Critical by Robin Cook - Revision history

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2020-09-02T14:49:27Z

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2020-08-24T08:19:53Z

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2020-08-21T10:13:42Z

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2018-03-07T13:05:34Z

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Sue at 13:53, 8 September 2012

2012-09-08T13:53:58Z

Keith: 1 revision

2009-10-24T17:17:28Z

1 revision

Sue at 13:54, 10 August 2008

2008-08-10T13:54:40Z

New review

{{infobox
|title= Critical
|author= Robin Cook
|reviewer= Eileen Shaw
|genre=Crime
|summary= An efficient thriller based on medical skulduggery with some scary moments for its female protagonist. Light on characterisation, but well-paced throughout.
|rating=3
|buy= Maybe
|borrow= Yes
|format= Paperback
|pages=277
|publisher= Pan Books
|date= August 2008
|isbn=978-0330457545
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0330457543</amazonuk>
|amazonus=<amazonus>0425222888</amazonus>
}}

A slick, confident, medical thriller, ''Critical'' ticks the right boxes in terms of complexity but fails in the region of character development and exposition. Partly because the nature of all thrillers is to concentrate on the action, the human dimension is often in thrall to intensifying the anxiety of victims and perpetrators at the expense of verisimilitude - therefore delivering the goods according to something of a template.

That said, ''Critical'' has a well-rounded scenario, with New York Medical Examiner Laurie Montgomery stumbling upon a puzzling spate of MRSA cases in a complex of private hospitals owned by Angels Healthcare. Angels is desperate to continue in business for if they can hang on for a few more weeks they will be launched on the stock exchange and everyone will be wealthy beyond their dreams. But they need more funding, which is where Angels' CEO Angela Dawson's mob-connected ex-husband comes in - and, almost by accident, where a certain rival mob outfit proves unexpectedly useful to the cops. Along the way the reader is treated to some visceral moments in the public morgue and an absorbing set of plot-lines.

The puzzling political insinuation inserted at the end of the book comes as a surprise. It doesn't signify anything much, though it does point-up the author's lack of engagement in any real human-interest angle.

I'd like to thank the publishers for sending a copy to The Bookbag.

If this type of book appeals to you then we think that you might also enjoy [[The Fifth Vial by Michael Palmer]] and [[The Last Town on Earth by Thomas Mullen]].

{{amazontext|amazon=0330457543}} {{waterstonestext|waterstones=6192611}}

{{commenthead}}

@@ Line 25: / Line 25: @@
 I'd like to thank the publishers for sending a copy to The Bookbag.
-This book is a little better than [[Crisis by Robin Cook]].
+This book is a little better than [[Crisis by Robin Cook]].  You might also enjoy [[I'm Thinking of Ending Things by Iain Reid]].
 If this type of book appeals to you then we think that you might also enjoy [[The Fifth Vial by Michael Palmer]] and [[The Last Town on Earth by Thomas Mullen]]. [[Deep State by Chris Hauty]] is pretty much on a par with ''Critical''.

@@ Line 27: / Line 27: @@
 This book is a little better than [[Crisis by Robin Cook]].
-If this type of book appeals to you then we think that you might also enjoy [[The Fifth Vial by Michael Palmer]] and [[The Last Town on Earth by Thomas Mullen]].
+If this type of book appeals to you then we think that you might also enjoy [[The Fifth Vial by Michael Palmer]] and [[The Last Town on Earth by Thomas Mullen]]. [[Deep State by Chris Hauty]] is pretty much on a par with ''Critical''.
 {{amazontext|amazon=0330457543}}

← Older revision		Revision as of 13:53, 8 September 2012
Line 30:		Line 30:

	{{commenthead}}		{{commenthead}}
		+	[[Category:Thrillers]]

@@ Line 19: / Line 19: @@
 A slick, confident, medical thriller, ''Critical'' ticks the right boxes in terms of complexity but fails in the region of character development and exposition. Partly because the nature of all thrillers is to concentrate on the action, the human dimension is often in thrall to intensifying the anxiety of victims and perpetrators at the expense of verisimilitude - therefore delivering the goods according to something of a template.
-That said, ''Critical'' has a well-rounded scenario, with New York Medical Examiner Laurie Montgomery stumbling upon a puzzling spate of MRSA cases in a complex of private hospitals owned by Angels Healthcare. Angels is desperate to continue in business for if they can hang on for a few more weeks they will be launched on the stock exchange and everyone will be wealthy beyond their dreams. But they need more funding, which is where Angels' CEO Angela Dawson's mob-connected ex-husband comes in - and, almost by accident, where a certain rival mob outfit proves unexpectedly useful to the cops. Along the way the reader is treated to some visceral moments in the public morgue and an absorbing set of plot-lines.
+That said, ''Critical'' has a well-rounded scenario, with New York Medical Examiner Laurie Montgomery stumbling upon a puzzling spate of MRSA cases in a complex of private hospitals owned by Angels Healthcare. Angels is desperate to continue in business for if they can hang on for a few more weeks they will be launched on the stock exchange and everyone will be wealthy beyond their dreams. But they need more funding, which is where Angels' CEO Angela Dawson's mob-connected ex-husband comes in - and, almost by accident, where a certain rival mob outfit proves unexpectedly useful to the cops. Along the way, the reader is treated to some visceral moments in the public morgue and an absorbing set of plot-lines.
-The puzzling political insinuation inserted at the end of the book comes as a surprise. It doesn't signify anything much, though it does point-up the author's lack of  engagement in any real human-interest angle.
+The puzzling political insinuation inserted at the end of the book comes as a surprise. It doesn't signify anything much, though it does point-up the author's lack of engagement in any real human-interest angle.
 I'd like to thank the publishers for sending a copy to The Bookbag.
 If this type of book appeals to you then we think that you might also enjoy [[The Fifth Vial by Michael Palmer]] and [[The Last Town on Earth by Thomas Mullen]].

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-{{infobox
+{{infobox1
 |title= Critical
 |author= Robin Cook
@@ Line 12: / Line 12: @@
 |date= August 2008
 |isbn=978-0330457545
-|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0330457543</amazonuk>
+|cover=0330457543
-|amazonus=<amazonus>0425222888</amazonus>
+|aznuk=0330457543
 }}

@@ Line 8: / Line 8: @@
 |buy= Maybe
 |borrow= Yes
 |pages=277
 |publisher= Pan Books
@@ Line 27: / Line 26: @@
 If this type of book appeals to you then we think that you might also enjoy [[The Fifth Vial by Michael Palmer]] and [[The Last Town on Earth by Thomas Mullen]].
-{{amazontext|amazon=0330457543}} {{waterstonestext|waterstones=6192611}}
+{{amazontext|amazon=0330457543}}
 {{commenthead}}
 [[Category:Thrillers]]

← Older revision	Revision as of 17:17, 24 October 2009
(No difference)