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"Maria Moran's first inkling of trouble was the coppery taste in her mouth. It came suddenly, a rushing whoosh of something that made her gag, and when she reached to wipe her mouth, her hand came away smeared with blood."
So begins this thriller about a young intern, Jill Raney, determined to investigate tragedies and terror at a famous fertility and genetic engineering hospital. When two pregnant women die and a fetus is delivered with severe chromosomal abnormalities, Jill's superiors - including handsome, smitten-with-her resident David Levine - insist there's no common link.
But her suspicions deepen with the grotesque murder near the hospital of another pregnant woman - her belly drained of amniotic fluid. And when a woman miscarries in the hospital and then disappears, Jill frantically searches for her - following a terrifying path that seems to link all the victims: Is someone playing with life...and the structures of human life itself?
An unforgettable tale of suspense with a shocking denouement, Embryo takes you deep into the mind of malignant genius.
. . . . . . .
The heart-stopping ending of Embryo creates a new crisis in its sequel, Embryo 2: Crosshairs
So begins this thriller about a young intern, Jill Raney, determined to investigate tragedies and terror at a famous fertility and genetic engineering hospital. When two pregnant women die and a fetus is delivered with severe chromosomal abnormalities, Jill's superiors - including handsome, smitten-with-her resident David Levine - insist there's no common link.
But her suspicions deepen with the grotesque murder near the hospital of another pregnant woman - her belly drained of amniotic fluid. And when a woman miscarries in the hospital and then disappears, Jill frantically searches for her - following a terrifying path that seems to link all the victims: Is someone playing with life...and the structures of human life itself?
An unforgettable tale of suspense with a shocking denouement, Embryo takes you deep into the mind of malignant genius.
. . . . . . .
The heart-stopping ending of Embryo creates a new crisis in its sequel, Embryo 2: Crosshairs
235 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 7, 2012
302 people are currently reading
1777 people want to read
About the author
J.A. Schneider
17 books572 followersWheaton College, Norton MA (French Lit Major, Minor in Spanish & squeezed in Russian.)
Sorbonne, Jr. Year in Paris
Exchange student in the Soviet Union, where I got arrested for spreading anti-Soviet propaganda - ugh. Caught with friends laughing at their pea-green-colored drinking water; that was the offense; four of us arrested. Let go after a day, guess they decided we weren't worth an international incident...
Now excited about my new upcoming thriller, THE GIRL THIEF! Release May 30!
Former writer at Newsweek Magazine. Author of the 6-book EMBRYO medical thriller series; the 4-book Detective Kerri Blasco Police/Psychological Thrillers FEAR DREAMS, HER LAST BREATH, WATCHING YOU, & SHOELESS CHILD.
Also 7 standalone thrillers: INTO THE DARK, GIRL WATCHING YOU, WHAT YOU'VE DONE, CRY TO ME, THE WIFE LIST & THE GIRL THIEF. Also the U.S. Civil War thriller, KATE WARNE'S SISTER IS MISSING. (She was America's first female detective and a Pinkerton. The story takes place in NYC - a pro-South hotbed - at the outbreak of the Civil War.)
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/joyce.schnei...
Twitter https://twitter.com/JoyceSchneider1
Website: https://jaschneiderauthor.net
Sorbonne, Jr. Year in Paris
Exchange student in the Soviet Union, where I got arrested for spreading anti-Soviet propaganda - ugh. Caught with friends laughing at their pea-green-colored drinking water; that was the offense; four of us arrested. Let go after a day, guess they decided we weren't worth an international incident...
Now excited about my new upcoming thriller, THE GIRL THIEF! Release May 30!
Former writer at Newsweek Magazine. Author of the 6-book EMBRYO medical thriller series; the 4-book Detective Kerri Blasco Police/Psychological Thrillers FEAR DREAMS, HER LAST BREATH, WATCHING YOU, & SHOELESS CHILD.
Also 7 standalone thrillers: INTO THE DARK, GIRL WATCHING YOU, WHAT YOU'VE DONE, CRY TO ME, THE WIFE LIST & THE GIRL THIEF. Also the U.S. Civil War thriller, KATE WARNE'S SISTER IS MISSING. (She was America's first female detective and a Pinkerton. The story takes place in NYC - a pro-South hotbed - at the outbreak of the Civil War.)
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/joyce.schnei...
Twitter https://twitter.com/JoyceSchneider1
Website: https://jaschneiderauthor.net
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 228 reviews
February 22, 2016
I am not sure what to rate this one. On the plus side it was full of action and was a quick, entertaining read. On the other hand it was way over the top with medical silliness. God help any of us who end up in a hospital where the staff behave the way these do. And then the ending. Wave to the happy smiling fetus everyone. Really? Without that last bit I would have given this book 3 stars. With it I can only manage two.
March 10, 2018
Excellent
Yet another brilliant series from Ms. Schneider.
It is both worrying and exciting that the research carried out in this story is not far away and may even be possible. It raises many ethical questions.
Love the way the two main characters are developing and I look forward to reading more ofthis series.
Yet another brilliant series from Ms. Schneider.
It is both worrying and exciting that the research carried out in this story is not far away and may even be possible. It raises many ethical questions.
Love the way the two main characters are developing and I look forward to reading more ofthis series.
March 23, 2015
I'm a huge fan of medical thrillers - even more than legal and police procedurals, which I love. When Robin Cook, Tess Gerritsen, Patricia Cornwell and Kathy Reichs come out with new books, I'm chomping at the bit to get my eyes on them. This one was offered free on BookBub last April, and after reading the description I decided to take a chance despite a few less-than-glowing reviews (actually, the number of 5-star ratings far outweighed the 1-stars - 402 to 14 at the time of this writing, and the latter seemed to me to be so unusually nasty that I gave them short shrift.
Besides, I reasoned, the book is only 238 pages - an easy three-day read even if I don't have a lot of extra time. So, I added it to my collection - and there it sat until now, when I was in the mood for something I could finish rather quickly while I gathered up momentum to start something lengthier. I'd give it half a dozen chapters, I told myself, and if it didn't grab me by then, I'd fold up my tent and go elsewhere. But by golly, that tent never got unfolded; by the time I reached the 25% mark, I was caught up enough in the action that there was no question of stopping.
The book is the first in a series about intern Jill Raney and her resident supervisor, David Levine; early on, she discovers strange goings-on at "her" hospital, a prominent fertility and genetic engineering facility. Two pregnant women unexpectedly die and a seriously malformed fetus is delivered. Then, another pregnant woman turns up dead - this one clearly murdered, and her body has been drained of amniotic fluid. By now, Jill is nearly frantic, but hospital officials deny that anything is amiss and maintain that the deaths are in no way connected.
Needless to say, Jill refuses to quit until she proves her point (along the way convincing David - now her lover - that she isn't hallucinating). The pace picks up steam as Jill collects the evidence she needs; but can she come up with sufficient proof before more people are killed - herself included?
I really enjoyed this book, but admittedly, I had a couple of issues. First, I was surprised that Jill wasn't given the boot way back when she began ranting about her findings, despite several warnings to back off from hospital officials. Yes, her darling David ran interference for her, but he's "only" a resident himself, so I can't imagine his word would carry more weight that of department heads. Also, Jill seems far more prone to overwrought emotions than I'd expect from someone who's survived the rigors of medical school and, as an intern, been there, seen that. To be sure, it's a treat to find medical professionals who have a heart behind their stethoscopes, but most I've seen are not knee-jerk reactionists (nor should they be).
The ending leads the main characters on a not-so-merry chase to catch or be killed, a chase that was exciting until I got to David's sudden rationale that "Doctors don't shoot doctors" (but killing them with bare hands is just dandy). When I got to that one, I actually laughed out loud. First, it isn't even logical; second, this is a matter of survival; if the only way out is to kill someone, I seriously doubt Hippocrates would give a rip what you had to use to get the job done.
All in all, the book is well written and kept me turning pages (well, okay, tapping a stylus on my Kindle Fire) far longer at a time than I intended each time I sat down to read. Next up in the series is Embryo 2: Crosshairs; I haven't decided whether I'll get it - too many other books in my want-to-read pile at the moment - but I'm keeping my options open because I'm pretty sure I won't be disappointed.
Besides, I reasoned, the book is only 238 pages - an easy three-day read even if I don't have a lot of extra time. So, I added it to my collection - and there it sat until now, when I was in the mood for something I could finish rather quickly while I gathered up momentum to start something lengthier. I'd give it half a dozen chapters, I told myself, and if it didn't grab me by then, I'd fold up my tent and go elsewhere. But by golly, that tent never got unfolded; by the time I reached the 25% mark, I was caught up enough in the action that there was no question of stopping.
The book is the first in a series about intern Jill Raney and her resident supervisor, David Levine; early on, she discovers strange goings-on at "her" hospital, a prominent fertility and genetic engineering facility. Two pregnant women unexpectedly die and a seriously malformed fetus is delivered. Then, another pregnant woman turns up dead - this one clearly murdered, and her body has been drained of amniotic fluid. By now, Jill is nearly frantic, but hospital officials deny that anything is amiss and maintain that the deaths are in no way connected.
Needless to say, Jill refuses to quit until she proves her point (along the way convincing David - now her lover - that she isn't hallucinating). The pace picks up steam as Jill collects the evidence she needs; but can she come up with sufficient proof before more people are killed - herself included?
I really enjoyed this book, but admittedly, I had a couple of issues. First, I was surprised that Jill wasn't given the boot way back when she began ranting about her findings, despite several warnings to back off from hospital officials. Yes, her darling David ran interference for her, but he's "only" a resident himself, so I can't imagine his word would carry more weight that of department heads. Also, Jill seems far more prone to overwrought emotions than I'd expect from someone who's survived the rigors of medical school and, as an intern, been there, seen that. To be sure, it's a treat to find medical professionals who have a heart behind their stethoscopes, but most I've seen are not knee-jerk reactionists (nor should they be).
The ending leads the main characters on a not-so-merry chase to catch or be killed, a chase that was exciting until I got to David's sudden rationale that "Doctors don't shoot doctors" (but killing them with bare hands is just dandy). When I got to that one, I actually laughed out loud. First, it isn't even logical; second, this is a matter of survival; if the only way out is to kill someone, I seriously doubt Hippocrates would give a rip what you had to use to get the job done.
All in all, the book is well written and kept me turning pages (well, okay, tapping a stylus on my Kindle Fire) far longer at a time than I intended each time I sat down to read. Next up in the series is Embryo 2: Crosshairs; I haven't decided whether I'll get it - too many other books in my want-to-read pile at the moment - but I'm keeping my options open because I'm pretty sure I won't be disappointed.
June 9, 2015
This is a very enjoyable fast paced medical thriller. Set in a busy New York city hospital, new Obs-Gyn intern Jill Raney is concerned at the number of maternal deaths and fetal abnormalities turning up at the hospital. Raising her suspicions with the senior staff leads her into all sorts of trouble, putting both her career and life in danger.
My only slight quibble with the novel is that some of the science was a bit dodgy and it would have been good if the author had consulted a medical scientist to get it right, but apart from being a bit annoying this in no way detracts from the enjoyment of the story.
July 23, 2012
This medical thriller by debut author Joyce Schneider is brilliant! I could not put it down, and am so glad I read it!
The book begins with a happy, very pregnant Maria Moran about to cross the street at the traffic lights, when she became aware of something wrong. Suddenly her mouth was filled with blood, she felt dizzy and disorientated, and labour was instantly upon her.
On arrival at the famous fertility hospital, Dr David Levine and his colleagues were stunned by her diagnosis. And so began a day of utter chaos within the maternity section of the hospital, where two more pregnant women present with major problems, and a baby is born with extreme abnormalities, and soon died.
Young intern, Jill Raney is suspicious….she sees a connection to the pregnant women and the abnormal birth…but no-one else does. When a young teenager is murdered nearby, and her stomach drained of amniotic fluid, and another young woman miscarries in the hospital, then disappears, Jill is frantic. She has David (almost) believing her, and she begins covertly investigating, putting herself and David in danger. Her superiors are onto what she is doing, and have warned her, threatened her with her career, if she doesn’t behave.
But Jill puts her life, and her career on the line; as she digs deeper and deeper, and uncovers terrifying, horrifying evidence of links to all the victims, she can’t believe her own eyes! She becomes convinced she is going crazy….but is it her that is going crazy, or a more evil person out there playing with people’s lives?
This medical suspense thriller has everything…it is incredibly gripping, and you just have to keep reading to find out what will happen next! Highly recommended.
The book begins with a happy, very pregnant Maria Moran about to cross the street at the traffic lights, when she became aware of something wrong. Suddenly her mouth was filled with blood, she felt dizzy and disorientated, and labour was instantly upon her.
On arrival at the famous fertility hospital, Dr David Levine and his colleagues were stunned by her diagnosis. And so began a day of utter chaos within the maternity section of the hospital, where two more pregnant women present with major problems, and a baby is born with extreme abnormalities, and soon died.
Young intern, Jill Raney is suspicious….she sees a connection to the pregnant women and the abnormal birth…but no-one else does. When a young teenager is murdered nearby, and her stomach drained of amniotic fluid, and another young woman miscarries in the hospital, then disappears, Jill is frantic. She has David (almost) believing her, and she begins covertly investigating, putting herself and David in danger. Her superiors are onto what she is doing, and have warned her, threatened her with her career, if she doesn’t behave.
But Jill puts her life, and her career on the line; as she digs deeper and deeper, and uncovers terrifying, horrifying evidence of links to all the victims, she can’t believe her own eyes! She becomes convinced she is going crazy….but is it her that is going crazy, or a more evil person out there playing with people’s lives?
This medical suspense thriller has everything…it is incredibly gripping, and you just have to keep reading to find out what will happen next! Highly recommended.
November 16, 2013
WOW if you like thrillers and medical type suspense books, then this is for you. I was thrilled and consumed at the same time. The book starts with a main character that has guts, brains, and a keen sense for sniffing out trouble. I will admit I was scared to death with the first hospital admit. It is the kind of book that makes you think. Usually we reflect on the ob office as a bad place. Whop likes to go there? nobody I know. For Jill at this stage in her career she is experienced and knows something strange is going on. There is usually a happy feel in the delivery rooms, but not when there are chromosomal abnormalities. I know a lot about this, so there was a lot of research involved in the book. For the reader it is shocking when sad things happen like this. Jill and David Levine are on opposites, he feels nothing is going on. Sometimes a girl has intuition that men just don't get. Jill is persistent and that is why I loved her character.
A wonderfully suspenseful book. I thought the details, research and scenarios were brilliant. All of the patients had interesting stories and of course the common thread being they were pregnant. There is a little romance added in to balance things out. Overall a read good book. Move on to part 2 with me!
A wonderfully suspenseful book. I thought the details, research and scenarios were brilliant. All of the patients had interesting stories and of course the common thread being they were pregnant. There is a little romance added in to balance things out. Overall a read good book. Move on to part 2 with me!
August 5, 2014
I'm not even sure what to say about this book. I enjoyed it in the beginning. It was fast paced and kept my attention.
But Then.... all of a sudden- things got weird. Really weird. Let me break it down for you.
A med student is flirting with her resident MD, Mr Hunky hunk, (whom she just met a week ago) but he's a jerk and makes her cry. He follows her into a linen closet where...BAMB, they fall in love. Then, Women in the hospital are dying during their pregnancy and somehow our 1st year med girl figures out the common denominator. THEN same female med student acting like she owns the hospital and confronts the big bosses demanding answers, and MR Hunky, an accredited resident, is throwing away his job for this chick he just met but has now said "I LOVE YOU" to. Whaaaaaaat?
Next up, main girl figures out who the bad man is and confronts him. Bad man is injecting unsuspecting women during their GYNO exam with embryos that he has made genetically PERFECT. One woman even thinks it was an immaculate conception because she hasn't had sex in months?.... Ok whatever. There are mannequins made of dead missing pregnant women (think silence of the lambs mannequin), and Now main girl is on a roof (of course the roof) fighting bad evil scientist guy, boyfriend MD comes to the rescue and now has a gun he 'took' from a hospital security guard (???) and people are hanging by their fingertips trying not to plunge to their deaths.
MD boyfriend now shoots evil scientist's henchman right in the face (oh yea there was a henchman), evil scientist plunges to his death and everyone crowds into the mad man's laboratory to rejoice his demise. Now..... there is a huge crowd (standing unsuspectingly by the dead pregnant girl 'mannequins') and main girl is telling everyone about the crazy experiments that mad man did on women. People are urging her to 'speak louder', because of course, this is a teaching moment. So now she becomes an adjunct professor for a brief minute and teaches everyone (including the ever so stupid police) how the mad man did his evil deeds. AND THE BEST PART OF ALL- Everyone 'oooooos' and 'ahhhhhhs' over a crazy fetus experiment that is currently floating in some synthetic amniotic fluid in a big ass aquarium because the 5 month old FETUS is waving at everyone because he is a super human baby. (because DUH the mad scientist was able to manufacture a fetus that grows exponentially fast and is immune to all bad things).
MD boyfriend asks the head of the hospital if they can put "him" (The superhuman fetus baby in an aquarium) in the break room and they all laugh about how they will be teaching it to dance in another month or so.
Ok. So that pretty much sums it up. Was this supposed to be a comedy or a medical thriller? I'm confused. I mean, I was entertained, so there's that. And now I will dream of weird fucked up fetus babies, waving at me while they float around in my fish tank.
But Then.... all of a sudden- things got weird. Really weird. Let me break it down for you.
A med student is flirting with her resident MD, Mr Hunky hunk, (whom she just met a week ago) but he's a jerk and makes her cry. He follows her into a linen closet where...BAMB, they fall in love. Then, Women in the hospital are dying during their pregnancy and somehow our 1st year med girl figures out the common denominator. THEN same female med student acting like she owns the hospital and confronts the big bosses demanding answers, and MR Hunky, an accredited resident, is throwing away his job for this chick he just met but has now said "I LOVE YOU" to. Whaaaaaaat?
Next up, main girl figures out who the bad man is and confronts him. Bad man is injecting unsuspecting women during their GYNO exam with embryos that he has made genetically PERFECT. One woman even thinks it was an immaculate conception because she hasn't had sex in months?.... Ok whatever. There are mannequins made of dead missing pregnant women (think silence of the lambs mannequin), and Now main girl is on a roof (of course the roof) fighting bad evil scientist guy, boyfriend MD comes to the rescue and now has a gun he 'took' from a hospital security guard (???) and people are hanging by their fingertips trying not to plunge to their deaths.
MD boyfriend now shoots evil scientist's henchman right in the face (oh yea there was a henchman), evil scientist plunges to his death and everyone crowds into the mad man's laboratory to rejoice his demise. Now..... there is a huge crowd (standing unsuspectingly by the dead pregnant girl 'mannequins') and main girl is telling everyone about the crazy experiments that mad man did on women. People are urging her to 'speak louder', because of course, this is a teaching moment. So now she becomes an adjunct professor for a brief minute and teaches everyone (including the ever so stupid police) how the mad man did his evil deeds. AND THE BEST PART OF ALL- Everyone 'oooooos' and 'ahhhhhhs' over a crazy fetus experiment that is currently floating in some synthetic amniotic fluid in a big ass aquarium because the 5 month old FETUS is waving at everyone because he is a super human baby. (because DUH the mad scientist was able to manufacture a fetus that grows exponentially fast and is immune to all bad things).
MD boyfriend asks the head of the hospital if they can put "him" (The superhuman fetus baby in an aquarium) in the break room and they all laugh about how they will be teaching it to dance in another month or so.
Ok. So that pretty much sums it up. Was this supposed to be a comedy or a medical thriller? I'm confused. I mean, I was entertained, so there's that. And now I will dream of weird fucked up fetus babies, waving at me while they float around in my fish tank.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 6, 2015
This was recommended to me by a friend who has read all the books so far (number 5 is out soon).
It starts off really good and the pace for the book is brilliant. The characters make you believe you are with them throughout the whole ordeal. The author has certainly done her work when it comes to the medical stuff to do with In vitro and fertility things.
I felt sorry for the main character who was doing all she could to find out why babies and their mothers was dying. It made you think you was going one way in the story and then all of a sudden you was taken a different way and was like "WOW". Highly recommend this book if you love your thrillers with a medical twist.
Can't wait to read the next book in the series.
It starts off really good and the pace for the book is brilliant. The characters make you believe you are with them throughout the whole ordeal. The author has certainly done her work when it comes to the medical stuff to do with In vitro and fertility things.
I felt sorry for the main character who was doing all she could to find out why babies and their mothers was dying. It made you think you was going one way in the story and then all of a sudden you was taken a different way and was like "WOW". Highly recommend this book if you love your thrillers with a medical twist.
Can't wait to read the next book in the series.
March 4, 2019
A fast paced medical thriller with some ethical questions about fertility. Add in some intern/resident drama for fun. It was kinda like a Grey's Anatomy episode! Good read.
January 24, 2017
“Studies have shown that babies can be taught in utero! You play Mozart and Beethoven loud enough for them to hear. This enhances both their artistic and math abilities, isn’t that amazing?”
This story didn’t take long to get from 0 to 60. A few times I thought I was going to have to take a break because my heart was racing.
Jill Raney is likable and courageous as the young intern; I was most anxious whenever she was doing her thing. A couple of times I advised her to behave, ‘don’t go stirring the pot’. She didn’t listen. She consistently put her career and her life on the line in order to get to the bottom of all that was suspicious at her place of employment. She is someone you definitely want advocating for you.
David Levine is her resident supervisor and romantic interest. Think Thor without the Hammer. I think he was best when in charge of a patient in distress. He’s definitely the one you want attending if you’re ever brought in to the ER.
Okay, so they work in a fertility and genetic engineering hospital. A place where you go to get help in getting pregnant which happens to be in close proximity to where genetic modifications take place. What could possibly go wrong? My first thoughts were is this a thing and is this legal IRL?
The writing was good. The author had me believing that some of the advancements in genetic modification that occurred in the story were possible. She painted a picture with her words detailing her world that it felt like I was right by Jill’s side running through the hospital.
The characters were written well. A couple of them came across as so real that I wanted to punch them. This is not like me. I’m more of the let’s-hug-this-out-but-not-in-a-creepy-way type of guy, but Joyce (you think she’ll mind me being so informal?) had me contemplating violence*.
Something that I wasn’t expecting was how much this nagged me on an ethical level. I kept asking, if this were possible today, would I want that for my child? If I could guarantee an outcome, what would be so wrong? I don’t know what the political correctness community has to say about this publicly, but privately I think a lot of parents would state, “Just do your thing doctor. I don’t need to know how the sausage is made.”
I would like to say that I figured why and how these women were dying, but the truth is that what I figured out was a teeny tiny general piece of the puzzle that IRL, would amount to no more than a lead and not the resolution of the case. I also pegged the wrong person as the villain. It’s always cool when I can’t figure out the who and the why of a mystery.
Highly recommended if you likethrillers to read.
*In the end I probably just would have written them a strongly worded letter describing my disappointment in their behavior :)
This story didn’t take long to get from 0 to 60. A few times I thought I was going to have to take a break because my heart was racing.
Jill Raney is likable and courageous as the young intern; I was most anxious whenever she was doing her thing. A couple of times I advised her to behave, ‘don’t go stirring the pot’. She didn’t listen. She consistently put her career and her life on the line in order to get to the bottom of all that was suspicious at her place of employment. She is someone you definitely want advocating for you.
David Levine is her resident supervisor and romantic interest. Think Thor without the Hammer. I think he was best when in charge of a patient in distress. He’s definitely the one you want attending if you’re ever brought in to the ER.
Okay, so they work in a fertility and genetic engineering hospital. A place where you go to get help in getting pregnant which happens to be in close proximity to where genetic modifications take place. What could possibly go wrong? My first thoughts were is this a thing and is this legal IRL?
The writing was good. The author had me believing that some of the advancements in genetic modification that occurred in the story were possible. She painted a picture with her words detailing her world that it felt like I was right by Jill’s side running through the hospital.
The characters were written well. A couple of them came across as so real that I wanted to punch them. This is not like me. I’m more of the let’s-hug-this-out-but-not-in-a-creepy-way type of guy, but Joyce (you think she’ll mind me being so informal?) had me contemplating violence*.
Something that I wasn’t expecting was how much this nagged me on an ethical level. I kept asking, if this were possible today, would I want that for my child? If I could guarantee an outcome, what would be so wrong? I don’t know what the political correctness community has to say about this publicly, but privately I think a lot of parents would state, “Just do your thing doctor. I don’t need to know how the sausage is made.”
I would like to say that I figured why and how these women were dying, but the truth is that what I figured out was a teeny tiny general piece of the puzzle that IRL, would amount to no more than a lead and not the resolution of the case. I also pegged the wrong person as the villain. It’s always cool when I can’t figure out the who and the why of a mystery.
Highly recommended if you like
*In the end I probably just would have written them a strongly worded letter describing my disappointment in their behavior :)
March 9, 2015
I read a lot of reviews of this book before picking it up, both positive and negative. I had a gotten a copy of "Embryo 5 Silver Girl" through my Kindle Unlimited membership, but after reading a few pages realized I realized I needed to go back to the beginning to understand what was happening. I am not a medical expert. I am a reader who enjoys good fiction and this is one good book! Not since Robin Cook's COMA have I been so "on the edge of my seat" caught up in a medical thriller. There may be a few medical errors but none that jumped out at me. What I read was a well developed plot full of suspense. Although there were clues leading up to the identity of "the man behind the curtain" it was not obvious who the bad guy would turn out to be. The characterization is excellent providing enough information to feel I know the characters, and yet not so much as to drag the book down. This was a fast read for me and I had trouble putting it down just because "life" got in the way. I especially liked the explanation of GMOs (Genetically modified organisms) with the example of corn. This is an issue I have been pondering when I grocery shop. I guess the more controversial aspects have to do with human gene exploration. Designer babies scare the heck out of me and so the subject of the novel was very timely. I was not looking for a medical textbook and I know this is fiction. In all fiction I think there has to be a suspension of disbelief to enjoy the story. Although it could have, the romance did not overwhelm the action of the novel. I can't wait to read the rest of the series.
December 29, 2013
This was an incredible story about a medical intern, Jill Raney, who grows increasingly curious after noticing an unusually high incidence of fetal death and abnormalities. Jill becomes consumed by her mission to uncover the truth about what happened in a few recent cases. She discovers that women have been exploited--used as unwilling participants in unethical human research. Further probing provides Jill with the answers she's been searching for, but also places her life in danger. Will she survive to stop those responsible?
A great read! I can't wait to get started on the second book, "Embryo 2: Crosshairs."
A great read! I can't wait to get started on the second book, "Embryo 2: Crosshairs."
January 28, 2016
I wasn't sure what to expect coming into this book. The action picked up quickly, and sadly so did the medical jargon. However, I've seen enough medical drama and documentaries to hobble along and look up the few things I missed. Some of the plot twists were nice and unsuspected and others rather clichéd, but finally arrived at a sadly rather predictable climax, with a telegraphed final plot twist. I found the resolution to be a little far fetched, and I find myself curious where the main character will go in this series.
May 13, 2013
"Embryo" is a medical mystery with a side of romance.
The story does contain medical jargon; however, it is fairly well explained even for the layperson.
Story pace starts off normal then accelerates with the action.
The characters are well written and realistic. No one character is too perfect or too evil.
Without giving away any plot points, the plot carries well throughout the book and ties together well.
Overall, definitely an enjoyable read.
The story does contain medical jargon; however, it is fairly well explained even for the layperson.
Story pace starts off normal then accelerates with the action.
The characters are well written and realistic. No one character is too perfect or too evil.
Without giving away any plot points, the plot carries well throughout the book and ties together well.
Overall, definitely an enjoyable read.
April 25, 2019
A fast-paced, thoroughly captivating, forward-thinking plot full of shocking twists that will keep you guessing, until the end. I've definitely found my next medical thriller series addiction!
November 8, 2012
Jill Raney is a promising intern at one of the most prestigious hospitals in the country. She works hard and is determined to make a name for herself. She keeps her head down and does as she is told. That is until strange things start to happen. Healthy women are losing babies at every turn, some even losing their own lives. Pregnant women are being murdered and other women are disappearing. Jill is the only one who seems to care about what is going on, positive something foul is at play. But when nobody believes her, not even her handsome boss who she has recently struck up a romantic relationship with, she is forced to take matters into her own hands. Even if it means costing her her life.
I'm just going to throw this right out there: LOVED IT! I've never read a medical thriller before, so I wasn't sure how this one was going to work out. I don't know much when it comes to medical lingo and wasn't sure I'd be able to follow along completely. But I guess my love for reality TV and all those baby shows has paid off because I had no trouble at all keeping up with this book.
Jill Raney is an immediately likable character. We meet her for the first time right after an intense moment with her boss, David Levine. She shows heart and strength right away and continues to do so throughout the book, even when backed into a corner. I admired her for doing what she knew to be right even with the threat of losing her job and even her own life in the process. I wasn't sure about David at first, but I grew to like him more and more as the story progressed.
Aside from Jill's personal life and growing romance with David, the overall story of Embryo is pretty fascinating. There are women being murdered and some really horrible things are happening to pregnant women and their unborn babies. I felt a little thankful that I can no longer have children because some of the things happening to these women would have tortured me through another pregnancy.
The writing in Embryo is perfect. There is a lot of action, a little romance and you definitely walk away feeling like you've learned something. Schneider does a fantastic job giving these doctors and interns true to life personalities, as well as the patients. You get the same feeling from these characters that you would being in the hospital yourself. You can tell that Schneider did quite a bit of research for this book.
Overall, I can't recommend this book enough. It was intriguing, smart and pretty scary at times. I recommend this to everyone!
I'm just going to throw this right out there: LOVED IT! I've never read a medical thriller before, so I wasn't sure how this one was going to work out. I don't know much when it comes to medical lingo and wasn't sure I'd be able to follow along completely. But I guess my love for reality TV and all those baby shows has paid off because I had no trouble at all keeping up with this book.
Jill Raney is an immediately likable character. We meet her for the first time right after an intense moment with her boss, David Levine. She shows heart and strength right away and continues to do so throughout the book, even when backed into a corner. I admired her for doing what she knew to be right even with the threat of losing her job and even her own life in the process. I wasn't sure about David at first, but I grew to like him more and more as the story progressed.
Aside from Jill's personal life and growing romance with David, the overall story of Embryo is pretty fascinating. There are women being murdered and some really horrible things are happening to pregnant women and their unborn babies. I felt a little thankful that I can no longer have children because some of the things happening to these women would have tortured me through another pregnancy.
The writing in Embryo is perfect. There is a lot of action, a little romance and you definitely walk away feeling like you've learned something. Schneider does a fantastic job giving these doctors and interns true to life personalities, as well as the patients. You get the same feeling from these characters that you would being in the hospital yourself. You can tell that Schneider did quite a bit of research for this book.
Overall, I can't recommend this book enough. It was intriguing, smart and pretty scary at times. I recommend this to everyone!
August 16, 2012
After reading Embryo, I had to take a breath. This was definitely one of the most intense books I've read in a long time. What would you do if you knew that embroyo's could be farmed and made to become super humans?
Jill Raney is a young intern, still learning the ropes of the hospital. She's focused and determined to make it to the top. Her dedication to her own career is faltered a bit as she becomes increasingly obsessed with suspicious happenings going on with pregnant woman in the hospital. As she dives deep into an investigation to try and understand what secrets are being hidden, she is also embarking on a new romance with handsome Dr. Levine.
This was my first ever medical mystery that I've read and I was actually surprised that by the end, I realized I had enjoyed it. The suspense found throughout the book, especially the last few chapters, had be frantically reading just to find out what exactly was going to happen. I'm not the sharpest tool in the shed when it comes to medical terms, so there were times (quite a few) where I had to use Google, but once I received clarity, I was onto the next heart-stopping moment. The writing was fantastic and Joyce did a wonderful job making the reader feel like they were following along in Jill's footsteps. A few of the scenes I wanted to hide under my covers and hide from the scary, needle holding men.
Now onto one of my not so favorite things: I felt as if the romance shared between Jill and David was a little rushed. One moment she was in tears from him calling her out in the OR and the next, they were tangled together in sheets admitting their love for one another. I know this isn't a romance novel, but since I do read so many of those I'm aware of the chemistry and fire that needs to jump from the pages. Unfortunately, I didn't feel as if the courting was long enough and wished there would have been more of a build-up between the two.
All in all, the book was spooky and made me hope there weren't really doctors hiding out in labs testing on helpless mothers-to-be. If you're into medical thrillers, I highly suggest you grab this one and prepare yourself for a dark ride into the deepest corners of Madison Hospital.
Jill Raney is a young intern, still learning the ropes of the hospital. She's focused and determined to make it to the top. Her dedication to her own career is faltered a bit as she becomes increasingly obsessed with suspicious happenings going on with pregnant woman in the hospital. As she dives deep into an investigation to try and understand what secrets are being hidden, she is also embarking on a new romance with handsome Dr. Levine.
This was my first ever medical mystery that I've read and I was actually surprised that by the end, I realized I had enjoyed it. The suspense found throughout the book, especially the last few chapters, had be frantically reading just to find out what exactly was going to happen. I'm not the sharpest tool in the shed when it comes to medical terms, so there were times (quite a few) where I had to use Google, but once I received clarity, I was onto the next heart-stopping moment. The writing was fantastic and Joyce did a wonderful job making the reader feel like they were following along in Jill's footsteps. A few of the scenes I wanted to hide under my covers and hide from the scary, needle holding men.
Now onto one of my not so favorite things: I felt as if the romance shared between Jill and David was a little rushed. One moment she was in tears from him calling her out in the OR and the next, they were tangled together in sheets admitting their love for one another. I know this isn't a romance novel, but since I do read so many of those I'm aware of the chemistry and fire that needs to jump from the pages. Unfortunately, I didn't feel as if the courting was long enough and wished there would have been more of a build-up between the two.
All in all, the book was spooky and made me hope there weren't really doctors hiding out in labs testing on helpless mothers-to-be. If you're into medical thrillers, I highly suggest you grab this one and prepare yourself for a dark ride into the deepest corners of Madison Hospital.
November 30, 2013
In this suspense filled Medical Thriller we are introduced to Jill, who is an intelligent intern on the OB/GYN floor at a prestigious hospital. Jill immediately picks up on the fact that something is just not right. Too many tragedies pile up and Jill begins to investigate. The more Jill questions, the more of a threat she becomes for whoever is behind the ill fate of several woman and their infants.
Despite being attacked and threatened, she doesn't give up. She will get to the bottom of what is going on. She only wants to do the right thing and save people's life.
This book was wonderfully written. The author depicts the medical environment so realistic and accurate that it makes you feel as though you are there. Caught up in the mystery, wondering what was going on, who was responsible and then of course, the tempting romance with her superior.
The characters were developed well, and I was able to attach and relate to them. The character relationships were believable and intriguing. I look forward to reading the second in this series as I was hooked on this one and unable to put it down!
Despite being attacked and threatened, she doesn't give up. She will get to the bottom of what is going on. She only wants to do the right thing and save people's life.
This book was wonderfully written. The author depicts the medical environment so realistic and accurate that it makes you feel as though you are there. Caught up in the mystery, wondering what was going on, who was responsible and then of course, the tempting romance with her superior.
The characters were developed well, and I was able to attach and relate to them. The character relationships were believable and intriguing. I look forward to reading the second in this series as I was hooked on this one and unable to put it down!
July 6, 2013
This review is from: EMBRYO (Kindle Edition)
Joyce Schneider's debut novel "Embryo" grabbed me right from the start.
It began with a shocking occurrence and just kept going and going with
more and more thrilling events.
I really liked the main character ~
Jill, a young doctor. She was a bright, headstrong lead who could stand
on her own feet and fight for her beliefs.
There were fights, amorous
scenes and pure nail biting tension! I really enjoyed the novel and
could see the author has really researched the facts well. The chapters
were short and snappy and I found it quite difficult to put my Kindle
down, wanting to carry on and find out what the outcome would be. I
immediately started the sequel which carried on right where this one
left off... I cannot wait to see what will happen next!
I received "Embryo" from the author in exchange for a fair and honest review. Thank You Joyce it was a pleasure to read.
Joyce Schneider's debut novel "Embryo" grabbed me right from the start.
It began with a shocking occurrence and just kept going and going with
more and more thrilling events.
I really liked the main character ~
Jill, a young doctor. She was a bright, headstrong lead who could stand
on her own feet and fight for her beliefs.
There were fights, amorous
scenes and pure nail biting tension! I really enjoyed the novel and
could see the author has really researched the facts well. The chapters
were short and snappy and I found it quite difficult to put my Kindle
down, wanting to carry on and find out what the outcome would be. I
immediately started the sequel which carried on right where this one
left off... I cannot wait to see what will happen next!
I received "Embryo" from the author in exchange for a fair and honest review. Thank You Joyce it was a pleasure to read.
November 28, 2013
[Spoilers!]
I hardly ever go lower than a 2-star review, but I could only muster a 1.5 at best for this story! To give the author some credit, I'm clearly not her target audience as I've worked in all of the specialties that are featured in this book, and I found the medicine and science depicted to be barely passable for the true realities of those fields. But apart from the glaring 'special interest' inconsistencies that I doubt many readers will care about, the love story (if we can even call it that) was hasty and unbelievable, the storyline was jumbled with way too many unnecessary characters, and the "huge mystery" boiled down to be the likable boss going mad-scientist and growing human fetuses in a lab with a random throwaway sidekick. What? An infertility specialist playing God? Ok, so maybe the sarcasm is uncalled for, but my epic disappointment in this book is still a bit fresh...
I hardly ever go lower than a 2-star review, but I could only muster a 1.5 at best for this story! To give the author some credit, I'm clearly not her target audience as I've worked in all of the specialties that are featured in this book, and I found the medicine and science depicted to be barely passable for the true realities of those fields. But apart from the glaring 'special interest' inconsistencies that I doubt many readers will care about, the love story (if we can even call it that) was hasty and unbelievable, the storyline was jumbled with way too many unnecessary characters, and the "huge mystery" boiled down to be the likable boss going mad-scientist and growing human fetuses in a lab with a random throwaway sidekick. What? An infertility specialist playing God? Ok, so maybe the sarcasm is uncalled for, but my epic disappointment in this book is still a bit fresh...
March 24, 2013
LOVED IT! Fascinating, non-stop action with a heroine who is immediately likeable. Jill Raney, an obstetrics intern, is incredibly brave, caring, determined, and above all insistent on doing the right thing no matter the threat to her life or her career. From the first line I was hooked, then I couldn't put the book down. I lost precious hours of beauty sleep to finish it, and once I was done I kept thinking about it. My biggest surprise was, when I picked up Embryo I did NOT expect such a brilliant story. This is a hugely enjoyable book, one I would recommend to anyone who likes thrillers. P.S. I also learned what hominids are.
April 8, 2015
I do not want to give away too much of this medical thriller, but...if you are into what-ifs books, this is the one for you. What if the main plot really was taking place right now? It may already be happening or in the works!
Genetic engineering, chromosome snipping, IVF, human fetus experimentation, murder, attempted murder, a little romance...you'll find this and more as a Resident and an Intern in a teaching hospital begin to question the increasing number of undesirable outcomes from pregnancy and delivery.
J.A. Schneider has written a thriller that will capture and hold your attention from the first chapter because so much of it is believable.
Genetic engineering, chromosome snipping, IVF, human fetus experimentation, murder, attempted murder, a little romance...you'll find this and more as a Resident and an Intern in a teaching hospital begin to question the increasing number of undesirable outcomes from pregnancy and delivery.
J.A. Schneider has written a thriller that will capture and hold your attention from the first chapter because so much of it is believable.
September 2, 2015
This is a fast paced medical thriller reminiscent of Robin Cook. The story flowed well, and the main characters were for the most part,
likable. The protagonist, Jill, did annoy me with how often and easily she cried. I would expect someone doing the things she was doing,
to have more backbone, and control over her emotions. Overall I enjoyed it, and gave it 4 stars. I plan on reading the next one in the series.
likable. The protagonist, Jill, did annoy me with how often and easily she cried. I would expect someone doing the things she was doing,
to have more backbone, and control over her emotions. Overall I enjoyed it, and gave it 4 stars. I plan on reading the next one in the series.
April 18, 2013
Incredibly gripping. Makes you think long after you've finished this thriller.
September 16, 2013
Very well done! It takes an amazing amount of technical knowledge to make this type of book believable and this author did it!
October 20, 2014
not bad!! gonna get the next one!
September 17, 2015
Excellent Thriller
Love the characters and the twisty and twisted ending. You cant find a more exciting medical thriller about a controversial subject.
Love the characters and the twisty and twisted ending. You cant find a more exciting medical thriller about a controversial subject.
February 7, 2023
4.5 out 5 Stars
Book Synopsis:
“Maria Moran’s first inkling of trouble was the coppery taste in her mouth. It came suddenly, a rushing whoosh of something that made her gag, and when she reached to wipe her mouth, her hand came away smeared with blood.”
So begins this thriller about a young intern, Jill Raney, determined to investigate tragedies and terror at a famous fertility and genetic engineering hospital. When two pregnant women die and a fetus is delivered with severe chromosomal abnormalities, Jill’s superiors – including handsome, smitten-with-her resident David Levine – insist there’s no common link.
But her suspicions deepen with the grotesque murder near the hospital of another pregnant woman – her belly drained of amniotic fluid. And when a woman miscarries in the hospital and then disappears, Jill frantically searches for her – following a terrifying path that seems to link all the victims: Is someone playing with life…and the structures of human life itself? An unforgettable tale of suspense with a shocking denouement, Embryo takes you deep into the mind of malignant genius.
Review:
I had the pleasure of being given the opportunity to read and review Embryo by J.A. Schneider. Her e-book was sent to me for purposes of this review.
For those of you that know me, I have difficulty staying in one genre for too long. I do love my romance but ultimately I need a break once and awhile, and so arises my love for fantasy, science fiction, and certain thrillers. I was very excited to hear that a medical thriller came to us on our list of books to be reviewed. Being a nurse, I was rather intrigued to say the least…actually, I was jumping for joy.
Let me be up front and say this is a medical thriller, and it is not for the faint of heart. Medical means that yes, blood will be involved, and that yes, there will be some terminology that a lay person may not be familiar with. And this is not just any type of medical thriller, it is an obstetrics medical thriller. Meaning that there will be babies and mothers that will not have happily ever after endings. In reality, OB is not always the happy unit we would like it to be. But, if you can get past this hurdle and jump ahead to the thriller and suspense part, the reader will not be disappointed. If you can’t, then this book is certainly not for you.
For those adventurous enough to move past these obstacles, you will be treated to a fast paced and well researched book. It is clear that the author has some form of background knowledge in medicine, because her description of the medical field and the daily activities of a new interns life is spot on. Her use of medical terminology within the story may seem overbearing to some, but for those that have worked in the hospital setting, it is appropriate. Her writing is superb and flows well.
As I read this, I found myself uncomfortably attached to these mothers. I was able to easily relate to their stories of pregnancy and to their feelings of grief and hopelessness. Yes, it is difficult when there is a loss of life, and the reader feels empathy and sadness towards these characters. Yet the pace is so quick that the reader is quickly able to move on without becoming overly engrossed in the actual death of the mother or the infant.
The only area that I found somewhat distracting was all the secondary characters. There seemed to be too many for me and I had, at times, difficulty keeping all the characters straight. I found myself more than once going back to previous pages, trying to remember who they were and what part they played in the story.
This was really the only critique I had with the book. Other than that, this was a sit on the edge of your seat, hold on to your computer, type of thriller. The ending is just plain wicked and disturbing. Readers will absolutely love it!
I will be looking forward to reading more of her work in the future. One question for the author though… when will you be making a novel about nurses? Hint
Book Synopsis:
“Maria Moran’s first inkling of trouble was the coppery taste in her mouth. It came suddenly, a rushing whoosh of something that made her gag, and when she reached to wipe her mouth, her hand came away smeared with blood.”
So begins this thriller about a young intern, Jill Raney, determined to investigate tragedies and terror at a famous fertility and genetic engineering hospital. When two pregnant women die and a fetus is delivered with severe chromosomal abnormalities, Jill’s superiors – including handsome, smitten-with-her resident David Levine – insist there’s no common link.
But her suspicions deepen with the grotesque murder near the hospital of another pregnant woman – her belly drained of amniotic fluid. And when a woman miscarries in the hospital and then disappears, Jill frantically searches for her – following a terrifying path that seems to link all the victims: Is someone playing with life…and the structures of human life itself? An unforgettable tale of suspense with a shocking denouement, Embryo takes you deep into the mind of malignant genius.
Review:
I had the pleasure of being given the opportunity to read and review Embryo by J.A. Schneider. Her e-book was sent to me for purposes of this review.
For those of you that know me, I have difficulty staying in one genre for too long. I do love my romance but ultimately I need a break once and awhile, and so arises my love for fantasy, science fiction, and certain thrillers. I was very excited to hear that a medical thriller came to us on our list of books to be reviewed. Being a nurse, I was rather intrigued to say the least…actually, I was jumping for joy.
Let me be up front and say this is a medical thriller, and it is not for the faint of heart. Medical means that yes, blood will be involved, and that yes, there will be some terminology that a lay person may not be familiar with. And this is not just any type of medical thriller, it is an obstetrics medical thriller. Meaning that there will be babies and mothers that will not have happily ever after endings. In reality, OB is not always the happy unit we would like it to be. But, if you can get past this hurdle and jump ahead to the thriller and suspense part, the reader will not be disappointed. If you can’t, then this book is certainly not for you.
For those adventurous enough to move past these obstacles, you will be treated to a fast paced and well researched book. It is clear that the author has some form of background knowledge in medicine, because her description of the medical field and the daily activities of a new interns life is spot on. Her use of medical terminology within the story may seem overbearing to some, but for those that have worked in the hospital setting, it is appropriate. Her writing is superb and flows well.
As I read this, I found myself uncomfortably attached to these mothers. I was able to easily relate to their stories of pregnancy and to their feelings of grief and hopelessness. Yes, it is difficult when there is a loss of life, and the reader feels empathy and sadness towards these characters. Yet the pace is so quick that the reader is quickly able to move on without becoming overly engrossed in the actual death of the mother or the infant.
The only area that I found somewhat distracting was all the secondary characters. There seemed to be too many for me and I had, at times, difficulty keeping all the characters straight. I found myself more than once going back to previous pages, trying to remember who they were and what part they played in the story.
This was really the only critique I had with the book. Other than that, this was a sit on the edge of your seat, hold on to your computer, type of thriller. The ending is just plain wicked and disturbing. Readers will absolutely love it!
I will be looking forward to reading more of her work in the future. One question for the author though… when will you be making a novel about nurses? Hint
June 22, 2025
Half way through but didn't finish. Too similar a boilerplate to others I've read.
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