Thriller Minus The Murder

In a way it was inevitable. The birth of Dolly and the possibilities of genetic cloning must have spurred the imagination of novelists and not surprisingly it has spwaned off a wave of crime fiction based on the theme. Agreed, even before the sheep came into being, crime writers had begun exploring the possibilities of genetic cloning. But now we are bound to get a veritable deluge. Ken Follett, the author who gave us such classics as The Man from St Petersburg and the Eye of the Needle gets a headstart with his latest work, The Third Twin, described accurately in the blurb as a scorching thriller of genetic manipulation.

 

If Dolly hadnt happened, one would have found Folletts plot almost laughable, bordering on the bizarre as it does. But now his story of human cloning and its spinechilling repercussions sounds extremely convincing and undoubtedly scary.

It all begins at a university campus in Baltimore where a rapist is on the loose, prowling for his next victim. He manages to set fire to the college gym, rape a girl and flee the scene.

The police pin the crime on young Steven Logan, who is visitng the university as a volunteer aiding research on twins. However, Dr Jeannie Ferrami who is researching Steve is sure that he doesnt have the psyche of a crim- inal. The beautiful young researcher is out to prove that criminality is a genetic trait and that good upbringing can counteract these traits. For that she works on identical twins who have been brought up separately

Steve is a perfect example as he is the ideal all-American boy whereas his identical twin Dennis with the same genetic makeup (but born of a different mother in a different hospital much to the bafflement of the resea- rchers) is a proven murderer. Logic points that Dennis should have committed the crime. But however he has a watertight alibi as he is in jail. So who else could have committed the crime? Is there a third twin?

Delving into a restricted FBI database, Ferrami uncovers some startling facts and comes up with not one but eight clones of Steve. All are tall handsome hunks with astonishing intelligence and aggressive traits. The trail leads Ferrami on to Pentagon. Has the army been playing hanky panky with genetic engineering twenty years ago? Clearly top level people have been behind this experiment. Meanwhile those behind this genetic manipulation are not likely to sit quiet and are out to get Ferramis blood. So she has to get at the truth fast.

Whats disappointing is that Follett doesnt give us a clear picture of how the cloning takes place. He just gives a vague outline, preferring to concentrate on the action and suspense. Admittedly, it is a very racy story and one doesnt feel like putting the book down. The plot doesnt flag anywhere. But then Follett is a practised exponent of this genre.

Whats interesting to note is how detection methods appear to have changed so much over the years. Investigators never had it so good with things becoming easier and easier thanks to the internet and e-mail on hand. No more cloak and dagger tailing of the suspect etc. All you have to do is sit at home, websurfing.

For all her investigations, Ferrami barely leaves home she just browses the net, dipping into various databases even getting data out of restricted databases.

Perhaps that explains why there is comparatively very little violence in the book (no, not even one murder) a welcome trend, one hopes. It is a very racy story and one doesnt feel like putting the book down. The plot doesnt flag anywhere.