Vital Signs

by Robin Cook

Overview

The bestselling “master of the medical thriller” (The New York Times) tells a harrowing tale of the lengths one doctor will go to in order to conceive—and the conspiracy that may be at the root of her struggles.

Dr. Marissa Blumenthal’s dream of becoming pregnant has turned into an obsession. A successful pediatrician, she will try any scientific method available to conceive—until the horrible secrets of an urban clinic erupt in a nightmare of staggering proportions.

As more women reveal their similar struggles and as suspicious deaths begin to look like murder, it’s up to Marissa to uncover the truth behind her plight, no matter how dangerous a mission that might be.

“Controversial... believable and chilling.”—Houston Chronicle

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780425131763
Publisher:	Penguin Publishing Group
Publication date:	02/01/1992
Series:	A Medical Thriller
Edition description:	Reprint
Pages:	352
Sales rank:	193,181
Product dimensions:	4.20(w) x 6.74(h) x 0.95(d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

Robin Cook, M.D., is the author of more than thirty books and is credited with popularizing the medical thriller with his wildly successful first novel, Coma. He divides his time among Florida, New Hampshire, and Boston. His most recent novels include Host, Cell, and Nano.

Editorial Reviews

Praise for Robin Cook and Vital Signs:

“Controversial... believable and chilling.”—Houston Chronicle

“Vintage Cook... nonstop action.”—Kirkus Reviews

From the Publisher

Robin Cook, for those unfamiliar with the medical-thriller genre he dominates, is an original, one of those endearingly zany writers who give the lie to the notion that fact is stranger than fiction...."Vital Signs" is an ingratiatingly ditzy tale that takes about three hours to read, less if you don't have one eye on "Monday Night Football." What makes the book work so well is not only Dr. Cook's adamant refusal to create sane, rational characters, but also his nutty prose...."Vital Signs" is one wild, wild story. -- New York Times

Joe Queenan

Cook's popular medical thrillers are designed, in part, to keep the public aware of both the technological possibilities of modern medicine and the ensuing ethical problems. His topic this time is reproductive science and the often murky baby-making business. Epidemiologist Marissa Blumenthal, seen before in Outbreak , now has a successful pediatrics practice near Boston and an affluent health-care-entrepreneur husband. But her inability to become pregnant threatens both her marriage and her career. After unsuccessful visits to a local fertility clinic, she discovers a suprising and suspicious link between her medical records and those of an inordinate number of the clinic's clients. Traveling to Australia to learn more about a worldwide in vitro fertilization organization, Marissa and her friend Wendy are trailed, and a tragedy occurs. Marissa, now accompanied by the physician whose work she had come to Australia to investigate, goes to Hong Kong and eventually China--fleeing murderous assailants every step of the way--before a billion-dollar international scam is revealed. As always, Cook enlivens predictable action and shallow characterization with medical expertise and timely subject matter. (Jan.)

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly