What do you think?
Rate this book
CRISPR'd: A Medical Thriller
For fans of Julia Buckley and Tess Gerritsen, a debut featuring a killer in plain sight using a microscopic murder weapon, the cutting edge gene-editing CRISPR. Boston geneticist Dr. Saul Kramer is on the cutting edge of genetic disease research. Revered among clients at his IVF clinic, he harbors a dark secret. In addition to helping infertile couples conceive healthy babies, Dr. Kramer is obsessed, for his own dark reasons, with an alternate mission as well. In certain patients, he uses the gene editing technology CRISPR to tamper with embryos, not to improve the health of the embryos, but to replace a healthy gene with a deadly mutation. A young female journalist, Sammie Fuller, begins to suspect what he has done when three infants conceived at his clinic die mysteriously, all at about one year old. She and a molecular biologist work secretly in his MIT lab to identify any genetic defects in the deceased children and together make a chilling discovery. Thanks to Sammie’s blockbuster stories, which go viral, Dr. Kramer is charged with murder and winds up in court. In the subsequent dramatic court scenes, his feisty defense lawyer stuns the world with her defense. Set in this uneasy time of genetic engineering with CRISPR technology, Foreman, spins a compelling tale of love, revenge, and murder.
223 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 15, 2022
81 people are currently reading
255 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 60 reviews
June 5, 2022
I happen to very much enjoy a good medical thriller such as those written by Robin Cook.
This book is not that. It is manipulation of the worst kind.
A mad scientist is messing with embryos of certain clients that he hates because of their German names.
Then we have some chapters about the “Me Too” movement which come out of nowhere having nothing to do with a supposed ‘medical thriller’.
Then we get into the argument of pro-life vs pro-choice.
Then we have back and forth chapters 2018/2019/2020/2015/2016 not in any particular order.
This is a medical horror story where the author has broached hot-button subjects but in a most unprofessional way that does not serve anyone on either side of the argument(s).
I am just glad I didn’t pay for this S***
The author is a ‘highly educated’ woman – save me from ‘highly educated’ people.
This book is not that. It is manipulation of the worst kind.
A mad scientist is messing with embryos of certain clients that he hates because of their German names.
Then we have some chapters about the “Me Too” movement which come out of nowhere having nothing to do with a supposed ‘medical thriller’.
Then we get into the argument of pro-life vs pro-choice.
Then we have back and forth chapters 2018/2019/2020/2015/2016 not in any particular order.
This is a medical horror story where the author has broached hot-button subjects but in a most unprofessional way that does not serve anyone on either side of the argument(s).
I am just glad I didn’t pay for this S***
The author is a ‘highly educated’ woman – save me from ‘highly educated’ people.
November 11, 2021
I would like to believe that publishers not only value positive opinions, but also draw the right conclusions from negative ones. After all, not everyone likes every book, we are different. As for a bad book to my liking, others may find value in that book. And I hope they expect an honest review from everyone here.
After reading the first pages, I thought it was going to be an exciting medical thriller with legal drama and science fiction elements. Then the story started to slip more and more into a #MeToo propaganda. I understand that this is a trendy topic right now and there is a reason for it, but now I didn’t feel like I should read any further, I DNF it at 40%. Anyone who isn’t bothered by the propaganda of the book will probably find it an interesting book because I liked the medical part. Unfortunately, the figure of the journalist did not come to life, I did not understand the driving force behind her actions. And no matter how I want to write about every book only good, now I can't give a positive opinion about this book.
After reading the first pages, I thought it was going to be an exciting medical thriller with legal drama and science fiction elements. Then the story started to slip more and more into a #MeToo propaganda. I understand that this is a trendy topic right now and there is a reason for it, but now I didn’t feel like I should read any further, I DNF it at 40%. Anyone who isn’t bothered by the propaganda of the book will probably find it an interesting book because I liked the medical part. Unfortunately, the figure of the journalist did not come to life, I did not understand the driving force behind her actions. And no matter how I want to write about every book only good, now I can't give a positive opinion about this book.
March 31, 2022
I am PhD in genetics and I love to read medical thrillers. However, I have to say that CRISPR’d by Judy Foreman was one of the worst novels that I ever read in my life. The story has A LOT of conceptual mistakes in terms of genetics and science. The author definitely should have ask a scientist to review the novel before the release. The characters and the plot are poorly developed. Some chapters even don’t make sense. Absolutely not recommend!!
March 1, 2022
I have had a number of books sent to me by authors and publishers for review, and I frequently regret accepting the books when I can't recommend them. I have a huge guilt complex.
A couple weeks ago I was contacted about this new book, read the premise and accepted. I love medical thrillers. I've read all of Robin Cook, Michael Palmer, Patricia Cornwell.....so this novel about IVF and gene editing was intriguing.
I loved it! Read it greedily in two days and the topic, pace, characters and resolution were all spot on. A big hit for this new-to-fiction author. Additionally, as a woman with PCOS, I related to the desire to have a child along with the need for medical intervention. I was on this journey myself 30 years ago and have two sons thanks to Clomid, a patient OBGYN and time.
My only teeny tiny recommendation to the author is - there was a lot to unpack here. Foreman wrote about a current topic and included a lot of current issues in the book and I think some of it was distracting.
I'd read her next book and happily recommend this one.
A couple weeks ago I was contacted about this new book, read the premise and accepted. I love medical thrillers. I've read all of Robin Cook, Michael Palmer, Patricia Cornwell.....so this novel about IVF and gene editing was intriguing.
I loved it! Read it greedily in two days and the topic, pace, characters and resolution were all spot on. A big hit for this new-to-fiction author. Additionally, as a woman with PCOS, I related to the desire to have a child along with the need for medical intervention. I was on this journey myself 30 years ago and have two sons thanks to Clomid, a patient OBGYN and time.
My only teeny tiny recommendation to the author is - there was a lot to unpack here. Foreman wrote about a current topic and included a lot of current issues in the book and I think some of it was distracting.
I'd read her next book and happily recommend this one.
June 20, 2023
In this debut from Judy Foreman, she looks at the ethics of genetic manipulation.
"Dr. Saul Kramer is a well-known IVF doctor in Boston. Several babies from his practice die of a rare genetic disease. A reporter, Sammie Fuller, makes the connection to Dr. Kramer and his lab and now he's on trial for murder."
There's a lot going on in this book. Foreman touches on a lot of different topics - gene manipulation, #metoo movement, abortion rights and even Nazis. Kramer is a briliant doctor with some serious mental health issues. It's a dangerous combination.
The book starts out in the courtroom so you think it's going to be a courtroom drama but it becomes something different. There's a lot of backstory with Dr. Kramer and the reporter, Sammie.
There's also a lot of science - much of it unecessary to the story. (two pages of protein sequences?)
The bones to be a great story are there but it never quite reaches that level. It's still okay and if you love science-y books you should enjoy this one.
"Dr. Saul Kramer is a well-known IVF doctor in Boston. Several babies from his practice die of a rare genetic disease. A reporter, Sammie Fuller, makes the connection to Dr. Kramer and his lab and now he's on trial for murder."
There's a lot going on in this book. Foreman touches on a lot of different topics - gene manipulation, #metoo movement, abortion rights and even Nazis. Kramer is a briliant doctor with some serious mental health issues. It's a dangerous combination.
The book starts out in the courtroom so you think it's going to be a courtroom drama but it becomes something different. There's a lot of backstory with Dr. Kramer and the reporter, Sammie.
There's also a lot of science - much of it unecessary to the story. (two pages of protein sequences?)
The bones to be a great story are there but it never quite reaches that level. It's still okay and if you love science-y books you should enjoy this one.
June 23, 2023
I try to avoid giving 1-star reviews, I’d rather just quietly not mention my opinion and leave it unreviewed. As a creator and as I mature, I am loathe to unnecessarily malign an author’s work or cause them grief. But for this book, I feel it would be irresponsible to leave it be.
There’re plenty of other reviews complaining about the quality of the prose, the characterization, or the detours into #metoo, SA, and personhood. I will leave those aside. Read those reviews and make up your mind without my opinion. I’m not here to address those aspects of the book, and my 1-star is not a reflection on any of that. I’m here to talk solely about the science.
My bona fides: I am a molecular biologist by trade. I spent over 20 years editing DNA. I teach college level genetics. I spend a chunk of time discussing the ethics of gene editing with my students every semester.
The topics the author brings up are important to discuss. It’s important we raise awareness of the benefits and dangers of gene editing. I was excited and thrilled to read this book.
But. As someone who is responsible for communicating science to her audience, the way the entire scientific half of the book was portrayed was frankly irresponsible and shoddily done. No aspect of the DNA editing was remotely in the same ballpark as anything resembling reality.
I am not expecting a step by step perfect recreation of a lab experiment in writing. I am not one of those people railing against the sound of explosions in space, or sparks flying from panels of blinking lights in Star Trek. But even a minor amount of scientific literacy would have made this book at least a passable warning about the dangers of gene editing in the wrong hands.
Instead, this book actively misleads an already scientifically illiterate public about the nature of how important emerging technologies work and will affect all of our lives in the immediate future. I fear that the damage it may cause to its readers’ understanding of genetics, biology, and biotechnology far outweighs the potential benefits of its warnings against their abuse.
The author had a platform and an opportunity to inform, and biffed it badly. And the worst part is, the reality would have been so much more sinister and dramatic. As an example that is not spoilery: at one point it becomes relevant that there was 20 of something and a person could only find 15. The fact that 5 were missing was not a major plot point, but provided a sense of dread and scope. And the 20 had to each be obtained 1 by 1. The reality is that in that situation, the antagonist could have created them himself, only had to do it once, and could create a near infinite number of copies where no one would have ever been able to tell how much there had been or how much was missing. More importantly - this item that is the core central MacGuffin of the whole plot DOES NOT FACTOR INTO THE PROCESS AT ALL AND IS IRRELEVANT.
The reader is left with the erroneous impression that a gene is like a brick in a building that can be removed and replaced, and may or may not be there in the first place. This is a terrible, pervasive, and recurrent piece of misinformation that stagnates our public discourse on genetics and sadly muddles the public’s understanding in ways that play out negatively in our legislative and judicial systems. There are real and tangible negative effects of continuing to spread this type of erroneous mindset.
I cannot recommend this book to anyone. I am sorry.
There’re plenty of other reviews complaining about the quality of the prose, the characterization, or the detours into #metoo, SA, and personhood. I will leave those aside. Read those reviews and make up your mind without my opinion. I’m not here to address those aspects of the book, and my 1-star is not a reflection on any of that. I’m here to talk solely about the science.
My bona fides: I am a molecular biologist by trade. I spent over 20 years editing DNA. I teach college level genetics. I spend a chunk of time discussing the ethics of gene editing with my students every semester.
The topics the author brings up are important to discuss. It’s important we raise awareness of the benefits and dangers of gene editing. I was excited and thrilled to read this book.
But. As someone who is responsible for communicating science to her audience, the way the entire scientific half of the book was portrayed was frankly irresponsible and shoddily done. No aspect of the DNA editing was remotely in the same ballpark as anything resembling reality.
I am not expecting a step by step perfect recreation of a lab experiment in writing. I am not one of those people railing against the sound of explosions in space, or sparks flying from panels of blinking lights in Star Trek. But even a minor amount of scientific literacy would have made this book at least a passable warning about the dangers of gene editing in the wrong hands.
Instead, this book actively misleads an already scientifically illiterate public about the nature of how important emerging technologies work and will affect all of our lives in the immediate future. I fear that the damage it may cause to its readers’ understanding of genetics, biology, and biotechnology far outweighs the potential benefits of its warnings against their abuse.
The author had a platform and an opportunity to inform, and biffed it badly. And the worst part is, the reality would have been so much more sinister and dramatic. As an example that is not spoilery: at one point it becomes relevant that there was 20 of something and a person could only find 15. The fact that 5 were missing was not a major plot point, but provided a sense of dread and scope. And the 20 had to each be obtained 1 by 1. The reality is that in that situation, the antagonist could have created them himself, only had to do it once, and could create a near infinite number of copies where no one would have ever been able to tell how much there had been or how much was missing. More importantly - this item that is the core central MacGuffin of the whole plot DOES NOT FACTOR INTO THE PROCESS AT ALL AND IS IRRELEVANT.
The reader is left with the erroneous impression that a gene is like a brick in a building that can be removed and replaced, and may or may not be there in the first place. This is a terrible, pervasive, and recurrent piece of misinformation that stagnates our public discourse on genetics and sadly muddles the public’s understanding in ways that play out negatively in our legislative and judicial systems. There are real and tangible negative effects of continuing to spread this type of erroneous mindset.
I cannot recommend this book to anyone. I am sorry.
February 15, 2022
Received this book in exchange for an advanced review. The book is released today , 2/15 by skyhorse publishing @skyhorsepub and is written by judy foreman @judy_foreman . I give this book 4.5 stars out of 5. It kept my interest. Definitely a scary possibility with the CRISPR technology.
May 15, 2025
This reads like a second grader’s creative writing essay
January 27, 2022
CRISPR'd by Judy Foreman is a so-so story of a journalist.
Opening with the start of a trial in January of 2020, we know the defendant, Boston geneticist Dr. Saul Kramer, tampered with the healthy embryos in three cases at an IVF clinic replacing a healthy gene with a deadly mutation. The babies born died horrible deaths at around a 1 to 1 1/2 years-old from a genetic disease called Niemann-Pick. The doctor at the clinic used the gene-editing technique called CRISPR, which stands for "Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats." Sammie Fuller is a journalist who originally broke the case and is following the trial.
The narrative jumps back in time to 2018 and 2019 following Sammie's actions and investigations into other stories, not just the CRISPR case. (Two chapters are in 2015-16.) Once they suspect Dr. Kramer and a genetic defect, Sammie's husband just happens to be a molecular biologist at MIT so he can assist with the investigation. Sammie's story lead to the murder charges and subsequent trial. The whole reason for this novel is the argument that the defense uses.
Starting with the trial set up the premise that this was going to be a tense medical thriller. Regrettably, the novel wander off track and became more interested in Sammie's career, reducing it to the tale of a journalist's career before the big case. We are supposed to like Sammie, but she's a one dimensional character with little depth. The chapters on Dr. Kramer's actions provided a motive, but stopped there. I stuck it out, hoping for some connections, twists, information that would make it a thriller and live up to the initial opening chapter.
The writing was adequate, nothing special. There were several times in the novel where Foreman could have saved the plot and made it an actual thriller and instead went the opposite direction. I finished the novel very disappointed. In the end this became less a medical thriller than a treatise on correct thought.
Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of Skyhorse.
http://www.shetreadssoftly.com/2022/0...
Opening with the start of a trial in January of 2020, we know the defendant, Boston geneticist Dr. Saul Kramer, tampered with the healthy embryos in three cases at an IVF clinic replacing a healthy gene with a deadly mutation. The babies born died horrible deaths at around a 1 to 1 1/2 years-old from a genetic disease called Niemann-Pick. The doctor at the clinic used the gene-editing technique called CRISPR, which stands for "Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats." Sammie Fuller is a journalist who originally broke the case and is following the trial.
The narrative jumps back in time to 2018 and 2019 following Sammie's actions and investigations into other stories, not just the CRISPR case. (Two chapters are in 2015-16.) Once they suspect Dr. Kramer and a genetic defect, Sammie's husband just happens to be a molecular biologist at MIT so he can assist with the investigation. Sammie's story lead to the murder charges and subsequent trial. The whole reason for this novel is the argument that the defense uses.
Starting with the trial set up the premise that this was going to be a tense medical thriller. Regrettably, the novel wander off track and became more interested in Sammie's career, reducing it to the tale of a journalist's career before the big case. We are supposed to like Sammie, but she's a one dimensional character with little depth. The chapters on Dr. Kramer's actions provided a motive, but stopped there. I stuck it out, hoping for some connections, twists, information that would make it a thriller and live up to the initial opening chapter.
The writing was adequate, nothing special. There were several times in the novel where Foreman could have saved the plot and made it an actual thriller and instead went the opposite direction. I finished the novel very disappointed. In the end this became less a medical thriller than a treatise on correct thought.
Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of Skyhorse.
http://www.shetreadssoftly.com/2022/0...
August 10, 2025
This is the worst book I have ever and will ever read. The science was entirely incorrect, the plot made absolutely no sense, and the writing was just atrocious.
The scientific, medical, and legal fields were completely mis-represented. In addition, this book contains numerous racist and sexist remarks and ideologies.
The scientific, medical, and legal fields were completely mis-represented. In addition, this book contains numerous racist and sexist remarks and ideologies.
April 12, 2022
Review copy courtesy of the publisher in exchange for coverage on my blog.
It gets a 2 stars rating from me meaning it was ok because I read the entire book to find out what happened - and I feel like I learned a bit about CRISPR. I was hoping for more from the outcome of the legal case. Just not a satisfying medical thriller for me (and had been promised).
It gets a 2 stars rating from me meaning it was ok because I read the entire book to find out what happened - and I feel like I learned a bit about CRISPR. I was hoping for more from the outcome of the legal case. Just not a satisfying medical thriller for me (and had been promised).
March 27, 2022
The beginning of the book immediately sucked me in. I love medical thrillers and this one had so much promise because of the ethical issues associated with embryonic testing and genetics.
The inclusion of the #MeToo element was unnecessary and did not contribute anything to the story. It was around this point that it became evident that Foreman is a journalist and not a novelist.
Samantha is a journalist who is, luckily, married to a molecular biologist. She gets a scoop on a story about three infants who were conceived using IVF by the same fertility doctor, Dr. Saul Kramer, dying mysteriously around their first birthdays.
Sammie befriends the grieving families and they all become convinced that the only thing that their children have in common is the IVF clinic and Dr. Kramer.
An unconvincing attempted murder and rapid career growth rocket Sammie to national attention as she publishes her allegations in the Times.
While the idea for this story is interesting, there is almost no character development. Each character falls flat and is completely unrealistic. The mother that turns on her son, the wife that turns on her husband, the defense attorney who hates her client. The idealized roles of each of these characters take away from the tension and emotional battle that most people would experience if they found themselves in these situations.
While I believe this is an important story to tell, this was not the book or the author to do it. This is a great beginning but needs further development to flush out the important nuances, intricacies, and details that are necessary when discussing Issues related to viability, person hood, and genetics.
The inclusion of the #MeToo element was unnecessary and did not contribute anything to the story. It was around this point that it became evident that Foreman is a journalist and not a novelist.
Samantha is a journalist who is, luckily, married to a molecular biologist. She gets a scoop on a story about three infants who were conceived using IVF by the same fertility doctor, Dr. Saul Kramer, dying mysteriously around their first birthdays.
Sammie befriends the grieving families and they all become convinced that the only thing that their children have in common is the IVF clinic and Dr. Kramer.
An unconvincing attempted murder and rapid career growth rocket Sammie to national attention as she publishes her allegations in the Times.
While the idea for this story is interesting, there is almost no character development. Each character falls flat and is completely unrealistic. The mother that turns on her son, the wife that turns on her husband, the defense attorney who hates her client. The idealized roles of each of these characters take away from the tension and emotional battle that most people would experience if they found themselves in these situations.
While I believe this is an important story to tell, this was not the book or the author to do it. This is a great beginning but needs further development to flush out the important nuances, intricacies, and details that are necessary when discussing Issues related to viability, person hood, and genetics.
July 12, 2022
This book pleasantly surprised me. While it is is fairly predictable, it felt like a Hallmark movie meets science mystery. It's a cozy mystery book. Being a scientist myself, I loved the fresh idea of using CRISPR for evil for an idea for a mystery novel. I also loved the feminism in this book and how SA and Roe v. Wade were tied into the story line, especially with the recent overturning of Roe v. Wade. Regardless if you are pro life or pro choice, this book makes you wonder what side you would chose under these very specific circumstances in this book and I appreciate how it made me see some things in a different light. My only con about this book is that I felt like quite a few names were introduced all at once and I found myself getting confused. I love how the book ended and give it an overall rating of 3.75/5.
Thank you to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster publishing for this ARC!
Thank you to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster publishing for this ARC!
June 5, 2022
Thank you to NetGalley and Skyhorse Publishing for the ARC of this book.
Dr. Saul Kramer helps couples that cannot conceive to be able to have babies via IVF. He’s helped hundreds of couples have babies this way. He also conducts genetic research and has the help of two others, whom he tells his trying to “fix” embryos that have a genetic disease. In actuality, he’s altering the embryos from being healthy to having a deadly genetic mutation. When babies born due to IVF from his clinic, Sammie Fuller, a journalist, starts investigating. Dr. Kramer is indicted for murder. But why did he do this?
This book should not be described as a medical thriller. There is absolutely nothing thrilling about this book. It starts off with heartbreak and then gets weird. The Dr’s convoluted reasons for doing what he did, a twist of the #metoo movement thrown in, and an attack against the journalist leaves me to believe that this author had an idea, but couldn’t write a full novel and then just stuck random things in. IF anything, this book should be touted as general fiction.
Additionally, the author clearly did not do any research when it comes to legal proceedings. In the description of the book, the author writes that the Dr.’s defense attorney “stuns the world with her defense.” Anyone in the legal field, especially a district attorney that’s been at it for a while, wouldn’t be stunned by the defense. Pundits, blogs, journalists, they would have all seen it coming. Additionally, through the discovery process, and pre-trial motions, discussions, conferences, usually defenses come to light before a trial. There’s no way in the real would, his defense would have been shocking. Moreover, there’s issues with the way evidence is presented. An attorney would never just tell the bailiff to hit the lights to show a video – there is a process to getting evidence admitted into evidence at a trial. Even if there was a stipulation, that would have been mentioned prior to showing the video. It was just all sorts of wrong.
I gave this two stars because I felt the heartbreak for the families. While I have not experienced infant death, I don’t want to even imagine. The author was able to write in a way that pulled at my heartstrings and made me cry.
Dr. Saul Kramer helps couples that cannot conceive to be able to have babies via IVF. He’s helped hundreds of couples have babies this way. He also conducts genetic research and has the help of two others, whom he tells his trying to “fix” embryos that have a genetic disease. In actuality, he’s altering the embryos from being healthy to having a deadly genetic mutation. When babies born due to IVF from his clinic, Sammie Fuller, a journalist, starts investigating. Dr. Kramer is indicted for murder. But why did he do this?
This book should not be described as a medical thriller. There is absolutely nothing thrilling about this book. It starts off with heartbreak and then gets weird. The Dr’s convoluted reasons for doing what he did, a twist of the #metoo movement thrown in, and an attack against the journalist leaves me to believe that this author had an idea, but couldn’t write a full novel and then just stuck random things in. IF anything, this book should be touted as general fiction.
Additionally, the author clearly did not do any research when it comes to legal proceedings. In the description of the book, the author writes that the Dr.’s defense attorney “stuns the world with her defense.” Anyone in the legal field, especially a district attorney that’s been at it for a while, wouldn’t be stunned by the defense. Pundits, blogs, journalists, they would have all seen it coming. Additionally, through the discovery process, and pre-trial motions, discussions, conferences, usually defenses come to light before a trial. There’s no way in the real would, his defense would have been shocking. Moreover, there’s issues with the way evidence is presented. An attorney would never just tell the bailiff to hit the lights to show a video – there is a process to getting evidence admitted into evidence at a trial. Even if there was a stipulation, that would have been mentioned prior to showing the video. It was just all sorts of wrong.
I gave this two stars because I felt the heartbreak for the families. While I have not experienced infant death, I don’t want to even imagine. The author was able to write in a way that pulled at my heartstrings and made me cry.
February 16, 2022
🧬 January 2020 - Dr Saul Kramer is on trial for murdering three infants by tampering with their embryos during IVF implantation using gene editing technique called CRISPR.
🧬 2018- Sammie Fuller is a young female journalist looking for career breakthrough. She starts investigating the cases of unexplained deaths of three infants all conceived through IVF at Dr Saul kramer’s clinic. She along with her molecular biologist boyfriend Bob uncovers some chilling facts. Instead of using CRISPR technology for the benefit of mankind, Dr Saul is using it to insert defective genes in healthy embryos resulting in Niemann pick disease for his own dark motives. Will Sammie be able to find enough proof to charge Dr Saul with murder? Read this thrilling book to find out.
🧬 I have this thing for medical thrillers. So when I was offered a review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review I could not say no. 🙈 The plot of the book was quite unique and thrilling and the start was strong enough to grab one’s attention but halfway through the book the story seems dragged specially that #metoo movement part which wasn’t that necessary in my opinion.
🧬 The ending of the book was shocking but kind of predictable. And maybe if that starting court scene was moved towards the end, there could have been some suspense element in the book. Because everything was clear from the beginning
Being a doctor myself I loved the talk about gene sequencing and CRISPR and wanted more of it.
Overall it was a good read.
🧬 Thanks to the author for sending this book my way. 🙏
🧬 PS: I cant believe that I have binge read this book.
June 15, 2022
Boston geneticist Dr. Saul Kramer is on the cutting edge of genetic disease research. Revered among clients at his IVF clinic, he harbors a dark secret. In addition to helping infertile couples conceive healthy babies, Dr. Kramer is obsessed, for his own dark reasons, with an alternate mission as well. In certain patients, he uses the gene editing technology CRISPR to tamper with embryos, not to improve the health of the embryos, but to replace a healthy gene with a deadly mutation. A young female journalist, Sammie Fuller, begins to suspect what he has done when three infants conceived at his clinic die mysteriously, all at about one year old. She and a molecular biologist work secretly in his MIT lab to identify any genetic defects in the deceased children and together make a chilling discovery. Thanks to Sammie’s blockbuster stories, which go viral, Dr. Kramer is charged with murder and winds up in court. In the subsequent dramatic court scenes, his feisty defense lawyer stuns the world with her defense. Set in this uneasy time of genetic engineering with CRISPR technology, Foreman, spins a compelling tale of love, revenge, and murder.
This is a very gripping read.
Wonderful well written plot and story line that had me engaged from the start.
Love the well fleshed out characters and found them believable.
Great suspense and found myself second guessing every thought I had continuously.
Can't wait to read what the author brings out next.
Recommend reading.
I was provided an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher. This is my own honest voluntary review.
This is a very gripping read.
Wonderful well written plot and story line that had me engaged from the start.
Love the well fleshed out characters and found them believable.
Great suspense and found myself second guessing every thought I had continuously.
Can't wait to read what the author brings out next.
Recommend reading.
I was provided an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher. This is my own honest voluntary review.
November 6, 2022
This is the story of how research can go so wrong. Dr. Saul Kramer seeks revenge for the death of his infant son by sabatoging IVF embryos for patients who have certain DNA history. It is the story of a brave group of women and their spouses who fight back. It is an excellent book
Boston geneticist Dr. Saul Kramer is on the cutting edge of genetic disease research. Revered among clients at his IVF clinic, he harbors a dark secret. In addition to helping infertile couples conceive healthy babies, Dr. Kramer is obsessed, for his own dark reasons, with an alternate mission as well. In certain patients, he uses the gene editing technology CRISPR to tamper with embryos, not to improve the health of the embryos, but to replace a healthy gene with a deadly mutation. A young female journalist, Sammie Fuller, begins to suspect what he has done when three infants conceived at his clinic die mysteriously, all at about one year old. She and a molecular biologist work secretly in his MIT lab to identify any genetic defects in the deceased children and together make a chilling discovery. Thanks to Sammie’s blockbuster stories, which go viral, Dr. Kramer is charged with murder and winds up in court. In the subsequent dramatic court scenes, his feisty defense lawyer stuns the world with her defense. Set in this uneasy time of genetic engineering with CRISPR technology, Foreman, spins a compelling tale of love, revenge, and murder.
Boston geneticist Dr. Saul Kramer is on the cutting edge of genetic disease research. Revered among clients at his IVF clinic, he harbors a dark secret. In addition to helping infertile couples conceive healthy babies, Dr. Kramer is obsessed, for his own dark reasons, with an alternate mission as well. In certain patients, he uses the gene editing technology CRISPR to tamper with embryos, not to improve the health of the embryos, but to replace a healthy gene with a deadly mutation. A young female journalist, Sammie Fuller, begins to suspect what he has done when three infants conceived at his clinic die mysteriously, all at about one year old. She and a molecular biologist work secretly in his MIT lab to identify any genetic defects in the deceased children and together make a chilling discovery. Thanks to Sammie’s blockbuster stories, which go viral, Dr. Kramer is charged with murder and winds up in court. In the subsequent dramatic court scenes, his feisty defense lawyer stuns the world with her defense. Set in this uneasy time of genetic engineering with CRISPR technology, Foreman, spins a compelling tale of love, revenge, and murder.
March 14, 2022
Our story begins with the start of a trial in January of 2020, the defendant, Boston geneticist Dr. Saul Kramer, messed around with the healthy embryos in three cases at an IVF clinic replacing a healthy gene with a deadly mutation. The babies born died from a genetic disease called Niemann-Pick. The gene-editing technique used here is called CRISPR, which stands for "Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats."
Sammie Fuller is a journalist who was involved in the original case and is following the trial.
The narrative jumps back in time to Sammie's actions and investigations into other stories, the CRISPR case is seemingly pushed to the side. Ultimately the story is really about Sammie the journalist.
I enjoyed all of the medical stuff and how the story brings to people's attention that medical professionals are just people and like everyone else are capable of terrible things!
Overall, not what I was expecting but I still found myself engaged in the story and felt a connection with Sammie. There was always some incentive to keep reading. I’m giving this a solid 4 stars!
🌟🌟🌟🌟
I would like to say a massive thank you to @coriolisco @skyhorsepub @nandadyssou and @crispr_d for giving me the opportunity to read this book.
Sammie Fuller is a journalist who was involved in the original case and is following the trial.
The narrative jumps back in time to Sammie's actions and investigations into other stories, the CRISPR case is seemingly pushed to the side. Ultimately the story is really about Sammie the journalist.
I enjoyed all of the medical stuff and how the story brings to people's attention that medical professionals are just people and like everyone else are capable of terrible things!
Overall, not what I was expecting but I still found myself engaged in the story and felt a connection with Sammie. There was always some incentive to keep reading. I’m giving this a solid 4 stars!
🌟🌟🌟🌟
I would like to say a massive thank you to @coriolisco @skyhorsepub @nandadyssou and @crispr_d for giving me the opportunity to read this book.
July 5, 2022
The summary of "CRISPR'd" had me very excited to jump into this medical thriller. Dr. Saul Kramer is helping women get pregnant via IVF at his fertility clinic. While he has helped many women struggling with fertility, he also has been privately selecting specific embryos to tamper with. These embryos are having healthy genetic information removed, and a deadly gene inserted, causing death of the baby within the first few years.
Unfortunately, this book was a big letdown for me. I found the characters to be very underdeveloped and very little time was spent getting to know these people. While the story itself was interesting, it came across almost as clinical and factual in its writing. There was very little plot building or any suspense, so there was no excitement in wanting to know what would happen next. I think this story also branched out too far for my liking. Instead of just focusing on infertility and the morality of a doctor, it branched into the #metoo movement, as well as thoughts around abortion. Instead of tackling one main issue, the author took on too many "hot topics" in my opinion.
This book is a pass for me, and I would give a trigger warning for anyone struggling with infertility, or in the process of IVF.
Unfortunately, this book was a big letdown for me. I found the characters to be very underdeveloped and very little time was spent getting to know these people. While the story itself was interesting, it came across almost as clinical and factual in its writing. There was very little plot building or any suspense, so there was no excitement in wanting to know what would happen next. I think this story also branched out too far for my liking. Instead of just focusing on infertility and the morality of a doctor, it branched into the #metoo movement, as well as thoughts around abortion. Instead of tackling one main issue, the author took on too many "hot topics" in my opinion.
This book is a pass for me, and I would give a trigger warning for anyone struggling with infertility, or in the process of IVF.
June 23, 2022
When three babies die shortly after their first birthday, journalist Sammie Fuller senses a story. She soon discovers that eminent geneticist and IVF clinic director, Dr. Saul Kramer, has been using cutting edge technology to exact revenge on the presumed descendants of the Nazis that killed his great grandmother, using CRISPR gene editing to give them a deadly genetic disease. The book jumps around between different points of views and time points. I really wanted to like this book, but it was very disjointed and, as a scientist, I found just about everything related to the application and analysis of CRISPR to be ridiculously simplistic and woefully inaccurate. I found myself wondering why the author would not have consulted scientists with real-life CRISPR expertise to make the story more realistic. There were subplots that really didn't seem necessary. The concepts were interesting, and I liked the two perspectives on Kramer's trial, but I honestly found myself wondering if this was supposed to be a satire rather than a serious medical thriller.
I received a digital ARC of this book from NetGalley and Skyhorse Publishing in exchange for an honest review.
I received a digital ARC of this book from NetGalley and Skyhorse Publishing in exchange for an honest review.
September 17, 2024
CRISPR’d started out good. The background and establishing motive went well. The secondary storyline made sense. And then we got to the courtroom and it all fell apart. The almost non-existent defense side consists entirely of saying he didn’t kill a child because he edited their genes using CRISPR while they were still embryos and an embryo isn’t a person. The problem is those edited genes caused the pre-meditated and pre-planned death of around one-year-old children, not embryos. The prosecutor was so stunned by the defense that she had no real response. After the court case was completed, and the secondary storyline became incredibly obvious, the defense attorney announced to the world that her client should have been found guilty. It was all just so incredibly unbelievable with so many intelligent people acting like idiots. On top of all that, how law enforcement figured out the very convoluted motive is entirely glossed over. They just suddenly knew. With a bit of reworking of the last about third, this could be an excellent book. As is, it’s not one to go out of your way to read.
June 6, 2022
Thanks to Skyhorse Publishing for a ARC in exchange for my honest review.
To see my full review visit my blog: https://hausofroses.blogspot.com/2022...
Immediate thoughts upon finishing:
Such a fast read due to wanting to see what happens! The first half of the story is stronger than the second and I wish it kept up that strength throughout the trial. Where it lacked in character development, the science was there and the moral questions were there.
Overall Thoughts:
A thought-provoking book, and begged the question, when does life begin, and how much should we be able to edit with our genes? In my job, I've built out fertility clinics, and I have many friends and colleagues who have went on fertility journeys and I know that each one of them would go to great lengths to ensure they'd have a healthy child, and ensure that that the child has a fighting chance so some aspects of the book struck a deep chord with me. I've already recommended this book to a coworker, and we've agreed it should be a film.
To see my full review visit my blog: https://hausofroses.blogspot.com/2022...
Immediate thoughts upon finishing:
Such a fast read due to wanting to see what happens! The first half of the story is stronger than the second and I wish it kept up that strength throughout the trial. Where it lacked in character development, the science was there and the moral questions were there.
Overall Thoughts:
A thought-provoking book, and begged the question, when does life begin, and how much should we be able to edit with our genes? In my job, I've built out fertility clinics, and I have many friends and colleagues who have went on fertility journeys and I know that each one of them would go to great lengths to ensure they'd have a healthy child, and ensure that that the child has a fighting chance so some aspects of the book struck a deep chord with me. I've already recommended this book to a coworker, and we've agreed it should be a film.
June 30, 2022
Boston geneticist Dr. Saul Kramer is respected for his IVF work, but he harbors a dark secret. He uses the gene-editing technology CRISPR to tamper with embryos, which leaves unsuspecting parents in deep grief. It takes a journalist Sammie Fuller to uncover the truth.
This book tells the story of Sammie's investigation, Dr. Kramer's actions and the repercussions for the community. It includes plenty of technical terms and information about IVF. Readers also get an inside look at journalism
The premise of this book is interesting. What am humans, including me, capable of doing with the right tools and a heart filled with revenge?
But the flow is slow and choppy. The flashbacks to different years was also a confusing technique that didn't support the forward progress of the book. And the writing is emotionless. I never connected emotionally with any of the characters, including the grieving parents.
It also seemed like the author was trying to push a pro-abortion, anti-gun agenda. Rather than entertain, this book felt preachy.
This book tells the story of Sammie's investigation, Dr. Kramer's actions and the repercussions for the community. It includes plenty of technical terms and information about IVF. Readers also get an inside look at journalism
The premise of this book is interesting. What am humans, including me, capable of doing with the right tools and a heart filled with revenge?
But the flow is slow and choppy. The flashbacks to different years was also a confusing technique that didn't support the forward progress of the book. And the writing is emotionless. I never connected emotionally with any of the characters, including the grieving parents.
It also seemed like the author was trying to push a pro-abortion, anti-gun agenda. Rather than entertain, this book felt preachy.
June 9, 2023
When three babies die shortly after their first birthday, journalist Sammie Fuller senses a story. She soon discovers that eminent geneticist and IVF clinic director, Dr. Saul Kramer, has been using cutting edge technology to exact revenge on the presumed descendants of the Nazis that killed his great grandmother, using CRISPR gene editing to give them a deadly genetic disease. The book jumps around between different points of views and time points. I really wanted to like this book, but it was very disjointed and, as a scientist, I found just about everything related to the application and analysis of CRISPR to be ridiculously simplistic and woefully inaccurate. I found myself wondering why the author would not have consulted scientists with real-life CRISPR expertise to make the story more realistic. There were subplots that really didn't seem necessary. The concepts were interesting, and I liked the two perspectives on Kramer's trial, but I honestly found myself wondering if this was supposed to be a satire rather than a serious medical thriller.
June 18, 2025
I read this novel for a class two semesters ago. I remember a lot about it because I ended up creating a presentation on the genetic editing aspect for my class. Overall, I think that it was a solid read; however, I think it lacked something that would have really made it great. I have to give it some props for the interesting question it posed, not just to the jury but also to the reader, ' If one tampers with an embryo and then the consequences of those actions result in death post-natal...is that murder?'
I am someone who has kept up with the latest technological innovations involving genetic editing, and I think that this is a very important question to ask. We are quickly approaching a world where this work of fiction may indeed become a reality.
While I think Foreman's writing is solidly average, I think that her thinking is incredible and what society needs more of in this era of biotech. Maybe art and writing are one of the ways we can solve these problems and answer these questions before they become a headline on the morning news.
I am someone who has kept up with the latest technological innovations involving genetic editing, and I think that this is a very important question to ask. We are quickly approaching a world where this work of fiction may indeed become a reality.
While I think Foreman's writing is solidly average, I think that her thinking is incredible and what society needs more of in this era of biotech. Maybe art and writing are one of the ways we can solve these problems and answer these questions before they become a headline on the morning news.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 19, 2022
A repetitious book, not particularly well written, that harps on hot button issues like sexual harassment and whether an embryo is a person. The ending was just plain stupid.
June 30, 2022
CRISPR'd A Medical Thriller by Judy Foreman is compelling yet horrifying read. Dr. Saul Kramer, a geneticist who runs an IVF clinic, is hiding a dark obsession selecting unsuspecting couples to exact his twisted revenge. Samantha Fuller, a young reporter, slowly uncovers the truth and seeks justice for the patients.
This was not my usual genre but I selected this book because I was interested in how CRISPR technology would be integrated into the story. Genetic engineering through the use of CRISPR has the potential to offer life saving cures yet at the same time poses ethical dilemmas as well as the risk of misuse. (I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy and all opinions are my own.) This book was thought provoking and one that I highly recommend.
This was not my usual genre but I selected this book because I was interested in how CRISPR technology would be integrated into the story. Genetic engineering through the use of CRISPR has the potential to offer life saving cures yet at the same time poses ethical dilemmas as well as the risk of misuse. (I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy and all opinions are my own.) This book was thought provoking and one that I highly recommend.
July 12, 2023
Timely.
Mash up John Grisham investigative legal thriller with a Michael Crichton science thriller and mix in heated political, social, and ethical issues and create a story with strong female protagonist that push, persistently.
No easy, simple resolution that would deliver a decisive black or white decision, the story chooses to conclude with a focus on the positive, on choosing love over hate, forgiveness over revenge, and hope over despair.
Really, valuable read, this book reads like a fast-paced Pelican Brief novel while offering a clearer understanding of fertility treatment, in vitro fertilization, and gene editing. And fortunately, unfortunately all scientific breakthroughs have positive and negative uses and potential.
Mash up John Grisham investigative legal thriller with a Michael Crichton science thriller and mix in heated political, social, and ethical issues and create a story with strong female protagonist that push, persistently.
No easy, simple resolution that would deliver a decisive black or white decision, the story chooses to conclude with a focus on the positive, on choosing love over hate, forgiveness over revenge, and hope over despair.
Really, valuable read, this book reads like a fast-paced Pelican Brief novel while offering a clearer understanding of fertility treatment, in vitro fertilization, and gene editing. And fortunately, unfortunately all scientific breakthroughs have positive and negative uses and potential.
November 15, 2022
Judy Foreman writes reasonably well, although she tends to repeat words a bit too frequently. What bothered me was that in the courtroom, there was continual debate on whether a fetus is a person. But Ms. Foreman never broached the issue that the children that were murdered had reached an age of at least a year when they died as a result of the actions of a madman when they were fetuses. No debate at all about children dying, only fetuses being murdered. Would not a courtroom drama at least mention that issue? For Ms. Foreman, evidently not. I doubt I will buy another Foreman book.
March 29, 2023
Well, ugh. Someone should have written a solid medical thriller from this premise. This author didn't. Even as a non-scientist, I could poke holes in the way she ignored or misrepresented some of the science to further her plot. The motivation of the doctor was so flimsy as to be laughable. It was too convenient that the protagonist's husband was a microbiologist. (rolling my eyes) The final judgment is based on a hot-button issue that is poorly presented. Yes/no? Guilty/ not guilty? Then, after a whole book about gene manipulation, she offers a situation that could not happen.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 60 reviews