Capitol Reflections [Paperback]

Jonathan Javitt (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 23, 2008

Capt. Gwen Maulder, a hardworking FDA medical officer is traumatically thrust onto the trail of a small, but mysterious epidemic of fatal seizures, all among young professionals. The culprit seemingly kills without a trace, no matter how deeply she probes. As Gwen attempts to probe the mystery, the opposition to her investigation rises, far out of proportion to its scope. At the heart of story is a chilling scheme to manipulate the lives of millions through genetic modification, conceived and executed by those in the highest possible positions of public trust. As Gwen and her allies attempt to overcome dangerous adversity the reader is left to wonder whether anything today can be truly safe to eat or drink or breathe. Gwen's story is as real as tomorrow's headlines.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Fans of The X-Files may enjoy this science-fiction thriller, the debut novel by Dr. Javitt, whose impressive government credentials aren't quite matched by the sophistication of his plot. Chair of President Bush's Health Subcommittee of the President's Information Technology Advisory Committee and an epidemiologist, Javitt imagines a recent past-2005-in which the threat of genetically modified food has become a reality. When Marci Newman, a workaholic New York City attorney, dies after a mysterious seizure, Newman's best friend, Gwen Maulder, who's a division chief with the Food and Drug Administration, investigates. Aided by her ex-Secret Service husband, Jack, and her former flame and current Washington Post columnist Mark Stern, Maulder finds that Newman's seizure may be part of an epidemic that may be connected with coffee-seller Pequod's, the new mega-company that has overtaken Starbuck's. The bad guys are led by Hawaiian senator Henry Broome, whose past includes several murders and the theft of some genetics research from his Princeton roommate. The writing and pacing are adequate, and Javitt throws in a nice twist at the end, but the action sequences tend to overwhelm the science.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Review

"Almost impossible to put down." -- New York Post

"Authentic and sharply written...Jonathan Javitt has given us a timely and compelling read!" -- Richard North Patterson, New York Times¬ bestselling author

"Javitt has melded his professional and political expertise to craft a chilling thriller that should alert every reader to the very real dangers we face in the twenty-first century. His characters are compelling and realistic, very much like the dedicated people who served with me during my tenure as Surgeon General. His plot, while (hopefully) fictional, could just as easily be a headline from tomorrow's newspapers." -- Dr. C. Everett Koop, former U.S. Surgeon General

"Javitt has written a grab-you-by-the-throat thriller that could easily be tomorrow's lead news story. Under the guise of a compelling read lurks a keep-you-guessing plot that should cause any intelligent reader to worry about the safety of us all. An intrepid female physician, a town full of bad guys, and the safety of the American people at stake. Seems like a surefire recipe for success." -- Janet Rehnquist, former Inspector General, Health and Human Services

"On a topic which may someday involve the lives of millions this is a novel that is both compelling and informative." -- Newt Gingrich, New York Times bestselling author

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 380 pages
• Publisher: Story Plant, The (September 23, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 098160871X
• ISBN-13: 978-0981608716
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.3 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (70 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,860,885 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Jonathan C. Javitt, M.D., M.P.H. is a physician, epidemiologist, and health economist who has served as a senior health advisor and Presidential appointee in the last three Presidential administrations. Most recently, he was appointed by President Bush to Chair the Health Subcommittee of the President's Information Technology Advisory Committee and to serve as a Presidential Delegate to the White House Conference on Aging. Dr. Javitt is a Senior Fellow of the Potomac Institute for Policy Studies and an Adjunct Professor of the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. He has served as an expert consultant to the World Bank, the Department of Health and Human Services, and the health ministries of numerous foreign countries. He is a graduate of Harvard, Cornell, and Princeton Universities. While he has authored more than 200 scientific publications, this is his first novel.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

27 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Intelligent thriller!, January 17, 2008

By 

North Idaho Dad "chalkhorse" - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Capitol Reflections (Hardcover)

(What's this?)

Capitol Reflections starts off running. It held my attention from the first page, which is not an easy thing to do. Since I was immersed in the book so quickly, it turned into quite the page-turner from page one.

The story is based on the science of genetically-modified food. It reminded me a lot of Michael Crichton's novels, combining fiction with real-life issues.

There's never a dull moment throughout, as the plot twists and turns around the investigations of an FDA doctor trying to figure out a series of strange deaths. There are various subplots that keep you guessing, but there's also a sense of predictability that makes you smile as you figure things out at the last minute.

I have no complaints about several ridiculous subplots or characters. I like my thrillers very "popcorny"... Capitol Reflections keeps things right on the edge of absurdity without going overboard. It's a fun mix of "this really could happen" with "I sure hope this doesn't happen."

All in all, an entertaining and informative novel that makes great nighttime, or beach chair, reading.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Gripping Read, January 22, 2008

By 

Nicole (Outside the Beltway) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Capitol Reflections (Hardcover)

This was a great read. The book starts out with a chain smoking, caffeine drinking New York lawyer working pro-bono. Lawyers working for nothing??? Well I'll concede that it is possible. Anyway, this young impressive lawyer drops dead from a seizure, and the doctors call it natural causes.

Enter her best friend, a doc working for the FDA and a reporter, who of course used to be her ex-boyfriend. Independently at first and, later in the story, together they start to put together the clues surrounding this death and uncover a spate of others.

I found the plot fascinating. The author does a great job with explaining complex scientific theories and findings in lay terms. Given the Author's impressive resume in policy, politics and science I was pleasantly surprised that he didn't write over my head. I hate to have to google a term while reading.

Overall a gripping read.

17 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Looking forward to re-reading, March 12, 2008

By 

Stephanie Mooney "reednowensmommy" (Dearborn Heights, Mi United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Capitol Reflections (Hardcover)

(What's this?)

This book was a welcome relief after the last several books I've reviewed here at Amazon. I found the plot complex but not confusing. The characters reasonably well developed and the writing to be overall very good. This book kept my attention through to the end and now I'm looking forward to re-reading to pick up on nuances I may have missed in my rush to get to the conclusion.

I see that other reviewers have complained that the basic story isn't new. Yes, this is true. If you look for vague enough general ideas you'll see that most entertainment (be it books, movies, music or games) is not entirely original. I mean, there are just only so many ways a story can go and I'm pretty sure all of them have been done at some point in recorded history. What's important to me is that the writer get there in an interesting and original way. And I firmly believe that Mr. Javitt has done so with this book. If you're a fan of dramas (particularly forensic or similar) you will most certainly enjoy this read.