Fertile Ground

by Rochelle Majer Krich

As she has skillfully done in her past novels Speak No Evil and Angel of Death, Rochelle Krich adeptly tackles another timely and often heated controversial issue, fertility procedures, within the framework of a twisting plot--in this her most heart-pounding and suspenseful novel to date. Scandal has shaken the life and career of Dr. Lisa Brockman, a staff physician at the prestigious Los Angeles fertility clinic that has come under fire for alleged egg switching. She is further rocked by the murder of a young egg donor, and by the mysterious disappearance of Dr. Matthew Gordon, the clinic's founder and Lisa's fiance. With her medical career in jeopardy, Lisa reassures her patients--especially an anxious Orthodox Jewish woman carrying twins--that the rumors are unfounded.

While an L. A. P. D. homicide detective probes the possible connection between the young woman's murder and Matthew's disappearance, Lisa--plagued by guilt because she doubts her feelings for Matthew and confused about her yearning to return to Orthodox observance--launches her own desperate search. In the face of allegations of fraud, misconduct and embezzlement, she unearths a complex labyrinth of greed, deceit and cover-ups beneath the distinguished veneer of one of the world's most successful fertility clinics. As she closes in on the shocking truth behind the facility's darkest secrets, Lisa realizes she cannot trust anyone for behind the facade of friendship might lurk the twisted soul of a diabolical killer.

With a fertility clinic in turmoil as her backdrop, Rochelle Krich masterfully juxtaposes the science of life--with the ultimate reality of death.

Genres: Mystery, Thriller

342 pages, Hardcover

First published February 1, 1998

About the author

AKA: Rochelle Krich

Reviews

[Sep · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pidyon haben is a Jewish ceromony that I knew nothing about before I read this book.

Ms. Krich has written a great mystery and an even greater story of a woman struggling with her Orthodox Jewish past. Ms Krich had me totally rooting for Lisa's return to her faith.

Doctor Lisa Brockman is on the staff of a fertility clinic. Her life explodes when a rumor starts that they are mixing up eggs between patients and injecting donor eggs into women who are assuming that they are getting their own eggs. Then, one of the founders, Dr. Matthew Gordon and Lisa's fiancé disappears and evidence is soon found to indicate that he is dead and so is one of their young egg donors.

Lisa with the help of Sam, a colleague, who may care more about her than she knows, struggle to find out the truth.

This book raised the interesting question of who "owns" donated eggs when the donor dies-an interesting moral dilemma.

[Susan Dennis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked up my first Krich just after it was published and I have waited breathlessly for each subsequent book and never been disappointed. Her books are just what I look for when I open a cover... great stories, subplots on topics that are fascinating, strong, credible characters that I care about and a flawless read with no cheap shots. Fertile Ground is another example. I'm a passionate supporter of a woman's personal right to make her own decisions about her body. So, I would ordinarily avoid a novel that might piss me off. EXCEPT if it's written by Rochelle Krich. Dr. Lisa Brockman is a staff physician at a fertility clinic. First of all the head of the clinic who is also her fiancé disappears and then allegations of egg substitutions and everything starts to fall apart. Read it and read Krich's other books.

[Amber · Rating 3 out of 5]

Just alright. A lot of the book was unbelievable with some hints of sexism. But the mystery was still fun.

[Maxime horn · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was alright, and to be fair that's kinda all I have to say. It was quite confusing a lot of the time, sometimes I had no idea about which person there was being talked about. Wouldn't recommend.

[Ilse · Rating 4 out of 5]

het boek is al wat ouder en dat merk je er soms wel aan
maar het zijn kleine details en dus helemaal niet storend

het duurde even voordat het boek me beet had, maar eens ik er in zat, wou ik echt wel verder lezen en weten wie wat gedaan had.
het boek neemt plotse wendingen en zorgt er zo voor dat je niet al vanaf pagina 50 weet hoe het gaat eindigen

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is not normally a genre that I gravitate towards, but something compelled me to give it a try, and I'm so glad that I did, because I loved it. I certainly didn't want it to end, and it was really hard to put down.

[rivka · Rating 3 out of 5]

Originally read about 2000. Just re-read, and found it just as good the second time.