A New York Times Bestseller -- Doctor and author Robin Cook is widely credited with introducing the word "medical" to the thriller genre. Cook has successfully combined medical fact with fantasy to produce a succession of New York Times bestsellers. This is his 28th medical thriller; the ninth featuring husband-and-wife medical examiners Laurie Montgomery and Jack Stapleton (after Intervention). Cook's breakthrough novel, Coma, was made into a successful feature film. "Is it possible to manipulate private life insurance information to allow investors to benefit from the deaths of others? Two Wall Street whiz-kids turn their focus on the multi-trillion dollar life insurance industry. By securitizing policies of the old and infirm, they hope to make a killing.