Book Review: Mutant

Reviewed By: Harriet Klausner

Mutant     Amazon US PB Amazon US TPB Amazon Canada PB Amazon Canada TPB
Peter Clement
Class/Genre:   Mystery   Medical   Thriller   Amateur Sleuth
Ballantine, Jul 2001, $19.95, 336 pp.

Agrenomics is a bioengineering company that is developing, testing, and planning to implement a genetic weapon of mass destruction. They are performing their work on behalf of a client who wants to bring America to its knees. The firm is spraying a genetic vector all over the Midwest so that a deadly disease limited to the animal population will invade the human race. Dr. Kathleen Sullivan believes that scientific experts should police the bioengineering companies to insure they are adhering to what they claim they say they are doing. At a conference, she meets Dr. Richard Steele, an ER doctor who is very concerned with hazards ignored by the bioengineering crowd. When they return to New York, someone targets both of them for death. Still the intrepid duo risk their lives to expose wrongdoings that could impact future generations if not stopped. It is quite frightening to realize that humanity has reached the ability to eradicate the species without dropping one nuclear bomb. However, what makes this tale even scarier is that it feels plausible for brilliant scientists to willingly eradicate part of the populace in a sort of wisdom without compassion manner. Through his highly technical explanations are beyond the ken of the average layperson, Peter Clement concludes with his medical thriller MUTANT that science fiction is very close to science fact.

Harriet Klausner

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Harriet Klausner