House Blood - Mike Lawson I am part of a medical study through Harvard medical School intended to evaluate the efficacy of vitamin D in combination with Fish Oil. As a double blind study I might or might not be taking either of the drugs or a placebo. I have no way of knowing. That's as it should be. But I'm also at the mercy of those running the trial. I take on faith the purpose is what they say (and we know that in psychological studies they often prevaricate about the purpose of the study), and I assume those designing and running this incredibly expensive study are operating in an ethical and legal manner.

Now what if the backers of the study had something very different in mind and were using Harvard for their own purposes? What if they were acting perfectly within the law but were in blurry territory from an ethical standpoint? What if the result of this unethical behavior might result in a drug to cure a devastating illness? Does it matter if some people are sacrificed along the way?

That's the premise behind this excellent novel. I listened to this and don't know whether it's the book or the reader or a combination that totally captivated me. I have enjoyed other DeMarco stories, but this one blew away the others. It has humor, mystery, social commentary, very enjoyable.

DeMarco hates cutting the lawn, his idea of camping is a Hilton with slow room service, and the idea of wearing hiking books might give him hives. "What could be more perfect, New York v Boston –he hates those fucking Yankees– a steak, a baked potato slathered in butter and sour cream" -- yum. He's a kind-of Congressional fixer who has an office in the basement of Congress and he runs errands and investigations for Congressman Mahoney.

Mahoney asks him to look into the conviction of a friend of his wife's husband who had been convicted of killing his business party. We know right up front who the bag guys are, so the fun is in DeMarco's investigation. He can't seem to find any reason why the conviction shouldn't stand, but just a couple little things niggle the back of his mind. And the investigation, with the help of Emma, leads down a road he had no idea existed.

As far as I can tell the author hates lawyers, Congress, and big-Pharma.

12/28/2012 - And this just in: