Gray Matter » (REV)

Gary Braver is the bestselling author of six critically acclaimed thrillers including Elixir, Gray Matter, and Flashback, which was recipient of the 2006 Massachusetts Honor Book Award for Fiction--a first for a thriller--and which in a starred review Publishers Weekly called “an exceptional medical thriller.” His novels have been translated into five languages, and three have been optioned for movies.

Praise for Elixir

“Page-turning.”—The Washington Herald

“Fast paced and well plotted . . . Braver’s larger purpose is to explore the moral and ethical dilemmas proposed by anti-aging technologies. He does so with compelling plot twists, as well as down-to-earth writing that brings his characters to life as ordinary yet complex people. The drug itself may produce a fatal addiction, but the story behind its development makes for an intoxicating read.”—Publishers Weekly

“Elixir has something smart to say and combines the best of the thriller genre to say it: engrossing story, hot science, interesting characters, stylish prose, and runaway pacing. Michael Crichton and Richard Preston have everything to fear from Gary Braver. He is the thriller writer for the new millennium.”—Robert B. Parker

“Elixir is a tense, edge-of-your-seat read. Not only does Gary Braver write a great biotech thriller, he also explores an issue fraught with moral dilemmas, asking the question: What if there was a fountain of youth? What would be the consequences to society? Read this book, and you’ll realize that eternal life may not be all it’s cracked up to be.”—Tess Gerritsen, New York Times bestselling author of The Apprentice

“Elixir is stylish, finely tuned, and terrifying—the best thriller I’ve curled up with in a long while. If you need a good night’s sleep, wait until morning to start this one.”—Michael Palmer, New York Times bestselling author of Miracle Cure

“Elixir delivers all the suspense and excitement you could ask for, and asks a hard question, too: what would you do if you found that you could live forever? Read Elixir and find out.”—William Martin, New York Times bestselling author of Cape Cod and Annapolis

“A fantastic thriller and an intriguing ethical study . . . A thrilling cascade of drama and paranoia.”—The Northeastern News

“A terrifying novel . . . fast paced, filled with action, twists, and turns.”—Midwest Book Review

“Among the best of recent contributions to its genre because of its engaging plot and the issues it addresses, this is an outstanding addition to all fiction collections.”—Library Journal

HippoPress Manchester - Vermette

Do intelligent people have better lives? Do more opportunities come their way? Do they get into better schools?

If you could give your child straight white teeth, would you? If your child needed plastic surgery to be accepted on the playground, would you have it done? If your child were falling behind in the classroom, would you do anything to help him become smarter?

"Gray Matter" is a page-turning medical thriller by Northeastern University Professor Gary Braver that addresses these questions. I literally could not put this book down until I was finished.

In this, his second novel, Braver showcases families with moral and ethical issues around enhancing intelligence. Rachel Whitman has everything going for her; she's young, beautiful, and not wanting for anything. Her husband is CEO of his own company. They've just moved to an upscale Boston suburb with their six-year-old son Dylan.

Dylan is enrolled in DellKids, a kindergarten on the grounds of the Dells Country Club. Dylan isn't having an easy time. He's not as quick to learn as the other kids and he is harassed by the star pupil. His IQ is below average. Rachel must come to accept that her child has a learning disability and, due to past use of a drug that's now known to be dangerous, she may be to blame for his condition.

Not all is bad with Dylan. He may pronounce "Mrs. MacPhearson's Jaguar" as "Mrs. M'Phearson Jagger" but he has a fantastic singing voice and can remember songs as soon as he hears them. Still Rachel worries that if he's already behind, he'll be picked on more as he gets older and he won't be able to follow in his father's footsteps.

Then Rachel learns of an "enhancement" procedure that can increase a child's IQ threefold. Should she and her husband put up all their money now so that Dylan will have a chance at a successful life? As Rachel gathers information, she questions whether the procedure will be worth it to Dylan in the long run. The decision has to be made soon; the doctor won't perform the surgery if the child is more than six and a half years old.

"Gray Matter" is a must read for any fan of medical thrillers, mysteries, science fiction, or just good writing.

Gary Braver is the pen name for Gary Goshgarian. His first thriller, "Elixir," about finding the fountain of youth, was published in 2001. He teaches creative writing and popular culture, and lives with his wife and two sons outside Boston. ion