First, I almost don't think it is fair for me to review this book because it is so not my genre. I like some thrillers - - but pretty much only psychological ones. I am not well read in the genre at all. And there's a reason for that. But this one did draw me in . . .

The author did a nice job of building suspense . . .and there are the requisite very scary scenes where you are oh-so-happy you aren't in the protagonists shoes. The level of detail in the descriptions was just right - - enough is there to make things believable without slowing down the pace.

I will confess I probably gave this book an extra star because all of the settings were very familiar to me. The book takes place primarily in Ithaca, NY (where I was born) and MARYLAND (where I now live). There was also a key scene in Rochester, NY (where I lived for 20 years prior to Maryland). So, really, it couldn't get more perfect. I know of or have been to many of the specific places described.

What I don't like about this thriller - - and what seems to be typical of the genre - - is the flatness of the characters. I just feel like the characters in thrillers are always either "bigger than life" or "flat as cardboard". This wasn't really different for me. Which means I don't actually care all that much what happens to them. You know you are not really engaged with the characters when you don't care that much when something really, really terrible is about to happen to them.

What I did find very impressive about the book is that clearly this author really did his homework - - history, setting, science - - all of it came across as very interesting and very believable. He also did a strong job with building suspense that propels the reader through the book. If I wanted a thriller, I'd definitely pick up one by this author again . . .I'm just not sure it is a genre that I really embrace as a reader.

I do have to say that part of the true horror of a book like this is the feeling that - - it could SO happen. Bio terror strikes me as one of the scariest of the terror possibilities because of its invisibility and the fact that it doesn't strike an isolated geography . . .it is very easy to imagine a threat like the one imagined in this book becoming a reality. ( )

A disappointment. I had high hopes for this one, but it failed to deliver on some of the extremely hyperbolic blurbs on the cover, and the decent beginning. Quickly devolved into a generic techno thriller where cryptic clues must be deciphered, etc. Failed to hold my interest. Let's put the tired thriller plot device of WWII misdeeds to bed already. ( )

If you like Michael Chrichton or Douglas Preston, you'll like "Spiral." Any novel that has such a good mycological tie-in is a-okay with me. Plenty of action and good characters. ( )

A renowned scientist Liam Connor jumps of a bridge and his granddaughter Maggie and colleague Jake Sterling are left to discover why. They soon figure that Liam's death connects to the uzumaki a fungus that could kill everyone in the world if it was released. A good thriller but the ending was a bit too pat and I didn't like the half hearted love story added into the mix. ( )

It's hard to summarize Spiral because it's a little bit all over the place. In WWII Liam Connor, a mycologist, is called in to investigate a bioweapon attack by Japan that involved a toxic weaponized fungus. Today he is still a mycologist, but has developed state-of-the-art nanobots to help cultivate and maintain fungal samples. The book leads you to think it is going to be about a disease outbreak that is either fungal or delivered through nanobots, but it turns out to be more of a murder mystery/thriller plot with a science-y backdrop.

It's too bad, because I adored the book initially. The mycology theme was interesting and an interesting change from the usual viral and bacterial ones, but I began to lose interest once I realized that there was never going to be enough time it to fully develop and it was going to take a backseat to the usual "Oh hey lets go chase the bad guy" plot.

It's still not a bad novel at all, not really, I'm just finding myself disappointed that it wasn't what it seemed to be in the beginning. As a science-infused thriller it's just fine though, if that's what you are looking for. ( )