Infinity's Child [Paperback]

Harry Stein (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 1, 1997

They were on the brink of the most important scientific discovery of our time.  But they needed a baby...Her baby.

Their first choice...

Sally Benedict is having a baby.  After years of trying, after scores of tests, Sally and her husband are thrilled.  But someone is watching, someone who knows all about Sally's unborn child--right down to her unique genetic code.

Their last chance...

A few miles away, scientists at a biotech lab are nearing a breakthrough.  They have uncovered the key to longevity--in one family's genetic makeup.  Lives will be saved.  Billions can be made.  But one crucial piece is missing: the healthy organs of a newborn who possesses the rare "infinity gene."

Their next victim...

A world-class reporter in her small town, Sally can sense the darkness gathering around her.  Graves are being robbed in the local churchyard--and they all belong to one family: her own.  Then, suddenly, with her husband out of town, Sally goes into labor in a remote rural hospital, knowing she can trust no one--not even her own doctor.  What she doesn't know is how far this is all going to go.  Because ruthless scientists, desperate for a medical miracle, are running out of time.  And they're coming for Sally's child....

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The paranoia roils so thick in Stein's manipulative new chiller (after The Magic Bullet) that just about every character seems a potential monster. At the heart of the fog of dread stands Sally Benedict, 35, a journalist in Edwardstown, N.H., who longs for a baby and is finally about to have one. It's clear from the opening pages, though, that her infant is slated by sinister forces to become a human lab rat. Sally belongs to an old Edwardstown family whose ancestors are buried in a quaint country churchyard?that is, until three of their bodies are stolen in the dead of night. When Sally pursues the grave-robbing story, the chief of police clamps down on her investigation. Meanwhile, in a Manchester, N.H., laboratory, two arguably mad scientists have discovered a mutant gene, dubbed "Infinity," which seems to cause a few individuals to live unusually long lives. It runs in families, skipping generations, and Sally's baby is scheduled to carry it. Stein is adept at weaving together such disparate story elements, and at creating secondary characters who help the story streak along?like Holt, the renowned New York journalist who once dumped Sally and suddenly wants to reconcile; a self-absorbed husband-and-wife team of venture capitalists; and Sally's assistant, the malevolently ambitious Lisa. The novel's premise is far-fetched, however, and Sally feels like a pre-programmed heroine, compelling only a modicum of reader sympathy as she moves through a familiar script of mother-in-jeopardy heroism. But Stein writes with a slick pen, using crafty narrative techniques to persuade readers to stick around until the shivery scene of delivery-room horror that ends the novel on a note of maximum excitement. Major ad/promo.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From School Library Journal

YA?This tale has it all: genetics research, grave robbing, high-tech issues, evil scientists, a plucky journalist, and an infant about to be stolen at birth a la Rosemary's Baby, although there are no witch covens here. Sally Benedict, former big-city reporter, now hometown-newspaper publisher, is on the trail of grave robbers. Although the local law enforcement is convinced that the acts are just adolescent pranks, Sally is sure there is more to the story. Additional robberies and research lead her to that inescapable, and chilling, conclusion when she determines that all of the stolen bodies are her ancestors. As she becomes frighteningly aware of evidence linked to secret anti-aging research, she fears for her unborn baby's safety. Alas, everyone attributes her paranoia to pregnancy's hormonal surges. The action speeds up as the pieces of the puzzle begin to come together and other people start to die. A quick and easy read, with lots of activity, science, and suspense, this page turner is very likely to grab the attention of most young adult readers. Stein knows how to craft an intriguing science thriller.?Carol DeAngelo, Garcia Consulting Inc., EPA Headquarters, Washington, DC
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 400 pages
• Publisher: Dell (December 1, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0440223601
• ISBN-13: 978-0440223603
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.1 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,901,975 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars good book, interesting plot, January 15, 2009

By 

Brenda Pink "snorkelgeek" (Lethbridge, AB, CAN) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Infinity's Child (Paperback)

This book has a good basic plotline. I don't know enough about genetics to comment on whether the science behind it is plausible, but that didn't matter so much to me. The story was good, built up some suspense to the end and included a couple of twists at the end. The plot is not overly involved or complicated, making it a fairly easy read. If the plot had been more complex it would have gotten a 5 star rating from me. This is just a plain good read, nothing spectacular, but very entertaining.

1.0 out of 5 stars A Boring - Terrible Book, Avoid It At All Costs, August 21, 2008

By 

P. Boles (Alabama, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Infinity's Child (Paperback)

I bought this book for .50¢ at my local library sale. It wasn't worth the money I paid for it. The idea was worth writing about, but perhaps someone else should have taken a stab at it. I couldn't keep up with who the characters were and why they were even in the story. The story was boring and it was a drag to finish. I am the kind of reader that has to finish a book, but this book really tested me.

4.0 out of 5 stars A good thriller with an interesting premise..., July 20, 2001

By 

Jonathan Burgoine "bookseller" (Ottawa, Ontario Canada) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Infinity's Child (Paperback)

I'll admit that I only picked up "Infinity's Child" because it was on the bargain books pile, but when it came time to sit down and read the book, I was quite enraptured.

First off, Stein has written a strong heroine in Sally Benedict. Finally pregnant after a very long time trying, Sally is the editor of a local newspaper in a small town. When graves start to turn up violated - and Sally tracks down that all those graves belong to one family line - her own - things go for a macabre spin pretty quickly. The plot isn't trite - nor are you left totally in the dark. It's a delicate balance to teeter on the edge of having no clue and having just enough clues to jack up the tension, but Stein does it right. This is not a deep novel, but it's full of good thrills.

Sally's husband, Sally herself, and the villains of this book make it a very worthwhile read. It's a "turn the lights on and cover yourself with a blanket," sort of read, and if you enjoyed Ann Werner's "The People Next Door," (or another thriller with a fantastic heroine) you'll definately like this one!

'Nathan