Vector Red: Epidemic of Genetically Altered Bacteria

by Lawrence W. Gold

The 1972 Biological Weapons Convention ended research on the offensive use of biological weapons, or has it? Features of the Patriot Act giving the US immunity from violating its own bioweapons laws has increased suspicion of US bioweapons activities. While the world has a high degree of certainty that countries like Iraq, North Korea, Libya, Sudan, and Syria have continue offensive bioweapons research, the United States has limited itself to such research of a “defensive” nature only.
Teens and young adults returning from missionary work in Arizona come home with severe, and sometimes fatal bacterial infection. Is this an epidemic? Are these individuals contagious? The infections are unusual as common environmental bacteria, usually benign, have suddenly become aggressive and life-threatening.
Is this government policy gone awry, or is there a more nefarious explanation?

301 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 19, 2016

About the author

Lawrence W. Gold, MD is a retired physician. He is a veteran of the Vietnam War where he served in an evacuation hospital, ran an emergency room and was a Battalion Surgeon. He completed his training in internal medicine and diseases of the kidney in 1968.

He retired in 1995 after 23 years in a hospital-based practice caring for patients with complicated illnesses and served as Chief of Medicine. After retirement he and his wife, Doris, spent time sailing at sea. He has written three screenplays based on his novels. His screenplay for Rage won honorable mention at the 80th annual Writer's Digest contest. He lives in Grass Valley, CA with his wife.

Reviews

[Dianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to Lawrence W. Gold, I was transported into the world of intrigue, science, medical catastrophes, a world that is fascinating, terrifying and far too close to reality! Biological weapons, long ago the research was halted worldwide….but have countries found a loophole to continue? Is the U.S. one of those countries? With many countries ignoring all warnings, continuing to research and create their own deadly cocktails, the U.S. claims ours are for defensive measures only. A fine line, a deadly line that will be crossed when one brilliant and beautiful mind crosses the abyss into insanity.

Innocents will face the horrors of science gone insane, missionaries to Arizona are infected at ground zero with an incurable disease that slowly eats its victim’s vitality with excruciating pain as it takes their lives. Highly violatile, contagious and with no known cure, the world must rely on the creator to find an antidote. Is he stable enough to be trusted?

From start to finish, this is a nailbiter! Twisted experiments, shattered friendships and a brilliant mind mentally destroyed, morphing into a man on a mission to make a point. But even he claims death was not on his agenda. We often wonder what goes on behind closed doors, does VECTOR RED prove the dangers and frailties of the human disposition when under too much pressure? No words on a piece of paper can guarantee 100% safety from the machinations of the human mind.

I received this copy from Lawrence W. Gold in exchange for my honest review.

Series: Brier Hospital - Book 12
Publisher: Grass Valley Publishing (December 19, 2016)
Publication Date: December 19, 2016
Genre: medical thriller
Print Length: 323 pages
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
For Reviews & More: http://tometender.blogspot.com

[Michele · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been waiting and waiting and waiting for another of Lawrence W Gold's Briar Hospital Books to come out. I am admittedly a lover of medical mysteries/thrillers and his are some of the best I've read. This one gives amazing insights into the personality of a mild mannered psychotic neurotic-mild mannered until things don't go his way.

Jacob Weizman, MD and his wife Lola, both survivors of the Holocaust, are again in this book built around the frightening concept of Biological Warfare. Even though the US is supposedly working on ways to counteract this horror---are they really? What might happen if in a US lab a Genetically Altered Bacteria is created by an eminent scientist (with major personality problems) discovers one and lets it loose over a part of the US? And what if he accidentally inserted the wrong strain?

Jacob almost loses hope while trying to save the lives of two sisters--both affected differently. It will take a combination of brand new and old time medicine--and Lola egging him on!

Do they catch the perpetrator? What happens to him? You will have to read the book to find out.
Vector Red: Epidemic of Genetically Altered Bacteria

[RJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my first novel by Lawrence W. Gold, and it was a good one. The story is basically a critical treatise on biological weapons research; i.e., an example of what could go wrong even though the initial intentions were not malicious. Or were they? The story is also somewhat of a character study of Dr. Gary Woodston, one of the Bioweapon scientists. The tale had me firmly planted on the edge of my seat waiting to find out what happens next. This is a very good story and highly recommended. I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

[Julie Potter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Vector Red

What a great book. I have enjoyed every one of Lawrence Gold's books but I think this one was my favorite. I can't wait for the next one.