Bloodstream

For those who fancy their thrillers fraught with forensic detail and mixed with medical information best-selling author Tess Gerritsen (Harvest and Life Support) has proffered another page turner. Heroine Dr. Clair Elliot is attempting to rebuild her life after the death of her husband. Her predicament and the challenges that follow are vividly traced by champion voice performer Jan Maxwell. Primary in Clair's mind is her 14-year-old son, Noah. It is with his good in mind that she chooses a small town, Tranquility, Maine, as the perfect spot to relocate. There, she reasons her impressionable son will be removed from the potentially damaging influences of big city Baltimore. We mentioned that the name of the town is "Tranquility" - what a misnomer! It's not long before teenage violence is running rampant through these once quiet streets. It seems that such an episode occurs once every half century. What causes this, could the culprit be a supernatural force? Claire works in tandem with the local police chief in order to solve this mystery. Another home run for author Gerritsen and one more listenable chiller for audio audiences. - Gail Cooke

The reviews seem to be torn a bit. Some people really love this book, and some people really hate this book. However, the main reason that this happened is that this isn't your average medical thriller. It has some pretty violet scenes(teenager chewed off his thumb to get out of the handcuffs, later found dead) and other scenes not often found in medical thrillers. Most of the action here takes place OUTSIDE of a hospital. It doesn't deal with the corruption in the medical system. It doesn't deal with any of the clichés found in other medical thrillers. It deals with the clichés found in other horror-thriller books. Some people have been complaining that there is a certain lack of detail in the descriptions, that seem somewhat vague. Since I've read this book just after it's release in Mass Market Paperback, I cannot honestly say if that's true or not. One thing I can say is that the medical scenes ARE well described. The characters are very well written (truly three-dimensional characters, with flaws like real people)If you're not sure wether to buy this book or not, read the first 6 pages of the book(somewhere, I don't know) and see if you can resist the temptation of reading the rest. I really loved this book, but I can't say that you will too, specially after seeing the reviews differing each other so much.

Tess Gerritsen is a learning writer's writer. Any one who wishes to write for a living should read Mrs. Gerritsen. This author does everything right. From the opening pages of "Bloodstream", I was hooked! What a prologue Mrs. Gerritsen writes, if it doesn't hook you to this book nothing will. I was first introduced to Mrs. Gerritsen through "Gravity" and was very surprised by just how good she is at her job. As a medical thriller writer, Tess Gerritsen is the best in my option. This author leaves the others in the dust. In "Bloodstream", Mrs. Gerritsen is once again in top form. With well developed characters, which the reader will care about. Not just the "lead" characters, but all the characters. Any one who has ever moved to a new town will understand the problems that occur in trying to fit in with the population, especially in a small town. The author does a great job in plotting these problems into the story line. And using them to advance the plot. Yes, I will agree with one reviewer that there are a couple of loose ends. To me though these couple of things didn't matter to the plot. They just showed what was happening all over the town. "Bloodstream" is a very well written book, with a tight plot and very well developed characters. I really enjoyed reading this book and would recommend it highly to any one who likes a good mystery.

I started reading medical thrillers a few years ago. I started with Michael Crichton, then onto Robin Cook and Michael Palmer. Tess Gerritsen has entered the rankings of a top medical thriller author. I love this book! The rural settings, the characters, and the plot come together for a riveting ride! I highly recommend this book!

I have read Harvest and Life Support by Gerritsen, and I was anxiously waiting for this to be released. I was just as impressed with this novel as I was with her others. I love her medical thrillers and I can't wait for her next one. I have read a ton of books in this genre - Patricia Cornwall, Michael Palmer, Kathy Reichs, etc. - and Gerritsen is my favorite. If you haven't read anything from her yet, you will be in love with her writing once you do.