An outbreak of rare liver cancer among a New Jersey town's children leads oncologist Dr. Zeke Schartz and radio host Acey Henson to discover a dangerous, high-level cover-up that involves a large pharmaceutical firm. A first novel. 15,000 first printing.
Book Description
Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
Written by a pseudonymous West Coast oncologist, this lean and solid thriller mixes an insider's knowledge of the medical profession with a number of refreshing plot twists. Zeke Schwartz, oncologist at Children's Hospital in Trenton, N.J., meets controversial late-night radio talk-show host Acey Henson when one of her young fans develops a rare form of liver cancer and becomes his patient. When two more cases appear in the same area, the hunt is on for a cause and a culprit. Enter Meldrum Products, maker of a new antifungal called Aspergicin, which happens to have spilled into a local creek. Meldrum takes steps to avoid a PR embarrassment but the company is also in a position to expose Acey's radio station to a possible hostile takeover through a corporate alliance with the station's parent company. Alexander juggles all these subplots like an expert; the action has the random feel of real events, and the characters respond like real people. The hospital environment is particularly vivid, complete with power politics, tension and the knotty conflict between the hospital as healing institution and the hospital as business. And though the obligatory romance between Acey and Zeke ends up pretty much as expected, the search for truth that unites them leads to no easy answers.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Library Journal
Meet Dr. Zeke Schwartz, dedicated, handsome pediatric oncologist. Enter Meldrum Products, giant pharmaceutical firm that has promised lots of grant money to Zeke. When three local kids turn up with a rare form of cancer, Zeke suspects that a chemical leak at Meldrum may be the cause. Now meet Acey Henson, local radio talk show host. Acey has been investigating the leak and wants Zeke to appear on her show as an expert to expose Meldrum. What to do? Zeke does the noble thing, goes on the radio, and steps on a lot of big toes. We then see the lengths to which hospitals and drug companies and doctors will go to keep cash flowing, regardless of who gets hurt--literally. This ambitious first novel (written by a real oncologist) rings true, but it isn't a "medical technothriller" a la Coma ( LJ 5/15/77)--these shenanigans by greedy medical practitioners are more distasteful than suspenseful. For larger collections.
- Rebecca House Stankowski, Purdue Univ. Calumet Lib., Hammond, Ind.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.
- Rebecca House Stankowski, Purdue Univ. Calumet Lib., Hammond, Ind.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.
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