Title: Acceptable Risk
Author: Robin Cook
First published January 1, 1995
416 pages, Paperback
ISBN: 9780330343381 (ISBN10: 0330343386)
Rating: 3.81
Overview
When neuroscientist Edward Armstrong creates a groundbreaking antidepressant from a bacterial mould, he believes he’s hit the jackpot. However, the drug’s effects start to take a sinister turn as Edward turns violent and mutilated animal corpses begin to appear near the laboratory.
His girlfriend, Kimberly, delves into the truth behind the drug before it claims any more innocent lives. In this gripping medical thriller, Robin Cook explores the dangerous world of cosmetic psychopharmacology, where fame and fortune seduce even the most ethical scientists.
Edward’s obsession with proving his theories leads to a horrifying discovery that Kimberly must race to expose before it’s too late.
About the Author
Dr. Robin Cook is a noted American doctor and novelist who writes about medicine, biotechnology, and topics related to public health. He is famous for creating the medical-thriller genre by blending medical writing with the thriller genre, resulting in several bestsellers on the “New York Times” Bestseller List, with many reaching #1.
Some of his books have been featured in Reader’s Digest and the Literary Guild, and many have been adapted into motion pictures.
Dr. Cook received his education from Wesleyan University and Columbia University School of Medicine. Later, he completed his postgraduate medical training at Harvard, including general surgery and ophthalmology.
He currently divides his time between homes in Florida, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts, where he lives with his wife Jean. He is currently on leave from the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary.
Dr. Cook has successfully combined medical fact with fiction to produce a series of bestselling novels. His medical thrillers aim to make the public aware of both the technological possibilities of modern medicine and the ethical conundrums that come with them.
While still a medical student, Dr. Cook got a chance to work with the Cousteau Society in its blood-gas lab in the South of France. His fascination with diving led him to become an aquanaut with the US Navy Sealab when he was drafted in the 60s.
During his navy career, he served on a nuclear submarine for a seventy-five day stay underwater, where he wrote his first book.
Dr. Cook’s profession as a doctor has provided him with ideas and background for many of his novels. In each of his novels, he strives to write about the issues at the forefront of current medical practice.
He has explored issues such as organ donation, genetic engineering, fertility treatment, medical research funding, managed care, medical malpractice, drug research, drug pricing, specialty hospitals, stem cells, and organ transplantation.
Dr. Cook has an uncanny ability to anticipate national controversy, and he aims to address these issues through his books. He believes that by entertaining readers, he can get people interested in some of these issues, which can ultimately influence public policy.
Dr. Cook considers himself a doctor who writes, rather than a writer who happens to be a doctor. He has come up with a diagnosis to explain why his medical thrillers remain so popular after 35 books.
He believes that we are all at risk of being patients sometime, and that is why his books resonate with readers.
Editoral Review
Acceptable Risk by Robin Cook is a medical thriller first published on January 1, 1995. Robin Cook is a distinguished author and physician, known for his extensive work in the medical field.
The book falls under the genre of medical mystery and thriller with fast-paced action and a multitude of twists and turns.
The story is set in New York, where Dr. Edward Armstrong, a brilliant cardiologist, discovers a drug for preventing heart attacks, which is later found to have potentially fatal side effects.
The main character is a young research assistant, Elaine Nichols, who assists Dr. Armstrong in testing the drug on patients. When Elaine notices severe symptoms in some patients, Dr. Armstrong dismisses them, putting his reputation and career before the patients’ safety.
Elaine must now decide whether to risk her career and reveal the truth to the authorities or to stay silent. The plot is well-crafted, with engaging characters and an intricate web of suspenseful events.
The story’s medical themes are extremely relevant to our times, as people continue to seek relief from common health conditions while pharmaceutical companies continue to rush trial drugs to market. The book exposes the dark underbelly of the pharmaceutical industry and highlights how doctors can be influenced by their financial incentives.
The writing style is clear and concise, with vivid descriptions and carefully constructed dialogue. However, the pacing is uneven, with the beginning dragging, and the end rushing to tie up loose ends.
The character development is somewhat superficial, with some of the supporting characters feeling one-dimensional. Despite its flaws, Acceptable Risk is an engaging read that will keep readers on the edge of their seats.
Robin Cook has done an excellent job of conveying the urgency of the situation and creating a gripping, suspenseful narrative that will resonate with readers. Although some elements of the plot may seem predictable, the story’s medical themes remain relevant and informative.
I would recommend this book to readers who enjoy medical thrillers and mystery novels. It is particularly relevant to people who are interested in medical ethics and the pharmaceutical industry’s inner workings.
On a scale of 1 to 5, I would rate this book a 3.5. It is a worthwhile read with some shortcomings, but it remains a classic example of Robin Cook’s exceptional work in the medical thriller genre.
