Immunity

Dr. Alexandra Blake #3

by Lori Andrews

One bizarre death is just that---a death. Two? Could be a coincidence. But in Lori Andrews’s latest thriller, geneticist Dr. Alexandra Blake discovers something much more dangerous than a killer---an epidemic.

Taking a break from decoding the genetic sequence of a tropical disease, Alex takes on an investigation into the gruesome and unexplained death of a DEA agent on a mob stakeout in New Mexico. Within hours, she uncovers similar deaths throughout the Southwest. Is it a naturally occurring epidemic or has a lethal bioweapon been released in the United States?

With the nation’s attention focused on a provocative presidential race, Alex’s attempts to warn Homeland Security fail. Only with the help of a rogue DEA agent and a cutting-edge supercomputer will she and the rest of her team at the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology stand a chance of putting an end to the devastation before public hysteria rages out of control.

From Alex’s lab to the closed rooms of a killer’s mind, Immunity maps the perfect sequence for an infectious, edge-of-your-seat thriller.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Thriller

336 pages, Hardcover

First published September 2, 2008

About the author

Lori Andrews is a law professor, a public interest lawyer and mystery novelist. She’s taught at Princeton, written for a television legal drama, and advised governments around the world about emerging technologies. Her mystery IMMUNITY (released as an ebook April 28, 2020) involves a pandemic during a presidential election. www.immunityanovel.com

Lori started her consumer activism when she was seven and her Ken doll went bald. Her letter to Mattel got action. She’s been fighting for people’s rights ever since.

A professor of law at Chicago-Kent College of Law, Lori frequently appears on television, including on Oprah, 60 Minutes, Good Morning America, and Nightline. The American Bar Association Journal calls her “a lawyer with a literary bent who has the scientific chops to rival any CSI investigator.”

Reviews

[Mandy · Rating 3 out of 5]

voor de bevalling, tijdens de bevalling, Na de bevalling. Maar wel redelijk boek haha.

[Matt Egan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Simply Superb Work Of Fiction!

What can I say about Immunity to do it justice? A non-stop thrill ride with perfect plotting, pacing, characters and dialog couldn't be more well composed. Immunity is one of the best medical thrillers I've ever read. The toxin is nothing I would have guessed and there are several false leads so one doesn't know what is actually going on until the final pages. Highly recommended for any adult audience. 5/5 stars!

[Dan Downing · Rating 3 out of 5]

While not the best of the Apocalyptic Germ thrillers, the writing is newspaper level easy, the dangers real and the treatment of Homeland Security satisfyingly critical. A fine read for the two hours of a football game when nothing is happening or while waiting in the prissy doctor's office when they insist you be on time but keep you waiting.

[Louise · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book started off with probably almost 4 stars! As it progressed it became more and more preposterous til 2 stars is all it could merit.

Govt agents run amok amongst crazy scientists....and epidemics....

Give it a pass! It was recommended on one of the "read it now" book sites...I won't do that again.

[Kathrin Schröder · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bei der Rezension entdeckte ich, dass dieses Buch das 3. einer Reihe ist - auch ohne die Vorgänger zu kennen, tut das der Unterhaltung keinen Abbruch.

Der Titel ist aus meiner Sicht ein wenig falsch gewählt, da hier weniger ein natürlicher Ausbruch als eine menschengemachte Krankheit betrachtet wird.

Der Thriller ist solide geschrieben, die Personen so zwischen Klischee und überzeugend angesiedelt und die Geschichte zwischen fantasievoll erdacht und realistisch, dass das Buch eine gute Leseunterhaltung für zwischendurch bietet. Die erste Hälfte des Buches hat mir besser gefallen, als die zweite, da mit fortschreitendem Buch alles immer vorhersehbarer wurde. Aber die Geschichte hat bis zum Ende unterhaltsame und auch amüsante Elemente und verliert den Lesespaß nicht.

Solide 4 Sterne für ein unterhaltsames Buch mit nicht zu hohem Anspruch

#Epidemie #LoriAndrews #Netgalleyde #Rezension #KathrinliebtLesen #Bookstagram

[Margy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting story line if a bit unrealistic. I would have found it even more unrealistic 8 months ago. I listened to this book and couldn't decide if it was the writer or the reader that made it sound so goofy but it interested me enough to stick it out to the end. I wouldn't recommend it

[Dolina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Geneticist Alex Blake tries to track down a mysterious disease or possible terrorist biological agent that is causing deaths across the Southwest. The author brings her background in science to this thriller. I didn't like this book as much as the earlier two in the series.

[Nina · Rating 2 out of 5]

Started out pretty good but then became too far fetched and technically off.

[Vera VB · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ted en Castro werken bij de DEA (anti drugs bureau van VS) en zijn bezig met een undercover opdracht om te zoeken wie verantwoordelijke is voor de nieuwe rape drug J. Verschillende jonge meisjes zijn al slachtoffer geworden, sommmige met dodelijke afloop. Tijdens een opdracht in het veld overlijdt Ted op een snelle en gruwelijke manier voor de ogen van Castro.
Alex Blake is dokter, wetenschapper en gespecialiseerd in DNA profielen. Ze zit mee in een comissie om nieuwe of bestaande dodelijke ziekten die mogelijk een epidemie kunnen vormen te onderscheppen.
Castro en Alex komen elkaar tegen tijdens de afwikkeling, lees doofpot, van de dood van Ted. Men probeert het af te doen alsof Ted zelf aan de cocaïne zat. Castro weet beter en is bereid ver te gaan om de waarheid te onderzoeken.
De symptomen die tot de dood van Ted geleid hebben, komen plots ook bij andere mensen voor, in eerste instantie bij kinderen, daarna ook bij volwassenen. Wanneer dan ook nog eens blijkt dat personen die in contact zijn geweest met een slachtoffer, ook overlijden, is het hek van de dam. Paniek beheerst de politiek en de maatschappij. Er worden schuldigen gezocht en al helemaal wanneer de vraag zich voordoet: is dit een toevallige nieuwe ziekteverwekker, of is dit gefabriceerd en bewust verspreid? Bioterrorisme?
Aan Alex en Castro om dit uit te zoeken. Ze worden door verschillende instanties tegengewerkt.

Het is dat ik een achtergrond heb van klinische scheikunde en informatica, want anders zijn sommige stukken in dit boek best wel moeilijk te begrijpen. De auteur doet wel veel moeite om het allemaal uit te leggen, maar daardoor komt het soms wat te belerend over.
Er zit ook een serieuze politieke laag in dit boek.

Het duo Alex en Castro zou wat mij betreft wel eens het begin van een reeks kunnen zijn.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

DEA Agent Castro Baxter and his partner, Ted are out on a stakeout, when all of a sudden Ted starts having convulsions. Ted’s whole body is rapidly swelling. Before Castro can get help Ted dies. Castro’s boss thinks Ted died of a drug overdose but Castro believes that’s not true. When Dr. Alexandra Blake gets involved, her tests prove Ted didn’t die of an overdose but of something more horrifying. Before Alex knows it people all over are dying. It is turning out to be a major outbreak of the dangerous kind. Alex will have to use every part of her knowledge as well as wits about her in order to keep more people from dying. That’s the easy part. The obstacle will be staying alive. The people responsible for starting this whole epidemic don’t appreciate Alex sticking her nose where it doesn’t belong. Will the bad guys end up on top this time or can Alex come out the hero?


Readers who have followed Dr. Alexandra Blake will not be disappointed in Lori Andrew’s latest Immunity. The plot for this book was both intriguing and frightening. Intriguing that something like this could happen so easily and frightening for the same fact. For anyone who likes medical thrillers then you will enjoy reading this book. From the first couple of pages till the end, Immunity was first-class. I thought Immunity was a mix between a Tess Gerritsen novel and CSI. Need I say more? Ms. Andrews brings so much intensity with her expertise on genetics and law. See for yourself what I am talking about in Immunity.

[Richard · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a well-written book about disturbing deaths in which the person suddenly swells up, bones break, the victim bleeds from the mouth and nose, and dies within moments. This started with the gruesome death of a DEA agent on a stakeout in New Mexico. Within hours additional deaths are reported in the region of people exhibiting the same symptoms. Alex is a geneticist who has joined the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, or AFIP, to sequence the genomes of deadly epidemic diseases. Soon she is deeply involved with attempting to help find the person they believe is responsible for the spreading of the "plague" from one state to another, as the number of deaths climb into the hundreds.

From beginning to end this is a story that is difficult to put down, even for the night. Throw in a little romance, and a great deal of government interference from Homeland Security -- to the extent of stealing the body of the first victim, taking away Alex's high level security clearance --and we have a first rate novel. The author, herself, is an expert on genetics and calls upon her own background to make the story even more believable.

[Catherine Woodman]

This is the first book I have read by this author, who seems to pride herself on her forensic knowledge, which may be quite impressive, but I did not really get it. the story is written competently but not in a voice that made me want to rush out and read more--or maybe not even another one...THe protagonist was the best part of the story, so it may be just that I wasn't in the mood for it, but it didn't wow me, even for the genre (which is my lowest bar to cross over ).

[Kari · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book wasn't at all what I'd expected--Instead of a deadly virus, it was more about the body's own immune system going haywire. I was kind of in the mood for a bioterrorism type of novel (which is essentially what it was), but I'd kind of hoped for the next Andromeda Strain or Hot Zone...I wasn't too disappointed, though. The book WAS overall very thought-provoking. However, it failed to scare/fascinate me to the point in which I was hanging on the edge of my seat.

[Kristy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book revolved around the spread of some sort of agent that caused people to excessively swell and die in a very short period of time, making it nearly impossible to treat/save them. Alex Blake and the AFIP struggle to figure out if it's a naturally occuring epidemic or if there's a serial killer releasing a biowarfare agent.

[Jane · Rating 3 out of 5]

Medical mystery involving Homeland Security female scientist and a possible outbreak of hideous,catagious, immune system disease. A good read for those who like Robin Cook and Patricia Cornwell books. The conclusion was a little too neat to be entirely credible but fast paced action and relevance to today's technology and society kept me hooked throughout the book.

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Disappointing. The weakest of the Alexandra Blake novels so far, Immunity sacrifices plot for pacing, despite an intriguing premise of Alex investigating an emerging pathogen in the American Southwest.
I really enjoyed the first two entries in this series, but Andrews is clearly off her game with this one. Not recommended.

[Jody · Rating 4 out of 5]

A rapid immune response is killing people. Is this a new disease or an act of terrorism? Dr Alex Blake tries to unravel the mystery and stay alive at the same time. I did like the idea of a DNA computer, he was pretty sassy.

[Erikah · Rating 3 out of 5]

After a 4 month sabbatical from reading...wow...couldn't believe it had been that long....I went to the library and checked out books! This being one of them. It is a very well written medical mystery.

[Anke · Rating 3 out of 5]

Leuke thriller, sommige dingen zijn heel reeel, andere dingen zijn wat overdreven. Goede hoofdpersoon, hier zouden meer boeken over geschreven kunnen worden.
Ik geef het boek ‘maar’ 3 sterren, omdat ik het soms erg veel politiek vond.

[Bethany · Rating 3 out of 5]

Andrews' fiction writing style has certainly improved since her first novel. I enjoyed this one much more.

[Constance · Rating 3 out of 5]

Listening to it on CD

[Jen Yttri (Lynch) · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fast read but another one of your typical scientific thrillers. Fun but wasn't anything new or special.

[Corky · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dr. Alexandra Blake gets involved in solving crimes by using her extensive knowledge of medicine, forensics, and genetics. This was a real page turner for me.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kept me intrigued until the very end. I am now going to read her first 2 books.

[Candace]

I am listening to this one on CD from the library. I really like the way she has a lot
of science and laboratory stuff in the book. It is a good book to listen to on the way to work.

[Bill · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty good.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really like this book. Very good plot and lots of information on potentially lethal diseases. I read this twice and still enjoyed it.

[Sandy Neal · Rating 1 out of 5]

Written by an expert in DNA who is also a lawyer. Not a good STORY. 'Nuff said.

[Theresa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this audio of Immunity, it kept me guessing till the end.