Machine Sickness: The Prescient Pandemic Thriller

by Peri Dwyer Worrell, Virtual Voice (Narrator)

Exploding from a lab, a bioengineered microbe devours civilization Dr. Davis’s painstaking work finally produced a GMO bacterium that can miraculously clean up oil spills. With the help of her trusted assistant and Chinese lab cultures, she’s landed an industry job that will get them both out of their tedious academic backwater. But when the microbe moves from oil spills on the Gulf beaches to penetrating plastic, gasoline, and asphalt, nothing can stop its spread. When she tries to find out who or what has corrupted the bacteria’s DNA, she’s arrested and accused of deliberately plotting the pandemic infecting the world’s machines. Handcuffed, drugged, interrogated, and beaten, she escapes with the help of a blue-collar Texan. But before they can begin the search for a cause and a cure, her brilliant, estranged, daughter reappears in her life.

Meanwhile, Amit is the researcher emeritus who did the seminal work in this field of genetic manipulation. He immediately grasps the scope of the catastrophe and knows there’s only one safe place to isolate. He doesn’t know that the creator of the disaster is headed there too! Navigating treacherous, crumbling roads and equally treacherous emotional curves, can they attain a remedy for the pandemic?

Published in 2017, Machine Sickness is the exciting science fiction thriller by Peri Dwyer Worrell. If you like gripping books with strong but flawed characters and global stakes, you’ll love this near-future apocalyptic novel."If you like a good science-related suspense novel, you will love it. I know I can’t wait to read the next two books in this series." --The Grumpy Book Reviewer"...the series is an enjoyable, elegantly written, and ultimately hopeful story about a tremendous, world-shattering catastrophe."--SciFi Magpie Blog"The perfect thriller!" --AP Grell"I can't wait for the movie!" --Amazon reviewer

Download the exciting adventure thriller, Machine Sickness, by sci-fi writer Peri Dwyer Worrell, and discover the pulse-pounding story right now!

*** This book includes occasional profanity, a few graphic scenes of sex and violence, and a frank description of childbirth. It’s recommended for readers age 18 and up. ***

Audible Audio

Published May 21, 2025

About the author

Peri grew up white on a Puerto Rican street in New York, gaining a keen appreciation of diversity, tolerance, and taking no crap from anyone. The author of novels, short stories, and poems, Peri uses her science degree to copy edit science manuscripts freelance, and watches a lot of Caribbean sunsets.