- Paperback: 448 pages
- Publisher: Pan Books; New edition edition (11 Jun 1999)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0330368990
- ISBN-13: 978-0330368995
- Product Dimensions: 17.2 x 11 x 3 cm
- Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 800,852 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Product Description
Product Description
Dr Kim Reggis takes his daughter for a special night out to a fast-food restaurant. But the good time turns to tragedy when the young girl becomes ill and dies as a result of E coli poisoning. Kim devotes all his energies to tracing the cause of contamination, against even violent opposition.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Mass Market Paperback
I read this book in the South of France this summer. It was the best out of the pile we took. Thoroughly enjoyable romp through abatoirs (suitable for vegetarians). The dialogue had us in tears of laughter and the pace was second to none. The characters were pleasingly stereotypical - the mad mexican was easily visualised. Speaking as a medic I found the medicine the weakest part but maybe others wouldn't be so pedantic. Definately recommend for a fast fun read.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Toxin is in many ways a typical Robin Cook medical thriller with many well used tactics that he has put to good use in his other hospital based books, on the other hand though, in this book he tries to bring a realism factor into the story in that, this is a story that really could happen to any one of us.
The story is certainly high on the thrills and spills stakes. The first ¾ of the book is a roller coaster ride of the manic actions of Dr Kim Reggis, as he tries in vain to stop the steady medical decline of his daughter. He rails against hospital procedure and what he perceives as cost cutting in the name of efficiency. He angrily leaps from one confrontation to the next, whether that is with the medical staff at the A&E department of the serving staff at the burger chain where he believes his daughter ate a contaminated burger.
The final ¼ of the book is a ghastly and gruesome description of life in a slaughterhouse as Dr Reggis goes undercover to find out just how contaminated meat got into the human food chain. And this is where for me the book lost its way a little.
As I say the first ¾ really does grab you and you're quite willing to forgive the sometimes-preposterous actions of Reggis because the thrill of the chase he is on is just too exciting. Once the pace slows and Reggis turns his hand to being an undercover agent the holes in the plot start to gape that little bit wider and the Dr's behaviour becomes just a little bit too unbelievable. The re-coupling of the divorced parents was just that bit too "happy ending" to be really credible and some of the dialogue at this point is simply toe curling embarrassing.
Finally the ending is rather disappointing to be honest, there is no real closure just a hint that nothing has changed and I was looking for something just a little bit more final.
Great thriller but poor ending.
Format:Paperback
This is one of those books you never forget. I've read hundreds of books but this will stay with me forever. It only takes one person to "make a mistake", as they do in the story, and, the saying "it could happen" is one reason why I have never touched fast food burgers ever since. If you know someone who is addicted to burgers, give them this book to read, it might just change their mind.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Excellent - until he got bored
Toxin gets off to a good start and gets better as you go. There's a lot of sub-plots that keep you occupied as you read, and the further on you go, the more wrapped up you get in... Read more
Published on 2 Aug 2008 by S. Taylor
Attention Non-Vegans!
"Toxin" is a creepy, suspenseful novel that is almost too real. Already being a paranoid person about the sanitation of our food and how regulated slaughterhouses are by the FDA,... Read more
Published on 2 Mar 2005 by "tmacisgooden"
Possibly the worst book Cook has ever written
Having read several of Robin Cook's books, I thought this might be an interesting medical thriller to while away a few hours. How wrong can you be! Read more
Published on 8 Mar 2002
A terrifying read but a weak ending
Having read several of Robin Cook's stories before, this was as well researched and was a frightening read. Read more
Published on 7 July 2001
Well written and stomach churning, a great read
This book was a real eye opener. If you are a fan of fast food resturants this book is not for you!!! Read more
Published on 4 Mar 2001
A good read, good storyline, grusome detail in parts. Enjoy
This is well worth a read. I really enjoyed it as it deals with a very scary yet real condition(put me off fast food for a while!). Read more
Published on 4 Nov 1999 by RozziD
Disappointing compared to his other books.
I couldn't wait to get my hands on this one since I had really enjoyed his previous books. I bought it in hardback and was really disappointed. Read more
Published on 9 Oct 1999
Not his best, but still highly readable!
Although I couldn't put it down, as is typical with 'Cook Books', this was not one of his better novels. Read more
Published on 17 Aug 1999
Certainly worth a read
This is a great book, typical Robin Cook stuff. Thought provoking and political. It's tense, and certainly turns the stomach in places! I was not disappointed.
Published on 25 July 1999
Belting - up to his usual superb standard!
Very topical subject - disease transmission via cattle in the US reflecting on the situation in the UK and EU. Read more
Published on 18 Nov 1998
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