• Death Benefit

  • By: Robin Cook
  • Narrated by: George Guidall
  • Length: 12 hrs and 16 mins
  • 4.1 out of 5 stars (514 ratings)

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Death Benefit  By  cover art

Death Benefit

By: Robin Cook
Narrated by: George Guidall
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Publisher's summary

Robin Cook - New York Times best-selling author and master of the medical thriller - returns with another crackling tale of unchecked greed, medical malfeasance, and startling science.

Pia Grazdani is an exceptional yet aloof medical student working closely with Columbia University Medical Center's premier scientist on cutting-edge research that could revolutionize health care by creating replacement organs for critically ill patients. Thorough her work with the brilliant molecular geneticist Dr. Tobias Rothman, Pia knows she will be given the chance to fulfill her ambition to participate in medical discoveries that can help millions while bringing her a measure of personal peace that might once and for all push aside memories of her difficult and abusive childhood.

But when tragedy strikes in the lab, Pia, with the help of infatuated classmate George Wilson, must investigate the unforeseen calamity in the hospital's supposedly secure biosafety lab.

Meanwhile, two ex-Wall Street whiz kids think they have found another loadstone in the nation's multitrillion-dollar life insurance industry. They race to find ways to control actuarial data and securitize the policies of the aged and infirm to make another killing.

As Pia and George dig deeper into the events at the lab one question remains unanswered: Is someone attempting to manipulate private insurance information to allow investors to benefit from the deaths of others?

©2011 Robin Cook (P)2011 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

"[A] fascinating tale that never slows down." (Library Journal)

"Cook provides an interesting study of the strange bedfellows the biotech business and the mob might make...." (Publishers Weekly)

What listeners say about Death Benefit

Average customer ratings
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Story
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  • 3 Stars
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  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

great story, extremely poor engineering

What disappointed you about Death Benefit?

The story and performance by George Guidall were wonderful! The engineering quality on this one is pretty bad (see the additional comments section below).

What does George Guidall bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

He brought life to the characters in a way I hadn't imagined when I originally read the novel.

Any additional comments?

I read other reviews and saw the comments about the engineering quality on this and figured it might not be as bad as described. It was sadly, worse. Chapters would end mid-word and a new one begin, not once but nearly two dozen times. I often wondered if I'd missed something as the new chapter began. I'm not sure where the quality control went on this one.

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14 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Great author, reader, book; POOR ENGINEERING

Any additional comments?

Engineering disaster. Many chapters ended abruptly and ran into the beginning of the next chapter - very annoying.

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13 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Abrupt ending

What about George Guidall’s performance did you like?

Mr. Guidall always differentiates his characters so well that you know who is speaking without the tags. His delivery is relaxed, unaffected, and very intelligible. He is my favorite narrator.

Any additional comments?

The story is very engaging until it ends, very abruptly. It is so bad that it spoils the book.

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10 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Production Quality

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Huge fan of Robin Cook and LUV George Guidall. The story premise somewhat reminded me of Chromosone 6 with genegically enginered organs, the mob and headstrong young scientist ready to crack open the vault and expose the entire endgame. Whilke I enjoyed the story, the productions issues were continious.

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5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars

Average Robin Cook Novel

Robin Cook is one of those authors that was a better early on. Now it seems like it he just wants to keep cranking out books, without as much concern for their quality. Coma and Silent Treatment were far superior. Also, I find the narration by George Guidall to be especially poor. His voice has an irritating quality, and he is unable to change the tone of his voice adequately to denote the different characters.

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

great story line, not so good narrator

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

yes and no. Love Robin Cook books but it was hard to continue listening due to the narrators delivery. He finishes his sentences at warp speed which gives an impression that he is just trying to get through the job

How could the performance have been better?

Different narrator. this one is sorely lacking in delivery

Did Death Benefit inspire you to do anything?

no

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Characters in posted synopsis are mis-named

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

Story was pretty good, but ends abruptly. George Guidall is wonderful as usual, but the engineering is awful.I liked the way the author wove in the interesting medical examiners, Jack and Lori, from previous novels. I would love for these characters to appear together in a future novel.

Weird that the synopsis on Audible names the characters as Natalie and Ronald when the characters are Pia and George. In addition, George does not work on the diabetes project as described.......

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Excellent book

George Guidall is the BEST narrator I have ever listened to. Excellent story! Enjoyed it very much!

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Death Benefits Review

Death Benefits was a very good novel. I would recommend it as a must read!

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Death Benefit, by Robin Cook

Great story about a young Albanian medical student studying in Columbia University medical school running afoul of the Albanian mafia.

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1 person found this helpful