Review by ShwetaDandy -- The Prize by Geoffrey M Cooper

[ShwetaDandy]

[Following is a volunteer review of "The Prize" by Geoffrey M Cooper.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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Neuroscientists Pam Weller and Eric Prescott have dedicated their entire careers towards one thing - discovering a wonder drug that could not only cure Alzheimer's disease but also reverse it. With the best facilities in the world and substantial political backing, Eric is primed for success. On the other hand, Pam, a young scientist who hasn't even become a tenured professor at her institute, is also getting attention for her work. With both so close to the finish line, what will it take to win the most coveted award of all, the Nobel Prize? Geoffrey M. Cooper's The Prize is a thriller that takes a look at what happens when ambition is taken too far and competition turns ruthless in medical research.

This page-turner was an absolute hit in my eyes. I was pleased that the story hit the ground running. Cooper sets the premise within the first few chapters, and the plot is action-packed throughout. There was not a single word that did not hold my attention. As the characters raced against time, I found myself sitting on the edge of my seat, hoping for the best possible outcome. The sensible and mature relationship between Pam and her private investigator boyfriend, Jake, was a bonus. The two truly seemed to understand, respect, and care for each other.

At the beginning of the book, the conversations seem a bit stiff, and I was apprehensive about how the book would pan out. However, my apprehension was short-lived as the characters found their footing pretty quickly. At some points, I found their anger unwarranted and premature. For example, at one point, Pam spoke very highly of her mentor. However, it was not too long afterward that she thought of her mentor as "stupid", making her seem childish. I would have also liked the author to have spent a little time on the backgrounds of the primary characters; it would have explained their motives more clearly, especially Eric's, who is shown to be jealous right off the bat. I would have loved to understand what made him so paranoid. Was he always this way or is there more to his story?

On completing the novel, the first thing I did was to find out whether there had been instances of researchers jeopardizing scientific integrity for personal gain. While The Prize is an obvious exaggeration, the premise is not. I was surprised to learn that there have been countless cases of scientific misconduct and fraud and that it is a genuine concern within the medical research community. "So much for the objective purity of science," as Pam's boyfriend says. The author, a professor in biology himself, researched this topic well and based his book on solid ground.

I would give The Prize 4 out of 4 stars and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys reading mysteries and thrillers. The novel was well-edited with very few grammatical errors, but it contains some curse words. Despite that, I think it would be appropriate for young readers on the condition of parental sign-off. I was delighted to learn that this award-winning novel was Cooper's first. Please read and enjoy this one, while I move on to his next!

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The Prize
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[Erin Painter Baker]

This does sound like an interesting look into medical research. I agree that more backstory would definitely help people identify with the characters more and make their actions more understandable.