IN THIS STIMULATING debut novel, protagonist Dr. Milt Davidson, a pathologist and cancer researcher working at a NYC medical school, is recruited by the CIA to spy on Russia's bioweapons research involving odors that target the brain through smell receptors in the nose. Davidson studied human olfaction during his graduate education.
Under the cover of starting up a Moscow-based biopharmaceutical company focused on developing odor therapies for neurological diseases, the young scientist/novice spy, who is on sabbatical from NY, quickly becomes entangled in romances with female spies that pose risks to the mission and their lives.
Because the sense of smell is the least studied and understood of our five senses, this novel introduces a potentially new drug therapy involving smelling defined odors.
Can Milt escape the scrutiny of the Russian military GRU? Can he gain the loyalty of the Jewish chemist who directs the Russian research on odor bioweaponry? The answers to these questions unfold over the page-turning course of this exciting first novel breaking through the conventional genre, leaving us yearning for the sequel.
The science described is authentic, but the author speculates on new medical pursuits for both the lay reader and scientist.
"The Scenturion Spy, Book 1: Becoming A Spy" is an engaging debut novel by Dr. David M. Goldenberg, in which the central character, Dr. Milt Davidson, is sucked into the web of international espionage, quite unwittingly and unwillingly, which takes him away from his job as associate professor of pathology and his research in oncology in the fictional Empire State University. His side passion of investigating the sense of smell in modulating behavior and the possibility of using odors for therapeutic applications is what gets him in the CIA's radar since the same approach can also be used in principle to deliver mood altering or lethal substances. The main theme of the book, namely becoming a spy, is fascinatingly interspersed with the process of scientific discovery and the associated thrill of getting it published, the mechanics of putting together a business based on an innovative idea in olfaction with the involvement of a patent attorney, venture capitalists, incorporation in multiple cities, and the protagonist's romantic involvement with another spy. Non-scientist and non-entrepreneurial readers will get interesting peeks into scientific research and business ventures. The novel is rich in details: meeting venues, restaurants, various characters' looks and attires, and culinary and wine details are all described beautifully.
The dangerous world of espionage is captured rivetingly in this novel. The most intriguing character in this besides the protagonist is Marie Chalfont, and an aspect pertaining to her is alluded to at the end. During all the spy-talk, to which Dr. Davidson pays careful attention, the mystery behind the olfaction endeavor in the adversary's territory is about to unravel, and this is likely to be the focus in a follow-up book.
This book is an easy and fascinating read. I eagerly look forward to its continuation in subsequent book(s). - Serengulam Govindan, Ph.D., Former Chief Chemist, Immunomedics, Inc.
