The Rx Factor by J.Thomas Shaw Review for Pump Up Your Books

Join J. Thomas Shaw, author of the political/medical thriller, The Rx Factor (Langdon Street Press), as he virtually tours the blogosphere May 14 – July 13,2012 on his first virtual book tour with Pump Up Your Book!

ABOUT THE RX FACTOR

Five years after the death of his wife and children, Ryan Matthews is living alone with memories of his failed career in cancer research when fellow scientist Jordan Carver catches his eye. Preparing for a move to Mexico, Jordan plans to open a clinic where terminal patients will have affordable access to experimental medication. Despite Ryan’s skepticism on her willingness to bypass the FDA drug approval process, he is intrigued by Jordan’s passion and determination to provide alternative care to terminal patients. But when a violent explosion leaves the small Bahamian island of Exuma on edge, Ryan knows his life has once again been forever altered.

Drawn together by circumstance, attraction, and shared ambition, Ryan and Jordan become united in their international quest for the truth. The two embark on an explosive thrill ride ending in Washington, D.C., where the couple unravels the country’s best-kept secret: the government will stop at nothing to maintain the American way of life, with heartbreak and sickness for all.

ABOUT J. THOMAS SHAW

J. Thomas Shaw was born in Quincy, Illinois, and attended the University of Oklahoma and Illinois State University. Following graduation, he moved to Chicago and had a highly successful professional career. He now resides in Southern California with his wife and their two children. Prior to his relocation to California, Mr. Shaw lived for six years in Durham, North Carolina and two years on a ranch outside of Cotopaxi, Colorado. He has traveled extensively throughout the Bahamas’, Caribbean and Mexico. The scenes throughout The RX Factor takes place in the various locations that the author has lived or experienced in his travels. Throughout the process of writing The RX Factor, the author consulted with his good friend, Johnny Powers Ph.D.

Dr. Powers holds a bachelor degree in Chemistry from Wake Forest University, a masters in Chemical Engineering from Clemson University, a PhD in Biochemical Engineering from North Carolina State University and an MBA from the Duke University Fuqua School of Business. Dr. Powers has over 20 years experience in the biomedical field, with extensive experience in developing and marketing new diagnostic tests for the early detection and management of cancer. Dr. Powers most recently served as the President of TriPath Oncology; a North Carolina-based biotechnology company focused on developing innovative medical tests for ovarian, cervical and breast cancer. TriPath imaging was sold to a major multi-national medical diagnostics company in 2006. In his career, Dr. Powers has dealt extensively with the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) and various government agencies, and has published numerous scientific research papers and holds medical patents in both the US and Canada. He now resides in the New England area with his wife and two children.

You can visit his website at www.therxfactor.com.

MY THOUGHTS:

Can you imagine what the world would be like if there were drugs that could cure any disease? Would it be a good thing or a bad thing, who profits? The patient or the drug companies?? That is truly an ethical question. 

Ryan Mathews has lost all he has cared about, his wife and children in an airplane crash, his career, so it is no wonder he has turned to alcohol. An ex FBI and a research scientist. His wife Cindy, ends up with cancer and he gets her into the clinical trials of a drug that he has developed for the treatment and cure of cancer. Perfect solution right? No... after the trial, the results come back that Cindy's cancer is not cured and the drug is not curing anyone. He wants to spend what remaining time that Cindy has left with her and their children, so he makes reservations for them to fly to Exuma, in the Bahamas, but the plane crashes enroute. Ryan ends up staying in Exuma and quietly spends his days getting drunk.

While at his favorite watering hole he meets a woman, Jordan Carver, who is also a researcher and is going to open up a clinic in Mexico where people can have access to experimental drugs that have not been approved in the US by the FDA. After spending the evening together talking shop, Ryan offers to give Jordan a lift out to the yacht that she is staying on. On the way there the yacht explodes and takes the lives of Jordan's aunt and uncle. An investigation ensues where Ryan and Jordan try to figure out what happened and find that they share a mutual passion for curing the terminally ill and that they are attracted to each other. Their investigation takes them to New York and Washington D.C. where they come up against ruthless people and a drug company who are determined to stop the two from doing any further investigating. This is a story that could come from today's headlines, with lots of twists and turns and with a surprise ending that I never saw coming. A well written and researched this story will keep you reading until the end and wondering what will happen next. 
A taut medical thriller and I highly recommend it.
I received a copy of this book for review and was not monetarily compensated for my review.