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Kate Maddox #1
Catch Your Death
Fear is contagious…
The No.1 bestselling internet sensation. Now in an updated edition with exclusive new material.
A terrifying enigma – with the power to destroy…
Twenty years ago, Kate Maddox was a volunteer at a research centre where scientists hunted for a cure for the common cold virus. That summer, Kate fell in love with a handsome young doctor, Stephen, but her stay ended in his tragic death and Kate fled to a new life in the US.
Now Kate is back in England and on the run with her young son, this time from her vile husband. But a chance encounter sets her on a terrifying path of discovery. What really happened at the Cold Research Unit two decades ago?
Pursued by both her estranged husband and a psychotic killer who is obsessed with his prey, Kate must fight to solve the puzzle of the past – uncovering a sickening betrayal and a truth more horrifying than she could ever have imagined…
The No.1 bestselling internet sensation. Now in an updated edition with exclusive new material.
A terrifying enigma – with the power to destroy…
Twenty years ago, Kate Maddox was a volunteer at a research centre where scientists hunted for a cure for the common cold virus. That summer, Kate fell in love with a handsome young doctor, Stephen, but her stay ended in his tragic death and Kate fled to a new life in the US.
Now Kate is back in England and on the run with her young son, this time from her vile husband. But a chance encounter sets her on a terrifying path of discovery. What really happened at the Cold Research Unit two decades ago?
Pursued by both her estranged husband and a psychotic killer who is obsessed with his prey, Kate must fight to solve the puzzle of the past – uncovering a sickening betrayal and a truth more horrifying than she could ever have imagined…
12 pages, Audible Audio
First published May 14, 2011
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 112 reviews
August 15, 2011
This was a cheap ebook, and, as always, it's a bit of a gamble. Some are brilliant, some are awful, this was just a bit meh. There is a cracking story in here somewhere, but the authors have buried it under a positive mountain of cardboard cutout characters and unbelievable plot contrivances. The premise of mysterious goings-on at a research facility, ostensibly working on the common cold but actually up to something far more devious, is an intriguing one, and the plot rattles along at a good pace. But somehow, it never quite works.
The main characters are completely flat. Kate is meant to be a highly intelligent scientist but, frankly, she comes across as pretty stupid, not to say flighty. Paul is entirely nothingy. The bad guys are over-the-top cartoon characters. The minor characters are one-dimensional. The technique of allowing pretty much everyone to have a shot at being a point of view character, which should give them greater depth, actually manages to make them less interesting. In Sampson's case, seeing exactly what is going on in his head makes him less scary - Hitchcock understood that very well - and it removes a great deal of the tension by revealing pretty much everything that's going on. Even so, there's still pages of detailed explanation necessary at the climax of the book.
Vernon is a classic example of a missed opportunity. The authors could have made him a much more sympathetic character - Kate must have seen something in him at one time, after all, and he's described as being intelligent - but no, instead he's a one-dimensional bad-tempered misogynist whose only function is to be a mini bad guy early on and to create the dramatic climax by hiding away with Jack (and miraculously turn into a nice guy for the happy ending - bleah).
As far as the plot goes, there are a few moments of cleverness - the business with swapping the two boys is nicely done - but there are too many coincidences and contrivances all the way through. The car chase sequence is quite ridiculous. A stag? Oh please... And what was the point of the shotgun in the boot? There were moments, too, when I was distracted by some of the historical details. Would Paul really have been able to use a PIN and card to get £1000 from a cash machine in 1989, for instance?
There was one other aspect that grated on me, and that was the crude sexual descriptions. Sampson's fantasies I could live with (he's barking, after all), but Kate's panting lust felt all wrong, somehow. I couldn't quite see what the authors were aiming for. Sexual tension is a great driver, but that doesn't mean telling us every physiological response in Kate's body. It's not romantic or erotic, and frankly distracts from the thriller part of the story. It would have been far more effective and subtle to keep Kate and Paul's relationship in a more enigmatic state.
But overall, the story is moderately readable, with a nicely dramatic (if overdone) climax, and if you can overlook the flaws it's quite a page-turner. I'm feeling generous, so I've given it 3 stars for effort.
The main characters are completely flat. Kate is meant to be a highly intelligent scientist but, frankly, she comes across as pretty stupid, not to say flighty. Paul is entirely nothingy. The bad guys are over-the-top cartoon characters. The minor characters are one-dimensional. The technique of allowing pretty much everyone to have a shot at being a point of view character, which should give them greater depth, actually manages to make them less interesting. In Sampson's case, seeing exactly what is going on in his head makes him less scary - Hitchcock understood that very well - and it removes a great deal of the tension by revealing pretty much everything that's going on. Even so, there's still pages of detailed explanation necessary at the climax of the book.
Vernon is a classic example of a missed opportunity. The authors could have made him a much more sympathetic character - Kate must have seen something in him at one time, after all, and he's described as being intelligent - but no, instead he's a one-dimensional bad-tempered misogynist whose only function is to be a mini bad guy early on and to create the dramatic climax by hiding away with Jack (and miraculously turn into a nice guy for the happy ending - bleah).
As far as the plot goes, there are a few moments of cleverness - the business with swapping the two boys is nicely done - but there are too many coincidences and contrivances all the way through. The car chase sequence is quite ridiculous. A stag? Oh please... And what was the point of the shotgun in the boot? There were moments, too, when I was distracted by some of the historical details. Would Paul really have been able to use a PIN and card to get £1000 from a cash machine in 1989, for instance?
There was one other aspect that grated on me, and that was the crude sexual descriptions. Sampson's fantasies I could live with (he's barking, after all), but Kate's panting lust felt all wrong, somehow. I couldn't quite see what the authors were aiming for. Sexual tension is a great driver, but that doesn't mean telling us every physiological response in Kate's body. It's not romantic or erotic, and frankly distracts from the thriller part of the story. It would have been far more effective and subtle to keep Kate and Paul's relationship in a more enigmatic state.
But overall, the story is moderately readable, with a nicely dramatic (if overdone) climax, and if you can overlook the flaws it's quite a page-turner. I'm feeling generous, so I've given it 3 stars for effort.
February 23, 2013
This book was kind of... meh. It started off really well, I really enjoyed the first 30% of it but then it just became really difficult.
The premise is really good, I really liked the sound of it, I really thought there was going to be a brilliant crime/thriller in here. The authors have, however, buried it under a positive mountain of generic characters and unbelievable plot twists. The idea of mysterious goings-on at a research facility, working on the common cold but actually up to something far more devious, is an intriguing one, and the plot moves along at a good pace. But somehow, it never quite works.
The characters had promise to be really, really brilliant. Kate is meant to be a highly intelligent scientist but, honestly, she comes across as pretty stupid, the bad guys are over-the-top cartoon characters, the minor characters are one-dimensional and as for Vernon - he was a very missed opportunity (Kate fell in love with him once) But he is, instead a one-dimensional bad-tempered misogynist whose only function is to be a 'bad' guy early on and to create the dramatic climax.
This could have been brilliant, instead it was just... average. I have loved many of Louise Voss' novels in the past, and this is a stark contrast to 'To Be Someone' for example and I don't know if maybe the problem was that it was joint authors - I've not read many joint-authored books in the past to cast judgement. All I know is I went in to this very excited and came out of it marginally disappointed. It was a good book, but it wasn't what I was expecting.
The premise is really good, I really liked the sound of it, I really thought there was going to be a brilliant crime/thriller in here. The authors have, however, buried it under a positive mountain of generic characters and unbelievable plot twists. The idea of mysterious goings-on at a research facility, working on the common cold but actually up to something far more devious, is an intriguing one, and the plot moves along at a good pace. But somehow, it never quite works.
The characters had promise to be really, really brilliant. Kate is meant to be a highly intelligent scientist but, honestly, she comes across as pretty stupid, the bad guys are over-the-top cartoon characters, the minor characters are one-dimensional and as for Vernon - he was a very missed opportunity (Kate fell in love with him once) But he is, instead a one-dimensional bad-tempered misogynist whose only function is to be a 'bad' guy early on and to create the dramatic climax.
This could have been brilliant, instead it was just... average. I have loved many of Louise Voss' novels in the past, and this is a stark contrast to 'To Be Someone' for example and I don't know if maybe the problem was that it was joint authors - I've not read many joint-authored books in the past to cast judgement. All I know is I went in to this very excited and came out of it marginally disappointed. It was a good book, but it wasn't what I was expecting.
March 8, 2012
I co-wrote it... so I'm biased!
April 28, 2012
Kate Maddox fleeing from her abusive husband in the USA returns home to England with her son. By chance she sees her lover Stephen who she knows died twenty years ago. The sighting takes her back to the time she spent with Stephen in the Cold Research Unit two decades ago. But the person Kate sees is Stephen’s twin brother Paul.
The meeting with Paul has her questioning her time at the unit and what happened there, and as she concentrates on it she realises that her memory is at fault and that there are gaps. Can she fill in these gaps and should she? What was happening at the Cold Research Unit all those years ago?
This is a chilling tale, as Kate seeks to uncover exactly just what did happen twenty years ago when she thought that she was participating in finding a cure for the common cold. As with Paul’s help Kate probes deeper, she puts herself and others in danger.
These mysteries set in Research Stations always make fascinating reading, but just sometimes, one wonders just how much is fiction! However, although we are all aware on one level of the ‘flu virus’s, seeing then listed was a scary moment. This is one of those unable to put down books – have to finish it or won’t be able to concentrate on anything else. And there is one of those delicious twists that have the reader reeling.
Highly recommended.
------
Lizzie Hayes
The meeting with Paul has her questioning her time at the unit and what happened there, and as she concentrates on it she realises that her memory is at fault and that there are gaps. Can she fill in these gaps and should she? What was happening at the Cold Research Unit all those years ago?
This is a chilling tale, as Kate seeks to uncover exactly just what did happen twenty years ago when she thought that she was participating in finding a cure for the common cold. As with Paul’s help Kate probes deeper, she puts herself and others in danger.
These mysteries set in Research Stations always make fascinating reading, but just sometimes, one wonders just how much is fiction! However, although we are all aware on one level of the ‘flu virus’s, seeing then listed was a scary moment. This is one of those unable to put down books – have to finish it or won’t be able to concentrate on anything else. And there is one of those delicious twists that have the reader reeling.
Highly recommended.
------
Lizzie Hayes
January 14, 2012
this was a fantastic book, couldn't put it down, so much so that i had to read it on my phone while i was walking the dog!!
fast paced book that kept me wanting to know what was going to happen next.
a book i would certainly recommend.
fast paced book that kept me wanting to know what was going to happen next.
a book i would certainly recommend.
July 9, 2017
It wasn't bad but like I said before, I had a serious problem with that fact that Kate just met the twin of her dead boyfriend and sent her son to her sister,mostly to have sex with him.
April 9, 2017
A compelling conspiracy thriller with a fast pace throughout - enjoyed reading it. Although development of a deadly virus is the root of the underlying story it does not dominate the action and you certainly do not need to know anything much about science.
August 3, 2025
Oooff, OTT for me and just plain eh. Will probably not pick up anymore books by this duo.
March 4, 2012
'She felt as if she was inside the sort of bad dream which just goes on and on, silently unfolding and transmuting from one nightmare scenario to another.'
Main protagonist Kate Maddox, an intelligent and successful scientist working at Harvard researching viruses, has returned to her native England from the US, bringing her young son Jack with her. She feels her marriage to obnoxious husband Vernon is over, and has made the break without telling him; he is expecting her and Jack to return to Boston in a couple of days. Kate, meanwhile, is staying in a hotel in London, considering her next move, when she is stopped dead in her tracks at the sight of someone she can't believe she is seeing. Two decades ago, after graduating from Oxford, Kate spent time as a volunteer at the Cold Research Unit, arranged via longtime family friend Leonard Bainbridge. The scientists there were attempting to make a breakthrough in their studies of the common cold virus. On her second stay there, a fire took hold and Kate escaped the building, later fleeing to America to live, but her beloved boyfriend Stephen, a young doctor at the facility, didn't make it.
The person who she is so shocked to see when she is in London becomes a companion to Kate in trying to uncover the mystery of what really happened to her beloved Stephen, and what was going on behind the scenes at the Cold Research Unit. Ultimately Kate will be pursued on two fronts, both by her angry husband and by someone much worse, a terrifying killer driven on by his obsession with Kate and by the instructions of his sinister superior Dr Gaunt.
Dr Gaunt and his menacing sidekick John Sampson are chilling, ruthless and amoral. Gaunt has devoted his life to collecting and developing viruses, with scant regard for anything or anyone who gets in his way, and his secretive work hints at a frightening possibility of a future outbreak of virulent diseases. Sampson is a cold-blooded, unfeeling killer who 'was glad he had no morals', with no feeling towards his victims; put simply '..he was a monster.' Together they provide a tangible sense of terror and fear throughout, and they are a persistent threat to Kate as she slowly starts to uncover the truth about the past, and realises that there is an horrific impending threat looming over her and her family and loved ones.
What an addictive read! This thriller, written by two authors combining their talents, had me picking it up again at every opportunity to read a page or two more because it was exciting and tense from fairly early on, and it successfully maintained the tension and my curiosity throughout, until the dramatic and revelatory ending. The main characters are flawed individuals who take wrong turns and make bad decisions at times; there were instances when I wished Kate had done something different, but the actions and decisions taken all add to the development of the story and lead us to a nail-biting conclusion. The terror Kate feels when confronted with Sampson is all too evident; 'When Sampson spoke, Kate had the sensation of being stroked by cold fingers. She could hear the darkness inside him.' If you are looking for an exciting, fast-paced thriller with twists, tension, and an element of romance, this could very well be the read for you.
When you've finished this book, next time you are ill and the Doctor tells you it's 'just a virus', well, you might just wonder...!
Main protagonist Kate Maddox, an intelligent and successful scientist working at Harvard researching viruses, has returned to her native England from the US, bringing her young son Jack with her. She feels her marriage to obnoxious husband Vernon is over, and has made the break without telling him; he is expecting her and Jack to return to Boston in a couple of days. Kate, meanwhile, is staying in a hotel in London, considering her next move, when she is stopped dead in her tracks at the sight of someone she can't believe she is seeing. Two decades ago, after graduating from Oxford, Kate spent time as a volunteer at the Cold Research Unit, arranged via longtime family friend Leonard Bainbridge. The scientists there were attempting to make a breakthrough in their studies of the common cold virus. On her second stay there, a fire took hold and Kate escaped the building, later fleeing to America to live, but her beloved boyfriend Stephen, a young doctor at the facility, didn't make it.
The person who she is so shocked to see when she is in London becomes a companion to Kate in trying to uncover the mystery of what really happened to her beloved Stephen, and what was going on behind the scenes at the Cold Research Unit. Ultimately Kate will be pursued on two fronts, both by her angry husband and by someone much worse, a terrifying killer driven on by his obsession with Kate and by the instructions of his sinister superior Dr Gaunt.
Dr Gaunt and his menacing sidekick John Sampson are chilling, ruthless and amoral. Gaunt has devoted his life to collecting and developing viruses, with scant regard for anything or anyone who gets in his way, and his secretive work hints at a frightening possibility of a future outbreak of virulent diseases. Sampson is a cold-blooded, unfeeling killer who 'was glad he had no morals', with no feeling towards his victims; put simply '..he was a monster.' Together they provide a tangible sense of terror and fear throughout, and they are a persistent threat to Kate as she slowly starts to uncover the truth about the past, and realises that there is an horrific impending threat looming over her and her family and loved ones.
What an addictive read! This thriller, written by two authors combining their talents, had me picking it up again at every opportunity to read a page or two more because it was exciting and tense from fairly early on, and it successfully maintained the tension and my curiosity throughout, until the dramatic and revelatory ending. The main characters are flawed individuals who take wrong turns and make bad decisions at times; there were instances when I wished Kate had done something different, but the actions and decisions taken all add to the development of the story and lead us to a nail-biting conclusion. The terror Kate feels when confronted with Sampson is all too evident; 'When Sampson spoke, Kate had the sensation of being stroked by cold fingers. She could hear the darkness inside him.' If you are looking for an exciting, fast-paced thriller with twists, tension, and an element of romance, this could very well be the read for you.
When you've finished this book, next time you are ill and the Doctor tells you it's 'just a virus', well, you might just wonder...!
March 11, 2012
I can’t imagine the writing process of a novel written by two people, but here we have Catch Your Death written by Louise Voss and Mark Edwards, and it really works. This thriller is a fast paced, edge-of-your-seat kind of read that has its reader gripped right from the start and doesn’t let go until the very end. I realised I’d read almost half the book in one go by the time I first put the book down, it’s that good!
The authors have obviously done a lot of research into the subject matter, but don’t let the fact that it is a medical thriller put you off. It isn’t complicated or wordy, it’s easy to follow with just the right amount of detail in it. In fact, the story will have you hooked!
I enjoyed the mystery side to it whereby Kate is missing chunks of memory and so we don’t learn about what really happened until she does. That and the tension helps keep the reader on their toes.
I liked the fact that the story dealt with a deadly viral situation that could realistically happen. And that’s quite a scary prospect really, especially when your immune system is already struggling to get rid of a lingering virus!
I thoroughly enjoyed reading Catch Your Death and I think it has to be one of my best reads so far this year. So… what are you waiting for?! Go and grab a copy!
The authors have obviously done a lot of research into the subject matter, but don’t let the fact that it is a medical thriller put you off. It isn’t complicated or wordy, it’s easy to follow with just the right amount of detail in it. In fact, the story will have you hooked!
I enjoyed the mystery side to it whereby Kate is missing chunks of memory and so we don’t learn about what really happened until she does. That and the tension helps keep the reader on their toes.
I liked the fact that the story dealt with a deadly viral situation that could realistically happen. And that’s quite a scary prospect really, especially when your immune system is already struggling to get rid of a lingering virus!
I thoroughly enjoyed reading Catch Your Death and I think it has to be one of my best reads so far this year. So… what are you waiting for?! Go and grab a copy!
September 30, 2021
Another Home Run by Mark Edwards. I love medical intrigue!
Harley didn't feel at all well. He was cold & his throat hurt. Kate felt a sudden tickle in her nose. (Ominous music theme here...) What a fantastic story. Awesome!! Just two small, well placed sentences and you start thinking the story backwards doing your own tracing in your head. Each time I read a new book of yours, that book becomes my favorite. At least I wasn't still working in my Doctors' office, during flu season (as I was when I read The Stand!) Again, you do have the very best of editors!! I am on to your next book on my list!!
Harley didn't feel at all well. He was cold & his throat hurt. Kate felt a sudden tickle in her nose. (Ominous music theme here...) What a fantastic story. Awesome!! Just two small, well placed sentences and you start thinking the story backwards doing your own tracing in your head. Each time I read a new book of yours, that book becomes my favorite. At least I wasn't still working in my Doctors' office, during flu season (as I was when I read The Stand!) Again, you do have the very best of editors!! I am on to your next book on my list!!
May 4, 2015
top rated book . a truly wonderful read which is full of in depth knowledge of viruses as well as a hidden program in England.
the main character lost her first love in a freak fire. it seems like she never found love again until she met then twin brother of her former lover.
a true adventure that I couldn't put down. this will be one of my top reads for 2015
the main character lost her first love in a freak fire. it seems like she never found love again until she met then twin brother of her former lover.
a true adventure that I couldn't put down. this will be one of my top reads for 2015
May 11, 2012
This book had me intrigued me from the start, I found it hard to put it down and I throughly enjoyed reading it.
I can't wait to read more about Kate.
(Book recieved through goodreads first reads)
I can't wait to read more about Kate.
(Book recieved through goodreads first reads)
March 15, 2016
Zusammenfassend
Kate packt sich ihren Sohn Jack und reist mit ihm von Boston nach London. Was sie ihrem fast Ex – Mann als kleinen Urlaub verkauft ist in Wirklichkeit eine Trennung. Eine Trennung von ihrem alten Leben mit ihrem fremdgehenden Ehemann. Doch was sie nicht weiss, ihre frühere Vergangenheit wird sie rasant einholen.
Den Kate war als Studentin in einem Forschungszentrum, welches sich mit Erkältungsviren beschäftigte. Doch als dieses auf mysteriöse Weise abbrannte und dabei Stephen, die Liebe ihres Lebens, ums Leben kam wollte sie alles verdrängen und verschwand nach Amerika.
Doch kaum ist sie wieder zurück in England trifft sie einen Geist, der sich als Zwillingsbruder von Stephen entpuppt; Paul. Und schon beim ersten gemeinsamen Gespräch bemerken die beiden, dass mit dem Feuer damals etwas nicht stimmte und Paul überredet Kate ihn zu begleiten, um dem Ganzen auf die Spur zu kommen.
Doch im Hintergrund spielt sich noch viel mehr ab, denn verschiedene Leute haben davon Wind gekriegt, dass sich Kate wieder im Land befindet. Den Kate ist gefährlich, sie weiss mehr als sie wissen sollte und wird als Bedrohung eingestuft. Plötzlich wird sie zum Ziel von etwas grösserem und eine Verfolgungsjagt um Leben, Tod und Viren beginnt!
Hier gelangt ihr zur Leseprobe.
Gefiel mir sehr
Schon nach den ersten paar Kapiteln war ich sofort von der Handlung und dem Rätsel um Kate gefesselt. Was war damals im Zentrum wirklich passiert? Wieso kann sie sich an kaum etwas erinnern und wer ist dieser seltsame Mann, der sich um sie “kümmern” soll?
Die Autoren schaffen es die Spannung von Kapitel zu Kapitel anzuheben, dies gelang ihnen vor allem dadurch, dass sie öfters Mal an einer Stelle aufhörten und das nächste Kapitel mit einer vollkommen anderen Person begonnen haben, so dass man auf die Antwort bis zum übernächsten Kapitel warten musste. Ich mag diese Art von Geschichtsfluss sehr, da dies einem zum weiterlesen fordert.
Ausserdem, ohne zu spoilern, das Ende war wirklich nochmal eine Überraschung und sehr Action reich!
Gefiel mir nicht
Die Liebesgeschichte zwischen Paul und Kate gefiel mir leider nicht wirklich. Das sie sich in den Zwillingsbruder verliebt und diese dann übereinander herfallen war mir irgendwie zu unsinnig. Da alles innerhalb von wenigen Tagen bzw. Stunden passierte, machte das ganze noch unglaubwürdiger.
Schreibstil & Cover
Der Schreibstil war flüssig und zugleich packend. Obwohl es um Viren geht, wurde das Thema so beschrieben, dass man auch als “Virenanfänger” verstand, um was es geht und man nicht jeden Begriff googeln musste.
Das Cover ist schlicht und dunkel gehalten, doch weckt durchaus Interesse und trifft das Thema der Geschichte gut!
Bewertung
Buchlänge ♥♥♥♥ (4/5)
Schreibstil ♥♥♥♥ (4/5)
Botschaft ♥♥♥ (3/5)
Lesevergnügen ♥♥♥♥ (4/5)
Vielen Dank an Randomhouse und den btb Verlag für das Rezensionsexemplar!
With Love
E.
Kate packt sich ihren Sohn Jack und reist mit ihm von Boston nach London. Was sie ihrem fast Ex – Mann als kleinen Urlaub verkauft ist in Wirklichkeit eine Trennung. Eine Trennung von ihrem alten Leben mit ihrem fremdgehenden Ehemann. Doch was sie nicht weiss, ihre frühere Vergangenheit wird sie rasant einholen.
Den Kate war als Studentin in einem Forschungszentrum, welches sich mit Erkältungsviren beschäftigte. Doch als dieses auf mysteriöse Weise abbrannte und dabei Stephen, die Liebe ihres Lebens, ums Leben kam wollte sie alles verdrängen und verschwand nach Amerika.
Doch kaum ist sie wieder zurück in England trifft sie einen Geist, der sich als Zwillingsbruder von Stephen entpuppt; Paul. Und schon beim ersten gemeinsamen Gespräch bemerken die beiden, dass mit dem Feuer damals etwas nicht stimmte und Paul überredet Kate ihn zu begleiten, um dem Ganzen auf die Spur zu kommen.
Doch im Hintergrund spielt sich noch viel mehr ab, denn verschiedene Leute haben davon Wind gekriegt, dass sich Kate wieder im Land befindet. Den Kate ist gefährlich, sie weiss mehr als sie wissen sollte und wird als Bedrohung eingestuft. Plötzlich wird sie zum Ziel von etwas grösserem und eine Verfolgungsjagt um Leben, Tod und Viren beginnt!
Hier gelangt ihr zur Leseprobe.
Gefiel mir sehr
Schon nach den ersten paar Kapiteln war ich sofort von der Handlung und dem Rätsel um Kate gefesselt. Was war damals im Zentrum wirklich passiert? Wieso kann sie sich an kaum etwas erinnern und wer ist dieser seltsame Mann, der sich um sie “kümmern” soll?
Die Autoren schaffen es die Spannung von Kapitel zu Kapitel anzuheben, dies gelang ihnen vor allem dadurch, dass sie öfters Mal an einer Stelle aufhörten und das nächste Kapitel mit einer vollkommen anderen Person begonnen haben, so dass man auf die Antwort bis zum übernächsten Kapitel warten musste. Ich mag diese Art von Geschichtsfluss sehr, da dies einem zum weiterlesen fordert.
Ausserdem, ohne zu spoilern, das Ende war wirklich nochmal eine Überraschung und sehr Action reich!
Gefiel mir nicht
Die Liebesgeschichte zwischen Paul und Kate gefiel mir leider nicht wirklich. Das sie sich in den Zwillingsbruder verliebt und diese dann übereinander herfallen war mir irgendwie zu unsinnig. Da alles innerhalb von wenigen Tagen bzw. Stunden passierte, machte das ganze noch unglaubwürdiger.
Schreibstil & Cover
Der Schreibstil war flüssig und zugleich packend. Obwohl es um Viren geht, wurde das Thema so beschrieben, dass man auch als “Virenanfänger” verstand, um was es geht und man nicht jeden Begriff googeln musste.
Das Cover ist schlicht und dunkel gehalten, doch weckt durchaus Interesse und trifft das Thema der Geschichte gut!
Bewertung
Buchlänge ♥♥♥♥ (4/5)
Schreibstil ♥♥♥♥ (4/5)
Botschaft ♥♥♥ (3/5)
Lesevergnügen ♥♥♥♥ (4/5)
Vielen Dank an Randomhouse und den btb Verlag für das Rezensionsexemplar!
With Love
E.
January 24, 2016
This is one of the worst books to read when you're laid up in bed with a heavy cold - which unfortunately I was when I read this.
That said, this is one of the worst books to read, full stop, at any time. It was pretty bad.
The story concerns a woman who was once involved in a clinical trial ending up meeting the twin brother of an ex-boyfriend sixteen years later and being chased round the country with him and her son, by her estranged husband, some psychopath identikit 'baddie', evil scientists and government conspiracies and all that crap. The characters aren't believable - mainly because they are either one-dimensional and stereotypical, or they are strong characters who suffer complete personality changes because they fall in love with someone they saw in passing. There is a massive disregard for how real people actually behave, there are numerous scientific errors illustrative of someone having done a little research and decided they can then simplify it for the lay-person without regard for accuracy (alas as a microbiologist myself, much of the virology in this book was stupidly wrong), and there was an odd smattering of bits in the story where it felt like the author(s) were throwing in references to ensure a book set in England would be understood in the USA too - which was very incongruous.
I used to read more books of this 'fast-paced' ilk, which required the reader to not think too hard about how unreal it all was, but too much of it jarred with me reading it now. I would have probably liked it had I read it as a teenager. That said, I probably could have written it myself as a teenager - that's how naïve and simplistic it seemed at times.
Oh, and by the way, the tag-line 'for fans of Dan Brown and Steig Larsson' is not the most accurate. Perchance the former - there were as many holes in this book than there are in some of Dan Brown's novels - but I would compare it to a Robin Cook novel, or perchance early Dean Koontz at his most schlocky. Crossed with Barbara Cartland in places.
That said, this is one of the worst books to read, full stop, at any time. It was pretty bad.
The story concerns a woman who was once involved in a clinical trial ending up meeting the twin brother of an ex-boyfriend sixteen years later and being chased round the country with him and her son, by her estranged husband, some psychopath identikit 'baddie', evil scientists and government conspiracies and all that crap. The characters aren't believable - mainly because they are either one-dimensional and stereotypical, or they are strong characters who suffer complete personality changes because they fall in love with someone they saw in passing. There is a massive disregard for how real people actually behave, there are numerous scientific errors illustrative of someone having done a little research and decided they can then simplify it for the lay-person without regard for accuracy (alas as a microbiologist myself, much of the virology in this book was stupidly wrong), and there was an odd smattering of bits in the story where it felt like the author(s) were throwing in references to ensure a book set in England would be understood in the USA too - which was very incongruous.
I used to read more books of this 'fast-paced' ilk, which required the reader to not think too hard about how unreal it all was, but too much of it jarred with me reading it now. I would have probably liked it had I read it as a teenager. That said, I probably could have written it myself as a teenager - that's how naïve and simplistic it seemed at times.
Oh, and by the way, the tag-line 'for fans of Dan Brown and Steig Larsson' is not the most accurate. Perchance the former - there were as many holes in this book than there are in some of Dan Brown's novels - but I would compare it to a Robin Cook novel, or perchance early Dean Koontz at his most schlocky. Crossed with Barbara Cartland in places.
November 15, 2020
Mark Edwards does it again. This time with Louise Voss. I really enjoyed their Forward Slash so I immediately looked up any other they had written. I will read All Fall Down next which is a sequel.
This was good on many different levels. One is that it deals with viruses including Covid and others that have existed in the past. How the researchers work to different ends. Some with good intentions and others as though in a competition.
This was good on many different levels. One is that it deals with viruses including Covid and others that have existed in the past. How the researchers work to different ends. Some with good intentions and others as though in a competition.
September 15, 2012
I really enjoyed it, though at times I found the styles of the different chapters a little disjointed, I couldn't help thinking the 2 authors had each written different chapters, I could be wrong but that's how it seemed. Would have been 5 stars but for this.
Looking forward to the next book 'The Anitdote'
Looking forward to the next book 'The Anitdote'
September 9, 2011
It was a bit plodding and predictable, and in a couple of case downright unbelievable. Some of the secondary characters were cliches (the ex husband, the stay at home sister who drinks too much).
Might read more Voss, but not super high of my list of books to read.
Might read more Voss, but not super high of my list of books to read.
May 26, 2021
Trigger warnings
This book was amazing! More then what I hoped for. An action packed mystery. Car cashes and kidnapped kids. Deadly virus and the worst of humanity. All mixed into a love story!
This book was amazing! More then what I hoped for. An action packed mystery. Car cashes and kidnapped kids. Deadly virus and the worst of humanity. All mixed into a love story!
June 8, 2021
A great read
A story that with all that is going on in the world at the moment is quite scary in places , the story crips you from the first page, brilliantly written and narrated story , thank you Mark Edwards and Louise Boss 10/10 and 5🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 on to the next book in this series 😀
A story that with all that is going on in the world at the moment is quite scary in places , the story crips you from the first page, brilliantly written and narrated story , thank you Mark Edwards and Louise Boss 10/10 and 5🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 on to the next book in this series 😀
December 4, 2011
Oh my gosh, it was great! My first time for this author and will be looking for more. It was fast paced, had believable characters and has a plot that is sooo scarey. Loved it!
July 14, 2012
Awesome book with an amazing end. Got a bit boring in the middle however it was a good read. Finnished it within 4 days!
November 22, 2012
Fast paced and very engrossing thriller.
January 24, 2019
Gripping read
This book really held my attention. The characters so real, my heart was in my mouth so many times , throughout the story. Great suspense thriller.
This book really held my attention. The characters so real, my heart was in my mouth so many times , throughout the story. Great suspense thriller.
May 3, 2019
Loved this and it kept me guessing throughout was very cleverly written and had some great scenes in. Pretty scary stuff to think about!
August 31, 2019
Fast paced thriller
The heroine has to patch together her memory to find out why she's being pursued. Love, adventure, and mystery thrown together for an exciting fast read.
The heroine has to patch together her memory to find out why she's being pursued. Love, adventure, and mystery thrown together for an exciting fast read.
September 21, 2020
I couldn’t put this book down. There is excitement right from the beginning and the unexpected keeps on happening.
March 28, 2022
Great read.
September 4, 2012
Good book. A bit long winded in places, but it gets to the point pretty quickly. Pleasant read
August 20, 2017
Bad. It started out acceptable enough for a relaxed read on a warm day, but the further I got, the more I struggled to continue. The reason was the bad writing and cardboard characters. Especially the main character Kate has to be one of the worst Mary Sue's that I've ever come across. Her character is very bland and plain, despite the fact she's supposed to be highly intelligent. It's often mentioned in the book how scientific and rational her mind is, but this so-called scientific way of thinking doesn't show anywhere in her thoughts, dialogue or actions. As a reader you're just supposed to accept she's this brilliant scientist simply because it's stated. There's no proof of this however.
Which brings me to the main problem of the writing: it's almost all telling, no showing. To my understanding, one of the most important rules of good writing is that it should be mostly (if not always) the other way around. I've cringed so many times with this book when the character's feelings were completely spelled out for the reader (in particular concerning the implausible and cringe worthy romance). Nothing was shown through description, action, or dialogue. I sometimes wanted to yell at the book/writers: 'No! Don't just tell us that, show us!' It just didn't make for a good reading experience.
Even the mildly interesting story line about the viruses just turned out to be a disappointing cliche. Some of the plot elements were promising, like Kate's 'reconditioning', but it wasn't explored much further and nothing very interesting was done with it.
I can appreciate the attempt at writing. The writers probably had fun with the wild story line. However in my opinion, it's just not good. If you can get this for free like me, it's worth a shot, as you might enjoy it. But personally I wouldn't recommend buying.
Which brings me to the main problem of the writing: it's almost all telling, no showing. To my understanding, one of the most important rules of good writing is that it should be mostly (if not always) the other way around. I've cringed so many times with this book when the character's feelings were completely spelled out for the reader (in particular concerning the implausible and cringe worthy romance). Nothing was shown through description, action, or dialogue. I sometimes wanted to yell at the book/writers: 'No! Don't just tell us that, show us!' It just didn't make for a good reading experience.
Even the mildly interesting story line about the viruses just turned out to be a disappointing cliche. Some of the plot elements were promising, like Kate's 'reconditioning', but it wasn't explored much further and nothing very interesting was done with it.
I can appreciate the attempt at writing. The writers probably had fun with the wild story line. However in my opinion, it's just not good. If you can get this for free like me, it's worth a shot, as you might enjoy it. But personally I wouldn't recommend buying.
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