Desperate for a child, but knowing a natural birth will be a near-certain death sentence for the child, they raise an enormous amount of money to consult geneticist Leo Dettore.
He’s had spectacular results with ironing out deadly genetic quirks and helping other parents have healthy children.
Because the procedure is the centre of an ethical storm, Dettore operates from a luxury liner in international waters, and John and Naomi make the journey to start their new family.
There are some edgy moments on the ship, but their real nightmare starts when they make their first post-procedure with their obstetrician and they find Dettore has given them more than they asked for.
Desperate for answers, they try to track the doctor down. All attempts fail and, as they grow more terrified, it gets worse: Dettore and his boat are blown up.
What follows is a horrifying story of one of the dangers of genetic engineering: in the wrong hands, what should be a medical miracle can become a lifetime of pain.
A thought-provoking novel that also entertains, as one expects from this author.
– Lindsay Slogrove