Books: The Diagnosis Murder Series
1. The Silent Partner
The first in a series of original mysteries based on the TV series which Lee wrote and produced. Dr. Mark Sloan is appointed to an LAPD Cold Case task force investigating unsolved homicides... and discovers a previously unknown serial killer who has been murdering people for years, making the deaths look like the work of others.
"Producer Lee Goldberg wrote the very best Diagnosis Murder episodes, so it's no surprise that the book delivers everything you'd expect from the show. This is a clever, high-octane mystery that moves like a bullet train."
—Janet Evanovich
"Elegant writing, wry humor, and a fast-paced plot. A must read!"
—Aimee & David Thurlo
2. The Death Merchant
A dream vacation in Hawaii turns into a nightmare for Dr. Mark Sloan and his son, Steve, when a man they've befriended falls victim to a shark attack. But when Mark discovers evidence indicating the victim was murdered prior to becoming shark food, he and Steve comb the beaches to find a different kind of predator...
"For those who have, as I do, an addiction to Dr. Mark Sloan, Lee Goldberg provides a terrific fix."
—SJ Rozan
"A nifty, creative take on the tradition of amateur sleuths with a cast of quirky characters."
—Stuart Kaminsky
3. The Shooting Script
Dr. Mark Sloan is drawn to the sounds of gunfire at his neighbor's Malibu beach house. There, he discovers the bullet-riddled bodies of an aspiring actress and a Hollywood producer. An obvious suspect is the producer's wife—who has gunpowder residue all over her clothing, but who also has a perfect alibi. However, Mark thinks that the crime scene resembles a hit more than a crime of passion. When he and his son start investigating a local mob kingpin's involvement, Mark soon finds himself unpopular with the police—and, of course, with the murderer...
"When it comes to delivering a first-rate mystery, Lee Goldberg has the hands of a master surgeon."
—Rick Riordan
"Lee Goldberg's Diagnosis Murder series is the perfect prescription for readers looking for thrills, chills, and laughs."
—Meg Cabot
4. The Waking Nightmare
Dr. Mark Sloan's day at the office takes a turn for the worse when he looks out his office window and sees a woman jump from the ledge of a building. Miraculously, he is able to save her life, but she remains in a coma. Tormented by nightmares, Mark investigates the woman's attempted suicide, embroiling him in a U.S Marshal's relentless manhunt for a vicious cop killer. And if Mark isn't careful, he could become the next victim.
"Sly humor, endearing characters, tricky plots—Lee Goldberg's smart writing is what makes these terrific Diagnosis Murder books something to tell all your friends about."
—Jerrilyn Farmer
"The Diagnosis Murder novels are great reads. Intricate plots and engaging characters combined with Lee Goldberg's trademark humor make for page-turning entertainment."
—Barbara Seranella
5. The Past Tense
Dr. Mark Sloan is startled to discover a dead woman—dressed as a mermaid—washed up on the beach outside his home. Even more bizarre, the autopsy reveals a digital memory card within a capsule inside the body's stomach. The card contains the report of a forty-three-year-old murder in Los Angeles—the first homicide case Mark ever solved, when he was a struggling intern and newlywed father.
When a second body is discovered—a woman who was apparently the victim of an impromptu autopsy in her own kitchen—the good doctor realizes that he must find the connection between the two murders. And perhaps more urgently, the connection to his own past...
"The Past Tense contains all the elements of a fine mystery novel: good
characters, interesting plot, surprising twists and, above all, crisp and
enjoyable writing."
—David Montgomery, Chicago Sun-Times
"Just what the doctor ordered, a sure cure after a rash of blah mysteries. The Past Tense has more plot twists than a strand of DNA."
—Elaine Viets
6. The Dead Letter
Nick Stryker was one of L.A.'s most infamous private investigators. He made a living snapping photos of philandering spouses—and supplemented that income by blackmailing them in return for not turning the evidence over to his clients. But Nick made one too many enemies over the years.
Dr. Mark Sloan receives a package full of files, audiotapes and videos—and a cryptic letter from Stryker that begins If you are reading this, I'm dead. The box contains the most incriminating evidence Stryker gathered from those involved in activities a lot more scandalous than simple infidelities. Now, with enough proof to put some of the most powerful people in LA behind bars, Mark must determine which of them resorted to murder.
"Goldberg's sardonic voice informs every scene and that's what makes his people work...he can plot and write with the best of them."
—Ed Gorman, Mystery Scene Magazine
"Lee Goldberg definitely does not skimp on anything. His characters are nicely fleshed out and his settings are described in just enough detail to bring them to life... Lee Goldberg has created a story that is good enough to stand up to the most critical mystery aficionado."
—CoziesCapersandCrimes.com
7. The Double Life
When Dr. Mark Sloan wakes up in his own hospital's I.C.U., he doesn't remember how he got there or anything from the last two years of his life—including a wife he doesn't recognize. He learns that he was run down in the street while investigating a series of mysterious deaths, all of whom were patients recently recovered from life-threatening illnesses and accidents. Mark resumes his investigation, only to realize that his "accident" was no accident, and that there is little time left to prevent another murder: his own.
"Goldberg does an excellent job of building on the characters we know and love. He also displays a knack of creating mysteries within mysteries, much like a puzzle box: no sooner do you have one thing figured out than you discover it's actually hiding something even more sinister. As such, The Double Life is not just an excellent continuation of the series—but an excellent mystery novel."
—Chris Well's Learning Curve
"Goldberg weaves a complex mystery full of murders and puzzles. As always, he gives Dr. Sloan so much depth, emotion, and humor that you can imagine Dick Van Dyke playing the part on TV. Goldberg has proved once again that he is a master of writing whodunits."
—SciFiChick Reviews
8. The Last Word
The eighth and final book in the Diagnosis Murder series pits Dr. Mark Sloan against Carter Sweeney, his most formidable adversary, the man responsible for blowing up Community General Hospital several years ago.
Los Angeles is a city in turmoil. The D.A. and Police Chief are engaged in a brutal race to become the new Mayor, there's a gang war erupting on the streets, a West Nile virus outbreak, and Sweeney's high-powered lawyers are mounting a last-ditch appeal of his conviction. Mark is right in middle of it all...but even he can't forsee the shocking way these events will converge in a deadly conspiracy that will change his life forever...
"What a marvelous bit of writing. I would recommend The Last Word to any fan of Lee Goldberg, or to any reader looking for a fast-paced, character-driven mystery."
—The Gumshoe Review
"The mix of the organ transplant industry and obsession with revenge make the novel an interesting read. Goldberg announced it will be the last of the Dr. Mark Sloan mysteries—one of the best contemporary series in this genre."
—Shuriks Picks
