"Fever", one of Robin Cook's earliest novels, is also one of his better ones. Some were better ("Mutation"), but it's much better than some of his recent works ("Abduction" and "Vector"). Like many of his novels, the premise varies little from novel to novel.

This tale centers around a twelve year old girl who has developed a form of leukemia. Her father, a doctor/scientist who has studied and searched for a cure for cancer for the past nine years following the death of his wife to leukemia, is suddenly having to deal with his nightmares again. He has since remarried, but soon conflicts arise between the father and his wife, oldest son, and the doctors who prescribe chemotherapy treatment for his daughter.

The father soon discovers the cause of his daughter's leukemia. That source was also the cause of another child's fatal disease. The father subsequently tries to bring the culprits to justice and continue his work while also trying to find his own cure for his daughter. The believability factor is strained a bit here.

Cook does a masterful job of relaying the tension between the father and his family, but his description and reactions of the girl do seem to fit better with a younger child and not one twelve years of age. Like many of his novels, there is corporate greed entwined with government agencies. Even though it's a bit farfetched, Cook makes it work with his skillful writing. Overall, any fan of Cook or medical thrillers in general should enjoy this one.