Buy Used
Used - Very Good See details
$3.25 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. Details

or
Sign in to turn on 1-Click ordering.
 
   
Have one to sell? Sell yours here
Dark Alchemy: A Dr. Sylvia Strange Novel
 
 
Tell the Publisher!
I'd like to read this book on Kindle

Don't have a Kindle? Get your Kindle here, or download a FREE Kindle Reading App.

Dark Alchemy: A Dr. Sylvia Strange Novel [Hardcover]

Sarah Lovett (Author)
3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)


Available from these sellers.


Formats

Amazon Price New from Used from
Hardcover --  
Mass Market Paperback --  
Audio, Cassette, Audiobook, Unabridged $27.95  

Book Description

Sylvia Strange March 4, 2003

Sylvia Strange is back in a hair-raising chiller from the acclaimed author of Dantes' Inferno and Acquired Motives.


A string of deaths in laboratories around the world has the scientific community on edge -- and the FBI on high alert. To the FBI, the circumstances surrounding the scientists' deaths spell the work of an unusually skilled serial poisoner, and they have zeroed in on a single suspect: the brilliant, beautiful Dr. Christine Palmer. A world-renowned toxicologist and leader of numerous international research teams, Palmer is one of only a handful of scientists with highly classified knowledge of the deadliest experimental neurotoxins and their antidotes.

When a molecular toxicologist is poisoned while working at a top-secret research facility outside Santa Fe, Dr. Sylvia Strange and counterterrorism expert Edmond Sweetheart are recruited to assemble a psychological profile of Palmer in an effort to link her to the crimes. But as Sylvia's investigation of Palmer's charismatic persona draws her ever more strongly into the scientist's orbit, hunter and hunted become perilously intertwined. And when Sylvia discovers that her partner may be withholding crucial information, she no longer knows who can be trusted: is the killer friend or foe?

Sylvia will risk everything she holds dear, only to learn that there is no safe haven from a voyeuristic killer whose weapon of choice may go undetected in the food you eat, the clothes you wear, or the air you breathe.



Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Here's the latest mystery featuring Dr. Sylvia Strange, a forensic psychologist who frequently assists the FBI in cracking really tough cases. This time out, Strange and FBI counterterrorism expert Edmond Sweetheart are trying to build a case against a woman they're convinced is systematically killing people while working on a top-secret Department of Defense project involving lethal toxins. But there are a couple of problems: their suspect is a highly placed member of the project team and is the daughter of an eminent and well-respected scientist. Can Strange and Sweetheart--Lovett does have a knack for unusual names--solve the case before more people die? As usual, the author packs the novel with plenty of forensic-psychiatry info (the book is a real treat for fans of that field) and creates a genuinely suspenseful story that will keep readers glued to their seats until the very end. David Pitt
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

About the Author

Sarah Lovett worked as a researcher at the New Mexico State Penitentiary. Her previous novels are Dangerous Attachments, Acquired Motives, A Desperate Silence, and, most recently, Dantes' Inferno. Raised in California, she now makes her home in Santa Fe.

Product Details

  • Hardcover: 304 pages
  • Publisher: Simon & Schuster (March 4, 2003)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0684855992
  • ISBN-13: 978-0684855998
  • Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.4 x 1.1 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
  • Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #926,781 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

 

Customer Reviews

5 Reviews
5 star:
 (1)
4 star:
 (1)
3 star:
 (1)
2 star:
 (1)
1 star:
 (1)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
3.0 out of 5 stars (5 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars Dr. Strange investigates death by neurotoxin., April 13, 2003
This review is from: Dark Alchemy: A Dr. Sylvia Strange Novel (Hardcover)
Dr. Sylvia Strange is about to marry the love of her life, Matt England, and she should be in a state of prenuptial bliss. Instead, Sylvia is goaded into taking one last case before her wedding. "Dark Alchemy" is the story of a serial killer who uses sophisticated neurotoxins to murder fellow scientists. The FBI suspects Dr. Christine Palmer, the world's foremost expert on these deadly poisons. Since all the evidence against Dr. Palmer is circumstantial, the authorities need more information to move the investigation forward.

Counterterrorism expert Edmond Sweetheart has been asked by the FBI to step in, and he in turn recruits Dr. Strange to help him construct a psychological profile of the killer. Sylvia would prefer to immerse herself in her wedding plans, but the case interests her and she decides to lend her expertise to the investigation.

The book starts out promisingly. Lovett piques the reader's interest with her arcane information on neurotoxins and their deadly effects. Dr. Palmer is an intriguing character. She is beautiful, brilliant and egotistical, but is she also a killer? To make matters more complicated, Sylvia's personal problems keep distracting her. Although she and Matt truly love one another, they still have some unresolved issues that may disrupt their wedding plans.

Unfortunately, after a strong opening, "Dark Alchemy" unravels in the second half of the book. Various suspects are dangled before the reader, and the plot becomes more and more illogical as the book progresses. The ending is rushed and the conclusion is unsatisfying. Had Lovett taken the time to develop her plot with more care, "Dark Alchemy" would have been a much better novel.

Help other customers find the most helpful reviews 
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No


1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars Failed Alchemy, June 8, 2003
By A Customer
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: Dark Alchemy: A Dr. Sylvia Strange Novel (Hardcover)
This author seems to be on a downward trend. I have read all the books in this series. The first ones were enjoyable. The last one before this was disappointing. This is a dud. The story does not hang together. The plot is inadequate, parts of it are far fetched, and the ending does not work. She neglects the personal relationships which were interesting in the earlier books.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews 
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No


1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars exhilarating, enthralling crime thriller, March 8, 2003
This review is from: Dark Alchemy: A Dr. Sylvia Strange Novel (Hardcover)
Her scientific peers consider Dr. Christine Palmer the world's foremost expert on neurotoxins. She knows how to make them and how to make antidotes for them. However, law enforcement officials believe that the beautiful, brilliant scientist is also a sociopath serial poisoner though no clear evidence proves the contention. Still Christine remains the prime suspect in the murders of her father, her fiancé and some of her co-workers.

Counterterrorist expert Edmond Sweetheart asks forensic psychologist Dr. Sylvia Strange to work up a profile of Dr. Christine Palmer so when the authorities bring her in for questioning, they will know how to interrogate this one-of-a kind woman. Sylvia agrees to a meeting with Dr. Palmer knowing she is being used as bait and walks away from the encounter a very sick person. Ironically, the only person who can help her is Dr. Palmer if she obtains what she wants from Sylvia.

There is much more to DARK ALCHEMY than a serial poisoner novel. The heroine's partner has his own agenda and is willing to sacrifice anyone including her to make sure a spy/mole doesn't get away with espionage. Sarah Lovett writes an exhilarating, enthralling crime thriller that will keep readers turning the pages until the end because it is not until the climax that the audience finds out whether Dr. Palmer is a sinister villain or a brilliant victim.

Harriet Klausner

Help other customers find the most helpful reviews 
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No

Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
 
 
 
Most Recent Customer Reviews



Only search this product's reviews



What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?


Tags Customers Associate with This Product

 (What's this?)
Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.
 

Your tags: Add your first tag
 

Sell a Digital Version of This Book in the Kindle Store

If you are a publisher or author and hold the digital rights to a book, you can sell a digital version of it in our Kindle Store. Learn more

Customer Discussions

This product's forum
Discussion Replies Latest Post
No discussions yet

Ask questions, Share opinions, Gain insight
Start a new discussion
Topic:
First post:
Prompts for sign-in
 


Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
Search all Amazon discussions
   
Related forums


Listmania!


Create a Listmania! list

So You'd Like to...


Create a guide


Look for Similar Items by Category


Look for Similar Items by Subject