Miracle Cure By Harlan Coben

Coben has an eclectic style.   This book reminded me more of a Michael Palmer or Robin Cook book due to it's medical crisis focus.  The crisis is AIDS and the setting is in those frightening years of homophobic panic and AIDS patients facing no future.

This book highlights the dangers of obsession regardless of what that obsession might be and whether it is socially acceptable or not.  I'm not sure if Coben meant this book to be a social commentary beyond AIDS but the well meaning tunnel vision of some of the characters show the lengths people will go to achieve their goals.  

This was illustrated by journalistic jingoism, sexual degradation, exploitation of children, medical malpractice, sociopathology running amuck and more.   The scenes taking place in Bangkok  were particularly difficult to read.

While the topic is a touch dated with the advent of successful treatments for AIDS,  it still provided enough social panache to hold your interest.  .   It is also hard to believe the incredible disconnect and discrimination that occurred in the book's time setting.

This was a compelling book.

I highly recommend.

Web Site:  http://www.harlancoben.com/static/novels/nsc.htm

This book may have been received free of charge from a publisher or a publicist. That will NEVER have a bearing on my recommendations.