Thursday, January 25, 2024

Baby X by Kira Peikoff


The premise of this book intrigued me--in the not-too-distant future, there is an illegal dark web company specializing in stealing DNA from high-profile individuals. It targets a renowned singer who hires a bio-security person to thwart them. In this cat-and-mouse thriller, future lives are at stake--literally.

Trace Thorne is tired of being blackmailed by the Vault, a dark website that keeps stealing his DNA and selling it to the highest bidder. He hires Ember Ryan, a bioengineer now specializing in eliminating DNA left by famous people. One year later, Thorne and Ember are confronted by a pregnant woman, Quinn Corrigan, a professional surrogate, who claims to be carrying Thorne's child. Are Ember's efforts ineffective, or has the Vault found a way around her methods? And, for that matter, is Quinn really carrying Thorne's baby?

Meanwhile, an aspiring journalist, Lily has garnered a fellowship at a premiere magazine. She competes for one coveted spot, so the story she pitches must be a hard-hitting piece. Drawing on her background, she pitches the idea of how reproductive facilities hold power to decide who can and cannot have a baby. In this age, when children are Selected based on desirable traits and conceiving a child naturally is frowned upon, the agencies that specialize in the selection process are all but playing God.

This is an engaging story following the lives of Ember, Quinn, and Lily and the reproductive rights of parents. It is both a plausible and frightening futuristic cautionary tale. The characters are well-drawn, with the details of their lives carefully meted out. It is fast-paced with a startling twist I thought I figured out, but it was way off. the mark. If you enjoy a good Robin Cook book, I think you'll enjoy this medical thriller. by Kira Peikoff. 

4.5/5 stars

Thank you, NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books, for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review. The publication date is March 5, 2024.

For more information:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

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