Outbreak [Paperback]

Robin Cook (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 1991

Murder and mystery reach epidemic proportions when a devastating plague sweeps the country.

Dr. Marissa Blumenthal of the Atlanta Centers for Disease Control investigates--and soon uncovers the medical world's deadliest secret.

"His most harrowing medical horror story." (The New York Times)

--This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Despite inept prose and an overload of synthetic crises, Cook's new novel will probaby be popular with fans of Coma, Godplayer and his other thrillers. The heroine is gutsy, naive Dr. Melissa Blumenthal of the Center for Disease Control in Atlanta. Sent to report on an exotic, killer virus that is claiming victims in every state, the young doctor learns more than she should for her own safety. There are clues to a scheme by the prestigious members of the Physicians Action Congress to control the medical profession by planting the virus, which wipes out personnel and patients, in health-care centers; strangely, these are the only locations where the disease has been breaking out. Confiding her suspicions to a colleague at CDC, Melissa is betrayed and has to fight for her life repeatedly, performing feats that defy belief. Finally, she is free to embrace the suitor who proves himself worthy and let the law deal with the criminals in PAC.
Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From School Library Journal

YA A gripping medical drama that focuses on outbreaks of Ebola Hemorrhagic Fever, a deadly virus. Dr. Melissa Blumenthal, a Centers for Disease Control investigator, is thrust into the center of each seemingly unrelated outbreak. She slowly unravels the mystery of the virus and the conspiracy of doctors behind the growing crisis. This book will appeal to young adults because of its fast-paced plot, strong characters, and the general fear of contracting a deadly disease. Susan Penny, Houston Public Library
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback
• Publisher: Berkley Pub Group (July 1991)
• ISBN-10: 9994948415
• ISBN-13: 978-9994948413
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (48 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #6,577,228 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

6 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Whew! Look out Grisham! You have a medical competitor!, September 9, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Outbreak (Paperback)

If you've ever read a Grisham novel, especially The Firm, then you know what you're in for with this Cook thrillride! Lone physician, investigates with a combination of skill, streetsmarts, and luck the deadly series of Ebola outbreaks that "plague" (Read Contagion for more plague stuff) seemingly random Prepaid clinics around the country, zeroes in on what she believes to be the truth. She's right, and ofcourse now everyone is after poor, lonesome, weary, can't-trust-anyone-anymore, misses-her-life-and-her-dog Melissa Blumenthal (Melissa also appears in some other Cook stories, and she's quite a likeable eye-catcher!). Desperate and fearful right there along with her, I fell off the edge of my seat countless times with my fingers crossed and my wits alert on this excellent protagonist's behalf! The book is a joyride through the fast-paced and adrenaline-pumping depths of your deepest paranoia, and it just goes to show, that it's the little things, the really really little things (like viruses) that are truly worth this kind of unprecedented and bone-chilling fear! Great read! Watch out, Grisham!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars decent thriller, April 23, 2005

By 

Magic Man (Brigadoon) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Outbreak (Unbound)

(Biological thriller) Ebola outbreaks start happening all over the USA, and Marisa Blumenthal of the CDC tries to get to the bottom of it, to her peril! This was very gripping, but the very smart protagonist missed a very obvious point over and over again, which was frustrating. And the last paragraph was really cheesy. But it was a pretty good ride.

Potentially offensive material: some strong language, violence

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars At least the medical details seemed to be consistent..., October 21, 2003

By 

Adi Adler (Israel) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Outbreak (Paperback)

The book itself was a pretty standard thriller - and predictable.I guess people who enjoy this genre usually like reading it for the "process of discovery" rather than for an unexpected ending.

But the "process" wasn't that satisfying. Even though the Medical details were consistent and thorogh, the plot wasn't. I ekpt losing track of which city Marissa was in and why she was there (and later - what happened in it) because the changes (and number) of cities just happenedso fast... Also, quite a lot of loose story threads were left - suchaswhat happens to Tad, or how the 'mass infection' in Pheonixoccured, since the cafeteria theory was explainedto beavery weak one...