BLOODSWORTH ISLAND by Jeff Slate and David Rearden

BLOODSWORTH ISLAND by Jeff Slate and David Rearden
America House - February 2001
ISBN: 1588513513 - Trade Paperback
Suspense / Thriller

Reviewed by Beverly J. Rowe, MyShelf.com
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Dr. Marcus Gallagher, the administrator for the closely controlled Bloodsworth Island facility, wants to rid the planet of all genetically inherited disease. His scientists live on an island in a cult like atmosphere where their every move and thought is controlled so that they are able to concentrate on the jobs at hand and not be bothered by the day-to-day personal pressures that affect the rest of us.

Gene Nolan is the Bloodsworth Island research scientist that was instrumental in developing a virus to attack the disease-transmitting gene for Cystic Fibrosis and a test to pinpoint that gene. When the entire Orani Indian colony in Ecuador that the Bloodsworth Island scientific team is testing sicken and die, Gene begins to suspect that they have been deliberately murdered using his experimental virus. His suspicion begins to point to the idea that perhaps Dr. Gallagher and his administrative team want to rid the Earth of all genetically transmitted gene carriers.

In a suspenseful, fast reading first novel, Slate and Rearden have come up with a truly frightening concept involving genetic research, and the strange gullibility of dedicated humanitarians. When Gene starts thinking in terms of the numbers of people this mass murder would involve, it becomes unthinkable; he must stop this insanity. This action packed suspense novel really gave me some things to think about and maybe changed my mind on previous ideas about genetic engineering. I'm looking forward to more innovative ideas from this team – a bright star in the new author galaxy.