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Bloodstream |
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 Bloodstream byTess Gerritsen Pocket Books 464 pages, 1999 ISBN 0671016768 Reviewed by PJ Nunn Read our review of Gravity Read our author interview In BLOODSTREAM, Tess Gerritsen uses her medical knowledge to create a scenario that might happen to anyone – everyday activities with bizarre and deadly consequences. All Dr. Claire Elliot wanted after the death of her husband was a quiet, peaceful town in which to raise her adolescent son, Noah. Where better than Tranquility, Maine? Leaving friends and family behind, she set out to take over a dwindling medical practice and build a new life. It wasn’t easy. The old-timers were reluctant to welcome an outsider into their midst, but she was determined. Unfortunately, she’d only been there a few months when things started to get out of hand. Teenage pranks were on the increase as the town buckled down for a long, cold winter. But no one expected adolescent rage to escalate into a shooting spree in the biology class one morning. Or did they? As Claire searches for a medical reason to explain the culprit’s sudden behavioral changes that ended in violence, she finds some of the residents anxious to sweep the incident under the rug. So anxious in fact, that Claire is blamed for the adolescent's behavior. A vicious letter writing campaign follows, sweeping the town with the intention of driving her out. There’s no time to defend herself, and Mrs. Horatio’s death is only the beginning of the nightmare. As the youthful aggression continues, Claire joins forces with Chief of Police Lincoln Kelly. Together, they desperately try to find answers for the lethal outbursts that invariably result in injury or death. Convinced that there’s a physiological reason for the wicked behavior, Claire relentlessly follows every clue, while trying to understand Noah’s distant behavior. When Noah is charged with a hit and run, his panic brings the whole situation to a head, finally giving them the clue that solves the puzzle. Gerritsen writes smooth prose and includes just enough medical information to be accurate without falling into technical detail. BLOODSTREAM is a fast paced and enthralling mystery that keeps readers on the edge until the satisfying and reasonable conclusion. |
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