Malice by Jennifer Jaynes

"This industry (big Pharma) was a machine...and a very powerful one at that."

Dr. Daniel Winters is a pediatrician and newlywed. Married to Mia and living on a beachfront property in Malibu, he's finally achieving all his dreams in the new practice at Healing Hands in Los Angeles, California. Trouble starts soon after the honeymoon when Daniel returns to work and is told about a new immunoceutical -- Respira -- that the doctors are expected to push on their young patients to prevent the common cold. It seems that there are undocumented adverse effects from this new vaccine and the powers that be do NOT want their patients to know. Things go from bad to worse for Daniel quite quickly and, not only does he suspect his new wife is lying to him, there's major trouble at work when one of his patients experiences a severe reaction to the drug. His new boss threatens him, other doctors who've gone public about Respira are killed, and Mia is sending private texts and sneaking off when she's supposed to be at work. NO SPOILERS but Daniel's life is about to spiral completely out of control.

This was a great thriller, very fast-paced and a bit unpredictable with the twists and turns. I read it over a matter of hours as I simply couldn't put it down. I love reading about anything "medical" and the whole topic of vaccinations was quite interesting from that standpoint. I've always been pro-immunization and can't always relate to or understand the hordes of anti-vaxers when I read stuff on social media, etc. because I do believe they are safe, effective and necessary. The new, FICTIONAL, vaccine in this book doesn't exist but I can understand the fears of parents who are told and nearly forced to get a new, untested vaccine for their child. All I can say is what I always say, do your research, consult with professionals and make an informed decision. I won't judge you for trying to do the best possible thing for your child as long as you are fully aware of all the consequences for whatever action you take.

Anyway, great read and I've never read anything else written by this author but I intend to rectify that in the future. Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for this e-book ARC to read and review. I had a lovely couple of hours completely absorbed in the characters and the story. Absolutely riveting and timely medical thriller.

This is a standalone and not part of any series.