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The Delta Strain

by Dennis Houghton

324 pages; quality trade paperback (softcover); catalogue #04-0011; ISBN 1-4120-2087-5; US$26.50, C$30.99, EUR21.50, £15.50

Fast-paced thriller spares few emotions as it follows the attempts of three people to defeat a hoard of genetically modified killers accidentally let loose on an unsuspecting world.


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about the book      about the author      excerpts      catalogue info

About the Book

Not for the faint hearted!

The nightmare began when Cheyne Morris was sent to England from the Denver headquarters of Denveigh Industries. Thrown into confusion by the death of the creator of the Delta Strain, and the loss of two laboratory specimens she is forced to make decisions which could affect lives. Multiplying at an astonishing rate, the specimens create havoc not only in Derbyshire, but in Africa where other specimens have been unwittingly exported.

Fighting against a cunning and intelligent foe, Cheyne is helped by Greg Haslam, an ex biologist from the original project. Together they begin to track down the killers, only for Cheyne to come face-to-face with a mass of Delta Strain looking for their next victim.

Ranging from Denver to Derbyshire, and impacting on Africa, the Delta Strain leave a trail of death in their wake. Only Cheyne and her friend Greg, along with a former colleague, can prevent a disaster of monumental proportion...


About the Author

Dennis Houghton was born in Oldham in 1942 where he eventually went to one of the local Grammar Schools. He achieved a good number of O-levels but decided not to go on to University because of family commitments. Instead, he joined a local engineering company and continued his education whilst working.

After a brief spell working in, amongst other places, a foundry, he was promoted to the technical staff. He was employed as a technical draughtsman where he worked on a number of heavy duty electrical and mechanical systems. He moved on, to become a sales representative for a company based in Diss in Norfolk, and remained there for ten years, selling electrical components.

He moved back into Engineering design for a while, then as a complete change, drove a taxi whilst 'looking for a suitable position to offer itself'. It finally did. A further move saw him employed by a specialist component manufacturer whose headquarters were in Switzerland and UK base was in Worthing. He visited many major manufacturers of high-tech equipment, and had the opportunity of being peripherally involved in a number of revolutionary technical innovations.

He was forced to retire through ill-health in 1989 and occupies himself by reading and 'pottering around the house and garden', although limited by his disabilities. His interests are many and varied, and range from sport (In his earlier days he played football, rugby, and cricket, and enjoyed many pleasant hours fishing) through science, to history.

His previous novel The Cerberus Gambit, is now out of print, but he looks forward to a few good years of writing.


Excerpts

"Anything's better than loafing around here like a lemon." He leered at Baz and punched him playfully on the arm. "Just suppose they did turn up ... What would you do about it?"

"I don't know what you mean."

"Bloody liar." Greaser hawked and spat at the wall of the nearby toilet. "You'd talk to her, that's' all you'd do."

"No I wouldn't!"

"I don't understand."

"Boys never do. I told you right at the start, I don't let anyone have me."

The specimens were bred to suit a semi-tropical environment ready for transportation to the African continent. I'd guess that once the really cold weather comes along, the specimens will die." Greg started back to the car. When Cheyne joined him, he gave her a quizzical stare. "What will you do when Litton closes?"

"I was ordered back to Denver, but I refused. This hasn't changed anything - has it?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, you know .. you and me."

"Now you can't prove yourself. We'll just have to wait and see, won't we?"

"What does that mean?"

"Just what I said. Don't worry, I haven't given up on you. It's just that I'll have to think of another way of testing you."

"Anything, just name it."

"I will, Baz, I will."

Cheyne sauntered out of the pub a satisfied glow on her face. She crossed the road and went through a small pedestrian opening to the car park...

"Goin' somewhere darlin" The young man leered and took a pace towards her.

Cheyne instinctively took a pace backwards then found another body pressing forward against her back...

Deep underground the conditions were marginally less severe than on the surface. Although the temperature was barely above freezing, it was constant and would remain at that level despite all the fluctuations taking place hundreds of feet above.

The Delta strain colony was sleeping undisturbed. Able to withstand the most severe rigours of the climate, the creatures were resting in semi-hibernation. They were waiting...

The juddering impacts were continuous, a ceaseless tattoo hammering on the door. Curled into a ball, Annabelle hugged herself as her whole body trembled. Her lips quivered and her voice shook.

"Oh, please God, don't let them get me. Oh, please God don't let them get me, please God...


Catalogue Information




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