Bloomberg Businessweek (3/23/2015)
‘A masterpiece’ and ‘spellbinding page turner’ are just some of the praises showered on this cutting-edge biological thriller…a whirlwind of biological espionage woven into a gripping tale furiously moving from Washington DC to New York to Middleburg … a string of unexpected plot twists, and a highly unanticipated climax complete the thriller joyride.

Anne Boling-Readers’ Favorite 5 Stars
A Hemispheres airplane crashes, killing Andy Michaels brother and sister-in-law; only his niece Amanda survives. Amanda has a mild brain injury leaving her with amnesia; she must wear a halo until her bones heal. The plot falls into the genres of intrigue, mystery, suspense, and sci-fi. A tale that will keep readers eagerly turning the pages…

RevolutionaryMom.com:
I’ve read hundreds of books and I can guess how most of them will end, sometimes even where the plot will go. But I have to say I was unable to predict what’s going to happen in TTT. R.N. Shapiro wrote a fantastic novel, I was simply drawn to the story, right from the start. There are so many twists and turns, you won’t know what’s going to happen and will do good guys win. I’m sure I will get back to this book in a year or two. It’s what I usually do when I get my hands on a masterpiece and TTT IS a masterpiece.

C. Rodriquez-5 Stars
TTT is a fictional thriller loosely based on a true story. “He who tames the telomere tames cell death.” What will the USA do to defend its biological supremacy? What will others do to steal it? The intrigue of a “real life phenomena” woven within a fictional tale is exceptionally captivating. Amanda, was written brilliantly. Her coming of age story far surpasses the normal rites of passage into adulthood.

Gina Smith-5 Stars
Wow. What a great book. The plot was very intense and interesting. Amanda Michaels is a teen aboard a plane that crashed, killing everyone else on board including her mother and father. She has no memory from before the crash and quickly discovers that the disaster may have been intentional, to kill her father. Amanda embarks on a quest to try and uncover the truth and along the way is helped by some friends and her Uncle Andy. She uncovers some amazing facts regarding the work her father was doing and all of the agencies involved trying to get a hold of his research. This is a long involved story but I found it very hard to put the book down and couldn’t wait to pick it back up again. I cannot wait to read more from this author!

By voyager-sue- 5 stars

I have to say I’ve never read a book like “Taming the Telomeres.” I was initially tricked by the author’s assertion that this is a true story and that only the names have been changed. But it quickly became apparent that this is a novel. So I’m asking myself what made the book so special.
First, the plot is totally new to me. We are fed intimations that something is wrong, wrong, wrong, in tiny nibbles. The writing is intelligent and we aren’t subjected to the usual formulaic plot entertainments. I have no idea whether Amanda is representative of an amnesia victim or not, but I felt that her characterization was totally new. The deeper I got into the book, the more intrigued I became. It will be hard to start a different book after this one.

Allyn-5 Stars
A mystery thrill ride that keep you guessing and asking with each page; is this part real? Mr. Shapiro does an excellent job bringing characters to life in this thriller.
Taming the Telomeres has a true life facet to it that makes the reader think beyond the pages, the scope and implications of the woven plots are thought provoking and honestly, a bit scary. I really didn’t see the twists coming, I was sucked in and invested in the characters, rooting for Amanda and her tragic circumstances to hold some meaning. Andy was brilliant in the emotional depth he brought to the story as well as leading us through the labrynth of law and government entities.
The book reads very much like a screenplay, I could easily see this up on a big screen thrilling viewers and bringing to light the fascinating mystery of a human cell and the implications of solving some of our most devastating illnesses.
I was reminded of the arms race or the cold war when America was fighting behind the scenes to achieve great discoveries at the same pace as our enemies. Though there is a smiling front in place now, Taming the Telomeres makes me question just what is really going on backstage in this global play.
Mr. Shapiro has done excellent research with his first novel, I am looking forward to finding what he has in store for us next!

I am an avid reader of thrillers by Baldacci, Grisham, Connelly and others, and after finishing the manuscript, “Taming the Telomeres,” I would tell any fiction enthusiast it is a “Must Read.”  The story line was refreshing, the characters believable, and the plot was not too simple with several unexpected twists. I would say this book is as good as any novel I have read in recent years, in a similar genre, listed on the best seller lists! I hope the author has a sequel in the making. –Doug M.

I found the book intriguing from the very beginning. I loved the characters and Amanda was very believable because she never wavered from her strength, determination, and can-do type spirit. I also found myself clearly visualizing events, situations, character, reactions…..making me hopeful it is a huge success and becomes a movie. I would love to see it in that medium! It is action packed yet filled with such intrigue that you want to follow the details. The ending…..well, at first I kept trying to use my Kindle to find the next page, chapter, comments. Then I read the final few screens again and thought it felt incredibly open-ended and intriguing. –Diane F.

I grew up in Loudoun County, VA so many places mentioned were familiar. When I had to stop reading Taming the Telomeres I couldn’t wait to get back to it! Very suspenseful with complicated plot and several surprises. –Juli P.

My husband read it. He said it kept you in suspense to the very end! He liked his John Grisham style of writing. He never thought about how many pages he turned while reading because it all flowed so smoothly. –Becky B.

It’s not often I find a book that parallels my life and interests so closely. Since I have both a science background and a soccer playing private school daughter, this book captivated me from the start. I was able to visualize both characters and places so TTT was a blast. I highly recommend this book and know you will enjoy the ride. –Steve P.

I thoroughly enjoyed Taming the Telomeres. I thought it was quite the page turner. I could not put it down. I wanted more! I was intrigued by the subject matter. From the medical breakthroughs to the legal twists and turns….as the reader you were always in suspense. I lived in the Washington DC area for 25 years so I appreciated the book’s setting, which was described beautifully. The author’s style is similar to a John Grisham novel; however, I would compare the suspense factor of the book to a Gillian Flynn novel. –Diane G.

‘Taming the Telomeres’, is a noteworthy first novel, definitely. The story is interwoven with legal, medical, and international espionage. If you are a fan of Clancy, Connelly, or Grisham you will enjoy reading this book. –Terri S.

I found ‘Taming the Telomeres’ very engaging.  I enjoy reading suspense novels and found this book to every bit as fun to read as those by Grisham, Dan Brown, etc.  I loved the interaction between the characters and the storyline kept me interested and guessing as to what was next.  It was hard to put down and I would definitely recommend this read. — Greg B.

Taming the Telomeres is an amazing story, only bettered by the intro in which the author claims it is based on a true story. I am most impressed with the way the characters are interwoven throughout the story. Good guys become bad guys, bad guys end up being good guys; no one is really who they appear to be, except the main characters, Andy and Amanda Michaels. There were big surprises, but the ending is by no means tidy, which makes it realistic. This book reminds me of Robert Ludlum’s Jason Bourne series with its major plot twists and the main characters not knowing the truth until the end. Like the Bourne series, I think this book would be a great movie. –Mary H.

I finished the manuscript for The Taming the Telomeres and enjoyed it. I found the characters to be believable and interesting. Also, some of the situational inferences created mystery throughout the plot such as Kent’s friendship with Amanda. –Pat B.

Taming the Telomeres hooks you from the very beginning with its twists and turns. Like Baldacci, Shapiro sprinkles suspense with so many twists that you don’t want to put down the book down. The characters were well thought out and highly developed so it made the medical and legal turns easy to understand. I would highly recommend this book. –Bari R.

“Taming the Telomeres” is a can’t-put-it-down thriller, with twists and turns all the way through and a terrific surprise ending. Reminiscent of, but so much more than Robin Cook and Michael Palmer, Shapiro has invented a new genre: the medical legal government espionage thriller. A noteworthy debut and a must read. –Nikki S.