In the second medical thriller from Ford (The Protocol), cosmetic surgeon Paul Tobin joins an exclusive Florida clinic that claims to have invented a fountain of youth—a cocktail of anti-aging therapies that works wonders. But when patients start dying in dramatic ways, Paul, with the help of private investigator Alicia Fernandez, must uncover the truth about the miracle drug before he meets a violent end of his own. The clinic is run by Paul's ex–brother-in-law, Ethan, who uses the facility to pursue research to help his dying son. Ethan supported Paul, who's a recovering alcoholic, when he had his medical license revoked and gave him a job when nobody else would, but Paul can't deny that something strange is happening at the clinic—and that Ethan may be directly connected to the mysterious goings-on. This is a meaty thriller with a number of twists and turns and a good balance of science and suspense. Paul and Alicia are likeable protagonists, and even the villains are fully fleshed out characters with complex motivations. Ford could develop his female characters more but, overall, the story rolls along like the deadly hurricane that threatens the clinic in the book's final pages. (May 6)
Forecast:The three-year lull between the publication of
Mortality and Ford's debut doesn't bode well for sales, but this book's high quality and compelling subject matter may spark word-of-mouth.
