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Bioethics #2
Deadly Cure
The explosive sequel to the CBA best-seller, "Lethal Harvest." Around every turn in the story lies a blinding matrix of complicated motives and questions about the sanctity of life." A Guaranteed Fiction Title!
368 pages, Paperback
Published June 21, 2001
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
September 3, 2025
This was the second book in a series, but the first book was summarized enough that you don't feel that you missed out reading this one without it. I picked this book up while out on sick leave and chuckled that the disease they used as a "vector" was the one I had, "because it is easily treated." Yes, unless you're a chemical wuss and your immune system is shot. Anyway, those people died and I think it was to show that this was all experimental. Yet, when it counted, the altered cells would come through for us (oh. yeah, c'mon, that wasn't a spoiler, you know things will work out in the end). It was an interesting and educational book that told a tale and let you ponder the ethics of messing with biology.
June 5, 2015
When I got this book, I didn't realize it was a sequel to Cutrer's fist book, 'Lethal Harvest', and in retrospect, I probably should have obtained and read that one first. Most of the storylines in 'Deadly Cure' are continued from the first book, and Cutrer provides a complete summary in the beginning of this one, essentially spoiling any suspense if I were to go back and read 'Lethal Harvest' now. That said, because of the summary, I don't feel like I got lost at all in the 'whys' of this book and I was able to pick up the plotlines pretty early, as if I had read the other book already.
I'll try to avoid any spoilers from the first book in my review of this one. This is part of the author's 'Bioethics Series', so there is a pretty strong Christian theme to the book at times, but not so much that the story relied on it to move the plot along. Most of the overtly Christian passages in the book could have probably been cleaved out and the story would not change much, but knowing the characters' beliefs was important in that the main plots deal with the use of cell lines developed from embryonic tissues, which is a real-life hot topic in debates between scientists and religious leaders.
Dr. Ben and Dr. Luc are OB/Gyns who run a fertility clinic and also practice at the local hospital. The book opens with Dr. Ben on call when a woman comes to the ER ready to deliver, so ready that Dr. Ben doesn't have time to put on gloves or a gown before helping the baby into the world from the back of the car the woman arrived in. Turns out the woman has an unknown medical history and Dr. Ben has put himself at risk of all sorts of diseases by taking care of the woman and her child, so he wrestles with his oath as a doctor vs. his need to protect himself. Meanwhile, Dr. Luc and his wife are preparing to welcome another child to their brood (which already includes a handful of boys), when the ultrasound shows that the baby has some congenital issues that are either incompatible with life or will lead to a short and painful life if the baby is born alive. Abortion goes against their beliefs, but is knowingly attempting to bring a child into this world whose life will be miserable fair to that child either? As the doctors deal with their personal issues, they still have a clinic to run, and they welcome Courtney, an embryologist, to the practice. Courtney is not a Christian, and when she makes an error that she expects will get her fired, receiving forgiveness from the doctors comes as a surprise to her and leads her to investigate their faith and perhaps accept it as her own.
I have left the plots that come from the other book out of this review because I didn't know how to include them without giving away the cliffhangers. The plot involving the Mexican family that carried over into this book seemed awfully violent, and I couldn't quite figure out why the violence, or who it was really directed towards. Similarly, there was a reference early on to the President being ill and needing the help of these embryonic cell lines that Drs. Ben and Luc might have in their clinic, but the President's story seemed to be forgotten quickly. I imagine both plots were addressed sufficiently in the earlier book, and perhaps the one involving the President becomes the focus again in the next book. I probably will read the first book for these details even though I know how the plot goes, and will see if there are more books to this series.
I'll try to avoid any spoilers from the first book in my review of this one. This is part of the author's 'Bioethics Series', so there is a pretty strong Christian theme to the book at times, but not so much that the story relied on it to move the plot along. Most of the overtly Christian passages in the book could have probably been cleaved out and the story would not change much, but knowing the characters' beliefs was important in that the main plots deal with the use of cell lines developed from embryonic tissues, which is a real-life hot topic in debates between scientists and religious leaders.
Dr. Ben and Dr. Luc are OB/Gyns who run a fertility clinic and also practice at the local hospital. The book opens with Dr. Ben on call when a woman comes to the ER ready to deliver, so ready that Dr. Ben doesn't have time to put on gloves or a gown before helping the baby into the world from the back of the car the woman arrived in. Turns out the woman has an unknown medical history and Dr. Ben has put himself at risk of all sorts of diseases by taking care of the woman and her child, so he wrestles with his oath as a doctor vs. his need to protect himself. Meanwhile, Dr. Luc and his wife are preparing to welcome another child to their brood (which already includes a handful of boys), when the ultrasound shows that the baby has some congenital issues that are either incompatible with life or will lead to a short and painful life if the baby is born alive. Abortion goes against their beliefs, but is knowingly attempting to bring a child into this world whose life will be miserable fair to that child either? As the doctors deal with their personal issues, they still have a clinic to run, and they welcome Courtney, an embryologist, to the practice. Courtney is not a Christian, and when she makes an error that she expects will get her fired, receiving forgiveness from the doctors comes as a surprise to her and leads her to investigate their faith and perhaps accept it as her own.
I have left the plots that come from the other book out of this review because I didn't know how to include them without giving away the cliffhangers. The plot involving the Mexican family that carried over into this book seemed awfully violent, and I couldn't quite figure out why the violence, or who it was really directed towards. Similarly, there was a reference early on to the President being ill and needing the help of these embryonic cell lines that Drs. Ben and Luc might have in their clinic, but the President's story seemed to be forgotten quickly. I imagine both plots were addressed sufficiently in the earlier book, and perhaps the one involving the President becomes the focus again in the next book. I probably will read the first book for these details even though I know how the plot goes, and will see if there are more books to this series.
March 16, 2015
This book is a very good read and the is written by two amazing authors. It all leaves off after Tim Sullivan's death from his own cure. Ben McKay and luc Morgan ends up with the lg cell line that he made. One day that Ben McKay was working the night shift he was working in labor and delivery when a woman came in and he ended up delivering her baby in the backseat of the car. This is where he ended up getting infected with hepatitis c from her digging her nails into his arm. He hide this information from Marnie who he is in love with once he finally tells her that ended up getting married and having a baby. During Marnie's pregnancy she had a lot of complications with a low lying placenta and during the labor when the doctor induced her he ended up causing the baby to bleed out and they almost lost their baby boy, but marine ended up saying the baby with her own blood. Ben ended up getting sick again and almost dies when the new embryologist ends up making a cell line to save his life by working with his liver. The same cells that was used the Rivera twins and ended up not working on trying to cure the girls cancer. The only thing that saved the twins life was their baby brother saved their life by the use of his cord blood. Marnie ended up forgiving time her late husband for what he did. Everybody ends up living happy with the things that God gave them. Ben McKay is on his way to a recovery from the infection that almost kills him and caused him to have a stroke. He is getting the use of the right side of his body slowly.
I recommend that people should read this book and the first book in the series called lethal harvest.
I recommend that people should read this book and the first book in the series called lethal harvest.
April 3, 2008
It was really confusing for me at first, since I didn't read the first one. It was also pretty predictable. But, besides that, it was good. A lot like False Positive (except that False Positive is waaaaay better).
April 29, 2008
it's very thrilling and suspense. try to read this book. it's really good. But try to read the first one the Lethal Harvest..................
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September 11, 2010great 2nd book in the series.
September 14, 2014
The medical jargon in the book was a little tedious at times but overall a good story about doctors involved in stem cell research and how ultimately it saved one of their own.
November 26, 2014
character development needs work! I did enjoy the story line and learned a few things about bio ethics.
April 21, 2020
This was a great book!
August 11, 2024
Definitely better if I’d read the first one, although the author provided a summary.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews