A HEARTBEAT AWAY by Michael Palmer was read for the Medical Mystery Madness Challenge 2011 and the Pub 2011 Reading Challenge.From the book jacket:
On the night of the State of the Union address, President James Allaire expects to give the speech of his career. But no one foresees the horrific turn of events that leads him to quarantine everyone in the Capitol building.
A terrorist group calling itself Genesis has unleashed a highly contagious virus into the building, and the only one who fully knows its deadly consequences is the president himself. Desperate, he turns to virologist Griffin Rhodes, who is currently jailed in a maximum-security prison for the alleged theft of the microbe from the lab where he worked. Griff knows he is innocent but is forced to barter with the government: his attempt at a cure in exchange for his release.
The situation grows more terrifying by the minute. Every single person in line for presidential succession is trapped in the building - everyone except the Director of Homeland Security, the so-called Designated Survivor for this event, who is tucked away safely in his Minnesota home. With the enemies both named and unnamed closing in, and the security of the entire nation at stake, Griff must unravel the mysteries of this virus as one by one those imprisoned in the Capitol begin to die.
Good book! This book kept my interest from the first page. From the beginning, I was certain of who was behind this attack, only to find out I was so far from the truth. Would they be able to find the cure? Would it be in time? And what was going on with the government?
Next January, when the President gives his State of the Union address, look at the audience. All the members of Congress, the Supreme Court, the Cabinet members - they're all there. What would happen to this country if something like this premise of this book really happened? Without going "political," this book makes you think. What would happen if a terrorist attack took out the entire Presidential succession except one? Would that one remaining person be qualified to lead this country?
This book is another winner by Dr. Palmer.
6 comments:
I enjoyed this book also!
I just started listening to this one, so I'm glad to see you liked it to so much!
Palmer is a mainstream author that I've managed to miss and never read. Is this book part of a series, or one you could pick up and read if you've never read this author before? Just curious, the premise sounds awesome and it does sound like a real page-turner! :)
Happy Reading!
Stacy - it's a stand-alone book. I don't think he's written any that are series books.
I loved this book too. To answer your question whether the lone cabinet survivor would have the skills to lead the country, I say yes. The military and federal bureaucracy would be able to get this person up to speed quickly.
I've seen lots of good reviews for this one already. I'm definitely putting this one on my TBR list. I read some of Palmer's early books but haven't read any of his recent stuff. Lots of folks I trust are recommending this one. Thanks for adding to my resolve to read it soon!
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