Harmful Intent (International Version) [Paperback]

Robin Cook (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1990 | Series: International Version

It should have been a routine childbirth. But somehow, the mother died in the delivery, the baby was born brain-damaged, and Jeffrey Rhodes, the anesthesiologist, is running for his life. Charged with malpractice, he is found guilty of harmful intent and reckless disregard for human life. To clear his name, Rhodes must follow a fugitive trail into the heart of medical nightmare. A trail that, for some, may end in suicide--and for others, in the most shocking conspiracy of our time...

--This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

When a mother and her newborn infant die from the anesthetic he has administered, Boston anesthesiologist Dr. Jeffrey Rhodes's life turns into a shambles. Within months he has been financially destroyed in a malpractice suit and convicted of second-degree murder, with a prison term likely. Panicked, he flees and, in desperation, turns to Kelly Everson, the widow of an old friend who committed suicide following a similar tragedy. They discover that both incidents--and others as well--may not have been cases of physician error but rather deliberate murders. The villain, known to the reader early on, is finally uncovered by the duo, whose efforts are complicated by the unrelenting pursuit of Rhodes by a bounty hunter who has been hired by the bail bondsman who stands to lose a small fortune if the convict is not returned to custody. Through two-thirds of its length, this is a fast-paced, albeit improbable, story of the havoc that can be wreaked by a lone madman. Then a sudden twist brings in a new set of villains and reveals an evil conspiracy that snaps belief. Cook, whose medical thrillers invariably land on the bestseller lists, may be asking more credulity than many readers are willing, or able, to provide this time out. Literary Guild alternate.
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback
• Publisher: Berkley Pub Group (Mm) (June 1990)
• ISBN-10: 0425126994
• ISBN-13: 978-0425126998
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (33 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #10,465,019 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Doctor and author Robin Cook is widely credited with introducing the word 'medical' to the thriller genre, and over twenty years after the publication of his breakthrough novel, Coma, he continues to dominate the category he created. Cook has successfully combined medical fact with fantasy to produce a over twenty-seven international bestsellers, including Outbreak (1987), Terminal (1993), Contagion (1996), Chromosome 6 (1997) and Foreign Body (2008).

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars why you should read this, August 11, 2005

By 

SML "reader in Northridge" (Northridge, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Harmful Intent (Mass Market Paperback)

I've read a few RC's now, and while so far they've all been pretty good reads, I want mention that this one is outstanding. His stories are about normal, intelligent (is intelligence that normal these days?) people who are thrown into a web of intrigue and danger. This one stands out because of the suspenseful climax of the novel that is extended over the last 80 or so pages. Really well done.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Don't read if you're scheduled for surgery soon!, September 9, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Harmful Intent (Mass Market Paperback)

The plot is straightforward and the reader is made privy to the criminal mind/methods of the perpetrator fairly early on, so readers who want to play Sherlock Holmes might not find this story very statisfying. The reader is given ample clues to see what's going on if care is given to detail.

I found it a bit unbelievable that the innocent doctor doesn't recognize many of the same clues himself. For a highly educated man he seems a bit on the "slow" side and seems more than a little careless, but maybe that can be chalked up to the incredible stress he is under while trying to save himself.

The compelling element to the book is the horrifying realization that this could be a real-life story--the unthinkable is not impossible and not even that difficult. Unnerving, to say the least!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars The story was fair, November 28, 2000

By 

Patricia Springer (gladstone, mi) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Harmful Intent (Audio Cassette)

but this abridgement is the poorest that I have ever heard or read. There were many elements left out of the story, including some that were mentioned on the cover! With all the missing elements of the story, I'm sure there were nuances that were totally missed, leaving just a fair story with no build up or satisfying resolution. What remained was a "B" grade short story, making me very cautious to ever buy another abridgement. If you like Robin Cook, and want to hear this audio book, I strongly suggest you listen to the unabridged version. It most definitely has to be much better!!