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57th out of 66 books
—
39 voters
Critical (Jack Stapleton & Laurie Montgomery #7)
by
Robin Cook
Angela Dawson, M.D., appears to have it all: at the age of thirty-seven, she owns a fabulous New York City apartment, a stunning seaside house on Nantucket, and enjoys the perks of her prosperous lifestyle. But her climb to the top was rough, marked by a troubled childhood, a failed marriage, and the devastating blow of bankruptcy as a primary-care internist. Painfully awa...more
Hardcover, 464 pages
Published
August 7th 2007
by Putnam Adult
(first published January 1st 2007)
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This was my first book by Robin Cook and I guess I shouldn't have started with this one, since I can see it didn't get very good reviews.
The main problems I had with this book: I guess the gangsters annoyed me the most. I'm not sure what they were doing in a medical thriller in the first place. It seems a huge part of the middle of the book was taken up by these incompetent, 2-bit, hack small-time gangsters with the cheesiest dialogue ever.
They even used phrases like, "The bird has flown," and...more
The main problems I had with this book: I guess the gangsters annoyed me the most. I'm not sure what they were doing in a medical thriller in the first place. It seems a huge part of the middle of the book was taken up by these incompetent, 2-bit, hack small-time gangsters with the cheesiest dialogue ever.
They even used phrases like, "The bird has flown," and...more
Typical recent Cook "Message" book does little to excite his fans
One can hardly think of the "medical thriller" genre without acknowledging the contributions of Michael Palmer and Robin Cook. In recent years, Cook has traded all-out suspense and intrigue for books that strive to not only entertain with a decent plot but also lecture the reader on a medical topic of concern, if not pet peeve, of the author's. While we are spared an outright after-word essay in "Critical", nonetheless we get a hea...more
One can hardly think of the "medical thriller" genre without acknowledging the contributions of Michael Palmer and Robin Cook. In recent years, Cook has traded all-out suspense and intrigue for books that strive to not only entertain with a decent plot but also lecture the reader on a medical topic of concern, if not pet peeve, of the author's. While we are spared an outright after-word essay in "Critical", nonetheless we get a hea...more
Aug 24, 2009
Carolyn C.
rated it
2 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Nobody!!
Recommended to Carolyn by:
A friend passed it on to me
I have read several of Robin Cook's medical mystery books over the years and usually enjoy them. The story line of "Critical" makes a great basis for a suspenseful read. Here's my gripe...first of all the book is 527 pages long...UGH!!...and it really drug (Ha Ha...no pun intended!! Ha Ha!!). Maybe if the book would have gotten to the point and was 150 pages it would be better. I didn't even start getting interested in it (except for the awesome series of autopsies early on) until half way throu...more
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As usual I wasn't disappointed by this book. I am a fan of Robin Cook and have read several of his books. I found myself putting together a list of potential suspects in the story. Just when I thought it might be one person, it turned out to be someone else that was involved. Anyone that has read books by Robin Cook know that they are usually revolved around something medical. They do get you wondering if something like this could actually happen and makes you wonder every time you enter a hospi...more
Laurie Montgomery and Jack Stapleton, married to each other, are medical examiners in New York City.
Jack injures his knee during a basketball game and is in a rush to repair his torn ACL ASAP, so that he can get make to riding his bike and playing basketball again. Laurie thinks that Jack is rushing this surgery.
Laurie does an autopsy on a Mr. Jeffries who had undergone the same procedure as Jack will undergo, but he died from a postoperative MRSA infection, a pretty severe one in the lungs.
Lau...more
Jack injures his knee during a basketball game and is in a rush to repair his torn ACL ASAP, so that he can get make to riding his bike and playing basketball again. Laurie thinks that Jack is rushing this surgery.
Laurie does an autopsy on a Mr. Jeffries who had undergone the same procedure as Jack will undergo, but he died from a postoperative MRSA infection, a pretty severe one in the lungs.
Lau...more
Robin Cook is one of my favorite authors. I have especially enjoyed the recurring characters Laurie Montgomery and Jack Stapleton. This book was not my favorite of his even though it had the recurring characters. I didn't like Jack as much in this book. Robin as always created Jack to be passionate about his causes and against mainstream healthcare. This is why I couldn't understand why Jack would want to have his surgery in a Posh For Profit HOspital. I also didn't like the way he left Laurie t...more
Medical Examiner Laurie Montgomery is surprised when she keeps finding cases of a deadly staph infection in patients who have been treated at the Angel surgical hospitals. When she contacts the owner of the specialty hospitals, she finds that they are doing all they can to stop the infections. They even closed down in order to disinfect the surgical rooms and tested all the employees for the infection. But nothing they do can stop the cases from coming. What is going on here? Laurie is determine...more
Another great medical mystery thriller from Robin Cook.
How commercialization of medical care can work havoc for hospitals and patients resulting in the unfortunate death of many patients by airborne infections is the main story line. That the lady medical examiner finds the source of infection and puts a stop to the series of incidents makes for the story. Conflicting interests of the lobbyists and private hospital owners can really put a nations health care system into disarray. The book exempl...more
How commercialization of medical care can work havoc for hospitals and patients resulting in the unfortunate death of many patients by airborne infections is the main story line. That the lady medical examiner finds the source of infection and puts a stop to the series of incidents makes for the story. Conflicting interests of the lobbyists and private hospital owners can really put a nations health care system into disarray. The book exempl...more
A professionally conflicted accountant gets his problem solved with a .22, a recurring protagonist faces surgery for a torn ACL, and a city ME is confronted with multiple cases involving fulminant post-op courses, complete with incipient abscesses and necrotizing pneumonia. All in the first 30 pages - what more could you ask of a medical mystery? It was good, not great, a beach read; no surprises, a tad formulaic, demonstrating that not much has changed since "someone (was) putting people into c...more
Angela Dawson, M.D., appears to have it all: at the age of thirty-seven, she owns a fabulous New York City apartment, a stunning seaside house on Nantucket, and enjoys the perks of her prosperous lifestyle. But her climb to the top was rough, marked by a troubled childhood, a failed marriage, and the devastating blow of bankruptcy as a primary-care internist. Painfully aware of the role of economics in modern life, particularly in the health-care field, Angela returned to school to earn an MBA....more
Critical (Jack & Laurie Montgomery, #7) by Robin Cook.
I picked up this book because I have read some other books by Robin Cook and was very impressed.I feel that this novel was okay but not one of his best.
Laurie Montgomery and Jack Stapleton, are married and are medical examiners in New York City.Jack injures his knee during a basketball game and is in a rush to have surgery and be back to riding his bike and playing basketball again. Laurie thinks that Jack is rushing his surgery, and shou...more
I picked up this book because I have read some other books by Robin Cook and was very impressed.I feel that this novel was okay but not one of his best.
Laurie Montgomery and Jack Stapleton, are married and are medical examiners in New York City.Jack injures his knee during a basketball game and is in a rush to have surgery and be back to riding his bike and playing basketball again. Laurie thinks that Jack is rushing his surgery, and shou...more
I usually enjoy Robin Cook, but I found a lot of this boring. I guess it was the business side of "for profit" hospitals and I admit I skimmed through a lot of it. Laurie Montgomery is always a good character to follow as she seems to be authentic and there are enough details about her to let the reader identify with her, but it seems like Jack Stapleton is getting more and more one dimensional. It is highly unlikely that a person in his position, knowing the deaths that are coming from the hosp...more
Critical is a typical Robin Cook medical thriller. Which is to say that while it isn't great literature, it sure keeps you turning the pages. Featuring a grossly improbable but improbably engrossing plot, deliciouly evil villians and other somewhat undeveloped characters, Critical concerns a scheme to drive a group of specialty hospitals into bankruptcy using a particularly virulent strain of methicillin resistant staph aureus (MRSA), i.e., the "flesh eating bacteria."
In telling its story, the...more
In telling its story, the...more
I've read nearly all of Cook's earlier works but at some point later in his writing realized he gets on a major soap box with every recent novel so I skipped a few. Not sure when it started, but this one is no exception.
It is current by having MRSA (antibiotic resistant staph) as one of the stars but I found myself skimming to get the gist and get it over and done. There was a LOT of medical description that I didn't have the brain power to digest. However, I like reading Robin Cook because he...more
It is current by having MRSA (antibiotic resistant staph) as one of the stars but I found myself skimming to get the gist and get it over and done. There was a LOT of medical description that I didn't have the brain power to digest. However, I like reading Robin Cook because he...more
This was the first book that I read by Robin Cook. It was a great read and showed a somewhat plausible situation involving the risks of infection after surgeries. Having been married to a nurse who died from Leukemia at age 50 I have spent several years around and in hospitals. Most of the attitudes of the doctors and staff were fairly accurate. I will be looking into several more in this series as this is the type genre I enjoy. I found this book on the communal shelf in our break room at work...more
Robin Cook has turned out another outstanding medico-legal thriller with "Critical." This time, he takes a common hospital problem (MRSA, or methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus) and makes it the centerpiece of the story. Medical examiner Laurie Montgomery is an interesting and complex character, and her forensic detection methods are first-rate. Congratulations to Cook for taking his medical background and incorporating it into a flawlessly-researched novel. Highly recommended.
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Maybe it was because I was on an airplane for ten hours, but I couldn't stop reading this thriller. I like the two main characters, both doctors who are medical examiners. I know it is unlikely that one of them would play detective and put herself in danger, but she doesn't think she is detecting anything other then a medical mystery so I found it believable. I have a skepticism about hospitals and this story played right to it.
Once again, Cook delivers a reasonably good story with poor dialogue, unbelievable personal relationships, and a ton of technomedical detail.
The book reads fast and has many of the right things - intrigue, medical science, and somewhat thrilling suspense. There is no romance (good) or semblance of interpersonal relationships (bad) but, again, I see flashes of what Dr. Cook's real life must be like.
Good mystery. Superb detail. Okay book.
The book reads fast and has many of the right things - intrigue, medical science, and somewhat thrilling suspense. There is no romance (good) or semblance of interpersonal relationships (bad) but, again, I see flashes of what Dr. Cook's real life must be like.
Good mystery. Superb detail. Okay book.
This book reminded me a lot of Cook's much earlier book, Coma. A knee surgery scheduled at a hospital where a number of patient deaths are resulting from staph infections. Foul play is suspected as part of the hospital's financial crisis and corruption.
Can the investigating medical examiners solve those mysteries before more people die needlessly? Read this medical thriller and find out!
Can the investigating medical examiners solve those mysteries before more people die needlessly? Read this medical thriller and find out!
Another just-fine "TV read" during the holidays. I liked the return to familiar characters, and the plot was well-developed. I might even have given this one more star if I'd not been beginning to tire of quick little novels. It's a little like a third dessert at the end of a good buffet, I think; it's fine, but I'm out of things to say about it. Back to heartier fare for a bit, please! :)
Eh... suspenseful enough, I did keep wanting to listen to it, and the political controversy about specialy hospitals was interesting to think about, but the plot was pretty insipid, and I really HATE the protagonist Laurie Montgomery, Gah, could she possibly NAG her new husband any more if she tried?! I haven't read any others in this series, but I am not tempted to either.
Wow. I liked Robin Cook's books before I stumbled upon this little mess. It was a big ball of nothing happened. At one point a character is given a "cement boot" and then shot in the head execution style and thrown into the water by the force of the bullet. Yeah. That's what needed to happen to this book. It needs to be buried and never shown the light.... it is just that disappointing.
It was a slow start for this book. There is so much of this that could have been shortened or just cut out. It didn't pick up until half way through. The situations were not realistic. She wrote out a spread sheet? Seriously? Has the author not heard of Excel? The mobster thing seemed very "stereotypical" and not very believable. I wouldn't recommend this book.
A good read to keep me going on the cardio-machines at the gym. I love these medical thrillers, so good, page-turning, keeps me going longer than ever possible on the stay-in-place cardio workout. And I have come to find that the LARGE print books are even better for this purpose! I don't have to slow down to read the fine print. Great story, fun, edge-of seat drama.
This book follows the same ME characters as Crisis, but it was more a mystery book. It set up the mystery with personal ties, the heroin doggedly tries to get to the bootom of it all, she gets captures, and miraculously gets saved as does her husband. I liked it quite a bit just for the science jargon and the MRSA virus that is so virulent today.
posh for-profit procedure hospitals of a Manhattan based corporation that is intent on going with a profitable public investment filing. I found the premise for the source of the infections to be unbelievable and the conclusion of the conflicts far fetched and unsatisfying! (I enjoyed it MUCH more that Robin Cook's prior "Crisis" novel; however!)
Another great thriller by Dr. Cook. Dr. Cook has a way of drawing you right into the middle of the action. You find yourself cheering the "good guys" on and wincing when they have a run in with the bad guys. The scariest part of Dr. Cook's writings is how very believable he makes the medical situations. I have no trouble believing some of the things he writes about can very well happen in today's hospitals.
I had heard so much about Robin Cook and his books before I read this. I have to say that this book does no justice what so ever to all the things said. I found it difficult to read the book and completed it only after 2 years as I can never leave a book half read. The mystery is good but the writing is a let down.
When I first started reading this book, I expected Jack Bauer to appear at any minute. Alas, no such luck.
I liked the medical theme that this book offered, I guess I'm just not that enthralled by mysteries. Also, the writing is unlike what I am accustomed to reading. For some reason, there were gangsters talking like they had PhDs. I just thought that was a bit inconsistent, not that I know any gangsters in real life.
Oh and can I mention the abrupt ending?! At least there was an epilogue. There...more
I liked the medical theme that this book offered, I guess I'm just not that enthralled by mysteries. Also, the writing is unlike what I am accustomed to reading. For some reason, there were gangsters talking like they had PhDs. I just thought that was a bit inconsistent, not that I know any gangsters in real life.
Oh and can I mention the abrupt ending?! At least there was an epilogue. There...more
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Librarian Note: Not to be confused with British novelist Robin Cook a pseudonym of Robert William Arthur Cook.
Dr. Robin Cook (born May 4, 1940 in New York City, New York) is an American doctor / novelist who writes about medicine and topics affecting public health.
He is best known for being the author who combined medical writing with the thriller genre of writing. Several of his books have been b...more
More about Robin Cook...
Dr. Robin Cook (born May 4, 1940 in New York City, New York) is an American doctor / novelist who writes about medicine and topics affecting public health.
He is best known for being the author who combined medical writing with the thriller genre of writing. Several of his books have been b...more
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