Acceptable Risk
Its been a long time since I have read a Robin Cook novel. I had fun with this one. The book has a long prologue that takes place in the late 1600's, in Salem, where a woman named Elizabeth is tried and hung for being a witch. Move up 300 years to Kim, Elizabeth's descendant. She is the co-owner of the original land of home of Elizabeth and family. She meets and starts to fall for a scientist, Edward. Together the look into the families hidden past. Along the way the come across some fungus that Edward tries to prove is what caused the 'ifflictions' that occurred all those years ago. However, it is so much more that what he anticipated.This novel is of two parts. Medical mystery/thriller as Edward tries to use the new findings in his lab and historical mystery as Kim researches her family history to uncover the truth. I feel the author did a good job blending the two. I do feel the ending was a bit abrupt and jumped forward too quickly for the final chapters, but I understand that the medical search was also a main focus that was mostly done being told. The pace at the beginning was good, then slowed toward then middle, then over-rushed the last 40 pages. I wish Cook spent just a bit more time cover the relationship between Edward and Kim. The entire time is seemed very awkward and fake. Other than that, it was nicely done for what it was.
