It's a very engaging page-turner, a medical thriller that held my interest from beginning to end.  With a terrifying premise, Michael Palmer's Extreme Measures, will make you think twice, the next time you enter a hospital.

Like many books of this genre, there's a secret group of people with a very secret mission.  And, as usual, the driving force behind this group of people is far more about greed than anything else.  Despite noises about medical research and life-saving measures, these people are driven by money first and foremost.

Eric is a brilliant doctor whose life takes a turn with a mysterious phone call.  An unknown voice tells him a huge promotion is his - if he agrees to perform some "unfamiliar" treatments in the emergency room.

Laura hasn't heard from her brother in a few months, and she's getting worried.  A search for her missing sibling brings her directly to Eric's hospital, and directly face to face with some pretty nasty bad guys.

Finally, a small town in Utah has been isolated from all outside contact.  We, the readers, are privy to some of what's going on inside its boundaries.  But others would be best off keeping away.  The folks running this town don't take kindly to outsiders poking their noses into their business.

The three stories collide, with the reader getting the bird's-eye-view for most of the book, although we still get a few surprises along the way.  Still, we know far more than any of the good guys know, and we watch as they scramble to figure out what's really going on - and why.

I liked the main characters very much.  Eric and Laura are fully developed, to the point that we get to "know" them, and understand what drives them.  But I could have done without the romance angle that seems to be required in every thriller.  Honestly, with lives on the line, and missing loved ones, did our protagonists really need to hop into bed, and did I really need to read about it?  I don't know why every author thinks we readers need romance in every single novel, but this reader most certainly does not.

On the other hand, I liked that legitimate, complex issues are examined - such as drug-testing.  New, amazing drugs are always desired, but they have to be tested somehow, right?  How far should we go, in order to test new drugs?  Another issue looked at is evaluating a life's value.  Is there a threshold below which a life is considered unworthy?

Surrounding these fundamental issues is a top-notch thriller with a plot that's complex, fascinating, and unbelievably scary.  It takes quite a while for the piece to come together, but once they do, it's really quite an interesting story.  If nothing else, you might take pause, the next time you try a new drug.

I've not seen the film adaptation, but I'm told there's little resemblance to this fine book.  Recommended for lovers of the medical thriller genre.

Also by Michael Palmer:

A Heartbeat Away
Miracle Cure
Natural Causes
Silent Treatment
The Sisterhood
The Society

Recommended: Yes