A Heartbeat Away
A Heartbeat Away by Michael Palmer, published by St. Martin’s Press on February 15, 2011, is a gripping thriller that intertwines the realms of politics and medicine. This first edition spans 404 pages and is presented in English. The narrative unfolds on the night of the State of the Union address, where President James Allaire faces an unexpected crisis as a terrorist group unleashes a deadly virus within the Capitol building, forcing a quarantine of all attendees.
Readers will encounter a high-stakes scenario as virologist Griffin Rhodes, imprisoned for alleged terrorist activities, is called upon to assist in combating the outbreak. With the nation’s security at risk and the entire line of presidential succession trapped, Rhodes must navigate complex moral dilemmas while racing against time to understand the virus, known as WRX3883. The novel delves into themes of medical ethics and political intrigue, presenting a tense atmosphere that challenges the characters’ loyalties and decisions.
Official synopsis Publisher
The New York Times bestselling author and master of suspense delivers another novel at the crossroads of politics and medicine in this shocker of a thriller
On the night of the State of the Union address, President James Allaire expects to give the speech of his career. But no one anticipates the terrifying turn of events that forces him to quarantine everyone in the Capitol building. A terrorist group calling itself “Genesis” has unleashed WRX3883, a deadly, highly contagious virus, into the building. No one fully knows the deadly effect of the germ except for the team responsible for its development—a team headed by Allaire, himself. The only one who might be able to help is virologist Griffin Rhodes, currently in solitary confinement in a maximum security federal prison for alleged terrorist acts, including the attempted theft of WRX3883 from the lab where he worked. Rhodes has no idea why he has been arrested, but when Allaire offers to free him in exchange for his help combating the virus, he reluctantly agrees to do what he can to support the government that has imprisoned him without apparent cause.
Meanwhile, every single person in line for presidential succession is trapped inside the Capitol—every person except one: the Director of Homeland Security, who is safely at home in Minnesota, having been selected as the “Designated Survivor” for this event. With enemies both named and unnamed closing in, and the security of the nation at stake, Griff must unravel the mysteries of WRX3883 without violating his pledge as a scientist to use no animal testing in his experiments…and time is running out.
Tense, thrilling, and entirely plausible, A Heartbeat Away will make you reflect, wonder, and be truly afraid.
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