And yet, somehow, Robin Cook has managed to do both!
It’s that wealth of medical experience that has allowed Cook to write not just a truly massive collection of books, but some of the most compelling and informative thriller books in the past 50 years as well!
Don’t believe me? Well, you’ll just have to take a look at the entire body of Robin Cook’s work that I have collected here, and see for yourself!
Where better to start this series, than at the beginning?
In this first outing of pathologists Laurie Montgomery and Jack Stapleton, we see this pair of crack forensic investigators look into the connections between a string of ‘overdose’ victims.
What they uncover is a web of deceit and death that they could never have anticipated!
Pros
Engaging and intelligently written. Cook’s medical expertise is a running theme that you’ll see in this book and many others on this list!
Cons
The audiobook version has some quality control issues. It might not be the best way to experience it.
Cook was onto something with this series if this follow-up story is a good indicator!
When 9 (and counting) different patients come to 3 very rare diseases, or in the same hospital, Jack Stapleton starts to suspect that these tragedies might not be a coincidence.
Pros
A viral infection thriller that punches just as hard (if not harder) now more than ever.
Cons
While the threat feels real, the fact that we are limited to effectively just one hospital makes the scale feel less drastic.
Genetic manipulation and cloning are the latest biological tools on the scene in this next book, and they’re the cause of plenty of headaches For Stapleton and Montgomery.
After all, when a wealthy patient dies and the autopsy reveals a history of previous donations, how can they have received them from… themself?
Pros
A fascinating tale about the worst-case abuse of bioengineering and genetic science. It’s Jurassic Park, meets a detective thriller tale!
Cons
The premise and early chapters have plenty of promise, but the end feels rushed by comparison.
What starts as a few strange deaths from rapid-onset illnesses that the patients should have been safe from quickly turns into a race against time for Montgomery and Stapleton to stop a bioweapon being unleashed on the whole of New York City!
Pros
A story of disgruntled scientists and a strange string of murders is the main draw of this book!
Cons
It feels like the story is rushing to be finished and never has the chance to fully explore its ideas.
The tension between Laurie Montgomery and Jack Stapleton might be the least of their worries, as a case that Montgomery is working on threatens to put her in the line of fire too!
Pros
The focus on the two main character’s relationship helps ground an otherwise high-octane thriller mystery.
Cons
The focus on the Health Management Organization might not be to every medical thriller reader’s taste.
What seems at first like a case of medical malpractice quickly turns into a tale of corporate cover-ups and espionage, as Stapleton and Montgomery witness the slow, but horrific, transformation of the medical profession.
Pros
The business/political thriller angle injects a fresh new idea into this long-running medical thriller series, building off of the ideas of the previous novel.
Cons
The lead-up to the final act does seem to drag out a little too much, just to increase tension. When badly done, it just doesn’t feel natural.
Montgomery’s suspicions about Jack Stapleton being treated in a particular specialty hospital lead her on a trail of corporate sabotage that is costing people their lives.
Pros
Once again, Cook’s medical knowledge and terminology are on full display in this book!
Cons
If intricate details about medical conditions and their treatments bore you, this one will feel like a drag. Then again, this is Cook’s forte, so that shouldn’t be a surprise at this point!
When 4th-year medical student Jennifer Hernandez discovers that her Grandmother and guardian have passed, and the details are being withheld from her, she calls on the only reliable figure that she can: Her mentor: Laurie Montgomery.
Pros
The fresh perspective and new character are a welcome change, while still having plenty of our original two favorites.
Cons
The opening section is a little slow. You might feel that you have to push through the first chapter.
Jack is visited by ghosts of his past, as his investigations into why patients are seeking alternative medicines lead him to two figures that he is well acquainted with, for better and for worse.
Pros
Not only a compelling mystery but also a fascinating discussion of why people reject modern medicine in favor of alternatives.
Cons
There is less of Jack and Laurie in this book, so long-time readers might be left wanting more of them here.
As a virulent plague seems to spread uncontrollably across the United States, the titular Dr. Marissa Blumenthal must uncover one of the medical world’s biggest secrets.
No matter how high the body count gets.
Pros
The CDC setting of these books makes for a completely different feel from the Stapleton and Montgomery series, as well as having a fresh new protagonist to follow.
Cons
The ending may have some readers scratching their heads, and not in a fun, thought-provoking way.
Starting this section in Cook’s debut book, you might be worried that a book written over 50 years ago might feel a little dated, especially considering its then-contemporary setting.
However, a relatable main character, combined with tasks and life-and-death decisions that medical professionals make every day, means that this story has aged like a fine wine!
Pros
A story that feels just as relevant now as it did back in 1972, and an excellent look into life as a hospital medical intern.
Cons
Fans of Cook’s thriller work might be left a little wanting by the end of this book.
With nightmare-inducing worst-case scenarios turning a minor surgery into something worse, it’s no wonder that this was one of Cook’s first books to be adapted into both a film and a television miniseries!
Pros
A compelling hook and interesting, grounded characters make this book an easy read.
Cons
Unlike his debut novel, this book has ironically aged less well than Cook’s first book in terms of the medical practices used.
Breaking away from Cook’s more traditional medical thriller wheelhouse, this one takes us on a globe-trotting hunt for Ancient Egyptian artifacts, and a race to stop an old evil from awakening.
Pros
A strong, over-the-top main character that is a treat to watch act out on the page!
Two young medical professionals start asking questions about the research going on in their medical center, especially after the death of a young woman, and her brain being inconspicuously removed.
Questions that could get both of them killed…
Pros
A fascinating combination of the medical thriller, and a dash of horror thrown in for good measure!
Cons
The ending doesn’t feel all that satisfying, despite the amazing setup.
When esteemed cancer researcher Charles Martel discovers that his daughter has leukemia, nothing will stop him from uncovering the truth of its causes.
Especially when all signs point to a chemical conspiracy in the making.
Pros
This book is a phenomenal book with plenty of the themes that Cook’s work would become known for Medical races-against time and underhanded corporate tactics galore here!
Cons
The plot is pretty predictable, especially if you have read Cook’s work before this book.
Dr. Cassandra Kingsley has it all. She has a charming husband and a fantastic job.
But this perfect life seems to fade as she soon learns more details about the nature of both. Details that threaten to unravel this illusion that she seems to have fallen into.
Pros
A fascinating main character and a slow burn of a story, playing to Cook’s strengths as a medical practitioner.
Cons
Like with his other works, the book does kind of end abruptly, which might be unsatisfying for some readers.
With artificial surrogates and genetic manipulation in the foreground of medical advancements, Dr. Cook tries to create the perfect son through this groundbreaking science.
But will he be prepared for what he has made instead?
Pros
Robin Cook never misses his imaginative setups and medical science concepts!
Cons
Fascinating hook aside, this is an old tale of science going too far. Nothing new to Robin’s wheelhouse, so to speak.
A cancer treatment center in Florida claims to have a 100% success rate at curing its patients.
It’s almost too good to be true, and it certainly sounds that way to aspiring medical student Sean Murphy. What will he find at the heart of this conundrum?
Pros
The premise is ripe for an amazing speculative thriller book, and Cook provides it!
Cons
While largely grounded, some of the shortsighted actions of ‘smart’ characters might have some readers rolling their eyes.
Cook delves deep into the world of science-fiction for this book, as a groundbreaking revelation about the way our world, the universe even, is revealed to us!
Pros
A modern-day ‘Invasion of the Body Snatchers’!
Cons
It’s a science fiction invasion story that some people might be able to guess pretty quickly. After that, the book kind of becomes a waiting game.
In this gripping medical and political thriller, a pair of doctors, using stem cells and cloning technology, have seemingly found the cure to degenerative diseases.
A US senator blocks their pending method patent out of fear for American values.
But when Parkinson’s starts to creep into his life, he has no choice but to make a deal with the very people he had blocked and try their experimental treatment.
What could go wrong?
Pros
This a novel (quite literally) way of examining the push-pull relationship between the medical industry and politics.
Cons
Despite his wealth of medical knowledge, Cook’s descriptions of seizures and their causes are lacking, and paint a very old-fashioned, negative stereotype of the condition.
A break-in at a cutting-edge biosafety lab results in much of the cutting-edge work that goes on there, from molecular biological research to organ replacement treatments, has been compromised.
It’s up to promising medical students Pia Grazdani and George Wilson to get to the bottom of this breaking!
Pros
A mystery story that unravels in ways that you could not anticipate!
Cons
This story feels like it’s too long. A smaller word count or better edits would have helped the pacing of this story, an issue that we’ve seen a few times with Cook’s work.
Serving as something like a parallel to Nano, Cell follows the further career of the other main character of Death Benefit, George Wilson.
A new AI app, iDoc, promises to revolutionize medical diagnoses, making the process simpler and safer for both doctors and patients.
However, when Wilson’s fiancée turns up dead in bed after participating in an iDoc beta test, there’s little the world can do to stop him from getting to the bottom of this tragic mystery!
Pros
A main character that we are familiar with, and a personal tragedy motivating the story? Sounds like a great 2-part combo to get you hooked!
Cons
The way that Wilson’s love interest is treated is subpar for a writer of Cook’s experience. She only serves to drive the plot forward, and nothing else.
Lynn Pierce has everything, it seems. From her promising degree at Mason-Dixon University to a loving boyfriend, she seems to have her life figured out.
But when her boyfriend unexpectedly dies in a routine minor surgery, Pierce starts digging for signs of malpractice.
But nothing could prepare her for the wider web of lies and mistreatment that she uncovers along the way…
Pros
This story hearkens back to some of Cook’s most iconic standalone books, like Coma, in the best way possible.
Cons
Cook’s tirades against big pharma, while understandable, just take time away from developing the plot and characters better.
One part whodunit, and one part medical thriller, this book of Cook’s follows the investigations of newly appointed Chief resident Noah Rothauser’s attempts to figure out
Pros
Bitter feuds and intrigue lay at the heart of this story. Tons of human drama to keep everyone guessing!
Cons
While the emphasis on human drama is a welcome addition, nothing else is that different from Cook’s other works in this subgenre.
Topical doesn’t even begin to cover this 2021 thriller story!
When his wife starts to suffer from flu-like symptoms and rapidly deteriorates on the ride over to the hospital, Brian Murphy is hit with an astronomically large bill for the costs of her care.
What will Murphy do to both care for his family, and take the trillion-dollar medical insurance industry on at the same time?
Pros
A topical subject and Cook’s long-time beef with corporate interests come to a boiling head in this heated, indelibly relevant virulent thriller!
Cons
Despite the setting being relevant and topic-biting, readers looking for more of a plot based around a ‘virus’ might want to look elsewhere.
Closing Thoughts
So, as you can see, if you’re looking for tales of doctors and medical professionals tussling with other doctors, scientists, the law itself, and even big pharma, you know which writer you should be looking up on your next Amazon Kindle wishlist!
Frequently Asked Questions
How Many Books Has Robin Cook Written?
So, as you can see, Cook is no slouch when it comes to sheer creative output. I mean, just look at the size of this list!
Combining both his series and his standalone novels, Robin Cook has written an incredible total of 39 books in total.
What Was Robin Cook’s First Published Book?
Robin Cook’s first published work as an author was The Year of the Intern in 1972, over 50 years ago.
Noah Burton works as a Librarian full time, and is a blogger in his spare time. His goal is to write compelling recommendations for all of the most popular books he can find, from science fiction to romance.
With a passion for books, a drive to find new reads to get stuck into, and a love for sharing book recommendations with others, Noah can help you find the next novel for your bucket list.
![Alex Delaware Books In Order [All 38 Books]](data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZpZXdCb3g9IjAgMCAxNTAgMTUwIiB3aWR0aD0iMTUwIiBoZWlnaHQ9IjE1MCIgZGF0YS11PSJodHRwcyUzQSUyRiUyRnJ0Ym9va3Jldmlld3MuY29tJTJGd3AtY29udGVudCUyRnVwbG9hZHMlMkYyMDIzJTJGMDQlMkZBbGV4LURlbGF3YXJlLUJvb2tzLUluLU9yZGVyLUFsbC0zOC1Cb29rcy0xNTB4MTUwLmpwZyIgZGF0YS13PSIxNTAiIGRhdGEtaD0iMTUwIiBkYXRhLWJpcD0iIj48L3N2Zz4= "Alex Delaware Books In Order [All 38 Books]")
