Customer Reviews

Smokescreen: A Novel of Medical Intrigue

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
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1 star:		(0)

 

 

What a surprise! I don't usually go for medical thrillers, but this story had me hooked from the first page! What I liked most about this novel is that the story is about much more than medicine, it's the story of a young man's journey from humble beginnings to the competitive and sometimes corrupt world of medical research. His story alone was enough to sustain my interest, but the shocking 'second layer' of the story really kept me glued to the book. I was not prepared for the twists and turns the story took and I was truly shocked by the conclusion. After reading this novel you will never look at medical headlines again without wondering about the backstabbing and scandal that may have occured in the name of scientific progress. I highly recommend you take a chance on this terrific novel, you won't be disappointed.

This is an excellent, well written, fast paced novel of intrigue, conspiracy and deception at the highest level of government based around the search for a cure for Alzheimer's.

The protagonist is a likeable fellow who I expect may show up in Avila's subsequent novels.

I loved this book! Sure, the fast action full of unexpected twists followed by imaginative resolutions is why we read books, and Smoke Screen satisfies this craving in a brilliant way. But there is so much more to it; an inquisitive reader will learn quite a bit about molecular biology, politics of NIH and life in different cultures - all smoothly packaged into sparkling prose documenting the amazing growth of the hardly literate Indian boy from Venezuelan jungle rising to become the top scientist at the National Institue of Health in Washington.
Love, fear of "La Migra", murder, science - not a boring day in this man's life, not a dull page in the book. And as a side benefit, I've learnt a few Spanish words that cannot be found in a dictionary. Hope not to have to use them, but if need be ...

I highly recommend this book

Alex Modzelewski