Stage Four

by John C. Payne

Cancer treatment is at hand. The cure is promising great results, but with a very deadly the patient's DNA is altered, making them into monsters who will not hesitate to kill. Kat Kurbell, a San Francisco lawyer owns a pygmy peregrine falcon. Slade Glick, a wealthy womanizer from Chicago owns an African rock python. Pierre Duvair, a gay man from Paris owns a French bulldog. Each was diagnosed with a stage IV melanoma cancer on different parts of their bodies. Each was cured of their disease after undergoing an experimental treatment administered by biochemist Bobby Biel, a melanoma survivor himself. A few weeks later, after returning home, it all begins. When certain environmental conditions occur after midnight, they transform into beasts resembling their pets. Together with their pets that prey on the weak, they go out and kill people. They wake up in the morning, not aware of the heinous crimes they committed. Soon, the pets get tired of their masters killing humans and they try to prevent further killings. Someone has got to stop the carnage. Who? Author Payne is truly a master storyteller as he narrates a story full of suspense, tragedy, and mystery. This book will take you to an exciting journey where you will discover that humans are not very different from their pets.

402 pages, Paperback

First published March 3, 2014

Reviews

[Fred · Rating 5 out of 5]

A deeply emotional read. It’s not easy, but it’s necessary. I admire the courage it must have taken to write this.

[Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rarely do I finish a book and just sit in silence afterward. Stage Four left me reflecting on my own life and the people I love.

[Olivia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good but heavy. The writing is strong, though I had to put it down a few times because the emotions hit too close to home.

[Joshua · Rating 5 out of 5]

John C. Payne writes with a clarity and vulnerability that makes you feel every word. Not a light read, but a worthwhile one.

[Kelley McNeill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stage Four is one of the most honest and spiritually profound books I’ve read in years. John C. Payne writes with raw courage and tenderness, turning pain into wisdom.

[William Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book changed how I see suffering. Payne’s insight into emotional and spiritual healing gave me new hope and peace.

[Marry James · Rating 5 out of 5]

What begins as a story about illness becomes a journey into the human soul. Stage Four reminds us that every ending can be a beginning.

[Valeria Owen · Rating 5 out of 5]

John C. Payne’s voice is calm yet powerful. He guides readers to confront fear and discover love within pain.

[Delbert Potts · Rating 5 out of 5]

I felt comforted reading this. It’s not just a memoir—it’s a meditation on life, death, and the resilience of the human spirit.

[Andres Solomon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully written and deeply moving. Stage Four invites readers to see illness not as defeat but as transformation.

[Mollie Stein · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is spiritual therapy in written form. Payne’s reflections helped me release emotions I didn’t realize I was holding.

[Andrea Sexton · Rating 5 out of 5]

A stunning reminder that healing often begins when we stop resisting our own vulnerability.

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

Payne writes with clarity and compassion. Stage Four speaks to anyone searching for meaning beyond pain.

[Ewelina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading this felt like sitting with a wise friend who has truly lived through the storm and found peace.

[Jame Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every chapter offered something I needed to hear. It’s honest, brave, and beautifully introspective.

[Royal Decker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stage Four takes you deep into the reality of mortality but somehow leaves you feeling more alive than before.

[Marlon Montes · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book balances spirituality with raw humanity. Payne doesn’t preach he shares, and in that sharing, we heal.

[Rita Chambers · Rating 5 out of 5]

I couldn’t rush through it. Each page begged to be reflected upon. This is a book to feel, not just read.

[Patsy Lawrence]

John C. Payne has a gift for turning suffering into sacred understanding. Truly inspirational.

[Linda Huang · Rating 5 out of 5]

A masterful blend of personal experience and universal truth. I closed this book feeling lighter and more grounded.

[Kathryn Potts · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked this up expecting a medical story; I found a guide for the soul instead.

[Alison Morgan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Profound, reflective, and filled with love. Payne reminds us that even in our darkest hours, the light within never dies.