Customer Reviews

The Devil's Cure : A Novel

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In one of the most imaginative thrillers to come along in many moons Kenneth Oppel presents three memorable characters, each obsessed, each willing to risk all for a prize - the lives of millions.

Condemned killer and religious zealot David Haines is on Death Row, scheduled to die in ten days for the wanton killings of research doctors. Both crazed and canny, Haines is a former medical student willing to murder to prove the sins of medical science. This he would do in the name of God.

Equally devoted to her cause is leading oncologist Dr. Laura Donaldson. She si waging war on cancer, struggling mightily to discover a cure. In an eerie twist of fate she finds that Haines may have the cure within his own blood. A test shows that his immune system is able to zap cancer cells. Obviously, Dr. Donaldson wants some of the murderer's blood. Haines will do whatever it takes to keep it from her, including an escape from prison.

Enter FBI agent Kevin Sheldrake, the man who originally apprehended Haines. He's assigned to capture him once again.

The ensuing chase and confrontation is a cleverly plotted pulse pounder.

When a promising effort to find a treatment for an incurable form of cancer fails at the last moment, Laura Donaldson, leader of the medical research team is unexpectedly handed one last ray of hope. She is called in to examine an unusual blood sample which seems to be able to efficiently destroy any trace of cancerous tissue. There is a catch, however, the sample was taken forcibly from David Haines, an imprisoned serial killer. Haines' preferred victims were doctors and medical researchers like Donaldson, who violated his cult-based religious convictions. To Haines, blood was sacred; not to be defiled by the evil hands of those who would stay the Lord's judgement. Laura will need a court order to force the samples she needs from David Haines.

Kevin Sheldrake is the FBI man who brought in David Haines. It was an exhausting three year struggle that left Kevin and emotional wreck, and destroyed his marriage. Kevin specializes in religious cult crimes; having once been indoctrinated in a religious cult himself. The experience has left him questing for a God that seems to perpetually elude him. A recent medical killing alerts Kevin, and his investigation reveals that, even though Haines is imprisoned, he has manages to attract one or more followers who will carry out his commands. Kevin moves to meet the threat, but too late, now he, Dr. Donaldson, and David Haines are on a collision course.

When Laura manages to get the court order she speeds of to Joliet prison with a fully equipped medical field van. But she is ill prepared for treachery. Haines knows of her approach and, with the help of a guard who has succumbed to his personal magnetism manages a bloody escape. Hampered both by law enforcement personnel that simply cannot accept Haines capabilities and sheer bad luck, Keven watches the murderer slips through his fingers. David Haines has a new agenda now. He feels he must prevent any possibility that his blood might fall into the hands the medical science. Making moves like a chess player he keeps everyone guessing ask he works at tracking down anyone in his own family who might share his heritage. "The Devil's Cure" is the suspenseful tale of Donaldson's and Sheldrake's race against a cold-blooded killer who seems to be able to anticipate their actions and reading their minds.

I found the interplay between the medical and religious cult themes fascinating. While there have been other serial killer/medical suspense stories, the information on the operation of religious cults added considerable dimension to both Sheldrake's and Haines characters. Each character struggles with his faith in one fashion or another. In contrast, Laura takes longer to develop, although she has center stage for a good piece of the novel. Her fixation with David's blood may be understandable, but monomania does not make multi-faceted characters. In truth, both Kevin and Laura are characters driven by events, and Haines is the man with his hand on the controls. There are other characters in the book, but all lack the vividness of the central three, and are often little more than sketches and parodies.

This is a completely successful book. Suspense builds well, and the finale has sufficient twists and turns to engage the most jaded reader. My only serious criticism is that the plot is a bit too fantastical. If a secret is being kept from Haines it somehow drops in his lap, or he accidentally stumbles over it. There is always somebody around to help him. Things work his way right up to the end. Nobody's luck is that good, and it rings false after a while. Even so, the "The Devil's Cure" is quite well written and enjoyable. Oppel is new to this genre, having established himself as a successful writer of books for children and young adults. Once he adjusts completely to a new readership I expect he will do very, very well.

Marc Ruby - for The Mystery Reader

Dr. Laura Donaldson has a driving need to find a cure for cancer. She thinks she has found it - but her cure turns out to be worse than the disease. Then she discovers that the blood of a man called Daivd Haines carries the cure - the only problem is that Haines is a religious nut on death row for killing doctors just like Laura. When Laura tries to take samples of Haines blood he escapes from prison - sparking a manhunt. That hunt brings Kevin Sheldrake - the FBI agent who captured Haines - too close to his own past.

I got this book for my mum to read, but after she raved about it I decided to read it for myself - and I do not regret that decision. This is probably the best book I read all year. I am not usually one to read thrillers, but this book had me glued to the sofa until I had finished it. Oppel has an incredible way with words and character development. I felt like I was inside the characters heads throughout the whole novel. Oppel has also created a science fiction that could almost be science fact.

This book builds you up and then carries you down towards a finale that leves you gasping for breath. If you want a mystery and adventure tied into one then you have got to read this.

Three individuals are about to begin a terrifying journey that will either lead to a miraculous discovery, or an unspeakable crime no one is expecting.

Dr. Laura Donaldson has devoted her life to finding a cure for cancer.

David Haines is the religious cult leader spending his last days on death row.

Kevin Sheldrake is the FBI agent who caught Haines and put him on death row.

A routine blood test of Haines reveals he has cancer, and surprisingly his body is healing itself by the destroying the disease. This discovery sends shock waves through the medical community, and Laura feels with more of this man's blood she can perfect her serum to cure cancer.

Haines, an absolute psycho, thinking his blood is holy, refuses to give anymore, eventually leading to a court order demanding the inmate give up his blood - for the good it could do to those suffering the horrible disease.

After first being upset by the court's decision, Haines realizes this is his opportunity to fulfill the shocking plan he has been working on for years. During the procedure of blood withdrawl he will make his escape, and embark on his mission from god.

With every law enforcement agency looking to kill Haines, it's up to Laura and Sheldrake to catch the madman and bring him in alive, for in his veins lies the cure the world is looking for.

'The Devil's Cure' is a superb novel. Blasting off on page one it hurtles you through the world of cutting edge medical science with believable characters, page-turning suspense, non-stop action, and a heart stopping climax.

Kenneth Oppel has written a winner! A novel so full of energy, no reader will be able to put it down, and deservedly so. Putting a new spin on the medical thriller 'The Devil's Cure' has bestseller written all over it, and should be a major choice among the beach book set.

A MUST read!

Nick Gonnella

Dr. Laura Donaldson is a cancer researcher looking for the elusive cure for cancer, when she happens upon information and evidence of a death row inmate who seems to have an immune system that just eats up cancer cells. David Haines is the death row inmate with the super immune system along with a fanatical religious belief that will not allow him to give his blood. He's on death row for killing numerous doctors. Dr. Laura Donaldson's attempts to acquire a sample of his blood through legal means backfires when Haines makes a somewhat predictable escape from prison. Kevin Sheldrake, the FBI agent who captured Haines the first time, is on the case again. Can they capture him alive?

With a gritty edge of suspense and a little background on cancer and cults, this makes for some entertaining summer reading. You'll see the depths reached by religious fanaticism and the fervor of a scientist with a goal. The ending was left open for a sequel and, to me, a little disappointing.

Recommended.

In Chicago, Dr. Howard Morgan shows the videotape of a blood sample he tested to cancer researcher Dr. Laura Donaldson. Laura is stunned when she sees the abnormal white blood cells destroy a cancerous tumor. The owner of this blood system has a perfect immune system. However, she is surprised to learn that the person containing the miracle blood is a prisoner at Joliet.

Laura wants more blood from this individual, but soon learns that the convict is religious fanatic David Haines, a death row inmate with ten days to live. David has murdered medical researchers like Laura because they interfere with God's work. In other words, his blood is God's life flowing inside him and not available for any reason. He refuses Jane's offers to help him gain a stay of execution. Desperate due to her sister's need for a miracle cure, Jane accidentally allows David to escape, making it even more imperative to find him before her sibling's clock stops ticking.

When the plot of THE DEVIL'S CURE centers on a philosophical-ethical thriller along the lines of Ayn Rand, the story line is one of the best of the year. When the tale switches to an action chase adventure, the plot remains excellent and exciting, but many readers will feel a bit of a let down. Kenneth Oppel's tale makes the reader ponder the issue of the good of the many vs. the rights of the individual in a way rarely seen in novels.

Harriet Klausner

For those readers interested in the likes of Robin Cook, Iris Johansen, and Patricia Cornwell, Kenneth Oppel's "The Devil's Cure" will be a nice treat.

A medical researcher, Dr. Laura Donaldson, studying treatment for cancer becomes involved in a search for an escaped religious nut who is set to be executed for murdering doctors.

The plot is interesting, the characters, convincing, and unlike far too many popular books in this genre, the writing is skilled. If you are a fan of medical science combined with criminal investigation, I recommend checking this book out.

What do you have left once your faith is gone? That's a question we all must wrestle with at some point in our lives; what to believe in, what to hold on to. It's a question that cancer researcher Dr. Laura Donaldson has never had much trouble with. She's always placed her faith in the rational world of science. But when her promising cancer treatment results in her patient's death rather than her recovery, Donaldson's faith is shaken. When the blood of David Haines, a serial killer who preys on doctors, seems to hold out an even greater promise for a cure, her belief system is all but shattered.

FBI agent Kevin Sheldrake struggles with his own demons. As a young man he was a member of a religious cult. When his fellow believers abandoned him, Sheldrake gave up on God; at least, he tried to. But that hole inside him (C.S. Lewis' "God-shaped vacuum") kept aching to be filled and no amount of prayer or fasting would satisfy him. Perhaps there is hope, though, in redemption, the redemption that would come if he could do the Lord's work by capturing a killer.

Those intriguing questions form the philosophical soul of this pulse-pounding thriller, a remarkable debut for Kenneth Oppel, previously known only as the author of children's books. Somewhere along the way, though, he learned to craft tense, page-turning suspense, and all-too-humanly flawed characters who are both intriguing and believable. His prose is swift and deft, and his plotting is equal to that of most more experienced thriller writers.

I eagerly await the next novel from Mr. Oppel. I just hope it's not a kid's book!

Psychotic killer David Haines is on death row, awaiting execution, when cancer researcher Laura Donaldson (whose own daughter has cancer) sees a video of a blood sample taken from Haines only days before his execution. To her amazement his T-cells are fighting and destroying cancer cells. Haines may be carrying the cure for cancer in his blood. But he doesn't care and he's not interested in giving any of the precious stuff away. He thinks it's ungodly. Besides, he hates doctors and has tried to kill as many of them as he could before his capture.

This is a five star book full of thrills and chills you won't want to put down.

Reviewed by Vesta Irene

Oppel, in his first outing of "adult" fiction,has written a fun and fairly engrossing story. The medical parts of the book are fascinating. The search for meaning in the universe/faith was not original but pulled off with style. The last third of the book was very much a Hollywood screenplay, but still exciting. ocan easily see this on screen. The story is nonetheless quite interesting and it is solid read. The ending is a bit too Hollywood, yet for this price it was worth the read.