Crooked Lane Books
Baby X: A Thriller
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One of NPR's 2024 Books We Love
When any biological matter can be used to create life, stolen celebrity DNA sells to the highest bidder-or the craziest stalker-in this propulsive thriller.
With a vivid imagining of the future, Gattaca meets Black Mirror in Kira Peikoff's Baby X.
In the near-future United States, where advanced technology can create egg or sperm from any person's cells, celebrities face the alarming potential of meeting biological children they never conceived. Famous singer Trace Thorne is tired of being targeted by the Vault, a black market site devoted to stealing DNA. Sick of paying ransom money for his own cell matter, he hires bio-security guard Ember Ryan to ensure his biological safety.
Ember will do anything she can to protect her clients. She knows all the Vault's tricks-discarded tissues, used straws, lipstick tubes--and has prevented countless DNA thefts. Working for Thorne, her focus becomes split when she begins to fall for him, but she knows she hasn't let anything slip-love or not, his DNA is safe. But then she and Thorne are confronted by a pregnant woman, Quinn, who claims that Thorne is the father of her baby, and all bets are off.
Brilliantly plotted and terrifyingly prescient, Baby X is an unpredictable and relentless speculative thriller perfect for fans of Blake Crouch and John Marrs.
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Book Details
ISBN:
9781639106332
EAN:
9781639106332
Binding:
Hardcover
Pages:
336
Authors:
Kira Peikoff
Publisher:
Crooked Lane Books
POV ~ multiple 3rdFeaturing ~ 4 parts, futuristicness, mentions of abortion, domestic abuseEmber is a bio security guard and meets the love of her life, Trace, when she's hired to protect his DNA.Quinn is a surrogate who agrees to carry a baby for a man named, Robert, who she met at Trace's concert.Lily is a young journalist who is looking for the next big story. Turns out her mother has a big secret that she's hoping to uncover to help her get ahead in her career. She never could have imagined the affects of that secret.I don't typically read science fiction, but figured I'd give it a go and I'm glad I did as I was really engaged throughout. All storylines came together nicely. I started to get an inkling at one point of what the twist would be and it turned out I was right, but that didn't bother me and I'm so excited that I was duped! I can see why this was nominated for a GR choice award.Hope this is not what the future for our children looks like. Also, I don't think I want to ever try 3D printed food.Narration notes:Yahoo for 3 especially since all POV's were women!! They all did fine.
Wow wow wow! What an absolutely fantastic book that was both frightening and amazing. I've read a lot of good stories throughout my life, but this one is hands down one of the best. I'm still in my "just closed the book" stupor and can't quite formulate anything further to put here other than to say READ THIS BOOK!
Baby X is a sharp, high-stakes thriller that pulls you right into the moral gray zones of genetic engineering. The story feels both urgent and unsettling...what happens when the line between scientific innovation and playing God completely disappears?Peikoff does a great job blending real scientific dilemmas with nail-biting suspense. The twists come at the perfect moments, and you’re never sure who to trust or how far some characters will go. It’s one of those books that gets under your skin because the premise feels uncomfortably plausible.If you enjoy thrillers that make you question what you’d do in the same situation, this one will keep you up past your bedtime.
This was a book club selection, and I have to admit it was not my first choice. After getting into the book, I have to admit I was wrong. While not the perfect novel in terms of plot and characters, it comes close. I was continually struck about how much of the science is here today. Certainly, spinning a yarn that could happen in my lifetime is amazing. There is a small plot twist that I didn't see coming. Also, I wondered why Stephen King had not thought of this story line. If you like sci fi and carrying an idea to its logical conclusion this is a good one for you.
This book was quite clever. The idea that our future could have such controversial ethical dilemmas, because of advances in technology ,is scary. The author thought off intriguing scenarios and created a plot that kept me reading late into the night. The automated world seemed real because it has its roots in the technological advances we are already seeing today. I loved the rockstar angle. I highly recommend this read.
