Dr. Brandon Cowley finds himself immersed in a conspiracy to defraud the federal government billions of dollars in a research protocol designed to put the majority of vascular surgeons out of business. The Heart Assisted Device (HAD) is designed to obviate the need for more expensive and traditional cardiac bypass surgery, but positive research results must support the government’s claim that the HAD is superior to the more expensive CABG surgeries. Brandon uncovers a plot to murder his patients to report favorable results and thus make the FDA’s case for the new procedure. The FBI is called in to investigate the unexplained deaths, that eventually leads to a syndicate boss in California. A parallel plot involves Mexico’s intent to steal American biotechnology to create a financial empire for Louis Luchini, an international crime boss, by corrupting the American medical community and the FDA. The reader moves quickly from the Nation’s Capitol to San Diego, Austin, and La Paz, the capital of Baja California Sur. This page-turner throws the reader into the worlds of medical research, governmental bureaucracy and conspiracy, and the sordid underground world of organized crime.
Professional Reviews
Reviewer from London, England
As a temporarily displaced Texan I appreciate & enjoy the familiar Texas locations used by Mr. Barton in this book. The book is a multi-plotted thriller that involves the medical industry, US government agencies, as well as having plenty of international intrigue. My only objection to the book is it makes me more aware of one more possible form of terrorism that could be used against us. This time it's being done by the people we depend on for our own personal medical well-being. It' a good easy read that I highly recommend to others who like mysteries.
