It’s hard out here for a radiologist. Just ask Dr. Peter Ross, the young hero of John Lange’s ZERO COOL. At age 26, the overworked physician takes a much-needed month-long vacation to Spain and has barely put foot to sand when he finds himself knee-deep in danger.
Originally published in 1969, ZERO COOL is full of cool, actually – why else would Hard Case Crime dare touch it? – and Lange, of course, is a pen name of Michael Crichton. Like his other early novels, it’s one of science-free suspense, and swift as ever.
On his first trip to the beach, Ross meets Angela, a hot brunette in a pink bikini. (She’s the one pictured on the cover, reading – if you’ll note – a copy of Lange’s previous Hard Case effort GRAVE DESCEND.) She quickly becomes his carefree sex partner, but not before a worried Spaniard runs up to Ross and warns him not to do the autopsy or he’ll be killed.
What autopsy? The one that he is later requested to perform when four mysterious men show up at his hotel room. Their leader Carrini explains that his criminal brother has died, and the autopsy requires an American doc in order for the body to be buried in the States. If he doesn’t do it, he’ll be killed.
Damned if he does and damned if he doesn’t, the oblivious Ross chooses to go ahead with it, if only to satisfy his own curiosity as to just what the hell is going on. During the procedure, Carrini has him remove his brother’s heart, replace it with a small box containing some unknown object, and sew it up.
And then the real trouble begins, with a country-hopping affair that leads to castles, catacombs and other cunning elements that take a bizarre turn – even when compared to Crichton’s talking monkeys. The villain – whose description you’d never guess – has a method of doing away with opponents that you’ll also never guess. It’s original and over-the-top.
Although I’m one of the millions who enjoys Crichton’s current run of thinking-man thrillers with tech talk and footnotes aplenty, it’s nice to see how he used to cut loose and just have fun, with no lessons to learn or agendas to impart. For whatever reason, Crichton has added a needless framing device to this edition that takes place in the modern day and uses up all of five pages, but the proto-NATIONAL TREASURE hunt it blankets is worth every minute. –Rod Lott
OTHER BOOKGASM REVIEWS OF THIS AUTHOR:
• GRAVE DESCEND by John Lange
• NEXT by Michael Crichton
• STATE OF FEAR by Michael Crichton
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
Another great “John Lange” novel from the 70s was “Binary.”
I haven’t read BINARY, but I’d like to (along with the few other Lange novels still out of print). I have seen the lackluster TV movie that Crichton wrote and directed from it — PURSUIT — but I can’t recommend it.
There’s also a nice sense of humor running through the story. Always with a soft touch, nothing campy.
ZERO COOL is a fun, forgettable ride.
I thought GRAVE DESCEND was better written and more coherent.
Either book not a bad way to spend a day by the pool.