Monday, October 10, 2011

A Perilous Conception-Larry Karp

A Perilous Conception


Larry Karp

Poisoned Pen, Dec 6 2011, $24.95

ISBN: 9781590589731



In 1977 in Emerald, Washington, obstetrician Colin Sanford believes his name and face will be recognized by peers and even the public. Assisted by embryologist Giselle Hearn, he has completed the first in vitro fertilization of an infertile patient, Joyce Kennett.



Colin prepares to host a news conference where he will announce to the world the birth of Joyce’s son. However, Joyce’s husband, James commits murder/suicide when he shoots Hearn before killing himself. Changing his plans, Colin cancels the news conference and hides an incriminating log book. Meanwhile Emerald Police Detective Bernie Baumgartner leads the investigation into what seems a closed case. However, he finds an anomaly when Hearn’s chair at the University OBGYN department Dr. L. Gerald Camnitz, who opposed the technique under moral and legal grounds, vanished. Sanford proves uncooperative as he fears the scandal will cost him his place in history; the University also stonewalls the inquiry as they fear the loss of federal funding. Still Baumgartner keeps digging as something seems off kilter besides a missing chair.



This is a super twisting medical murder and historical thriller that brings to life the competion to be first to successfully use in vitro fertilization. Fast-paced with a cat and mouse chess game between two intelligent stubborn men, fans will appreciate Larry Karp’s interesting suspense.



Harriet Klausner



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