HomeThrillerBlood Test

Cover of Blood Test

Thriller · 1993 · PG-13

Blood Test

by Jonathan Kellerman

A dying child vanishes when his parents flee with him into a dangerous cult

Little Woody Swope was gravely ill. Treatment was possible, if painful. But his parents, members of a bizarre sect called the Touchers, threatened to take him out of hospital. Then Woody was gone. So were the Swopes, leaving their motel suite heavily bloodstained. Enter Alex Delaware, child psychologist, young, burned out and semi-retired. He and his LA cop friend Milo find a heap of suspects - an ageing ex-hippy doctor; a back-country police chief; a male stripper; even Nona, Woody's sister, a flame-haired Lolita with hate in her eyes and larceny in her soul. But the truth was more bizarre th

For14+GenreThrillerLength360 pagesRead time~9.5 hours

This analysis was generated by AI from publicly available reader reviews, literary criticism, and book discussions. It has not been verified by a BookLens community reviewer and may contain errors. Be the first to verify →

Content snapshot

Flag an inaccuracy →

What's in this book, at a glance — five things readers want to know before they start.

Violence

Some

Violence; a child's life is endangered; non-graphic crime scenes

Language

Some

Some profanity

Sexual Content

Barely any

No significant sexual content

Substance Use

Barely any

No significant substance use

Emotional Intensity

A lot

Cult psychology; manipulation of vulnerable families; a child's medical jeopardy; grief

What this book is about

A young boy with cancer has a real chance at life through experimental treatment—until his parents abruptly remove him from the hospital and disappear into a religious cult. Alex Delaware teams with Milo Sturgis to track the family before it's too late, uncovering a world of manipulation, medical neglect, and coercive religious control. The investigation confronts the limits of parental rights versus a child's welfare.

Notes for sensitive readers

Reader-flagged moments and themes that may affect your experience.

A seriously ill child is endangered by his parents' cult involvement

Themes of religious manipulation and coercive control

Medical neglect and parental rights in conflict

Reader Verification

Be the first to verify
this rating

Have you read Blood Test? Submit a community rating to confirm or correct the AI estimate. Your review helps other readers make an informed choice.

Rate this book →

Free · ~5 minutes · No account required

Similar reads

More Thriller books from the catalog.

Think this AI estimate is off?

Flag an inaccuracy →

Where to Buy

Affiliate links — BookLens earns a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Buy on Amazon →