Book Review: ‘Viral: A Novel’ By Robin Cook

Brian and Emma Murphy and their 4 year old daughter are on vacation in a small town on Cape Cod during the Covid pandemic. They both quit their jobs as NYC cops to start their own security firm and then covid hit and their business is not doing well. While on vacation Emma gets bit by a Asian tiger mosquito and becomes really sick. They arrive back in NY and take Emma to the hospital, where she is determined to have EEE(eastern equine encephalitis) and is in the ICU. Brian is called to the adminstration office where he learns that his new, cheaper health insurance company has denied the claim for Emma and he’s on the hook for almost $200,000 and rising in medical costs. As the costs mount and Brian suffers tragic losses, he decides he’s not going down without a fight. It turns out this hospital and his insurance company have been over-charging, denying and taking people to court for money they don’t have. Brian with the help of a new friends comes up with a plan to at least make him feel better and it must go off perfectly or Brian will be in a lot of trouble.

I loe Robin Cook novels and this one is another good one. It incorporates not only Covid but the whole US health care system, which needs a major overhaul to help out every American citizen. The characters and story are well-written and you feel for Brian throughout the story and the plight he goes through.

You can pick up Viral in stores on Tuesday, August 17th from Putnam.