The Genesis Code (Mass Market Paperback)

by John Case (Author) "Father Azetti was tempted..." (more)
Key Phrases: franco grimaldi, oocyte donation, burn ward, Father Azetti, John Doe, Callista Bates (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review
You'll probably guess what's behind the murders of mothers and their very young sons long before investigator Joe Lassiter does, but that shouldn't spoil your enjoyment of this exciting and thoughtful new thriller that mixes science and faith in with its action. Lassiter's own sister and beloved nephew are among the victims, who were all patients at an Italian fertility clinic run by a doctor with some unusual ideas about DNA. Why this catches the attention of a dangerous religious order, and whether Lassiter can save one surviving woman and child from their wrath, should take up a good part of your night. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From School Library Journal
YA. The action in this suspenseful novel shifts from a picturesque hill town in Italy, to the streets of Rome, to a suburb of Washington, DC, and finally to its climax on a remote island in Maine. Joe Lassiter takes a leave of absence from his high-tech investigation agency to search for the murderer of his only sister and her son. He soon finds himself analyzing a string of other unsolved murders of mothers and their young sons, all of whom stayed at a fertility clinic in Italy. A physician renowned for his success at artificial insemination, a rural priest with a terrible secret revealed in confession, and the charismatic leader of a conservative Catholic organization all provide clues that lead Joe to the one person who can help him solve the mystery. This fast-paced thriller will draw YAs into some interesting questions concerning the use of DNA material and the ethics of genetic engineering, and will provide them with fascinating insights into the uses of modern investigative techniques.?Molly Connally, Kings Park Library, Fairfax County, VA
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 480 pages
• Publisher: Ballantine Books (February 28, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0345422317
• ISBN-13: 978-0345422316
• Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 4.2 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (180 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #669,296 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

24 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars WHERE'S PHIL COLLINS WHEN YOU NEED HIM?, November 13, 2002

By	Michael Butts (Martinsburg, WV USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Oh boy...Case really goes all out in his books to make you think, "Omigosh...what IF this really happened?" In "The Genesis Code," it's a real spellbinder in that it proposes just how far do we go with genetic engineering, or cloning? It opens in a small village in Italy where a priest practically has a stroke in hearing an old doctor's confession. What possibly could it have been? Then the priest is off to Rome to secure a meeting with a cardinal to relate this horrifying unimaginable sin.
Enter Joe Lassiter, a well to do private investigating enterpreneur, who gets involved with all this when his sister and her young son are savagely murdered and then burned to a crisp in their home. Lassiter's trail leads him all over the globe, ultimately to a fertility clinic (or is it?) in Italy. The book, like other Case novels, opens with this jarring prologue and then meticulously details lots of technical information, mysterious men, secrets, secrets and more secrets, and a look at a very unusual religious sect, determined to bring the Catholic church back to its days of Latin masses, and to completely ignore the Vatican II council.
It moves well, though, and I agree that Lassister takes a long time to figure out what's going on. However, by the end, it all makes sense and resolves with a disturbing scene with a young boy and a fish bowl. As in all of Case's works, however, the main flaw is that his climaxes seem to zoom in and then poof, it's over...but even so, my friends, it's a great read.
RECOMMENDED.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A wonderful thriller that is hard to put down, June 23, 1998

By A Customer

John Case provides an excellent mixture of suspense and intrigue in this biomedical thriller. Spining an intricate web that connects science, medicine, religion, and murder, he guides the reader through a thrilling maze of characters, questions and secret agendas that lead to a surprising conclusion.

The first few chapters set the stage as an old village doctor's confession to the parish priest sets in motion a deadly chain of events. Case leaves the reader to wonder what was so disturbing about the doctor's confession, dropping clues along the way to tease the readers curiosity. Each clue, like a piece of a puzzle allows the reader to get a clearer picture of the answer....as long as the reader can put the pieces together! Yet, it is not until the final chapter that the pieces finally come together to provide the staggering answer to the puzzle.

Case's knowledge of investigation provides a vibrant touch of reality to the novel, which is supplemented with thorough knowledge of religion and science. The book is also packed with action, intrigue and suspense. As a result, the book is able to raise interesting questions about science, religion, and ethics while giving the reader an adventure of a thrill ride. It is almost like a mixture of Jurassic Park, James Bond, and religion.

As a theologian, I am considering using it as a case text whenever I teach a class in science and religion. Definetely a must read.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Science and right wing religion clash in a first rate thriller!, April 4, 2008

By	Paul Weiss (Dundas, Ontario Canada) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)

This review is from: The Genesis Code: A Thriller (Paperback)

"The Genesis Code" opens in a quiet Italian village with the local parish priest hearing confessions. Ministering to his flock with a jaded stultifying boredom born out of years of listening to the same sins repeated and confessed over and over again, the priest's life is suddenly shattered when he hears a confession so shocking that he knows it will reach to the very roots of the Roman Catholic religion.

Despite his lowly status in the political heirarchy of the church, Father Azetti instinctively understands that this problem can be dealt with only by the Vatican's Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. Ominously, the reader is told that the CDF - as it is popularly known - is responsible for the investigation of heresy and threats to the faith.

Some months later, in Washington DC, Joe Lassiter, a former police detective and now CEO of one of the largest private investigation agencies in the world, is shattered to hear that his sister and young nephew have died in a fire in their home. The news is made even more stunning when an autopsy determines that they had been murdered before the fire which was, in fact, the work of an arsonist. Determined to discover the reasons for this heartless brutal murder, Lassiter uncovers a series of similar crimes and a conspiracy that takes him on an international chase and slowly but surely leads him to a medical clinic located in a certain small Italian village.

Science vs right-wing religion? Hmmm ... haven't we heard that somewhere before? While Case's basic theme certainly has the flavour of a Da Vinci Code novel, readers will be pleased to learn that's where the resemblance ends. "The Genesis Code" is a first rate thriller and an excellent police procedural. The plot line, while being reasonably predictable as the climax approaches, is nevertheless exciting and actually quite thought-provoking. Anyone who enjoys a good thriller, as I do, will be unable to avoid some fast-paced page turning. The dialogue is quite extraordinary and stands head and shoulders above the competition. It is absolutely razor sharp and I believe outshines virtually any novel that I've read in any genre for clarity, flow and an absolutely natural and realistic sound that is appropriate to every circumstance in the story.

And that ending little twist in the final sentence ... positively brilliant! Readers will ponder that one for a long time after they've closed the book.

Highly recommended.