New York City Medical Examiner Laurie Montgomery is returning to work after her maternity leave. It's been longer than usual because her son had a potentially fatal neuroblastoma but this is now in complete remission, but leaving him and going back to work is not going to be easy. It's not going to be easy for whoever is looking after JJ either. Laurie is just a little bit neurotic about leaving him. She's lost a bit of confidence with regard to the job too so it's perhaps fortunate that her first case is what looks like an open and shut case of a natural death. Laurie's not so certain though – although quite a few people would like her to make up her mind that no further investigation is needed.
| Cure by Robin Cook | |
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| Category: Crime | |
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Reviewer: Sue Magee
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| Summary: Another entry in this long-running series is good for a long journey, but not in the top flight of crime books. | |
| Buy? Maybe | Borrow? Yes |
| Pages: 464 | Date: February 2011 |
| Publisher: Macmillan | |
| ISBN: 978-0230750647 | |
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And it's an international cast. We know who the dead man is – a Kyoto University researcher who was set to own a valuable patent controlling pluripotent stem cells. You don't need to understand what they are – just that there's an awful lot of money involved. Along with the money come the mobsters, both as investors and problems for Laurie and her husband. What looked like a nice, easy return to work is set to turn very nasty indeed.
I found the early part of the story a little slow and slightly confusing as rival gangs tried to place themselves in the best position to take advantage of the medical discoveries, but once we moved into the second half of the book and the action hotted up considerably (no – I'm not going to tell you how!) I really couldn't put the book down. It's pacey, exciting and there's bags of suspense as you wonder how it's going to work out.
I've got to confess to s light problem with this series and it's that Laurie Montgomerie annoys me. I've no problems with her being a brilliantly intuitive medical examiner capable of spotting clues which other people miss. What I can't accept are her personal uncertainties which seem to colour everything she does. I'd just like Mr Cook to give her a good talking to and tell her to pull herself together!
The books read well as stand-alone novels and as part of a series. There are some advantages from reading them in chronological order but no problem if you want to cherry pick as you come across the books. They're not my favourite crime books but I certainly wouldn't say no to them on a long journey.
I'd like to thank the publishers for sending a copy to the Bookbag.
If this book appeals then try Intervention also by Robin Cook.
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You can read more book reviews or buy Cure by Robin Cook at Amazon.com.
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