Robert Liparulo, Germ

Germ

Robert Liparulo

WestBow, Nov 2006, $22.99

ISBN 0785261788

The creator customizes his creation so that this strand of the Ebola virus will give a cold to some, but those individuals, whose DNA contain specific readings, will die a painful bloody death; for those the virus seeks will find their insides turn to liquid in a few days. The terrorists who plan to use this new weapon of mass destruction anticipate ten thousand deaths that represent all types of the population as religion, age, gender, or social status mean nothing; DNA decides a minor inconvenience or a painful death.

Near CDC Headquarters in Atlanta, FBI Agents Goodwin "Goody" Donnelly and Julia Matheson are meeting Despesorio Vero who has seen first hand what the disease can do. The two men in one car on the interstate are attacked and separated from Julie. She obtains the help of physician Dr. Allen Parker, as they try to track back the virus to ground zero so as to prevent a terrorist attack that will surpass 9/11 in its body count and geography.

The technical background data makes the exhilarating story line seem plausible in this action-packed thriller that starts off with a gory death, goes through several surprising twists, and never slows down until the final confrontation. Julia's desperation as she knows the clock is ticking adds to the feel that this could easily happen. Readers who appreciate plenty of confrontation with blood, guts and death everywhere on top of a tense premise will want to read Germ though the tale can prove difficult to follow as there are numerous subplots to follow.

Harriet Klausner