THE BABEL EFFECT

“The writing is clear and concise, and though there will be the usual Crichton comparisons, they rebound to Hecht’s credit, for Hecht has his own voice and agenda. The moving climax proves that Hecht is a writer with both skill and soul. This suspenseful novel is for readers who demand texture, intriguing information, and a provocative thesis along with their thrills.” –Publishers Weekly (starred review)

Ryan and Jessamine McCloud are geniuses, husband-and-wife leaders of the maverick scientific think-tank Genesis. Commissioned by a billionaire corporate CEO to study the neurological causes of violence, their research soon turns from investigating the brains of serial killers to considering the rising tide of global terrorism, genocide, and social unrest. The evidence increasingly suggests that a kind of disease is behind it all: an epidemic of a neurological condition that interferes with human communication and empathy. They christen it the Babel Effect, and believe that unless a remedy is found, the world will soon explode in chaos and strife.

As they pursue clues through the United States, Europe, and the war-torn Congo, the McClouds find themselves opposed by secret government agencies, corporate polluters, and religious fanatics willing to do anything to stop their research. The project also takes its toll on their marriage; when Jessamine is kidnaped, Ryan realizes just how far apart they have grown. The only way to find her is to understand her thoughts and feelings – to rediscover the identity of the woman he loves.

Based on real science and political events drawn from today’s headlines, The Babel Effect is a thriller that explores the riddles of the mind as it probes the subtler mysteries of human values, spirituality, personal loyalty, intimacy, and love.

Published by Crown/Random House in the United States, Simon & Schuster/Pocket Books in Great Britain, and Luitingh-Sijthoff in Holland.

Author’s comment:

Writing The Babel Effect was a tremendous adventure for me. To understand my topic, I read dozens of books on genetics, evolution, neuroscience, epidemiology, biochemistry, social theory, and history; I interviewed geneticists, neurologists, physicists, psychologists, police investigators, rabbis, priests; I traveled throughout the United States and Europe. The more I learned, the more I found myself questioning all my core beliefs about human nature. That’s a difficult, disturbing state of mind, and writing this book required a lot of spiritual doubt and self-inspection. Fortunately, it resulted in no small amount of revelation. My goal all along was to bring this sense of adventure, doubt, and revelation into the story and to the reader. I wanted it to be a thriller that would excite and entertain the average reader as well as pose thought-provoking questions..

More praise for The Babel Effect

“Daniel Hecht is a gifted writer of formidable imagination . . . The Babel Effect is a powerful, thought-provoking book that ultimately catches fire and burns, hot and bright, right to the end. Compelling, fascinating – all the good adjectives apply. This novel will stay with you for a long, long time.” – Charlotte Vail Allen, best-selling author of Daddy’s Girl

“Hecht is a rare writer who can combine detailed science with fast-paced action and intriguing characters. The Babel Effect takes us deep into the suff of science headlines and, in the great tradition of storytellers, both educates and entertains us with great style.” – iVillage