Lori Andrews

REVIEWS

cover "At the start of Andrews’ exciting third helix-twister to feature Dr. Alex Blake of the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology (after The Silent Assassin), DEA agent Ted Silliman suddenly dies in Taos, N. Mex., during a date rape drug investigation. Ted’s partner, agent Castro Baxter, disputes the cocaine overdose diagnosis, while Alex suspects a violent hyperimmune response. When Castro and Alex join forces to find answers, they find a connection to a Taos public square fountain, and Alex later learns eight similar deaths occurred locally on the same night. As the death toll climbs, she’s determined to stop a potentially serious epidemic. So why does Homeland Security’s head, Martin Kincade, oppose her? And could Red Rights, a radical Native American group, be responsible? Andrews, a real-life authority on genetics (The Clone Age), spikes the chills with a talking DNA computer named Sam and insights into hot-button Native American issues."
—Publishers Weekly

“Strong characters and fascinating scientific details."
—Kirkus Reviews

“The scenario is chilling and the expertise undeniable..."
—Booklist

“From the first couple of pages till the end, Immunity was first-class. I thought Immunity was a mix between a Tess Gerritsen novel and CSI. Need I say more?"
—www.goodreads.com

"Just in time for the last weekend of summer, Lori Andrews has reaffirmed her status as the nation’s foremost bioethicist/crime novelist. IMMUNITY, Andrews’s third bioethics-themed thriller in three years, is her best yet.
"This time, geneticist-physician Alex Blake—civilian scientist at the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, member of a top-secret Homeland Security commission on bioterrorism—investigates a regional outbreak of a mysterious autoimmune disease that results in massive organ failure and other memorably gruesome symptoms. Along the way, she spends a night in a jail on the border, teams up with the DEA (in the form of this book’s love interest, an undercover agent) and the DNA (in the form of this book’s most charming character, a computer named Sam that runs on nucleic acid), and impersonates both a Navy pilot and an NIH program officer.
"Bioethics themes include research conduct, drug funding (in all senses), disability rights, surveillance technology as a public health tool and as a threat to privacy and liberty, and debates over the safety of childhood vaccines. Another theme that runs through all of Andrews’s thrillers: the history of medicine and of scientific discovery in the service of public health. When Alex needs a break from running genetic sequences, she visits the National Museum of Health and Medicine at the AFIP. When her caffeine-fueled spirits flag—her drug of choice is dark roast—she meditates on her hero, Walter Reed, the AFIP director who identified how yellow fever was transmitted. But when she meets a modern-day Reed who rationalizes his own disregard for the niceties of informed consent ('public health is always a trade-off') she confronts him with the horrifying consequences of his actions even as she acknowledges its possible benefits.
"True to genre conventions, Alex Blake gets hardly any sleep in this fast-paced narrative. (Must be all that caffeine.) Lori Andrews may not sleep much any more, either."
—Nancy Berlinger, Bioethics Forum

cover "In Andrews's outstanding follow-up to 2006's SEQUENCE, geneticist Dr. Alexandra Blake, a forensic specialist working for the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, finds herself caught in a web of intrigue when she takes on a cache of 'Vietnamese trophy skulls' smuggled into the U.S. by American soldiers 30 years earlier. In addition to cleaning the skulls before their return to Vietnam, Alex helps autopsy a John Doe who was recently killed with a bayonet. Andrews ups the ante with an old letter that Alex discovers in one of the skulls. The note hints at a civilian massacre during the Vietnam War and leads Alex to veteran Michael Carlisle, who served with Alex's late father in Vietnam. Alex becomes the target of a determined murderer, whose connections reach to the highest levels of government. The tight plot moves toward its explosive conclusion when a peaceful White House ceremony to return the skulls to Vietnam erupts into intense violence."
—Publishers Weekly, starred review

"In her second fiction release, Andrews returns to AFIP (the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology) and geneticist, Dr. Alex Blake. Recent events have lead to a request by Vietnamese officials that certain 'trophy' items taken in the war be returned to the country. Unfortunately, these trophies—a mutilated collection of skulls brought back by American soldiers—are in no shape to be returned without causing an embarrassing media frenzy. It is Alex’s job to make them as presentable as possible for a quiet reparation ceremony. Suddenly the quiet ceremony has become a White House event and Alex is asked to try and identify the remains. She soon makes a startling discovery regarding one of the skulls that leads her to question her own father’s involvement in the war. Once again, Alex lands herself in trouble when her investigation catches the wrong attention. This is one of my favorite new series. If you like Kathy Reichs or Patricia Cornwell you’re guaranteed to enjoy Lori Andrews."
—Becky Lejeune, The Book Bitch

"This follow-up to last year's SEQUENCE finds geneticist and forensic expert Dr. Alexandra Blake in Vietnam trying to identify a trophy skull taken by U.S. servicemen during the Vietnam War. Back at the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, another corpse surfaces, this one with a bayonet in his chest. While working both cases, Alexandra discovers ties between Vietnam and industrial espionage, and once again she is threatened by a killer. Andrews, a nationally known genetics expert and distinguished professor at the Chicago-Kent College of Law, has penned a page-turner that reveals a clear knowledge of her subject and an eye to detail. Her main character is a strong heroine with a tender heart... Patricia Cornwell and Kathy Reichs, watch out! Recommended for all public libraries, especially where forensic thrillers are popular."
—Library Journal

"Dr. Alexandra Blake works at the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology where she uses her knowledge of genetics to find bio-terror vaccines. She is also sometimes called upon to use her medical skills when a situation occurs. When the corpse of a man who died from a bayonet is brought to AFIP Alexandria is able to tell that he recently returned from Vietnam and further investigation into his past shows he helped broker a deal for the U.S. He successfully brokered a deal where Vietnam would sell the U.S. oil reserves, something that was important to the president who saw it as a way of healing wounds between the two countries.
"American soldiers stationed in Nam when returning home sometimes brought back Vietnamese skulls with them. Now in a special White House ceremony the items are being returned to the Vietnam government. In one of the skulls, Alexandra finds a note saying that Americans conducted a massacre. Someone breaks into Alexandria’s home while she is sleeping and tries to kill her before getting away and her office is ransacked. Her superiors believe it is her knowledge of the massacre that is causing someone to want her dead but the truth is much more explosive.
"Although this is only Lori Andrews' second fiction book, her work is reminiscent of Patricia Cornwall novels. The heroine is a strong-willed, caring individual who doesn’t hesitate to do what she believes is the right thing. She refuses to be intimidated by those who want to kill her and although she can’t see the conspiracy at the highest level of government, when the time comes she makes a decision and acts on it knowing if things go wrong she could end up in jail or worse."
—Harriet Klausner

"Moving from the White House to a remote village in Vietnam, Andrews’ second series book is an outstanding thriller. Geneticist Alexandra Blake has as many sharp angles as soft edges. She’s a scientist with a heart—and a scalpel brain. Andrews’ tale deftly tackles international intrigue, violence and the murky world of political ambition.
"Working with the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, Alex is given the job of cleaning up several skulls American soldiers brought home from Vietnam in preparation for an exchange ceremony at the White House. Working with the battered skulls brings back memories of her father, who was killed in Vietnam.
"At the same time, the staff is assigned to identify the remains of an apparent robbery victim, murdered with what appears to be a bayonet. Suddenly, the two cases are entwining, as the Vietnamese link turns up again and again, and what at first looked like a simple job becomes a complicated international intrigue."
—Romantic Times

[cover] "It's rare to discover a new author who's actually found a fresh vein to tap in the area of fictional homicide investigation, and Lori Andrews deserves a standing ovation. SEQUENCE is the best novel I've ever read that deals with the details of forensic science. Her protagonist, Alexandra Blake, is pitch-perfect as an academic who joins the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology to research a deadly flu only to be dragooned into investigating a violent serial killer targeting victims on military bases. Prediction: A nomination for Best First Novel."
—Jeremiah Healy, Author of Turnabout and The Only Good Lawyer

"Lori Andrews is a professor, lawyer, and internationally known genetics guru. You'd think she'd be too busy to write novels. But apparently she needs less sleep than the rest of us. Her debut, SEQUENCE, is a marvelous, whip-smart thriller with a twist—a double helix sort of twist, that is. Andrews has given us a protagonist who already feels like an old friend. Here’s hoping she’s with us for a long, long time."
—Dylan Schaffer, Author of the Misdemeanor Man Mysteries

"SEQUENCE is fast paced and fascinating, the perfect combination of modern genetics and a beguiling investigator who traces her lineage right back to Sam Spade. You can't ask for anything more: SEQUENCE is fun and important, too."
—Craig Nova, Author of The Good Son

“Engrossing… SEQUENCE is a very credible and readable first novel.”
—Reviewing the Evidence

“A suspenseful... insiders’ look into the armed-services pathology lab.”
—Kirkus Reviews

“A whodunit that is equal parts thriller and police procedural... Blake’s debut in what is clearly set to become a series is promising—she’s a little edgy and very smart. But what sets SEQUENCE apart from other thrillers is that Andrews brings every bit of her own background to bear on the subject matter, and her expertise is considerable.”
—Gentry magazine

“SEQUENCE is a great combination of interesting science and likable characters.”
—Elizabeth Becka, author of Trace Evidence

“This is Lori Andrews’s first fiction and she blends the DNA sequence with a thriller that has the reader wanting more. SEQUENCE is fast, paced, interesting and fun to experience. I hope that there will be more Alex Blake thrillers to come. Recommended.”
—I Love a Mystery

“SEQUENCE is an exciting thriller with a large dose of forensic excitement and a light sprinkling of romantic tension. Fans that enjoy forensic mystery thrillers will want to add this author to their list.”
—New Mystery Reader

"Lori Andrews' debut fiction thriller is a fast-paced and suspenseful page-turner that will please fans of Patricia Cornwall and Kathy Reich... SEQUENCE features a multi-dimensional main character written by an author who obviously knows the ins and outs of genetic research extremely well. The wickedly devious criminal is spine-chillingly realistic, and the plot is sufficiently full of twists and turns to satisfy any fan of the scientific/forensics thriller genre."
—Arm Chair Interviews

“A breezy style that is neither too technical nor too gory... Recommended for popular fiction collections, especially where forensic thrillers are in demand.”
—Library Journal