A Heartbeat Away - Review and Giveaway

Author: Michael Palmer
Publisher/Format: ARC St. Martin's Press Feb 2011, galley proof, 416 pages
Subject: bioterrorism
Setting: US Capital, New York, Kansas
Genre: medical suspense thriller
Source: signed ARC from author

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.

Now for the best news: Michael Palmer has made a signed copy of the hardback available to one lucky winner. We will have the drawing on February 15th, publication day.

So if you'd like to win, here are the simple rules.

1. Leave me a comment telling me whether or not you've read this author before. Be sure you include your email address. NO EMAIL, No ENTRY.
2. Leave me another comment saying whether you're a follower or become a follower and tell me.
3. Blog about this on your blog (sidebars are OK) and leave me the link to your post.
4. I don't tweet or twitter, so you may leave one extra comment between now  and February 15th.  Just say "extra entry".  
5. Go to Michael Palmer's What If scenarios on facebook, leave a comment and leave me the link. (separate entry).
6. Maximum - 5 entries
7. US addresses only - no PO Boxes.
8. Deadline is 11:59PM February 15th EST.

Good Luck