Aphrodite

by Russell Andrews

Book Overview

Bestselling author Russell Andrews returns with a new thriller about a small-town cop who must get to the bottom of one of the greatest conspiracies of his time. This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0892967846
• Release Date: January 2004
• Publisher: Mysterious Press
• Length: 336 Pages
• Weight: 0.95 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.0" x 0.9" x 6.0"

Customer Reviews

Thoughtful and exciting corporate thriller

I listened to this audiobook while riding the bus. If a book is boring or the details confuse me, I generally don't bother to finish it. But in this case, I was able to pick it up each trip and wanted to know about these characters. One reviewer said why not kill the people who"knew the secret". Uh. They were being used as guinea pigs to test the anti-aging drugs, that's why not.... Thriller-only readers may not like the complications and philosophical asides, but as a literature reader, I found it worthwhile and engrossing. Also, the main character was sympathetic. I don't read cop novels as a rule, so the material wasn't dated or boring to me.

interesting plot

The concept of this book is that the government conspires with big business to provide for the "good of the country". Now we all know that never happens. That aside, this is a pretty good story that starts out great but bogs down about midway through the book. The plot is not inconceivable, but some of the situations the two main characters get into are somewhat implausible. The last half reads more like a action movie screenplay. Still, it is a good read.

fantastic reading

I have read the two previous books by Mr. Andrews and could not wait for this one to be published. I was not disappointed!! I won't go into the story itself, only to say, that it left me wondering about government and its involvement in big drug companies. Mr. Andrews has that rare talent of capturing the reader on the first page and not letting go until the last word is read. I look forward to future books from this wonderful writer. Keep em' coming!!!!!

delightful police procedural

In East End, Long Island local reporter Susanna Morgan dies in what seems to most of the police department as an accident. The one hold out who knows a murder was committed is former big city homicide cop Justin Westwood. However, Justin would prefer to ignore his gut and keep writing silly traffic tickets and drinking alcohol as he never recovered from a family tragedy.Still once one a homicide cop one is always a homicide cop (sort of like the marines). Justin begins scrutinizing what he realizes was set up to look lie an accident. His inquiries lead to wealthy mad scientist Douglas Kranston who works on developing a Fountain of Youth elixir to arrest the deterioration of aging. Justin also finds the Feds seem to hinder his investigation and any one he finds remotely linked to the reporter's death is killed. He begins to believe that a powerful conspiracy to control the Aphrodite project is planning to make him the next victim if he is not ultra careful.Not just conspiracy buffs will appreciate this delightful police procedural as the investigation is top rate and the support cast well written to make the town seem real and more important the anti-aging project genuine. However, the key to the tale is Justin, who might be dead before he finds redemption. His actions keep APHRODITE from turning banal and turn the novel into a powerful and enjoyable story.Harriet Klausner

WOW!

O.K., I admit it; I approached this new "Russell Andrews" novel with some trepidation. See, I started reading the first book because I was a big fan of David Handler and he was one of the two authors writing under this pen-name (It's an open secret that "Russell Andrews" is, or was?, Peter Gethers and the aforementioned Mr. Handler). I was not disappointed. Both "Icarus" and "Gideon" were stellar suspense novels. The came "Aphrodite" and Mr. Gethers is listed as sole author. I neither knew, nor cared, about what brought on this turn of events. I was only, selfishly, interested in what this would do to the series. Well, I needn't have worried. This is a thrill-ride that, to use an old cliche, leaves you feeling like you've "been rode hard and put away wet"! Sure, it's wildly implausible. But the marvel of it is that you're not only "willing" to suspend disbelief, you're absolutely BEGGING to do so. I'm not going to give away ANY of the plot-discover all the fun for yourself-but I will say that this mix of murder-mystery, sf, and, even a bit of political satire, is an absolute stunner. Indeed, my review's title says it all!