Genres: Mystery, Suspense, Thriller, Mystery/Suspense
eBook Price: $ 5.99 USD
Paperback Price: $ 14.95 USD
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Books 1-4 Big Bundle Zachary and Kenzie
Definitely a good read. In fact, I want to read it again...there's a certain 'mood' to it that's slightly addictive. A well-crafted denouement as well. I do wonder what MacKenzie will do next.
Unlawful Harvest
A Gripping Medical Thriller That’ll Keep You Up at Night
Unlawful Harvest is a Kenzie Kirsch Medical Thriller. If you have been reading the Zachary Goldman Mysteries, then you have met Kenzie Kirsch, who works in the medical examiner’s office.
Kenzie Kirsch had led a sheltered life; daughter of a wealthy lobbyist, her way had been paved for her, and she wasn’t really required to do much in life. There were events to make an appearance at, boards to sit on, fundraisers to support, but she could pick and choose what she wanted to do and how busy she wanted to be.
Until her sister’s death exposes her to a world of medical corruption and moral ambiguity.
As Kenzie begins to question what really happened, she discovers that finding the truth may cost her everything—and she’s not the same woman she was when this journey began.
If you’re drawn to thrillers that blend personal awakening with chilling conspiracies, and love authors like Robin Cook and Tess Gerritsen, you won’t be able to put this book down.
Kenzie has never had to work hard or question the people around her—until her sister dies unexpectedly in a hospital under circumstances that just don’t add up.
What is Unlawful Harvest About?
The more Kenzie digs, the more she finds that her sister’s death may be part of something far bigger and far more sinister. Unsettling discoveries pull her deeper into a medical mystery that challenges everything she thought she knew.
For the first time in her life, Kenzie has to stand on her own. And if she can’t get to the truth soon, someone else might die next.
Why Readers Love the Kenzie Kirsch Series
- A heroine who grows from sheltered and uncertain to fierce and focused
- Twisty medical conspiracies that feel both thrilling and disturbingly real
- A clean read packed with emotional depth and relentless tension
- Rich character development and meaningful stakes
- A series that evolves as Kenzie matures, becoming stronger with each book
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️I enjoyed the fast pace of the story which kept me flipping pages late into the night. It is one of those books you just don’t want to put down until you have read the very last word. If you enjoy suspense, intrigue, family drama, spell-binding imagery and great character development, you will absolutely enjoy reading this book.
Who Should Read This Book?
- Fans of character-driven medical thrillers with a conscience
- Readers who love stories of personal growth through adversity
- Those who enjoy clean suspense without graphic content
- Mystery lovers looking for a new heroine to root for
- Readers interested in ethical dilemmas, family secrets, and high-stakes investigations
📚 Kenzie Kirsch Medical Thriller Series Order
- Unlawful Harvest
- Doctored Death
- Dosed to Death
- Gentle Angel
- Rushin’ Death
- Posed for Death
- Death of a Corpse
- Endowed with Death
- Shattered to Death
- Captured in Death
- Currying Death
- Healed to Death
- Death’s Charm
👉 Also available in bundles (1–4, 5–7, 8–10) and the complete 1–10 box set. And the combined Kenzie Kirsch and Zachary Goldman Mysteries series containing 29 books.
To see where the Zachary Goldman Mysteries fit in, check out this timeline.
Author Notes
Author Notes may contain spoilers!
I had a number of criteria for Unlawful Harvest before even starting. I needed a previously unpublished medical thriller for a multi-author collaboration. But I didn’t want it to be a stand-alone, nor a book that was later in a series (such as writing book #5 in the Medical Kidnap Files.) I wanted readers who were introduced to my writing through the collaboration to be able to have a logical “next read” in the same world or series. So before even starting, I had a puzzle to solve.
I decided to use Kenzie Kirsch, an assistant in the Medical Examiner’s Office in the Zachary Goldman Mysteries. The book could be Kenzie’s backstory, a prequel to She Wore Mourning, and the beginning of a new series. I wouldn’t have to change my schedule to write and publish more books in the Kenzie Kirsch series by the time the collaboration went live, because there were already four books published in the same world and more in the pipeline.
I started collecting clues that had been dropped in the Zachary Goldman Mysteries about Kenzie’s past. Her apparent estrangement from her family, her red sports car, her attraction to Zachary Goldman but reluctance to jump straight into a serious relationship. Her amusement over Bridget’s behavior. Why didn’t she ever talk about her parents? Where does a medical student get the money to buy a fancy car? What had drawn her to the medical investigation field? And how could it all relate to a medical mystery/crime?
Once I started to map these clues and requirements out, I hit on the idea of a very expensive gray-market organ transplant. I needed to do a good bit of research to bring myself up to speed on organ transplants, transplant tourism, finances, and the dark side of the transplant industry. You can find a few references about the organ trade in the Book Club Resources, but this is just the tip of the iceberg.
Resources
- Wikipedia Organ Trading
- Organ Harvesting, Human Trafficking, and the Black Market
- Kidney trade arrest exposes loopholes in India’s transplant laws
- Legal Liver Transplant Focuses Attention On The Human Organ Trade
- Pakistani police rescue 24 from organ trafficking gang
- Loopholes in organ transplant regulation exposed
- Child organ trafficking: global reality and inadequate international response
On My Blog
Praise for P.D. Workman
“Every single one of [P.D. Workman’s] books has spoken to me … And I have found strength in the books I’ve read.”
“This is one author I certainly will be looking out for, I can’t recommend her enough.”
“I’ll read anything by P. D. Workman that I can get my hands on.”
“Every book by PD Workman that I’ve read has been a gripping one, however different the genres are, going from lighter mysteries to really dark ones… this is one of my favourite, most dependable authors.”a
“P.D. Workman is an incredibly versatile writer. No matter which of her books I read I am drawn into a great story and honestly, I don’t think I’ve followed another author that could go from cozy mystery to YA to a PI series dealing with mental health issues. Really enjoy her books!”
“[P.D. Workman’s] stories are so believable and you can’t help but feel like you know these people. You find yourself crying, laughing and feeling the characters emotions. Now if an author can make you cry and feel every emotion in a story, she is one hell of an author.”
“P. D. Workman, does not shy from probing the deep psychological scars of childhood trauma, mental illness, and addiction. Also characteristic of this author, these extremely sensitive issues are explored with extensive empathy, described with incredible clarity, and portrayed with profound insight.”
“Once again P.D.Workman has created an intense psychological mystery that impacts a wallop of thought induction. The writing is so well developed and draws you into the characters story.”
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Can I read this book without reading the rest of the series?
Yes! Unlawful Harvest is the perfect entry point and works as a standalone.
Is the book clean or graphic?
It’s a clean read—no graphic violence, profanity, or explicit scenes.
Is this a courtroom or hospital drama?
It’s a medical suspense thriller focused on investigation and personal danger, not a procedural or courtroom story.
Will I relate to the main character?
Absolutely. Kenzie’s transformation feels real, raw, and empowering—especially for anyone who’s ever had to find their strength in the face of grief and injustice.
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