Margaret Truman's Deadly Medicine: A Capital Crimes Novel    by Donald Bain Order:  USA  Can Forge, 2017 (2017) Hardcover, CD, e-Book     Reviewed by Hilary Williamson Donald Bain's Margaret Truman's Deadly Medicine takes readers back and forth between Washington and Papua, New Guinea, where a researcher just might have discovered a cheap, non-addictive, and very effective painkiller, based on natural ingredients - something of considerable interest to Big Pharma in the USA. Medical researcher Jayla King works for a small D.C. pharmaceutical firm, where she befriended Nate Cousins. He left the firm but now runs his own PR agency. As the story opens, Jayla learns of her beloved father's death back in New Guinea, where he was working on the painkiller. She travels there immediately, encountering her dad's sleazy assistant Waksit, whom she has never trusted. She discovers that the estate where her father grew his medicinal plants, has been torched. Back in Washington, readers get insight into the shenanigans of Big Pharma's leading lobbyist Eric Morrison, who works mainly with U.S. senator Ronald Gillespie. We see Morrison meet with soldier of fortune George Alard, whom he'd hired to deal with the problem developing in New Guinea, though he did specify no violence. Not having read previous episodes, the series leads were new to me but I quickly caught up with talented investigator Robert 'Don't call me Bobby' Brixton; his girlfriend Flo; his mentors, attorneys Mac and Annabel Smith; and his friend, journalist Will Sayers. Jayla enters their circle through her friendship with fashion boutique owner Flo. Waksit claims ownership of Jayla's father's research and heads to Washington, hoping to sell it. Jayla and Nate get romantically involved but he's torn between his feelings for her and pressure from his client to extract information on her father's work. Will hires Robert to investigate Morrison and Gillespie. And the violence that Morrison initiated comes home to roost. Margaret Truman's Deadly Medicine is another intriguing episode in this deservedly popular series - I look forward to reading the earlier ones. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Mystery books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews