Reviewed by Shrabastee Chakraborty for Readers' Favorite

Dr. Martin Starling was delivering a chemistry lecture when he suffered a debilitating stroke. A rare mutation, possibly inherited from his unidentified biological father, resulted in abnormal blood clotting, leading to the stroke. What if the anonymous sperm donor had fathered other children? In the hopes of warning them about the mutation, Dr. Starling uploads his genetic information on genealogy sites. The results are astounding! How can he have over two hundred half-siblings? The mystery deepens when a ruthless sharp-shooter starts killing people. Although the murders initially appear random, soon it turns out that the victims are all half-siblings of Dr. Starling. Detective Bradly Hunter, confident that the Starling family is somehow involved in these rampant killings, will do anything to implicate them. Can they solve this mystery and find the perp before the body count rises? Find out in Ties That Kill, a medical thriller by Deven Greene.

Ties That Kill would qualify as both a medical thriller and a police procedural. I liked how these two elements epically clash and then build the tempo simultaneously, ultimately merging in a crescendo at the end. The arrogant, prejudiced, and initially unlikeable detective nonetheless becomes appealing. In contrast, the kind-hearted and intellectual professor readily earned my respect. It was oddly satisfying to see the polar opposite male protagonists working together, one being the brain and the other the brawn. As a graduate student in Biology, I loved the technical details of DNA, fingerprinting, genealogy, and pedigree analysis. The logical, step-by-step approach Deven Greene used was akin to designing a scientific experiment. Although I had a hunch about the killer’s identity, the twists Greene kept hidden up his sleeves surprised me. The Starling family dynamics amazed me, with each member contributing to the case per their abilities and having each other's backs. I loved how Greene speculated about the possible consequences of genealogy research, both good and bad. The groan-inducing albeit clever puns stole the show. I recommend Ties That Kill to anyone who loves a thought-provoking thriller with a superb climax.