Labyrinth of Terror

by Richard P. Wenzel

Terror reigns when a string of post-op infections erupts in the sanitized halls of King's College Hospital in London. A trio of experts-Microbiology Professor Chris Rose, Jake Evans, an American infectious disease specialist, and Elizabeth Foster, a senior agent with M15-soon realize that the offending organism is a weapon in a worldwide terrorist plot. The terrorists turn their focus on an upcoming medical-legal conference, hoping to infect hundreds and subsequently ravage the global community, as well as those very doctors who might be able to find a cure. Author and physician Richard Wenzel takes us on a riveting, winding journey through Europe and the Middle East, unravels the science of infections, and opens a revealing window on the complex politics of medicine.

Genres: Horror, Fiction

202 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2010

Reviews

[Limary Rodriguez · Rating 3 out of 5]

The three stars do not necessarily mean the book was bad. We all have very dark theories about sickness after 2020. Terrorist biological attacks are actually very intriguing. The problem is the way it was written. There were way too many scientific explanations that were not even needed to understand the story. Anybody who was not good at science in school will be very bored for about half the story. Nonetheless, everything else was very intriguing and is the reason why I finished the book.

[Carole D Hutchison · Rating 5 out of 5]

excellent job

For a first novel, the author portrayed all characters vividly and with great suspense. A real cliff hanger and a chance for a follow-up.

[Alethea · Rating 2 out of 5]

I purchased this novel from its author, Dr. Dick Wenzel, an MD at the Health System where I work. Wenzel is a world-renowned epidemiologist and authority on infectious disease; however, he doesn't have quite what it takes to translate his intensely cerebral vocabulary for the common reader, nor is he able to easily write true conversations (admittedly something difficult to master). His plot regarding a killer superbug is certainly NOT an implausible one, but his characters, especially his antagonists, are not well defined, nor are their actions based on any kind of natural flow. Instead, they move and speak in jerky fashion, lurching from one plot point to another. An obviously incredibly intelligent man, Wenzel has failed to make the leap from academic to credible novelist.

[Mim · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this for my book club. At first I was wondering just what kind of book I was reading as the first scene is not what I expected for some reason. The book moved quickly to the point of the terror and is fast paced through out. It's a good first novel. I thought that it moved too quickly at some points, wrapped things up too neatly, and at the same time, I had a couple of "what is that about?" moments, where I would have liked a bit more information. The language seemed stilted at times but maybe that was an attempt to show that the speaker was British. I don't know. I'll have the opportunity to ask the author as he'll be at our book club meeting this Sunday night.

[Noah · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fast-paced thriller set in the world of medical bio-terror, made all the more plausible by the fact that the author is an actual doctor who specializes in infectious diseases. This brief volume has a lot going for it, with a very timely topic and many well-rounded characters that have you alternately hating and being sympathetic of some dastardly people. Ultimately it feels like more of an introduction than a full-novel so hopefully Dr. Wenzel will return with a 2nd novel that takes the characters and story even further.

[Holly · Rating 2 out of 5]

The plot was plausible, but the characters were not well developed. I didn't like the main character's flippancy about his infidelity. This was more than a character flaw. It kind of made me want him to get killed by a bio-terrorist.

Often in dialogue in this book a character's first name was the first word of the sentence. People just don't talk like that, at least not constantly. "Chris, do you want to get coffee?" "Jane, let's have breakfast now." It just sounds weird to me. Good first draft, needs more work.

[David Cain · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a mediocre story and I did not believe the motivations for most of the characters. The author draws from his extensive medical knowledge for most of the major plot elements but I found the tone to be more lecturing and less entertaining than I would like in an action thriller. I also thought that the discussion of Israel/Palestine politics was uninteresting. This is an alright choice to pass some time on public transportation, but otherwise I would not recommend it.

[★Meghan★ · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book had a great concept...except it had absolutely horrible writing. I would give it a 2.5 star. I think the storyline was good however there was just so much that I didn't like about the book at all.

[Amanda · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was basically impossible for me to get through. I wanted to like it, I really did - especially as a biologist. I usually love medical-based horror, but the writing in this was so dull and stilted that a three-month attempt wasn't long enough for me to finish.

[Taylor · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was disappointed by this book. It sounded so interesting, but I was let down. It dragged on and I just couldn't connect to one of the characters. I managed to finish it, but I really wasn't into it.

[Carrie Brang · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a medical bioterror thriller and I thought this book was well written. I liked the characters and storyline.