In “Death Benefits,” Robin Cook explores what happens when medical breakthroughs damage one’s financial assets—and who wins this dangerous game of science against money. The main character is Pia Grazdani, a fourth year medical student at Columbia University, who’s interning with Dr. Tobias Rothman, a renowned molecular geneticist who has just uncovered the way to naturally grow artificial organs. His breakthrough promises to be life-changing, as Wall Street investors Edmund Matthews and Russell Lafevre are miserable to find out. Their company LifeDeals depends on buying life policies from sick people for cheap, and then making money when they die. But it just so happens that the majority of the policies they bought are from diabetes patients, whose lives are likely to be greatly prolonged should Rothman’s artificial organs make it to the market. And so Edmund and Russell turn to Dr. Jerred Trotter, the biggest investor in their little company—and the most rich. Meanwhile, some suspicious things start occurring at the lab. Pia strongly feels that she can trust no one except her mentor, Dr. Rothman. But a series of events leave her hanging on for her life, and risking her career investigating what appears to be a great cover-up. Overall, this was a very engaging mystery. Though the first couple of chapters spend a little too much time explaining the science behind the breakthrough, don’t let them mislead you. Once the storyline really starts, it never lets you go. Published by Putnam Adult. December 27, 2011. 432 pages. List price $26.95
