character.

About the author

National bestselling author Dawn Eastman was a family medicine physician in Michigan. Now she lives in Iowa with her husband, son, and daughter. When not writing, she keeps busy catering to the whims of a bossy bichon-shih tzu mix who wants to rule the world. This is her first Dr. Katie LeClair mystery.