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S.C.E.L.
What if the person you idolized your whole life… turned out to be a monster?
Leander Stanton never expected his first day of residency to be the start of a nightmare.
Born into one of the most powerful medical dynasties in the world, Leo arrives at Stanton General with hopes of reconnecting with his distant father and proving himself as a doctor. But beneath the gleaming hospital walls and the promise of a miracle cure called the elixir, something sinister waits.
Children are disappearing. Patients are being manipulated. And Leo’s last name may not be his greatest legacy—it might be his greatest curse.
As he digs deeper into the secrets behind the elixir, Leo uncovers a hidden program—S.C.E.L.—and a truth more horrifying than he ever one that blurs the lines between healing and harm, science and sacrifice, family and fanaticism.
Now Leo must
Expose the truth and risk everything…
Or stay silent and be the very monster he swore he’d never be.
Leander Stanton never expected his first day of residency to be the start of a nightmare.
Born into one of the most powerful medical dynasties in the world, Leo arrives at Stanton General with hopes of reconnecting with his distant father and proving himself as a doctor. But beneath the gleaming hospital walls and the promise of a miracle cure called the elixir, something sinister waits.
Children are disappearing. Patients are being manipulated. And Leo’s last name may not be his greatest legacy—it might be his greatest curse.
As he digs deeper into the secrets behind the elixir, Leo uncovers a hidden program—S.C.E.L.—and a truth more horrifying than he ever one that blurs the lines between healing and harm, science and sacrifice, family and fanaticism.
Now Leo must
Expose the truth and risk everything…
Or stay silent and be the very monster he swore he’d never be.
381 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 24, 2025
10 people are currently reading
4 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
July 19, 2025
Good read
Keeps you on the edge of your seat. I would recommend this book for anyone that likes a good read.
Keeps you on the edge of your seat. I would recommend this book for anyone that likes a good read.
November 14, 2025
Genre-blending Thriller. Highly Recommended.
*****This review contains spoilers*****
This story is a rare and powerful fusion of medical thriller, high-stakes science fiction, and profound moral philosophy. It asks the ultimate question: What is the price of a cure? For readers who enjoy the unsettling ethical dilemmas of Dean Koontz or the thrilling pace of James Rollins, this novel is a must-read. As a Robin Cook fan from an early age, as well, this book was a great blend, even without much medical detail. The premise is there and the hospital setting being key elements. The story immediately hooked me. What if you could cure almost any disease, but morality became an issue? What would you be willing to sacrifice? We are introduced to Dr. Leander Stanton, who accepts a position at his father's hospital only to discover a disturbing program: a group of single, pregnant women are housed on the premises throughout their pregnancies... and then they seem to disappear. "Leo" soon learns that their presence is somehow tied to the production of Cerenium, a chemical in the blood of some people that provides a miraculous serum capable of compleletely curing aggressive, virtually untreatable diseases like glioblastomas. But the answers are scarce. His father is evasive, and a mysterious colleague with eerie, supernatural persuasive powers complicates his job. The mystery rapidly deepens when Leander discovers that the mothers consistently die, and their children are kept in isolation and subjected to constant testing. Driven by a doctor's curiosity and a sense of moral obligation, Leander enters a forbidden floor his mysterious collegue told him about. He is horrified by what he sees. This action leads to his swift expulsion from the hospital until his father is satisfied he is on board with the program, as he comes to the realization that the conspiracy is far darker and wider than he ever could have imagined. Peterson handles this complex material with an easy-to-read, yet nuanced style. The pacing is masterful, blending some clinical descriptions of a medical thriller with the mounting excitement and dread of a sci-fi conspiracy. Leander is driven by stolen evidence when he takes a manifest written by the program’s disappeared co-founder. This book reveals the chilling truth that extraterrestrial life is being exploited for humanity's benefit and the mothers who are inseminated with alien babies don't know what they are in for. He has a breakthrough when his best friend's father, like a father to himself as well, suddenly dies suspiciously. The core of S.C.E.L. lies in its thoughtful exploration of this ethical quandary. The novel forced me to confront the difficult age-old philosophical question, does saving many justify the suffering of a few? When does scientific progress cross the line into monstrous exploitation? The tension between the incredible medical breakthrough and the moral failure at the heart of this Study and Containment of Extraterrestrial Life project creates an unforgettable reading experience.
S.C.E.L. is a page-turner and a profound examination of human nature, ambition, and the true meaning of medicine. K. Peterson excels at building a chilling, plausible world where the best intentions pave the way to unimaginable horror.
If you love a story that blends mystery and thriller with genuinely unsettling paranormal elements and leaves you pondering long after you turn the final page, check out S.C.E.L. I highly recommend it.
*****This review contains spoilers*****
This story is a rare and powerful fusion of medical thriller, high-stakes science fiction, and profound moral philosophy. It asks the ultimate question: What is the price of a cure? For readers who enjoy the unsettling ethical dilemmas of Dean Koontz or the thrilling pace of James Rollins, this novel is a must-read. As a Robin Cook fan from an early age, as well, this book was a great blend, even without much medical detail. The premise is there and the hospital setting being key elements. The story immediately hooked me. What if you could cure almost any disease, but morality became an issue? What would you be willing to sacrifice? We are introduced to Dr. Leander Stanton, who accepts a position at his father's hospital only to discover a disturbing program: a group of single, pregnant women are housed on the premises throughout their pregnancies... and then they seem to disappear. "Leo" soon learns that their presence is somehow tied to the production of Cerenium, a chemical in the blood of some people that provides a miraculous serum capable of compleletely curing aggressive, virtually untreatable diseases like glioblastomas. But the answers are scarce. His father is evasive, and a mysterious colleague with eerie, supernatural persuasive powers complicates his job. The mystery rapidly deepens when Leander discovers that the mothers consistently die, and their children are kept in isolation and subjected to constant testing. Driven by a doctor's curiosity and a sense of moral obligation, Leander enters a forbidden floor his mysterious collegue told him about. He is horrified by what he sees. This action leads to his swift expulsion from the hospital until his father is satisfied he is on board with the program, as he comes to the realization that the conspiracy is far darker and wider than he ever could have imagined. Peterson handles this complex material with an easy-to-read, yet nuanced style. The pacing is masterful, blending some clinical descriptions of a medical thriller with the mounting excitement and dread of a sci-fi conspiracy. Leander is driven by stolen evidence when he takes a manifest written by the program’s disappeared co-founder. This book reveals the chilling truth that extraterrestrial life is being exploited for humanity's benefit and the mothers who are inseminated with alien babies don't know what they are in for. He has a breakthrough when his best friend's father, like a father to himself as well, suddenly dies suspiciously. The core of S.C.E.L. lies in its thoughtful exploration of this ethical quandary. The novel forced me to confront the difficult age-old philosophical question, does saving many justify the suffering of a few? When does scientific progress cross the line into monstrous exploitation? The tension between the incredible medical breakthrough and the moral failure at the heart of this Study and Containment of Extraterrestrial Life project creates an unforgettable reading experience.
S.C.E.L. is a page-turner and a profound examination of human nature, ambition, and the true meaning of medicine. K. Peterson excels at building a chilling, plausible world where the best intentions pave the way to unimaginable horror.
If you love a story that blends mystery and thriller with genuinely unsettling paranormal elements and leaves you pondering long after you turn the final page, check out S.C.E.L. I highly recommend it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 30, 2026
Amedical breakthrough leads to discovery of extraterrestrials
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews