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    A Heartbeat Away: A Thriller
    A Heartbeat Away: A Thriller
    A Heartbeat Away: A Thriller
    Audiobook11 hours

    A Heartbeat Away: A Thriller

    Written by Michael Palmer

    Narrated by Robert Petkoff

    4/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    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.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherMacmillan Audio
    Release dateFeb 15, 2011
    ISBN9781427209948
    A Heartbeat Away: A Thriller
    Author

    Michael Palmer

    Michael Palmer (1942-2013) wrote internationally bestselling novels of medical suspense, including The First Patient, The Second Opinion, The Last Surgeon, A Heartbeat Away, Oath of Office and Political Suicide. His book Extreme Measures was adapted into a movie starring Hugh Grant and Gene Hackman. His books have been translated into thirty-five languages. Palmer earned his bachelor's degree at Wesleyan University, and he attended medical school at Case Western Reserve University. He trained in internal medicine at Boston City and Massachusetts General Hospitals. He spent twenty years as a full-time practitioner of internal and emergency medicine. In addition to his writing, Palmer was an associate director of the Massachusetts Medical Society Physician Health Services, devoted to helping physicians troubled by mental illness, physical illness, behavioral issues, and chemical dependency. He lived in eastern Massachusetts.

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    Reviews for A Heartbeat Away

    4/5

    109 ratings17 reviews

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    • 5/5
      One of the most talented authors in the medical thriller genre has done it again! I don’t think I have ever read a bad Michael Palmer book and this one did not disappoint me at all.The story opens on the night of the State of the Union address. In a split second the president has to make life and death decisions when terrorists release a highly contagious and deadly virus. The president must rely on virologist, Griff Rhodes, a man he sent to prison as a terrorist, to reopen his lab and work on a way to save the leaders of the free world. The storyline is believable, and there is a good balance of the medical/lab information in the story without getting too technical. The story is fast paced, and I was not sure what would happen until the end. As a matter of fact, it fooled me a few times. The characters are believable, and I thought the terrorist organization was quite realistic. I even found myself matching some of the personalities of the characters with real life Congress men and women. Whether or not that was the author's intention for the characters, I don’t know, but I had fun with it!I enjoyed the subplot that dealt with Griff’s pledge to use no animal testing in his experiments. He was challenged by his deep conviction to protect animals and the time constraints to save those who were exposed to the virus. I enjoyed A Heartbeat Away very much and highly recommend it for those who love their thrillers with a little medical twist.
    • 3/5
      This was fine, I have been more entertained by some of his other works. This is what I think of as one of my "tweener" books, something I read for entertainment only in between things that take more brain power. So all I really want is not to be bored or annoyed, and I avoided both! OK, I do get a little torqued when very likeable characters die, but what are you going to do? As I mentioned in a status update, the coincidences that led to the survival of the heroine were way less plausible than the science, but it all worked out in the end....
    • 5/5
      This novel manages to cover my four favourite topics - medical, viral/disease, terrorism and mystery. It's all about a terrorist group that attempts to subvert American democracy by releasing a bioterror agent during the president's state of the union address. Naturally there's also a subplot involving a power hungry political animal who is willing to put there own desires above everyone else's whilst trying to dress it up under the guise of them doing 'the right thing' to 'save' people. There's a discredited scientist who has spent months in solitary confinement after being accused of stealing said biological weapon, who now of course is the last hope they have.Whilst the above may seem a bit cliched and absurd, I can assure you it does actually come together nicely in the book, I particularly liked how everything was not as straight forward as one would often expect with such books, but also that there wasn't an absurdist twist at the end, but rather a slow unraveling of circumstances where prior circumstances became clearer in their meaning.I last read a Michael Palmer book ten years ago, and I'm now thinking I should find another before yet another ten years passes as this was very good, and quite the pleasurable read.
    • 5/5
      The second of Michael Palmer's novels I've read, I found the story/plot entertaining. At times it was bit unbelievable, but then so is every single vampire and undead novel that seems to be overrunning the country. Anyone hear of Star Wars? Is it possible that a biological agent could be released during the a State of the Union Address? Certainly. Is it possible that the succession of the presidency could be passed down to some low level politician most of us have never heard of. We certainly hope not, but the possibility is still there. It's also not likely that a meteor is going to strike the earth and end life as we know it, at least not in our lifetime. Doesn't mean we can't write a novel about it.

      Michael Palmer did a decent job, though not quite a 5 star job (since there is no place to click 4.7, it rounded to 5.0) at presenting the plot and moving the characters about. Yes I had to suspend belief, but then one pretty much has to do that with most entertainment, even and sometimes especially, that rated at 5 stars. This is worth reading for the entertainment. If you want something highly technical and accurate, as well as plausible, this may not be for you.

      Overall, I enjoyed it. I will be lining up more of Michael Palmer's novels in my reading list.
    • 3/5
      This was my first Michael Palmer book and it definitely won't be my last. I realized how much I enjoy medical fiction and this one was quite enjoyable. It's not a story line one would imagine happening, but that's why they call it fiction. A domestic terrorist group released a deadly virus inside the Capitol in D.C. The President, who is also a physician, concocts a plan to eliminate the virus while also trying to save the lives of the 700 people in the Capitol and to make sure the virus doesn't escape the building. Time was of the essence because of how quickly the symptoms exhibit themselves.This story was heavier on the science side than on the political side. But it wasn't a very complicated book so it was an easy read that made the story fly pretty fast. It lost a little steam the last 10-12 chapters because you could tell he was just trying to quickly tie up loose ends. But overall it was a good, distracting read.
    • 3/5
      The first book of Palmer's I read was "The First Patient" - a thriller about being the doctor to the President of the United States who comes down with a bizarre affliction, was a book I enjoyed cover to cover.

      This story centers on the President delivering his annual State of the Union message to Congress, when a terrorist group releases an airborne virus in the House Chamber. Since ALL the political leaders are in that room (except one member of the Cabinet), their potential deaths would lead to a different type of coup.

      The scariness of the story was exciting, but for a non-medical / unscientific person, it got bogged down in the medical research for a cure aspect. I skimmed countless pages that were just too detailed for me.
    • 3/5
      When a deadly virus is released in the chamber just before the President's state of the union message, the President has all doors and windows sealed. Then he phones for the release of the scientist who was filmed stealing vials of this from prison. The ensuing seven days is spent finding the antivenom as well as the people who want to control the country. While interesting, I found this a little unbelieveable that in this day of 24/7 round the clock news that this would have happened. But it is fiction so I appreciate Palmer's skill.
    • 4/5
      I thought the concept of the storyline was very different but, also believable. It took awhile for the story to develope but, the last 100 pages or so turned the book into a page-turner.
    • 5/5
      Very good summer read about a virus released during the President's State of the Union address. A virus released by terrorists to extort the leaders of the United States to comply with their onerous requests or die from a virus that has no antidote. Follow a microbiologists efforts to come up with an antidote before most of the country's leaders die a terrible death. Lots of twists and turns makes it difficult for the reader to guess how it will turn out.
    • 2/5
      I'm amazed at the many high ratings for this book. For me, it was an effort to finish the novel.
    • 3/5
      3.0 out of 5 stars Disappointed again..., April 19, 2011This review is from: A Heartbeat Away (Audio CD)Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?)I have read all of Michael Palmer's books -- some better than others. This was an "other" and a disappointment to me. This was not so much a medical thriller as it was a chance for the author to get on his soap box about ethical and political issues such as the use of animals for drug and disease testing, the efficacy of homeland security, and the government's approach to terrorism -- to name a few.As other reviewers have pointed out, the plot premise was sound. Someone (we are led to believe it is a terrorist group known as Genesis) releases a deadly virus into the hall of the Capitol as the President is giving his State of the Union address. All who are present are subsequently quarantined and President James Allaire locates someone he previously imprisoned to try to make a serum that will cure everyone. From that interesting start, the story spirals out and tries to deal with too many subplots and those ethical issues I mentioned.Although the narrative moves along at a rapid pace, the writing really irritated me and detracted from my enjoyment of the story. The author writes using one string of metaphors or similes after another. Everything is "like" something. The escapes that the main characters make from professional hit men are ludicrous and totally unbelievable. I didn't like a single character in this book -- not even the savior Griffin Rhodes or his girlfriend and sidekick, investigative reporter Angela Fletcher. The characters in the book are typical black and white caricatures and stereotypes of good guys and bad guys (or gals). Nothing was surprising and the entire resolution was completely predictable.So, I suggest you pass on this one if you are looking to read a good medical thriller. I hope that Palmer returns to his original style and sticks to books that focus on the medical aspects rather than the political.An aside -- I listened to this book on audio CD and I must give kudos to the reader. He did an excellent job of voicing the characters - both male and female. It was easy to tell them apart and he did a very nice reading. If you really want to get this book, buy this audio version!
    • 4/5
      Great novel...kept my attention throughout the entire plot. The finish was fast paced. The medical side of it was very interesting if not scary to think that this type of terrorism could actually happen.
    • 3/5
      This suspense novel posits a domestic terror group calling itself Genesis that has been wreaking havoc on the country in small increments. Now it ups the ante by an attack in the U.S. Capitol building during President Jim Allaire’s second State of the Union Address. A lethal virus spray is released in The Chamber of the House of Representatives which, for this event, is host to 700 of most of the power brokers in the country. All of the normal line of successors to the president are there except the Designated Survivor (“the DS” - someone chosen on each state occasion to be in a different location than all the rest of the successors in the event of disaster). The virus, WRX3883, viciously contagious and lethal within 2 weeks of exposure, was developed in secret by the U.S. after 9/11 to help combat terrorism. It proved to be too unstable, but even so, the project was kept alive until the theft of five canisters of the virus nine months previously by a presumed terrorist working in the lab. That presumed terrorist, Dr. Griffin Rhodes, was placed in a supermax federal penitentiary in Colorado without a trial. Only President Allaire and a few others know the true danger of the aerosol, and he has everyone locked inside the Capitol so the contagion can’t be spread. He also arranges to have Dr. Rhodes brought from the prison to try to find a cure for the virus. Dr. Rhodes, who claims he was innocent of the theft, insists that Angie Fletcher, respected science reporter for The Washington Post, be with him as protection to document his work and behavior. Allaire agrees, and the story turns into a race between Rhodes for a cure, and all the forces aligned against him, including members of Genesis, who want their demands met; Ursula Ellis, the Evil Speaker of the House, who hates Allaire and doesn’t want him to succeed; the dying people inside the Capitol building; and time itself.Discussion:The Good: This book definitely keeps you turning the pages.No one is saved from death by dei ex machina.The Bad:Towards the end, the author tries to fill up the plot with twists – many twists, all at once, reminding this reader of the puzzle: I knew that she knew that you knew that they knew that you knew that I knew that we knew that I knew that. Did she know that you knew that I knew that you knew that I knew that you knew that? All the twisting seemed a little overboard to me: the level of pre-planning, coordination, and time to set it all up by a bunch of physically ill people seemed unrealistic.I also found it a bit bizarre that President Allaire, who according to the story used to be an internist at the Cleveland Clinic, at one point asks Dr. Rhodes what an adjuvant is. I believe the author was trying to define it for the reader, but it didn’t make sense to me to have it be a question posed by a doctor. [Science Fiction writers are often ridiculed for inserting the so-called "As you know, Bob" conversation into dialogue, but such a narrative device would have been appropriate in this case.] The Worse:President Allaire took not only the Presidential Oath of Office, in which he swore to preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution, but he had also, in the past, taken the Hippocratic Oath, in which he would have sworn to do no harm, and not give lethal drugs to anyone. He didn’t seem too affected by either of those oaths. Nor does he seem familiar with Sun-tzu’s famous advice in The Art of War of “Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer.” Allaire acts as if he has not much political savvy, nor much interest in upholding the Constitution. His method of eliminating political enemies is, well, at the very least not politically correct, shall we say.The Ugly:The bad characters aren’t just bad: they’re Evil Incarnate. And one of them is even The Speaker of the House, Ursula Ellis. Another is her aide. Realistic? I don’t think so. There is no nuance whatsoever in them. I could see the Genesis hired guns being uniformly bad. I can see somewhat that the Genesis masterminds would also be horrific (but given who they turned out to be, I also don’t buy it). But a Speaker of the House, who furthermore came in second in the previous presidential run, as a total psychopath? A person who would have been vetted relentlessly by countless reporters? In the author’s only concession to realism, Ursula doesn’t once say “Bwa-ha-ha,” but it was certainly implied!Evaluation: This book is definitely a “thriller” and I enjoyed the author’s writing when he wasn’t jumping the shark. Based on the “good” aspects of this book, I would definitely try another when in the mood for this genre.
    • 4/5
      It is the night of the State of the Union address, and President Jim Allaire is exuberant after having defeated his opponent Ursula Ellis, a hard-edged and worthy opponent. But as the President begins his address, a popping noise is heard, and suddenly the unthinkable unfolds: a deadly virus has been released by a terrorist group called Genesis and will threaten the lives of all 700 people in attendance. As the Secret Service and security rush to seal the exits, President Allaire meets with the people he trusts the most to devise a plan to save them. It involves releasing a man from prison who is thought to be a traitor and terrorist, but who may hold the key to finding a cure. Griffin “Griff” Rhodes has spent the last nine months in isolation at a maximum security prison after being accused of stealing the very virus which now threatens those inside the House chambers, but now he must either unlock the clues to the shadowy Genesis and find a vaccination to save the President, or risk losing it all.Michael Palmer has penned a fast-paced, political and medical thriller that includes power-hungry politicians, a terrorist group who seems unstoppable, and a deadly virus that is truly terrifying. As with all Palmer novels, this one includes a varied cast of characters and lots of twists and turns to keep you guessing. Although the plot sometimes stretches reality, I do think that part of what makes this novel especially mesmerizing is the very real possibility that terrorists could use a biological weapon (like a fast mutating virus) to attack the United States. There were moments when I was reading that I thought, “Yes, this could actually happen!”A Heartbeat Away is a quick read despite its nearly 400 page length. I got caught up in the action (it was a bit like watching a marathon of “24″) and found myself reading well past my bedtime – just one more chapter, and then another – just because I wanted to know what was going to happen next. Anytime a book can reel me in like that, it is a book worth reading.Palmer’s latest thriller is not without its faults (some of the characters are a little too predictable and the bit of romance that comes into play was not all that believable to me), but I was willing to ignore them because the strengths of the book kept me riveted to the story. Readers who are looking for a thriller with lots of action, plot twists and a glimpse into the black hearts of biological terrorists, need look no further.
    • 5/5
      One of the most talented authors in the medical thriller genre has done it again! I don’t think I have ever read a bad Michael Palmer book and this one did not disappoint me at all.The story opens on the night of the State of the Union address. In a split second the president has to make life and death decisions when terrorists release a highly contagious and deadly virus. The president must rely on virologist, Griff Rhodes, a man he sent to prison as a terrorist, to reopen his lab and work on a way to save the leaders of the free world. The storyline is believable, and there is a good balance of the medical/lab information in the story without getting too technical. The story is fast paced, and I was not sure what would happen until the end. As a matter of fact, it fooled me a few times. The characters are believable, and I thought the terrorist organization was quite realistic. I even found myself matching some of the personalities of the characters with real life Congress men and women. Whether or not that was the author's intention for the characters, I don’t know, but I had fun with it!I enjoyed the subplot that dealt with Griff’s pledge to use no animal testing in his experiments. He was challenged by his deep conviction to protect animals and the time constraints to save those who were exposed to the virus. I enjoyed A Heartbeat Away very much and highly recommend it for those who love their thrillers with a little medical twist.
    • 3/5
      It is the night of the State of the Union Address. President Allaire is poised to deliver his speech when something mysterious happens and what turns out to be a deadly virus is released in the Capitol. A very dangerous and skilled group of terrorists take responsibility for the act. Chaos ensues and the race begins for a cure for the virus' deadly symptoms. Will a cure be found for the virus or will hundreds of the United States' most important leaders be eliminated?It was a fairly fast-paced medical thriller that mostly took place in Washington D.C. with scenes from Kansas and NYC also in the mix. I enjoyed the terroristic themes and the exploration of the deadly virus. It was also quite ironic that I finished this book during the time that the buzz surrounding the real-life State of the Union Address was taking place. There were times, though, that I found myself wishing for more understanding of the characters and an even more fast-paced plot so I could find out what was going to happen! With regards to the characters complaint, I think this is generally what happens when a reader like me who often appreciates character connections over an action packed plot attempts the thriller genre since it is a little outside of my usual comfort zone. That being said, I think regular devotees of quick-moving mysteries/thrillers will enjoy A Heartbeat Away and will easily get caught up in the exciting plot!
    • 5/5
      Michael Palmer's latest medical thriller should come with warning labels:Warning: reading A Heartbeat Away can be hazardous to your health, producing heart palpitations, nightmares, shortness of breath, and extreme sleeplessness--at least until you finish the last heart-pounding page of this expertly crafted look at bio-terrorism.Warning: Do Not Begin reading this book unless you can finish it in one sitting. Sleep will not be possible until you get to page 416.With a plot that resonates with timeliness, a list of characters that seem right out of the pages of today's newspapers, and the all too familiar setting of the US Capital, this suspense thriller grabs the reader after only 2 or 3 paragraphs. In a nutshell, as the President of the United States begins his annual State of the Union address, with the entire Congress, Supreme Court Justices, Joint Chiefs of Staff, and a myriad of distinguished guests and news media personnel in the chamber (including his own wife and daughter), vials of a lethal virus are released into the air.And, who'da thunk it, but the President himself, as an MD had been involved in the creation of this monstrous virus which has obviously now been stolen by terrorists. In order to avoid panic, and the ensuring pandemic that would occur if the germs were allowed to get out of the building, he orders the Capital sealed, all communications cut, and everyone present quarantined, while he works feverishly with outside personnel to find a cure before they all die.The story is far too riveting for me to write anything else because that would spoil the experience of watching all the plot twists that unfold. Written in short bursts of chapters, it is easy to read, but hard to put down.