Michael Palmer was an American novelist, best known for his medical thrillers. Born on October 9, 1942, in Springfield, Massachusetts, Palmer grew up with his parents Milton and May Palmer, along with his two sisters, Donna and Susan. After graduating from Wesleyan University in 1964, where he majored in pre-MED and minored in Russian, Palmer went on to study medicine at Case Western Reserve University. He subsequently trained as an internal medicine doctor at the Boston City Hospital and later at the Massachusetts General Hospital.
Before becoming a novelist, Palmer spent twenty years practicing medicine. His career in medicine, however, led him to become a writer, after reading Coma by fellow Wesleyan graduate Robin Cook. Palmer realized that he too could write and decided to try his hand at it. His first novel, The Sisterhood, was published in 1982. Since then, all of his novels have made the New York Times Bestseller List.
Palmer's medical background was evident in his writing, as he drew from his experiences in medicine to create thrilling and suspenseful stories. His books have been translated into thirty-five languages, demonstrating his international appeal. In addition to his writing, Palmer served as an associate director of the Massachusetts Medical Society's physician health program, where he helped physicians who were struggling with mental illness, physical illness, behavioral issues, and chemical dependency.
Palmer passed away unexpectedly on October 30, 2013, at the age of 71. However, his legacy lives on through his writing, as his 19th novel, RESISTANT, was released on May 20, 2014. His contributions to the medical thriller genre and his dedication to helping physicians in need have left a lasting impact on the literary world and the medical community.