Heart Seizure

Spence Taylor's mother, Rose, is scheduled for a heart transplant. She has been diagnosed with cardiomyopathy and because of a rare blood type, hearts are not so easy to come by. So when one does become available, Spense is absolutely delirious with joy. A few months before the national elections, the president has a heart attack and needs a heart transplant. Amazingly enough, he is of the same blood type as Rose. White House chief of staff orders the FBI to seize the heart that was going to Rose .. all in the name of democracy. There is no way, Spence will allow his mother's heart to be taken away from her. So begins one of the funniest pursuits ever. Spence, along with his brother, decide to kidnap the heart. They also inadvertently kidnap a cardiac surgery resident. Jumping into a '65 Mustang they are barely ahead of the all the president's men. Spence will stop at nothing to keep the heart for his mother. The FBI will continue the chase until they have the heart back ... or they stop the kidnappers by any means possible. The story-telling is sheer funny! One of the most enjoyable books I've read in a long time. I loved the characters .. the conversations are priceless. I can hardly wait to see what's next. Many thanks to the author / Farrago Books / Netgalley for the digital copy of this funny, funny novel. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

A wacky adventure that stretches incredulity, Heart Seizure by Bill Fitzhugh would be wonderful for fans of Tim Dorsey or Carl Hiaasen. The campy tone is foreshadowed by a table of contents that all contains references to songs with “heart” in the title. Fitzhugh plies the “racing against time” device to crank up the tension and give the reader the feeling of escalating chaos. The cast of characters bloom into an almost unmanageable number, but the main protagonist in the novel is Spence Tailor. His mother, Rose has been on a long list for a heart transplant and has finally reached the top. Her sons go with her to prepare for the procedure when an unexpected event occurs—placing her claim to the donated heart in jeopardy. Spencer decides he must prevent his mother’s heart from being hijacked. He impulsively steals and flees with the organ. Then, he drags his mother and brother on a desperate search for a surgeon who will agree to do the transplant. Along the way, they pick up a motley crew of kidnap victims that include a doctor, several representatives of US Intelligence, and innocent bystanders. Heart Seizure is definite a classic caper, slapstick and ludicrous from beginning to end. As the reader is carried along by the quest, they must discard skepticism, buckle up and enjoy the ride.