Joanna's first case involves a millionaire who fell off his yacht and drowned. The next is a Russian immigrant with strange behavior, who is found shot, lying in a grave of half buried fetuses. Another involves a politician who appears to have died from a heart attack, yet upon examining him, Joanna discovers a rare form of cancer that is soon showing up in other patients who have had similar artery cleaning procedures. Another death in the medical research field makes Jake realize professional hits may be involved. It also forces Joanna to delve deeper into the investigation to untangle the medical research that may have been the catalyst for so many deaths and may cause even more.

Fatal Cure is a timely medical thriller that explores what might happen if scientists and medical professionals become too greedy. The tension and suspense are not especially high, as the identity of the murderer is known from the beginning, though the reasons for the murders are not always known immediately. When the reasons are discovered, some of them make sense in the context of the plot, but others seem as if they were added to cause confusion.

Jake and Joanna's investigating methods are very methodical, but not especially interesting. The scenes with Joanna and the medical researchers are very technical, and though the medical terms are explained, they are used so often that those with less interest in the medical field may become confused or lose interest.

Joanna is a very interesting character and her relationship with Jake does not overpower the plot. Joanna's assistant Lori is a good foil to Joanna, though she is learning quickly. The hit man is also an intriguing character, although not delved into as much as some readers would like. Though set in California, the setting is not terribly important to the plot (save one dust storm) and allows readers to imagine the events occurring wherever they are most comfortable. The part of the novel that may cause the most uneasiness is thinking about the possibility of this, or a similar plot playing out in real life.

--Jennifer Monahan Winberry