Tainted Blood: A Novel [Hardcover]

Thomas C. McCollum III (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1, 1996

6" x 9" hardback, glossy cover, seven blurbs on back of jacket cover.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Readers willing to suspend disbelief beyond belief may find McCollum's first novel an interesting medical thriller; others will be dismayed by characters manipulated by incredible plot contrivances. A prologue postulates that, in the 1970s, a mad scientist concocted a retrovirus and proceeded to inoculate massive numbers of American gay men and Africans, beginning the AIDS epidemic. In the present, Scott Reid, the 48-year-old CEO of an immunodiagnostic research and development lab, tests HIV-positive, despite all lifestyle markers to the contrary. In fact, his test results have been misread by a distracted lab technician, but, in any case, fiction soon becomes reality. On a fishing trip to the Netherlands Antilles, Scott uncovers evidence of secret offshore funds and investment scams involving a U.S. senator. Also on board is a young mob-connected physician, Nicki Graziano, who, as a favor to ``the Family,'' which wants Scott dead for business reasons, infects the CEO with a particularly virulent strain of HIV-2 that will ensure death within a few months. Scott spends the rest of his short life tracking down his murderer and trying to convince others about the hit against him. McCollum makes the medical details microscopically authentic, but too many standard diatribes against government agencies, characters who speak polemic as often as they do dialogue and a conclusion that's painfully anticlimactic render a hot topic tepid.

Copyright 1995 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

Review

"...as suspenseful as it is troubling. Not a thriller to be taken lightly, or put down easily." -- Peter Viertel, Author

"Suspenseful, topical, provocative-and sexy." -- Sheila Weller, Author

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 354 pages
• Publisher: Shoji Books (April 1, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1880404117
• ISBN-13: 978-1880404119
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.3 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,378,713 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent, if at a first glance far-fetched, med-thriller, April 18, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Tainted Blood: A Novel (Hardcover)

Inspite of the seemingly far-fetched theory on how AIDS got started, this book hits more than one button on the reader. While the story line could have been developed some more, the medical/legal content is staggering, particularly so that much of the stuff written as "fiction" is in fact verifiable! I suppose the author must have worried about being targeted by "someone" and chose the thriller route rather than a documentary. I've taken Mr McCollum up on what he says through one of his characters that all these facts can be looked up - and I was stunned. Everybody should read this one.

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars not as expected, slow ship, April 26, 2009

By 

MMT - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Tainted Blood: A Novel (Hardcover)

I got this as a gift for a friend so this is really a secondhand review of the book. They told me the book wasn't in good shape. The book was going to be autographed by the author as it was a personal friend of the person receiving the book. They were too embarrassed to have him sign the book. It took quite some time for the shipping of the book too.