A thrilling ride…
To avoid passing on a mitochondrial genetic mutation to her second child that killed her first-born in the past, Claire Abram undergoes an illegal, experimental genetic procedure during her in-vitro fertilization. Before she could give birth to the baby, the information about the secret procedure becomes a public knowledge. Trying to avoid the criminal charges and media frenzy around the unborn child, Claire escapes into hiding. Doctor Robert Nash, the fertility specialist involved in the illegal experiment, follows the suit while doctor Nash’s young assistant, doctor Jillian is left behind. She gets charged and convicted. The things almost return to normal until Abigail, Claire’s 11-year-old daughter, suspects her parents of hiding things. At the same time, Jillian who is back after serving her sentence is determined to set the scores right. The pace of the book is brisk, and it stays same as the story moves through different moments in time over the previous decade. While Abigail’s quirky obsession with finding her parents’ secrets facilitate the suspense-filled plot, it’s also the story’s weakest link, since her ability to dig out all the genetic information and a short time span in which she attains it remains inconvincible considering her young age. That said, prepare yourself to sit through the night to finish the book in case you start it reading late in the evening—the intriguing premise, gripping narrative, and plenty of twists and turns will keep the reader engrossed up to the last page despite some visible plot holes.
