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The New York Times -bestselling author and master of the medical thriller returns with another heart-pounding story of medical intrigue.
With her young son's potentially fatal neuroblastoma in complete remission, New York City medical examiner Laurie Montgomery returns to work, only to face the case of her career. The investigation into the death of CIA agent Kevin Markham is a professional challenge-and has Laurie's colleagues wondering if she still has what it takes after so much time away.
Markham's autopsy results are inconclusive, and though it appears he's been poisoned, toxicology fails to corroborate Laurie's suspicions. While her coworkers doubt her assassination theory, her determination wins over her husband, fellow medical examiner Jack Stapleton, and together they discover associations to a large pharmaceutical company and several biomedical start-ups dealing with stem-cell research. Laurie and Jack race to connect the dots before they are consumed in a dangerous game of biotech espionage.
With her young son's potentially fatal neuroblastoma in complete remission, New York City medical examiner Laurie Montgomery returns to work, only to face the case of her career. The investigation into the death of CIA agent Kevin Markham is a professional challenge-and has Laurie's colleagues wondering if she still has what it takes after so much time away.
Markham's autopsy results are inconclusive, and though it appears he's been poisoned, toxicology fails to corroborate Laurie's suspicions. While her coworkers doubt her assassination theory, her determination wins over her husband, fellow medical examiner Jack Stapleton, and together they discover associations to a large pharmaceutical company and several biomedical start-ups dealing with stem-cell research. Laurie and Jack race to connect the dots before they are consumed in a dangerous game of biotech espionage.
396 pages, Hardcover
First published August 10, 2010
642 people are currently reading
3337 people want to read
About the author
Robin Cook
190 books5,057 followersLibrarian Note: Not to be confused with British novelist Robin Cook a pseudonym of Robert William Arthur Cook.
Dr. Robin Cook (born May 4, 1940 in New York City, New York) is an American doctor / novelist who writes about medicine, biotechnology, and topics affecting public health.
He is best known for being the author who created the medical-thriller genre by combining medical writing with the thriller genre of writing. His books have been bestsellers on the "New York Times" Bestseller List with several at #1. A number of his books have also been featured in Reader's Digest. Many were also featured in the Literary Guild. Many have been made into motion pictures.
Cook is a graduate of Wesleyan University and Columbia University School of Medicine. He finished his postgraduate medical training at Harvard that included general surgery and ophthalmology. He divides his time between homes in Florida, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts where he lives with his wife Jean. He is currently on leave from the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary. He has successfully combined medical fact with fiction to produce a succession of bestselling books. Cook's medical thrillers are designed, in part, to make the public aware of both the technological possibilities of modern medicine and the ensuing ethical conundrums.
Cook got a taste of the larger world when the Cousteau Society recruited him to run its blood - gas lab in the South of France while he was in medical school. Intrigued by diving, he later called on a connection he made through Jacques Cousteau to become an aquanaut with the US Navy Sealab when he was drafted in the 60's. During his navy career he served on a nuclear submarine for a seventy-five day stay underwater where he wrote his first book! [1]
Cook was a private member of the Woodrow Wilson Center's Board of Trustees, appointed to a six-year term by the President George W. Bush.[2]
[edit] Doctor / Novelist
Dr. Cook's profession as a doctor has provided him with ideas and background for many of his novels. In each of his novels, he strives to write about the issues at the forefront of current medical practice.
To date, he has explored issues such as organ donation, genetic engineering,fertility treatment, medical research funding, managed care, medical malpractice, drug research, drug pricing, specialty hospitals, stem cells, and organ transplantation.[3]
Dr. Cook has been remarked to have an uncanny ability to anticipate national controversy. In an interview with Dr.Cook, Stephen McDonald talked to him about his novel Shock; Cook admits the timing of Shock was fortuitous. "I suppose that you could say that it's the most like Coma in that it deals with an issue that everybody seems to be concerned about," he says, "I wrote this book to address the stem cell issue, which the public really doesn't know much about. Besides entertaining readers, my main goal is to get people interested in some of these issues, because it's the public that ultimately really should decide which way we ought to go in something as that has enormous potential for treating disease and disability but touches up against the ethically problematic abortion issue."[4]
Keeping his lab coat handy helps him turn our fear of doctors into bestsellers. "I joke that if my books stop selling, I can always fall back on brain surgery," he says. "But I am still very interested in being a doctor. If I had to do it over again, I would still study medicine. I think of myself more as a doctor who writes, rather than a writer who happens to be a doctor." After 35 books,he has come up with a diagnosis to explain why his medical thrillers remain so popular. "The main reason is, we all realize we are at risk. We're all going to be patients sometime," he says. "You can write about great white sharks or haunted houses, and you can say I'm not going into the ocean or I'm not going in haunted houses, but you can't say you're n
Dr. Robin Cook (born May 4, 1940 in New York City, New York) is an American doctor / novelist who writes about medicine, biotechnology, and topics affecting public health.
He is best known for being the author who created the medical-thriller genre by combining medical writing with the thriller genre of writing. His books have been bestsellers on the "New York Times" Bestseller List with several at #1. A number of his books have also been featured in Reader's Digest. Many were also featured in the Literary Guild. Many have been made into motion pictures.
Cook is a graduate of Wesleyan University and Columbia University School of Medicine. He finished his postgraduate medical training at Harvard that included general surgery and ophthalmology. He divides his time between homes in Florida, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts where he lives with his wife Jean. He is currently on leave from the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary. He has successfully combined medical fact with fiction to produce a succession of bestselling books. Cook's medical thrillers are designed, in part, to make the public aware of both the technological possibilities of modern medicine and the ensuing ethical conundrums.
Cook got a taste of the larger world when the Cousteau Society recruited him to run its blood - gas lab in the South of France while he was in medical school. Intrigued by diving, he later called on a connection he made through Jacques Cousteau to become an aquanaut with the US Navy Sealab when he was drafted in the 60's. During his navy career he served on a nuclear submarine for a seventy-five day stay underwater where he wrote his first book! [1]
Cook was a private member of the Woodrow Wilson Center's Board of Trustees, appointed to a six-year term by the President George W. Bush.[2]
[edit] Doctor / Novelist
Dr. Cook's profession as a doctor has provided him with ideas and background for many of his novels. In each of his novels, he strives to write about the issues at the forefront of current medical practice.
To date, he has explored issues such as organ donation, genetic engineering,fertility treatment, medical research funding, managed care, medical malpractice, drug research, drug pricing, specialty hospitals, stem cells, and organ transplantation.[3]
Dr. Cook has been remarked to have an uncanny ability to anticipate national controversy. In an interview with Dr.Cook, Stephen McDonald talked to him about his novel Shock; Cook admits the timing of Shock was fortuitous. "I suppose that you could say that it's the most like Coma in that it deals with an issue that everybody seems to be concerned about," he says, "I wrote this book to address the stem cell issue, which the public really doesn't know much about. Besides entertaining readers, my main goal is to get people interested in some of these issues, because it's the public that ultimately really should decide which way we ought to go in something as that has enormous potential for treating disease and disability but touches up against the ethically problematic abortion issue."[4]
Keeping his lab coat handy helps him turn our fear of doctors into bestsellers. "I joke that if my books stop selling, I can always fall back on brain surgery," he says. "But I am still very interested in being a doctor. If I had to do it over again, I would still study medicine. I think of myself more as a doctor who writes, rather than a writer who happens to be a doctor." After 35 books,he has come up with a diagnosis to explain why his medical thrillers remain so popular. "The main reason is, we all realize we are at risk. We're all going to be patients sometime," he says. "You can write about great white sharks or haunted houses, and you can say I'm not going into the ocean or I'm not going in haunted houses, but you can't say you're n
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 417 reviews
February 6, 2011
The first six chapters of Robin Cook’s latest offering CURE were a real chore to get through but I thought I would stick with it and finish the book because I had enjoyed some of the author’s earlier works. That decision turned out to be a glaring error on my part. Between the unpronounceable names of the Japanese characters, the interaction between the two competing Japanese mobs plus the involvement of the American mafia who, it appears, all launder their ill-gotten money by investing in up and coming bio-research companies, plus the explanation of the “manufactured” stem cell R&D (unfathomable to someone without a medical degree) and the greedy bio-tech guru’s who hope to make billions by acquiring medical research patents no matter what the cost, this reader ended up with an unsatisfying read, not to mention a colossal headache.
As for the individual characters, there are just too many and none are very well developed. The medical examiner spouses, Laurie Montgomery and Jack Stapleton are fairly interesting although she is just a little too anal-retentive for my personal taste. The plot itself is convoluted and offers very little in the way of suspense OR surprises and the language used by some of the characters was obviously included for shock value. All I can say is that it’s a good thing that Mr. Cook has an “established name” because if this book were offered to a publisher by an “unknown writer”, it would either be languishing on someone’s desk or it would have already received a “thanks but no thanks” letter.
As for the individual characters, there are just too many and none are very well developed. The medical examiner spouses, Laurie Montgomery and Jack Stapleton are fairly interesting although she is just a little too anal-retentive for my personal taste. The plot itself is convoluted and offers very little in the way of suspense OR surprises and the language used by some of the characters was obviously included for shock value. All I can say is that it’s a good thing that Mr. Cook has an “established name” because if this book were offered to a publisher by an “unknown writer”, it would either be languishing on someone’s desk or it would have already received a “thanks but no thanks” letter.
May 30, 2013
I'm a little disappointed that this is going to be my first ever review on GodReads. When I first began Cure by Robin Cook I was incredibly eager.
As usual the blurb gave away very little of the actual plot, making the storyline seem artificial and overused. The first few chapters of this novel were quite a hassel to get through. I felt as if there were so many characters and points that were being brought forward; almost too fast for me to keep up. In particular, the Japanese names of characters threw me off completely. Even though they were necessary for the telling of the story, they did create a whole mountain of confusion.
Throughout these opening chapters I was craving the typical medical thriller writing style that I've grown familiar with. This novel had an unusual style of writing which often made it uncomfortable to read.
Eventually the novel started to pick up pace and finally grasp my attention. Although I was truly confused about the true issue within this novel (the iPS patents) I was able to keep track of what was going on easily.
I felt as if this book did nothing much to move me. The overall story and plot left me feeling dissatisfied. I won't even go into detail about the ending which truly frustrated me.
Overall, I think the only positive about this novel was the medical language and themes which Robin Cook is so incredibly well known for. His writing style truly shines in those aspects. However, the rest of the novel seemed to fall short of what was expected.
As usual the blurb gave away very little of the actual plot, making the storyline seem artificial and overused. The first few chapters of this novel were quite a hassel to get through. I felt as if there were so many characters and points that were being brought forward; almost too fast for me to keep up. In particular, the Japanese names of characters threw me off completely. Even though they were necessary for the telling of the story, they did create a whole mountain of confusion.
Throughout these opening chapters I was craving the typical medical thriller writing style that I've grown familiar with. This novel had an unusual style of writing which often made it uncomfortable to read.
Eventually the novel started to pick up pace and finally grasp my attention. Although I was truly confused about the true issue within this novel (the iPS patents) I was able to keep track of what was going on easily.
I felt as if this book did nothing much to move me. The overall story and plot left me feeling dissatisfied. I won't even go into detail about the ending which truly frustrated me.
Overall, I think the only positive about this novel was the medical language and themes which Robin Cook is so incredibly well known for. His writing style truly shines in those aspects. However, the rest of the novel seemed to fall short of what was expected.
March 1, 2015
I've been a big fan of Robin Cook since I discovered his books about 15 years ago. As I continue reading, I'm having a harder and harder time with him. It's not that his books are boring, by any means. It's that they're so bogged down in unnecessary details and medical jargon that they're almost textbook-like. They're so predictable that it takes all the fun out of the read.
The characters don't speak in any recognizable syntax and that drives me nuts. Honestly, would you expect a low-level Mafia enforcer to be able to speak in upper class English? Not likely, and yet the thugs in Cook's books speak as if they've all graduated from Harvard. Yeah, most of them never finished high school. And with the doctors, I would expect some medical jargon (keep in mind that Robin Cook IS a physician), but in a novel, I'd expect it to be kept to a level that the non-medical population can keep up with. I needed a dictionary for this one, and I do pride myself on a rather extensive vocabulary.
I had an especially hard time with Cure's plotline. While the premise is awesome (patent wars over induced stem cell research), it was so much like the other Stapleton/Montgomery books that I had a hard time distinguishing it. Here's the formula: interesting case comes in to the Medical Examiner's Office. Either Dr. Jack Stapleton or Dr. Laurie Montgomery-Stapleton will be assigned the case. Something in the autopsy will tip them off that it's not a normal death. They will go up against the entire New York Mafia AND the bureaucracy of the OCME in NYC. They will come out on top, with the help of their neighborhood gang leader/friend, Warren. Justice will triumph and the Stapleton-Montgomerys will come out without a scratch. *yawn*
It just gets so predictable that I'm losing interest in any further Cook books. I've got one more on my list, which I'll give a fair shot, but after that, I'm done. I just don't know if I can handle yet another 'hair of their teeth' adventure from the good doctors.
The characters don't speak in any recognizable syntax and that drives me nuts. Honestly, would you expect a low-level Mafia enforcer to be able to speak in upper class English? Not likely, and yet the thugs in Cook's books speak as if they've all graduated from Harvard. Yeah, most of them never finished high school. And with the doctors, I would expect some medical jargon (keep in mind that Robin Cook IS a physician), but in a novel, I'd expect it to be kept to a level that the non-medical population can keep up with. I needed a dictionary for this one, and I do pride myself on a rather extensive vocabulary.
I had an especially hard time with Cure's plotline. While the premise is awesome (patent wars over induced stem cell research), it was so much like the other Stapleton/Montgomery books that I had a hard time distinguishing it. Here's the formula: interesting case comes in to the Medical Examiner's Office. Either Dr. Jack Stapleton or Dr. Laurie Montgomery-Stapleton will be assigned the case. Something in the autopsy will tip them off that it's not a normal death. They will go up against the entire New York Mafia AND the bureaucracy of the OCME in NYC. They will come out on top, with the help of their neighborhood gang leader/friend, Warren. Justice will triumph and the Stapleton-Montgomerys will come out without a scratch. *yawn*
It just gets so predictable that I'm losing interest in any further Cook books. I've got one more on my list, which I'll give a fair shot, but after that, I'm done. I just don't know if I can handle yet another 'hair of their teeth' adventure from the good doctors.
July 4, 2019
5 de 5 estrellas
¡Por dios lo que ha sido ésta historia! Me ha encantado muchísimo más que "Convulsión". Con la Cura conocí y aprendí cómo se mueven las mafias japonesas y su relación con la medicina. El autor nos introduce en el mundo de la medicina y generando una gran intriga porque iremos siendo testigos de dos bandos mafiosos que no tienen piedad de nadie. Sobre éste tipo de mafias yo NADA sabía asi que para mí fue ir leyendo y quedarme con la boca abierta.
La prosa de Cook es ágil, es fluida, en una parte se vuelve muy detallista explicando temas de secuestro cuando yo estaba mordiéndome los dedos y sufriendo por Laurie y su niño (dice en la sinopsis) que resulta ser secuestrado.
El único aspecto negativo es que entre tanto nombre japonés yo terminé confundida pero es una novela que la recomiendo.Un thriller médico excelente y un autor del que me enamoré.
¡Por dios lo que ha sido ésta historia! Me ha encantado muchísimo más que "Convulsión". Con la Cura conocí y aprendí cómo se mueven las mafias japonesas y su relación con la medicina. El autor nos introduce en el mundo de la medicina y generando una gran intriga porque iremos siendo testigos de dos bandos mafiosos que no tienen piedad de nadie. Sobre éste tipo de mafias yo NADA sabía asi que para mí fue ir leyendo y quedarme con la boca abierta.
La prosa de Cook es ágil, es fluida, en una parte se vuelve muy detallista explicando temas de secuestro cuando yo estaba mordiéndome los dedos y sufriendo por Laurie y su niño (dice en la sinopsis) que resulta ser secuestrado.
El único aspecto negativo es que entre tanto nombre japonés yo terminé confundida pero es una novela que la recomiendo.Un thriller médico excelente y un autor del que me enamoré.
April 19, 2011
SPOILER ALERT!
Always a worry when the names and associations are so convoluted that the book starts with a three-page "Key Players" list, rather than with plot.
While this was generally an enjoyable read, I found the narrative jumps irksome. First it's about the Japanese and American organized crime counterparts; then it's about a biotech exec; then it's about a medical examiner. Then it's about the police doing a smashing job of resolving a kidnapping; but that plot is sidelined by the introduction of a private kidnap-rescue team that saves the day.
The threat against the medical examiner was to sideline her from solving the crime. And that's precisely what it did to the storyline! It sidetracked from the direct investigation of the complex crime sequence ... to focus exclusively on the rescue of the kidnapped toddler ... and then, oh yeah, a quick and dirty resolution of the crimes.
And I'm still trying to figure out what exactly the title has to do with the plot!
An OK read, but I'd be hesitant about future ventures if this is Robin Cook's best effort.
Always a worry when the names and associations are so convoluted that the book starts with a three-page "Key Players" list, rather than with plot.
While this was generally an enjoyable read, I found the narrative jumps irksome. First it's about the Japanese and American organized crime counterparts; then it's about a biotech exec; then it's about a medical examiner. Then it's about the police doing a smashing job of resolving a kidnapping; but that plot is sidelined by the introduction of a private kidnap-rescue team that saves the day.
The threat against the medical examiner was to sideline her from solving the crime. And that's precisely what it did to the storyline! It sidetracked from the direct investigation of the complex crime sequence ... to focus exclusively on the rescue of the kidnapped toddler ... and then, oh yeah, a quick and dirty resolution of the crimes.
And I'm still trying to figure out what exactly the title has to do with the plot!
An OK read, but I'd be hesitant about future ventures if this is Robin Cook's best effort.
October 16, 2024
This is my first one star review! I don’t understand how I got through this book because it wasn’t for the plot, the dialogue, or the prose. I can’t even tell whether I would get along with the author because I feel I haven’t gotten to hear his voice - it was like the book was written through a filter of what the author mistakenly thought the reader would want, resulting in a story that neither the reader nor the author is happy with. That’s what I think, anyway.
July 25, 2013
So Jack Stapleton and Laurie Montgomery are back in this thrilling novel. I'll admit that even though I love Robin Cook's novels, there tends to be a severe time lag between me reading his novel. Even so, by now, the characters were familiar, including Lou, Vinnie, Paulie & Warren. Having said that, someone new to Robin Cook can still pick up this novel and enjoy the story without having to worry about the backstory of these characters. What you need to know about them is told to you, unfolding in the pages of the book, just as any stand alone book would do. This is the 10th mustery with the same people involved and I have not read all of the other 9 before it & those i have read were certainly not in the order of publication. Of course, a familiar reader will be more at home with the laurie, Jack and the gang but one does not need to other novels to enjoy this mystery.
About the plot, Cook keeps hou interested in the story right upto the very end. There are no twists in the story since you know right off who the bad guy is and who the good guy is. I'd also immediately guessed that Laurie's baby was going to be kidnapped since it was so obviously staring the reader in the face. But the reader is still taken on a thrill ride as the story unfolds.
The characters are very real and good amount of care has been taken to discribe the inner workings of not only the Mafia but also the Yakuza. As usual, Cook has centred his plot around a medical premise which creates the catylist.
The only problem I had was that the ending of this book was rushed. I actually started to get worried at around Page 360 that the story may actually continue in another book since I was so close to the end. After all the care had been taken to get readers interested in Ben Corey and his company, in the antics of Louie Barbera and his YKuza allies, the end did not reflect their downfall from their perspective at all. Instead Cook tried to explain the loose ends away in a neat little conversation between Lou, Laurie and Jack. It was almost as if Cook's publisher put a stop on how many pages his novel could comprise because I'm quite sure that a meticulous author such as Robin Cook did not become uninterested in his own novel and decided one morning just to end the story there and then.
4 and half stars!
About the plot, Cook keeps hou interested in the story right upto the very end. There are no twists in the story since you know right off who the bad guy is and who the good guy is. I'd also immediately guessed that Laurie's baby was going to be kidnapped since it was so obviously staring the reader in the face. But the reader is still taken on a thrill ride as the story unfolds.
The characters are very real and good amount of care has been taken to discribe the inner workings of not only the Mafia but also the Yakuza. As usual, Cook has centred his plot around a medical premise which creates the catylist.
The only problem I had was that the ending of this book was rushed. I actually started to get worried at around Page 360 that the story may actually continue in another book since I was so close to the end. After all the care had been taken to get readers interested in Ben Corey and his company, in the antics of Louie Barbera and his YKuza allies, the end did not reflect their downfall from their perspective at all. Instead Cook tried to explain the loose ends away in a neat little conversation between Lou, Laurie and Jack. It was almost as if Cook's publisher put a stop on how many pages his novel could comprise because I'm quite sure that a meticulous author such as Robin Cook did not become uninterested in his own novel and decided one morning just to end the story there and then.
4 and half stars!
May 21, 2014
The author actually gave this book to my husband after he printed the author's screenplay for the same book. I was excited initially, because I love the film Outbreak and wasn't aware it had been a book first.
Now, I'm not sure if my experience is isolated - that Cook's other books are wonderful - but Cure was anything but. All the characters were wooden, emotionless, and completely lacked development. They were written such that they all spoke in the same voice. Cook's limited vocabulary may have something to do with that. And I'm not sure because I haven't done research yet, but I am suspicious about how similar Laurie and Temperance Brennan seemed...I wonder whose novel was published first because apparently there are more Laurie Montgomery novels. Oh, dear. I could go on about the unnecessary medical jargon, the title which makes no sense, and the plot which was scattered, disorganized, and predictable. Honestly, I'd rather be reading a better book to get the taste out of my mouth.
Now, I'm not sure if my experience is isolated - that Cook's other books are wonderful - but Cure was anything but. All the characters were wooden, emotionless, and completely lacked development. They were written such that they all spoke in the same voice. Cook's limited vocabulary may have something to do with that. And I'm not sure because I haven't done research yet, but I am suspicious about how similar Laurie and Temperance Brennan seemed...I wonder whose novel was published first because apparently there are more Laurie Montgomery novels. Oh, dear. I could go on about the unnecessary medical jargon, the title which makes no sense, and the plot which was scattered, disorganized, and predictable. Honestly, I'd rather be reading a better book to get the taste out of my mouth.
Want to read
October 4, 2020I didn't even know that I own this paperback! I was just sorting through my books and came across this! Now I gotta read this ah!
November 17, 2023
Laurie wraca do pracy po przedłużonym urlopie macierzyńskim i cudownym wyleczeniu swojego syna z nowotworu. Niestety, Robin Cook nie ma dla swojej głównej bohaterki za grosz litości. Pierwsza sprawa, którą dostaje po powrocie, tylko pozornie wygląda na zgon z przyczyn naturalnych. Satoshi Machita, bo tak nazywała się ofiara, zasłabł nagle w tunelu nowojorskiego metra i już nie odzyskał przytomności. Facet zadarł z niewłaściwymi ludźmi, ale Laurie mimo ostrzeżeń od tych właśnie złych bandziorów, brnie dalej próbując za wszelką cenę rozwiązać tę sprawę. Kiedy porwany zostaje syn Stapletonów, okazuje się, że jednak nie za wszelką. Czy uda się odnaleźć i odbić z rąk porywaczy małego Jacka?
Nie chce mi się już nawet narzekać na te pokręcone pomys��y Cooka, bo to przypadłość sporego grona autorów thrillerów. Im głębiej w las, tym więcej Scytów, jak mawiał mój profesor od historii w LO. Tym razem nadepniemy na odcisk yakuzie, a oni to się nie patyczkują. Na szczęście dr Montgomery-Stapleton jest niezniszczalna i boi jej się cała nowojorska mafia, więc wszystko kończy się szczęśliwie. W sumie nawet nieźle się bawiłam, szczególnie podczas akcji ratunkowej bombelka.
6/10
Nie chce mi się już nawet narzekać na te pokręcone pomys��y Cooka, bo to przypadłość sporego grona autorów thrillerów. Im głębiej w las, tym więcej Scytów, jak mawiał mój profesor od historii w LO. Tym razem nadepniemy na odcisk yakuzie, a oni to się nie patyczkują. Na szczęście dr Montgomery-Stapleton jest niezniszczalna i boi jej się cała nowojorska mafia, więc wszystko kończy się szczęśliwie. W sumie nawet nieźle się bawiłam, szczególnie podczas akcji ratunkowej bombelka.
6/10
April 12, 2025
This was not the cure to wake me up early this am after being up late for 🥅🏒
Read
August 22, 2017Good book. Not sure of the tie-in for the title.
October 21, 2015
It was my first book of Robin cook. It started of beautifully elaborating on the patent business of pluripotent stem cells along with the details of the Japanese crime organization called Yakuza. The portrayal of Laurie Montgomery as a forsenic expert was adept and her dubious state of mind was beautifully articulated managing both her work and her longing to be with her son.
The book gains momentum when Satoshi Machita gets murdered and the case is handed to Laurie who expertly detects that something is amiss. However as soon as the kidnapping takes place all events are jumbled up and it feels like the novel rushes itself to the end. The entire plot of the story is changed to the sole purpose of rescuing the child and the investigation comes to a standstill. Even the fate of the crime organization, the patent issue and the investigation of the murder comes to an abrupt end.
So somewhere along the midst of the book it feels incomplete. In spite of a beautiful start and a beautiful climax till the middle of the book the script falls off the cliff and is unable to grip the readers towards the end.
The book gains momentum when Satoshi Machita gets murdered and the case is handed to Laurie who expertly detects that something is amiss. However as soon as the kidnapping takes place all events are jumbled up and it feels like the novel rushes itself to the end. The entire plot of the story is changed to the sole purpose of rescuing the child and the investigation comes to a standstill. Even the fate of the crime organization, the patent issue and the investigation of the murder comes to an abrupt end.
So somewhere along the midst of the book it feels incomplete. In spite of a beautiful start and a beautiful climax till the middle of the book the script falls off the cliff and is unable to grip the readers towards the end.
April 3, 2011
This is not my favorite kind of book. I love the forensics and the medical mystery but I do not like anything to do with Mafia or other crime organizations, spies or anything of that sort. First, they are always callously "bumping people off", and second, they are all such unpleasant people who are usually only two dimensional.
Unfortunately, this not only has New York crime organizations, but two rival organizations from Japan. It seems as if the Mafia has turned over a new leaf, at least in New York. There is sort of a bargain with the police; if they quit murdering people right and left, the city will not look too closely at the drug operations. How cynical is that???
The action picked up in the second half of the book and, while there is still a lot Mafia operation, this part of the book was more about the medical and personal side. The conclusion is good and keeps you turning the pages.
Unfortunately, this not only has New York crime organizations, but two rival organizations from Japan. It seems as if the Mafia has turned over a new leaf, at least in New York. There is sort of a bargain with the police; if they quit murdering people right and left, the city will not look too closely at the drug operations. How cynical is that???
The action picked up in the second half of the book and, while there is still a lot Mafia operation, this part of the book was more about the medical and personal side. The conclusion is good and keeps you turning the pages.
July 30, 2019
I, like several other readers, found the first few chapters difficult to follow considering the Japanese names that many of us are unfamiliar with, along with all the the detail of Japanese organized crime. Trying to keep all these characters straight was a exhausting for fear that I would need to understand all the complexity as the story progressed. Eventually familiar characters appeared as Laurie and Jack Stapleton, their friend Detective Lou Solando, along with Vinnie Amendola, one of the mortuary techs that works in the lab with Jack and Laurie. The story finds Laurie returning to work as a NY City medical examiner after a lengthy maternity leave, made longer by her son's health issues. Laurie's first case when she returns is for an unidentified man who on first glance appears to be a normal death. Laurie not one to leave any detail hanging is determined to find all the answers. After viewing subway tapes (where the man was waiting for the train when he died) Laurie decides to investigate further by doing another exam of the body and some research . Without giving away the complete story Laurie's life is about to become more difficult. Overall, I did not find this book to be one of Robin Cook's best but I did enjoy reading about some of my favorite Robin Cook characters.
October 24, 2018
Robin Cook again uses the medical field as a backdrop for his thriller novel – “Cure”. This time its researchers trying to become rich using stem cells in regenerative medicine. To make this novel suspenseful, we find organize crime not only sponsoring those trying to make money but murdering a scientist for his patent rights. This causes Cook’s favorite character’s Jack Stapleton and his wife Laurie, who does the autopsy of the deceased scientist, to get involved. To stop Laurie’s in depth investigation as to the cause of death of the scientist, the criminals kidnap Jack and her son.
From all of the complexities of this novel, Cook has once again created an exciting medical thriller.
From all of the complexities of this novel, Cook has once again created an exciting medical thriller.
August 7, 2021
2.5 porque meh
Fue como un episodio de Bones o de ese estilo. Incluso, es parte de una serie de libros pero no hace falta haber leido los otros (nice). Habia partes atrapantes y otras no. Si no fuera que tengo que devolver el libro, no se si lo leia tan rápido.
Además, no se si era yo, pero wtf con las descripciones de los personajes femeninos? Se que UNO de los personajes varones era pelirrojo, pero de todas las mujeres te daba una descripción detallada?? Muuuuuuuy importante para el plot.
Fue como un episodio de Bones o de ese estilo. Incluso, es parte de una serie de libros pero no hace falta haber leido los otros (nice). Habia partes atrapantes y otras no. Si no fuera que tengo que devolver el libro, no se si lo leia tan rápido.
Además, no se si era yo, pero wtf con las descripciones de los personajes femeninos? Se que UNO de los personajes varones era pelirrojo, pero de todas las mujeres te daba una descripción detallada?? Muuuuuuuy importante para el plot.
May 24, 2017
Maybe it's because this is my first time reading the author, but I felt really lost with so many characters. Even with the help of the list in the beginning of the book, I felt I had to start over the paragraph and sometimes the whole chapter to be sure who was the narrator in that point I was reading. I also had a hard time to understand the medical/scientific vocabulary. I'm sure giving him another chance, cause the book is very well written and the plot rich.
Good reading! 📚
Good reading! 📚
April 25, 2024
Príjemné čítanie, opäť bol dej podaní viac z ekonomického a mafiánskeho hľadiska, ako z toho lekárskeho, ale napodiv ma to veľmi bavilo. Laurie bude asi navždy mojím vzorom, pre jej oddanosť k súdnemu lekárstvu a odvahe.
June 18, 2024
I can see why he took a break from this series for nearly a decade. This is a plotless turd.
March 12, 2017
A vast improvement compared to the prior book in the series.
This time around Laurie & Jack are up against an organised crime conspiracy attempting to corner the patents on a specific type of stem cell therapy.
Starts off a little slow but builds nicely and has a decent ending.
This time around Laurie & Jack are up against an organised crime conspiracy attempting to corner the patents on a specific type of stem cell therapy.
Starts off a little slow but builds nicely and has a decent ending.
July 6, 2012
"Coma" was the first Robin Cook book I read when I was in my pre-teens, and I remember being obsessed with that book and rereading it into tatters.
I have read several Robin Cook books since then, none of which were as memorable or riveting as "Coma" As I got older I noticed that Mr. Cook is not really the world's greatest writer of dialogue, and his characters are fairly one dimensional or less than one-dimensional, though he does get bonus points for usually featuring a strong and smart female character - in his earlier books the main female character was a gorgeous 28 year old, though in "Cure" his female character, Dr. Laurie Montgomery Stapleton, is older; actually, I don't think her age is given, but she must be older, because she was first introduced years ago in another Cook book as a 28 year old, and she's been featured in other Cook books and has a two year old son, so she's gotta be pushing 30.
At any rate, "Cure" contains all the medical jargon that can easily be skimmed or devoured - for me, it is still the one of the reasons to read a Cook book, although sometimes it gets a bit: "c'mon, pick up the pace already!" Speaking of which, "Cure" seems slower paced than "Coma," and it occurred to me at about 300 pages in that not much had really happened, and that I'd been waiting for the story to begin. Additionally, when I was reading the climax of the story, it felt like I was reading a build-up to a climax, but then it struck me that there weren't many more pages, so this must be the whole enchilada.
Ah well, all is well that ends … I won't spoil the ending for you, suffice to say that it ends pretty much the same as all Cook books end - or does it? Does he pull a switcheroo and leave the readers scratching their heads? Reply hazy, try again. SPOILER ALERT: uh, no.
Speaking of surprise twists, one big difference between "Cure" and "Coma" is that Cook did not write "Cure" as a mystery or whodunnit, which takes away a layer of intrigue. On the plus side, this gives the reader time to wonder if Cook consciously or subconciously titled at least two of his books (i.e.: "Coma and "Cure") with a word that begins with a "C" and contains four letters as an homage to himself and/or his last name. Actually, Mr. Cook doesn't seem to be that sort of hubristic creature, and to be honest it sounds more like something I would do.
Overall, this Cook book doesn’t contain a great deal of spice or sizzle, but it does contain a recipe to help insomniacs get to sleep - sorry Mr. Cook, but to beat the food analogy to death, "Cure" is the equivalent of a frozen dinner that is filling in some respects and less than filling in other respects - no disrespect.
Anywhatsoevs, I gave this book three stars because it was a library copy, but if I'd bought it there would've only been two stars.
I have read several Robin Cook books since then, none of which were as memorable or riveting as "Coma" As I got older I noticed that Mr. Cook is not really the world's greatest writer of dialogue, and his characters are fairly one dimensional or less than one-dimensional, though he does get bonus points for usually featuring a strong and smart female character - in his earlier books the main female character was a gorgeous 28 year old, though in "Cure" his female character, Dr. Laurie Montgomery Stapleton, is older; actually, I don't think her age is given, but she must be older, because she was first introduced years ago in another Cook book as a 28 year old, and she's been featured in other Cook books and has a two year old son, so she's gotta be pushing 30.
At any rate, "Cure" contains all the medical jargon that can easily be skimmed or devoured - for me, it is still the one of the reasons to read a Cook book, although sometimes it gets a bit: "c'mon, pick up the pace already!" Speaking of which, "Cure" seems slower paced than "Coma," and it occurred to me at about 300 pages in that not much had really happened, and that I'd been waiting for the story to begin. Additionally, when I was reading the climax of the story, it felt like I was reading a build-up to a climax, but then it struck me that there weren't many more pages, so this must be the whole enchilada.
Ah well, all is well that ends … I won't spoil the ending for you, suffice to say that it ends pretty much the same as all Cook books end - or does it? Does he pull a switcheroo and leave the readers scratching their heads? Reply hazy, try again. SPOILER ALERT: uh, no.
Speaking of surprise twists, one big difference between "Cure" and "Coma" is that Cook did not write "Cure" as a mystery or whodunnit, which takes away a layer of intrigue. On the plus side, this gives the reader time to wonder if Cook consciously or subconciously titled at least two of his books (i.e.: "Coma and "Cure") with a word that begins with a "C" and contains four letters as an homage to himself and/or his last name. Actually, Mr. Cook doesn't seem to be that sort of hubristic creature, and to be honest it sounds more like something I would do.
Overall, this Cook book doesn’t contain a great deal of spice or sizzle, but it does contain a recipe to help insomniacs get to sleep - sorry Mr. Cook, but to beat the food analogy to death, "Cure" is the equivalent of a frozen dinner that is filling in some respects and less than filling in other respects - no disrespect.
Anywhatsoevs, I gave this book three stars because it was a library copy, but if I'd bought it there would've only been two stars.
December 7, 2021
The story started off painstakingly slow, with attention to the minutest detail so that it seemed to drag out the telling of the story. By the end, it almost seemed like the author reached a page quota and then was trying to quickly wrap things up. When the reader would have liked more detail as to what exactly had happened, like as was provided earlier in the book, instead, brief synopses of the end results were given. Hence my knocking off a star in my review. I’ve read a number of this author’s books and will continue to read his works, as they are all very interesting medical thrillers.
May 3, 2011
I've enjoyed Cook's Jack Stapleton/Laurie Montgomery series for a while now, and while this wasn't my favorite, it was still a good read. Early on, I was concerned because it was focusing a lot on the Japanese Mafia and members in both Japan and NYC and their efforts to keep scientific secrets from being stolen by the United States, and I wasn't sure how it would tie in to the Stapleton/Montgomery series. However, as the book went on, I felt the stem cell company and the possibility of the secrets being leaked were forgotten, though the Mafia theme continued. The book could have used a better balance.
Providing a character list in the beginning of the book was a big help, as it was valuable in keeping everyone straight. Cook always does an excellent job of developing characters and making them as realistic as possible. I may have liked a little more about some of the new non-Mafia characters, but they ended up playing minor roles overall. The book definitely focuses more on Montgomery than Stapleton, but I like both equally, so I didn't mind.
Cook leaves no cliffhangers but does keep possibility for storylines open, so I would expect the series to continue for at least a few more book.
Providing a character list in the beginning of the book was a big help, as it was valuable in keeping everyone straight. Cook always does an excellent job of developing characters and making them as realistic as possible. I may have liked a little more about some of the new non-Mafia characters, but they ended up playing minor roles overall. The book definitely focuses more on Montgomery than Stapleton, but I like both equally, so I didn't mind.
Cook leaves no cliffhangers but does keep possibility for storylines open, so I would expect the series to continue for at least a few more book.
May 16, 2011
I am a great fan of Robin Cook and this may bias my review. I started reading his books in my late teens and have practically grown up with his medical thrillers> I am a close follower of the lives of Laurie Montgomery and Jack Stapleton (forensic pathologists) and Lou Saldanho (their detective friend). Its as if they exist in a parallel universe. Many people have criticized Robin Cook for taking up one hotspot issue and weaving a story around it. Many have also said that he is anti government and anti authority. To some extent there is truth in both accusations. This current thriller deals with the stem cell industry which is the current giant advance in the field of medicine. Stem cells are cells which can regenerate to almost any organ of the body and thus have implications in many otherwise untreatable degenerating diseases. In this book, there is a docotr -entepreuner who starts a centrefor stem cell technology who involve opposing mafia for monetary and other nefarious help and finally land up in the soup.
September 26, 2011
I'm sad to say that Cure was another disappointing Robin Cook novel. I think I will stop reading them because the newer ones are tainting the positive memories I have of reading many of his earlier novels. Among my complaints about this one:
1) There really isn't a plot
2) The dialogue is beyond atrocious. There's no way the dialogue in his earlier novels could have been this awful.
3) Is it necessary to remind readers a) that Laurie and Lou used to date or b) that Laurie doesn't like Jack riding his bike to work?? Seriously, why in every single book?! In neither case did these reminders relate to the plot of this book (not that there was a plot!).
4) Jack shows almost zero emotion when his son is in trouble in this novel. I can't even remember why Jack and Laurie are married to each other. They never talk with each other... but maybe that's a good thing given the quality of the dialogue.
Sigh.
1) There really isn't a plot
2) The dialogue is beyond atrocious. There's no way the dialogue in his earlier novels could have been this awful.
3) Is it necessary to remind readers a) that Laurie and Lou used to date or b) that Laurie doesn't like Jack riding his bike to work?? Seriously, why in every single book?! In neither case did these reminders relate to the plot of this book (not that there was a plot!).
4) Jack shows almost zero emotion when his son is in trouble in this novel. I can't even remember why Jack and Laurie are married to each other. They never talk with each other... but maybe that's a good thing given the quality of the dialogue.
Sigh.
June 20, 2016
New York City medical examiner Laurie Montgomery returns to work after the birth of her son with trepidation but determined to get back into the job. Her first case is looking like a natural cause death of an unidentified oriental man in the subway station. Laurie has some doubts and decides to dig further. Meanwhile a collaboration between a Japanese Yakuza gang and a NY Mafia gang in collusion with a startup biomedical firm for which they have been providing funds a afraid that if the dead body is found not to be natural their machinations will be uncovered. They plan to kidnap Laurie's son in an effort to get her to stop digging into the death. This is the main thread but there are side events also taking place in this tale. I liked it but for some reason it had the effect of putting me to sleep, at least in the early parts.
Read
August 24, 2010Robin Cook has been one of my favorites for more than 30 years, since The Year of the Intern.
I placed a request on his newest work at our wonderful library. I promptly devoured the book within a couple of days, becoming rivited - as usual - by Cook's wonderful character development and engaging plots. This one had several sub-plots going on simultaneously, all well developed and presented in a clear way. I can imagine Dr. Laurie Montgomery, Jack and Detective Lou being made into a TV series, much as Gerritsen's Rizolli and Isles. One can hope!
I placed a request on his newest work at our wonderful library. I promptly devoured the book within a couple of days, becoming rivited - as usual - by Cook's wonderful character development and engaging plots. This one had several sub-plots going on simultaneously, all well developed and presented in a clear way. I can imagine Dr. Laurie Montgomery, Jack and Detective Lou being made into a TV series, much as Gerritsen's Rizolli and Isles. One can hope!
March 8, 2015
I couldn't believe Robin Cook's books have fallen this low, unless I didn't realize that issues existed in his writing when I first used to read his books. I saw a straight out editing error, unrealistic characterization (Jack is considering playing basketball to take his mind off his kidnapped son + at times, Laurie is embarrassed for missing something which led to her son's kidnapping instead of feeling downright terrified), head hopping, though I felt this was done in a way that wasn't disruptive (but enough that I still noticed). Was a ghost writer hired for this title? Please, Robin, make me a believer again. The plot was good, but for the above problems.
September 8, 2011
This was my first novel by Robin Cook, and I was pretty well impressed. I don't read much of the medical thriller genre, so I didn't know what to expect. But the characters, settings, and actions were all very fully realized. This one was structured differently than most novels I've read, and the suspense is mostly weighted towards the end of the book. But there was enough interest spread throughout to make it a good read. The only thing that stuck out to me was that Cook has a weird impression of when to use exclamation points!
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