A Heartbeat Away

Tell Me A Story - Book Review

Author - Michael Palmer

Title     - A Heartbeat Away

Stars   - 3

A Heartbeat Away:

As the U.S. president, is beginning his State of the Union address, when several ampules containing a viral agent shatter and infect important members of the government in the House chamber. The Capitol must be sealed off and infected members quarantined until a cure can be found.

The conspirators behind the assault, demand, among other things, that the government abolish the Patriot Act and cease unchecked spying on ordinary Americans.

A Heartbeat Away is a medical thriller, but an overabundance of subplots confuses the principal conflict in the story. Unfortunately, characters tend to be one dimensional, some of the action unlikely, and the ending foreseeable.

The fundamental idea behind A Heartbeat Away is good, but unfortunately it is not expounded, and is overshadowed by uninspired writing.