Marker

By: Robin Cook

Narrated by: George Guidall

Length: 16 hrs and 8 mins

Publisher's summary

Twenty-eight-year-old Sean McGillin is the picture of health, until he fractures his leg while in-line skating in New York City's Central Park. Within 24 hours of his surgery, he dies.

A 36-year-old mother, Darlene Morgan, has knee surgery to repair a torn ligament in her knee. And within 24 hours, she has died.

New York City medical examiners Dr. Laurie Montgomery and Dr. Jack Stapleton are back, in Robin Cook's electrifying 25th novel. Last seen in Vector, the doctors confront a series of puzzling hospital deaths of young, healthy people after successful routine surgery.

Despite institutional resistance from her superiors, as well as from those at Manhattan General, Laurie doggedly pursues the investigation. Though it seems impossible to determine why and how the patients are dying, she comes to suspect that not only are the deaths related, they're intentional, suggesting the work of a remarkably clever serial killer with a very unusual motive, involving frightening ties to both developing genomic medicine and the economics of modern-day health care.

Then Laurie is dealt a double blow: While coping with Jack's inability to commit to their relationship, she discovers she carries a genetic marker for a breast-cancer gene. As her personal life continues to unravel, the need for answers becomes more urgent, especially when Laurie is pulled into the nightmare as a potential victim herself. With time winding down, she and Jack race to connect the dots, and save Laurie's life.

With his signature blend of suspense and science, Robin Cook delivers an electrifying page-turner as vivid as today's headlines.

©2005 Robin Cook (P)2005 Penguin Audio and Recorded Books, LLC

Critic reviews

"The best-selling physician/author is in top form as he revisits the love/hate relationship between New York City medical examiners Laurie Montgomery and her lover, Jack Stapleton, in this gripping medical chiller." (Publishers Weekly)

kept me going

Very interesting book this was my first experience with Robin Cook and i'm thinking it won't be my last. Marker keeps you guessing and sitting at the edge of your seat!!

Great story line

Couldn’t put it down! Great read and great mystery. I would highly recommend if you have the time to listen.

Intersting story, stupid ending

Not the best in the series, story was interesting but denouement is hard to believe and written in 2 paragraphs.

Marker

Review of Marker. Well done, excellent knowledge of health care and hospitals. I did enjoy this book.

My Favorite Writer

The drama. The medicine. The thrill. The procedures. The suspense. The characters you love and the ones you hate. Everything is well rounded and I look forward to book 14 as a reRead the series.

Riveting but science fiction

I enjoyed this story, but found much of the hospital scenes unrealistic. I work in a hospital and have never seen people treat patients like many of the hospital staff in these scenes did.

Awesome Book

Loved the narrator, story line and the author. Great listen. Thoroughly enjoyed the book. Must read.

Marker

Great story, a tale of courage and corruptness in the American medical system. Dr. Robin Cook has always been one of my favorite authors and this is one of his best.

A bit too predictable

As with previous Cook novels, this one is full of well developed characters and has a fast-paced and interesting story line. The only complaint is that the plot was way too predictable and I could see the climax coming during the second or third hour of this 14+ hour audio book. Although there were a few twists and turns along the way, the storyline and ending were predictable enough to leave me feeling generally dissapointed.

Haven't I read this before?

Seems like Cook's written this story a few times before. Formulaic and predictable. At least it's Cook's formula, and not derivative.