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WHITEOUT
by Ken Follett
Pan, May 2005
400 pages
6.99GBP
ISBN: 0330490699


Buy in the UK | Buy in Canada

Ken Follett has a knack for creating exciting situations as well as violent action and intriguing characters. He is known for his strong female actors. This narrative exemplifies all his tendencies.

One-time policewoman, Toni Gallo, is head of security at the Kremlin. No, not THAT Kremlin, but Oxenford Medical laboratories, located near Glasgow in Scotland. She is working on Christmas Eve prior to departing to a spa for a get-together over Christmas with friends. Storms, both literal and metaphorical are gathering and Toni, as a result of learning of a discrepancy in the records of the lab, is horrified to discover a dying technician.

Michael Ross has become involved with an animal rights movement and smuggled a test rabbit out of the laboratory. It has been infected with a deadly virus, Madoba-2, a variant of Ebola. He has stolen a new anti-viral drug developed by Stanley Oxenford, thinking to cure his rabbit and, if he manages to contract the disease (which he does), himself. He fails as the remedy has not yet been perfected.

Oxenford is hosting a family celebration over Christmas but his house becomes isolated as snow continues to fall. Toni's plans for pleasure are thwarted by her sister's defection so she must pick up her mother in order to look after her over the holidays. A further incident at the laboratory sees her going there to be confronted by a lack of cooperation from her former lover, Superintendent Frank Hackett, who displays a wish to avenge himself on her despite the fact that it was he who was responsible for their break-up and her leaving the police.

This is an exciting tale well told. Some of the characters could be seen as not terribly adequately portrayed but others, such as the teenagers with their perceived important dilemmas, are done well.

Follett has obviously researched the development of new anti-virals and the measures that must be taken to prevent infection by those experimenting with them. The atmosphere of the snow-bound people and their frustration is portrayed convincingly.

To offset the treachery of various people, a note of humour is injected into the narrative by the inclusion of the idiosyncratic and indomitable Mrs Gallo, Toni's mother, as well as a small puppy and some pet rats. The villains are truly villainous and a reluctant hero unexpectedly brave. The see-sawing of the action is calculated to maintain the tension throughout. On the whole, Follett provides yet another good read.

Reviewed by Denise Pickles, June 2005

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Contact: Yvonne Klein (ymk@reviewingtheevidence.com)


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