The Setup
Lawrence Sanders was already a household name when he wrote The Sixth Commandment. The First Deadly Sin had made him a star, and he was at the height of his powers. This one brings us Samuel Todd, an investigator for a philanthropic foundation, sent to the small town of Coburn to evaluate a million-dollar grant application from Dr. Telford Thorndecker—a Nobel Prize-winning scientist who runs a research facility and upscale nursing home.
It seems straightforward. A brilliant old man, a worthy cause, a check to write. Then someone slips Todd a note: "Thorndecker Kills."
What Works
The Voice
Samuel Todd is the reason to read this book. He's a suspicious romantic, too young to have seen it all but too old to expect the best from anyone. He drinks too much, smokes too much, and thinks too much. The narration has a weary wit that keeps you company through the slower passages. One reader called it "a cross between small town 'Peyton Place' and 'Frankenstein' with some great character development." That's about right.
The Characters
Sanders gives you thumbnails of each character early on—quick, evocative sketches that make you think you've met these people before. Then he spends the rest of the book peeling back layers. The town doctor, the seductive young wife, the cryptic nurse, the sheriff who's seen too much and says too little. By the end, they're not types anymore. They're people.
The Slow Burn
This isn't a thriller in the modern sense. It doesn't hit you with a hook every chapter. It builds. Sanders takes his time letting you feel the town, the autumn light, the weight of the hills. The suspense comes from accumulation, not acceleration. By the time things start moving, you're already invested in ways you didn't notice happening.
What Doesn't
The Pace
"Slow and pondering by today's standards" is how one reader put it. They're not wrong. If you're used to modern thrillers that open with a corpse and never let up, this will feel like watching paint dry in places. Sanders is in no hurry. He'll describe a meal, a drive, a conversation, and you'll wonder where it's going. Most of the time, it's going somewhere. But not always.
The Medical Detail
Thorndecker is a scientist, and Sanders wants you to know it. Some passages get deep into terminology that may or may not be accurate—the Kirkus Review called it "medically unconvincing." For a 1979 thriller, it's probably fine. But you might find yourself skimming.
The Era
Phone booths. Typewriters. Smoking indoors everywhere. If you weren't there, it might feel like a period piece. If you were, it might feel like Tuesday. Either way, the 1970s are a character in this book, and they're not for everyone.
The Final Passage
A reader on Goodreads shared the ending at length, clearly moved by it. The last line: "I ran." After everything that came before, those two words land like a door slamming. You'll either feel it or you won't. I felt it.
Where I Land
This is a book about character masquerading as a book about plot. If you read for plot, you might be frustrated. If you read for people, you'll find yourself in good company. Samuel Todd is worth spending time with, even when nothing much is happening. And when something does happen, you'll realize you've been holding your breath for fifty pages without noticing.
Sanders wrote dozens of books. This one made me want to read more of them. That's usually a good sign.
Who Should Read It
Read this if you like your thrillers slow and your characters deep. Read it if you miss the 1970s or never knew them and want to visit. Read it if you've ever suspected that the most dangerous people are the ones everyone admires.
Skip it if you need action every chapter. Skip it if you think Philip Marlowe has had enough imitators.
Everyone else: give Samuel Todd an afternoon. He grows on you.
Final Verdict
7/10 - Not a masterpiece, but a solid, character-driven thriller that knows what it is and does it well. The voice carries it. The town stays with you. I'll read more Sanders.