EVO

by Diane May

A covert CIA operation that involves genetic engineering.
A serial killer nicknamed "The Hypnotist".
And the most terrifying threat humanity has to face.

What if someone could take complete control over your mind?
And what if that someone was a serial killer?

Langley, Virginia, twenty years earlier:
John Blake, a CIA special agent, stumbles upon an illegal genetic experiment within the agency, conducted on unborn babies and officially presented as a fertility program designed to help couples get pregnant. When he realizes that his very own daughter is a product of this sinister plot and that she is in grave danger, he vows to do everything it takes to make sure Maya will be safe and the people behind the experiment will all pay. With their lives.

Verona, Italy, present time:
Livio Marchiori, a homicide detective with the highest rate of solved cases in Verona, is faced with The Hypnotist, a serial killer the likes of which he’s never seen before. He never touches his victims and he leaves no evidence behind, except for the detailed videos of his murders. And what Marchiori and his team see on those videos is more disturbing than all their other cases combined. Because this one is different. This one defies all rational thinking and borders the impossible.

Then The Hypnotist gets personal and threatens to kill Dr. Abby Jones, the chief medical examiner and the woman Marchiori is in love with. Caught in a cat-and-mouse game with the elusive killer, Marchiori knows he is quickly running out of time.

So when Captain Victor Miller from Interpol walks into town, Marchiori is more than happy to partner again with the man who two years ago helped him put an entire mafia clan behind bars. But Miller has his own agenda, and Marchiori soon discovers that there is more to these crimes than meets the eye, an entire thread of things way beyond his pay grade - illegal experiments, secret agencies, and the most terrifying threat humanity has to face.

A gripping serial killer thriller with a shocking twist.

"He stripped down, threw his clothes in the blue hamper behind the door, and got in the shower. He turned his body away from the faucet and placed his hands on the wall, letting the hot water beat down his back. Doing this usually relaxed him, but now it somehow amplified this weird restlessness, this foreboding feeling he couldn’t shake off. Annoyed at himself, he quickly washed his body, turned off the faucet and reached for the brown towel on the hook.
A heavy silence filled his apartment. A few drops of water from the shower head splashed onto the ceramic tiles below, the sound deafening to his ears. His heart started beating faster. All of a sudden he wanted to hear human voices, his neighbours yelling at each other, their baby crying, anything but this dead silence and the rhythmic tapping of the water drops.
An icy shiver rippled down his spine and his body started shaking. Unseen walls were sliding down around him, trapping him. Suffocating him."

Genres: Thriller, Mystery, Crime, Suspense, Serial Killer, Detective, Fiction

Kindle, Nook, Kobo, ebook

First published November 1, 2018

About the author

Diane May is a crime thriller writer and she lives in Verona, Italy, with her husband. When she's not in her office writing, she can usually be found curled up on the sofa with a good book in her lap and a cup of green tea next to her.

The only daughter of an army colonel, she grew up on military bases where she learnt about weapons, discipline and the sacrifices of military life. She also worked for many years as a translator and interpreter for the Court of Law on mostly criminal cases.

EVO is her debut novel and she is currently working on her second crime thriller, Till Death Do Us Part, scheduled to be released in the summer of 2019.

Reviews

[Jeffrey Keeten · Rating 4 out of 5]

”’From the info we have so far the virus kills between forty-eight and seventy-two hours after infection, and its R naught number is 16-20.’

Marchiori’s brows knitted. ‘R naught?’

‘Basic reproduction number. It shows how many people a single infected individual can contaminate. Basically how fast it spreads.’

‘And I’m assuming this is a bad number.’

‘Well, if you think back in 1918--when they didn’t have all the highways and skyways to travel on in a matter of hours from one part of the planet to the other--there was a worldwide outbreak of the swine flu that killed nearly fifty million people, and the R naught number was 1.4-2.8, then yes, I’d say it’s beyond bad. Probably closer to end-of-the-world plague, rotting corpses in the streets, death of civilization as we know it.’”



This isn’t a virus you can run from. If let loose on the world, it will eventually find every nook and cranny of the earth, every mountain cabin, island retreat, and Arctic station. Even the rich who cocoon themselves from the world will find themselves equally susceptible. Possibly it could reach them when their maid brings their 5 o’clock martini sprinkled with a sneeze she could not contain as she plunked a fat green olive in the vodka.

So the point is, you can’t hide from it.

The only solution is to stop it before it can jump on a horse of the apocalypse and ride across the curve of the Earth with the scythe of death flung wide.

Of course, you might be fine.

Maybe.

If you have a very special gene, the G Gene. Which if you say it really fast, it sounds a bit like the ratcheting of a shotgun or the ringing of a sale on an old fashioned cash register. The Cha-ching of the G Gene.

Who would develop a dangerous virus like this? The Americans, the Russians, the Israelis, Muslim terrorists? Or how about Marvin, the chubby pimple faced twenty-seven year old, living in his mom’s basement, a proud member of the involuntary celibate group INCEL (yes, it really does exist.), who dug out the chemistry set that Uncle Ted gave him for his twelfth birthday and began experimenting on the neighborhood cats and his nieces and nephews until he had the superbug that would separate the population chaff from the plump kernels.

That boy was just never quite right, but no, it wasn’t Marvin, nor was it any of the other potential government/terrorists entities who might be looking for a break-glass-only-in-case-of-emergence Z solution to world domination.

It is something much more insidious, a billionaire who knows he has the G Gene with immunity from the virus. He is deluded and arrogant enough to believe that he is Thanos, about to save the world from overpopulation inspired starvation. ( I never really thought of Thanos as an environmentalist until Infinity Wars. Batshit crazy environmentalist, but still technically a Planet First kind of guy.)

Yes, Von Eckstein is a super villain, and who do you call when you need to fight a super villain? Well, I call Bond, James Bond, with a shaken not stirred martini cocktail in hand, ready to point him to the epicenter of this fiendish plot in a bunker in Verona.


Juliet’s Balcony. Photo supplied by Diane May. (photo credit: www.ricwebdesign.com)

Wait? What? Verona? The home of Romeo and Juliet? The center of passion and unrequited love? It can’t be. It is such an endearingly cute, damn town. How could something so horrible be created in such a place? It is dastardly clever, in my opinion, to hide something hideous among the lovely architecture and beaming tourist trade.


Piazza Brà. Photo supplied by Diane May (photo credit: www.ricwebdesign.com).

So the author, Diane May, does not call Bond, but she does bring in the American Alexander O’Neal, who works for some agency so secret that I wonder if he even knows really who he works for, and my favorite character of the book Verona Police Detective Livio Marchiori. I do have hopes that he will prove to be a replacement for my beloved Italian Detective Aurelio Zen, created by Michael Dibdon. (If you have not seen the trilogy called Zen starring Rufus Sewell, give it a look. It is fantastic.)

Now Marchiori is plagued by more than the threat of a life changing/ending superbug. He has a new partner who is more annoying than useful at this point. He has an American dark ops agent who is frankly out of control. He has a woman he must protect because she inadvertently stumbled into the virus plot who also seems intent on self-destruction. He has a crazed psycho killer who seems to be able to use hypnosis to induce people to kill themselves.

WTF?

”I can’t control it, she realized and a crushing wave of panic stormed over her. He was controlling her, controlling her own brain, telling her body what to do. It felt as though two entities lived inside her skull. Hers and his. A dark presence that she just couldn’t fight against.”

I give that a double *shiver*.

This is the perfect book for a long plane ride, or an afternoon on the beach. It pairs well with a chilled white wine or with a more robust merlot. Smoke them if you got them, but I wouldn’t recommend a funny cigarette of the “joint” variety as the natural paranoia induced by such a repast could be increased exponentially by the treacherous weavings of this insidious plot. I did dance with the book a few times, but when I did finally settle into the cadence of the writing I finished it in a single afternoon. There are original concepts, Q-esque gadgets, and a plot that will keep the pages turning. There is a hit the brakes with both feet plot twist that may leave even the most jaded among us feeling good about humanity. Oh yes, and there is unrequited love. How could a novel largely set in Verona be written without a dash of love?


Picture supplied by Diane May. (photo credit: www.ricwebdesign.com)

Diane May lives in Verona and after plying her with all the charm I possess I convinced her to let me fly to Verona to sit down with her for an interview. (Some of this statement is a lie.)

Jeffrey Keeten: Excuse the pun, but where/when/how did this "germ" of an idea of a plot come together for you? What got you started writing?

Diane May: What got me started writing was Isaac Asimov’s The Naked Sun. I read it when I was 13 years old and loved it so much that I didn’t want it to end. So when it inevitably did, I decided to continue the story because I couldn’t bear the thought of having to leave the amazing world he had created. I soon discovered that my words didn’t seem to hold the same magical power though, as my characters seemed adamant on remaining lifeless stick figures and they didn’t jump off the page the way his did. But I kept at it, I read and wrote, I even won writing contests in school (because my literature teacher made me write stories when she discovered I was good at this), but I never actually considered writing for readers. I only wanted to write for myself, to create worlds and characters and, more often than not, I would do this in my mind without even putting it down on paper. Until one day when my husband found a novel I had written while I was at university and he loved it so much that I started writing for him. He’s always been an avid reader, just like me, and from that moment on he also became my critic, editor and motivator. And… the rest is history.
As for the idea for this story… well, I’ve always been fascinated by two things: genetics and the universe. I watch documentaries and Ted Talks about them, and one day, after watching an amazing BBC documentary about genetic engineering, I started picturing in my mind the scenario in Evo, more specifically the part at the end. And then I did some research and found out that we’re actually not that far from this scenario and that there are already scientists who are officially working on extending our current lifespan. And then I started thinking about illegal genetic experiments and what happens when we play with things that are beyond our understanding. Because no matter how much medicine has advanced, we still don’t understand how a tiny change in our DNA will affect human evolution in the long run. And so Evo was born.


Diane May (photo credit: www.ricwebdesign.com)

Jeffrey Keeten: I could tell you are a military brat because you are very comfortable with your descriptions of weapons and military/spy gadgets. I particularly liked the cell phone sized gadget that messed with cameras for 60 seconds. I could use one of those walking around in the States given all the camera lens trained on us wherever we go. Can you share a bit of your background while being a military family? Did the government move you around a bit?

Diane May: Yes, it did… a lot. The first time it happened I was eight years old and I cried and cried because I didn’t want to leave my friends. The second time it happened I was eleven and I promised myself I would never make friends again. And so I started reading more – I was already in love with reading – and never left the house, except when I had to go to school or my mum told me to take out the garbage. My parents got worried because I would read between one and three books a day, depending on the length of the book, and I completely refused to go out and make friends. But I was happy because books never left you and they were portals to magical, wonderful worlds. However, there’s much more to life as a military brat than just the pain of constantly making friends and then losing them. I lived on military bases at times, I became interested in guns and military technology, I even learnt the Morse Code when I was 15 and most of my friends were either like me or soldiers… And you know what’s interesting? That even now as an adult who hasn’t lived on a military base for over twenty years, I still see army as a home and men and women in uniform as completely trustworthy.

The gadget you mention is purely my invention, as is the black bag O’Neal uses to destroy evidence during his mission in Moscow. And by the way, if the army is interested in making them they can go right ahead and do it, I hereby give them permission. :))

JK: You take us to America and also give us a peek of Transylvania. Have you had a chance to visit the other places besides Verona that are featured in your novel?

DM: Actually, I was born in Transylvania and I still go back there every few years. I also visited Germany and other countries in Europe, but I’ve never been to Africa. Sibiu, the city I mention in Transylvania, is the city I was born in and it’s close to Dracula’s Castle, which I visit quite often as Dracula is my uncle and he can get really grumpy if I don’t go and see him. Kidding! But here’s an interesting fact about me: I was born at two am on a full moon night in a town shrouded in a fog so dense that it looked like an impenetrable gray wall, and wolves were howling in the dark forest at the edge of the town. There was a terrible wind that night and when I came into the world and cried, like all babies do, a gust of wind opened the window and swept through the room so violently that the small white blanket the nurse was about to cover me with flew out of her hands and into the darkness outside, never to be found again. My grandma crossed herself and told my mom to always keep a crucifix by my head in the cot so the strigoi (vampires) can’t take me.

Vampires apart, Transylvania is an amazing place with breathtaking scenery, superb cities (see Sibiu, Brasov, Sighisoara), delicious food and wonderful people.


Picture taken by Diane May. (photo credit: www.ricwebdesign.com)

JK: You mentioned to me when we were corresponding about your book that you worked as a Juliet secretary which I found fascinating. Could you explain to my friends and followers what that job is exactly?

DM: If you’ve seen the movie Letters to Juliet, you might remember this quote: “There is a place in Verona where people who suffer can leave a message to ask Juliet for help.” That place is called Juliet Club, it’s real and it receives tens of thousands of letters and emails every year from people from all over the world. The story of the Dear Juliet letters started in the 1930s when Ettore Solimani, Juliet’s Tomb keeper, began gathering the letters people left at her grave. Moved by their stories and wanting to help them, he started replying and signed as Juliet’s Secretary and, in doing so, created this decades-old tradition. Now there’s an army of volunteers who do this, and although you’d be tempted to think that since we’re living in a highly technological era the number of emails the Club receives far exceeds that of the letters written by hand, the truth is that when writing about the matters of the heart people still prefer to use good old-fashioned pen and paper. When you’re there and you see all those letters written in so many different languages and coming from the four corners of the Earth, as Shakespeare would say, you understand that the one thing all human beings have in common, no matter their age, nationality and social status, is the need to love and be loved. Some write because they seek advice, others need hope and reassurance that they will sooner or later find their soulmate, and a few just want to say thank you for having met the one they want to spend the rest of their lives with. When you sit down at that table, open a letter and start reading it you fully understand why Ettore Solimani couldn’t throw them away and felt compelled to write back. Reading something which comes straight from the heart and soul of another human being is so powerful and so moving that it tears down all your walls and defenses and settles in your heart, and you find yourself unable to ignore it; it becomes your problem, your priority. And the answer you send back has a piece of your heart in it. What Juliet’s Secretaries do is not just simply answer letters, but send out hope; hope that time and obstacles don’t matter, that one day we will meet the one we’re destined to be with for the rest of our lives.

JK: One of your villains, the enhanced ability Hypnotist, was a guy that the X-Men might find themselves fighting, yet the way you presented his abilities it seemed so plausible. I can't think of anything more frightening than having someone who can control our actions and be able to take over our minds. Did/do you have nightmares about this guy?

DM: Ah, this is a tough question. When I first started thinking about him, picturing what he does and how he does it I tried to look at it clinically, like a scientist merely observing what happens in an experiment. This helped me to become somewhat immune to him, but writing those scenes still sent shivers down my spine and made my heart beat faster. The very idea of hypnosis scares me because we don’t fully understand how the mind works, yet we are arrogant enough to claim we can control it. Believe it or not, what gave me nightmares while writing the book was not his ability to take over our minds, but the reasons behind it, the thirst to kill and the fact that he’s completely devoid of any positive human emotions. And when I wrote the scene where you find out why he is the way he is, you know what kept me up at night? The fact that I could understand him, I could actually see that tortured little boy shedding his humanity and crossing over to the dark side. And I felt sorry for him.


Diane May (photo credit: www.ricwebdesign.com)

JK: So what are you working on next? Is this a first of a series or do you intend to write stand alone novels?

DM: When I wrote Evo I intended it to be a stand alone novel but after receiving reviews and messages where people told me how they loved Livio Marchiori, the homicide detective in the book, and how they would like to meet him again, I’m now thinking about writing a series with him as the main character. I already have some ideas in mind so that’s definitely a possibility, but the book I am currently working on is another stand alone novel, a crime thriller called Till Death Do Us Part. And trust me when I say it, there’s a new serial killer in town and he's looking forward to meeting you. ;)

JK: Yes! I’m so glad to hear that you will be bringing Livio Marchiori even more to life in a future novel!

If you wish to see more of my most recent book and movie reviews, visit http://www.jeffreykeeten.com
I also have a Facebook blogger page at:https://www.facebook.com/JeffreyKeeten

[Viga Boland · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an amazing mix of the believable and unbelieveable, the possible and impossible Diane May has blended into this, her debut novel, Evo. This crime fiction story Is an impressive beginning to May’s writing career.

Evo is 574 pages of suspenseful reading which might just keep you up late if you read at bedtime. Picture, if you dare, a dark figure who has an augmented ability to hypnotize people to death…their own. Is he real? Yes…and he’s also angry, full of revenge and he has several doctors on his hit list for their participation in turning him into that real life monster.

With bodies piling up in Verona, Italy, the police are going crazy trying to find this deadly hypnotist. But an even more deadly situation is about to be unleashed, not just on Verona but the entire world. A mysterious virologist, known only as “Doc” has perfected a vaccine that can turn ordinary, healthy human beings into something akin to super humans, both physically and mentally. Such super-humans will enjoy longer than normal lifespans. Just think for a moment of the ramifications of a world where millions of people live a century or two longer than we do now? How will our already over-populated planet sustain all those lives? The simplest solution, of course, would be to have the same vaccine eliminate unhealthy, undesirable humans. Talk about a sinister plot!

That is a very limited synopsis of what takes place in Evo…but for a simple reason: you just have to read this book! It’s spell-binding! Diane May’s characters are realistic, so much so we feel every emotion experienced by the lovely and gifted, Maya, her ex-boyfriend, Alex, and even the legendary detective, Livio Marchiori as both Alex and Livio try to find not just the Hypnotist, but the madmen behind the vaccine before they, and half the world is possibly wiped out. The tension mounts and runs at an all-time high until almost the last page. Trust me, you won’t be able to put this one down.

May’s background working as an interpreter in criminal law cases along with her knowledge of weapons, discipline and military life, coupled with the research she has done for Evo give this novel authenticity. If Evo is any indication, crime fiction fans are about to discover a fresh, very creative and gifted author in Diane May. She is already working on her second book, Till Death Do Us Part. Can’t wait to read it Diane!

©Viga Boland
http://www.vigaboland.com

[Kathi Defranc · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Great New Adventure From An Amazing New Author

An intriguing page turner with interesting characters , awesome locations and twists and turns that keep you guessing! Boy I hope the author continues with this in a series as I definitely want to know more of the people we meet!
This is a great crime thriller, fast-paced and following actions from the CIA years ago that lead to things happening in present day. The action begins with the first paragraph and you are wrapped in until the end, wanting to know the next move, unable to put the story down!
What a gem of a debut for Diane May, I was entertained and on the edge of my seat the whole way through. A 5 STAR book for sure, and I thank the author for an exciting adventure!!!

[Matthew Halsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

A page-turner that will keep you on the edge of your seat. Terrific characters & locations (the story is set in Verona, Italy, but also takes you to London, Lagos, Germany, Transilvania)... truly unpredictable... great twist towards the end. Great debut novel!

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

One word: unpredictable!! It keeps you guessing until the final page! I finished it last night but I can't stop thinking about it. About the ending actually. Absolutely mind blowing! I'm not sure whether to wish for that to happen or not... it's really great for a "what if" discussion. It's also full of twists and turns and you're hooked right from the beginning. Another thing which kinda surprised me a little is that it doesn't feel like something written by a debut author. I've read many debut novels (I love discovering new authors in the genre) and you know how some of them feel... inexperienced... well, definitely not the case here. It's like reading a novel by an established author. Or maybe it's just me. But whatever the case, this is definitely one author I'm going to be reading in the future.

[Joel Dennstedt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Joel R. Dennstedt for Readers' Favorite

To say EVO by Diane May is a contemporary crime thriller is to understate a popular category to which this multi-plotted novel refuses to conform. The basics may be there: a serial killer killing, a police detective detecting, an imminent disaster waiting in the bushes. Simply identifying these basics, however, will limit your expectations about how these killings happen, who else happens to be detecting, and how futuristically and globally that imminent disaster looms. And if you limit your expectations, believing this will be your typical street-savvy re-telling of crimes and misadventure, your credibility will suffer. This book does not fit a box. Its serial killer has abnormal, almost supernatural abilities; its detectives operate openly, clandestinely, and conspiratorially; and the imminent disaster goes way beyond any super-human hypnosis that internally melts its victims.

Diane May has taken on quite a challenge by including so many incredible – incredulity producing – plot elements in her high-energy, fast-moving crime thriller with a twist. But the author manages these elements well. Her writing is compact and suitable to the genre – relating her intriguing matrix of events with a straightforward, assertive, and down-to-earth style most comfortable for fans familiar with the genre. In addition, Ms. May inserts many minor but realistic details to add further credibility, as well as highly human subplots (mostly of a romantic nature) to temper her courageous flights of fancy. In the end, EVO comes together well, and after enjoying a rather wild literary ride, the reader remains convinced the author stretched the limits of his expectations but did not disappoint them.

[Gabriella Botoni · Rating 5 out of 5]

The most twisty, addictive and gripping crime thriller I’ve read this year!

If you enjoy Dan Brown, David Baldacci, Tom Clancy, Nelson DeMille, Vince Flynn, James Patterson, or Daniel Silva, odds are you'll be hooked from page one of this book as well. And you won’t be able to put it down.

Twenty years ago: CIA agent John Blake discovers that a procreation program that the CIA made available to its employees was a facade for illegal genetic experiments. Present day: Livio Marchiori, the best homicide detective in Verona, Italy, is on the hunt for a serial killer called The Hypnotist. But that’s not the only evil thing lurking in the dark shadows of the city of Romeo and Juliet. And by far, not even the most dangerous one.

This book goes far beyond what the description says and it will take you on a thrilling literary ride that will leave you breathless. The tension mounts and runs at an all-time high until almost the last page. The characters are well-developed and you’ll fall in love with the good guys and you’ll hate the bad guys. The writing is beautiful, the narrative is strong and engaging, and the plot is full of twists and turns you won’t see coming. I didn’t and I almost always understand the direction in which a book is taking me.

And when you’ve finished reading it, you won’t be able to stop thinking about it, about some of the issues it raises, because they are both frightening and amazing and could happen in a very near future. I'll just give you two words: genetic engineering.

You would like to live forever, wouldn’t you? But have you thought of the consequences?

Buy it or borrow it... but READ this one. It'll knock your socks off!

[Justin Bentham · Rating 5 out of 5]

I finished it at 2 am because I wanted to know how it ends... and I didn't regret it... amazing twist at the end! Plus you fully understand why the book is called Evo.
Full review:
The book starts with something that happened in the past, an illegal CIA genetic experiment, which puts in motion a chain of events that leads to the present day situation. The book starts with a bang and ends with a super-bang, it's fast-paced but not to the point where you have no story at all, it's complex, it has twists and turns, a love triangle (not too sappy though) and another love story between the Italian detective and the chief medical examiner (it's in the official description so I'm not giving anything away), good writing, great characters, creepy serial killer (and the chapter where you find out about his past will give you the chills), good fight scenes... it has all the ingredients a great thriller needs to have.

And then comes the ending... what can I say other than wow? Maybe a double wow! I love books that make me think about stuff, that make me question things, that make me turn on my laptop and start googling specific information (can't tell you what because that would spoil it for you) to see if what I read there could become real. And the scary thing is, it could definitely become reality in a not-so-distant future. It's an ending that makes you say "I wish that were real" and at the same time "I hope it never happens because it would destroy us". And even though I thought about it today and spoke with some of the guys at work, I still don't know if it would be a good thing for mankind. And at the same time I wish it were real. This would definitely make for a great debate and discussion!

I read it during a very busy period and hated when I had to put it down and go to work. It hooks you right from the start and keeps you hooked throughout. Great read!

[Anne Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

The suspense builds from page one and never lets up... a really good read... Be prepared to lose a bit of sleep, it is a hard book to put down. Great twist at the end!

[E.L. Lindley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Evo by Diane May is an exciting crime thriller that kept my interest from beginning to end. With an international setting and hints of sci-fi it has the potential to appeal to a very wide audience.

The novel centres around a covert CIA operation that involves genetic engineering. The unchecked sense of power this elicits sees one of the doctors become a potential biological terrorist and raises the question of whether anyone should be allowed to play God. May cleverly leaves the reader with lots to think about as even when used for good genetic interventions can lead to unthinkable outcomes.

As the story begins with the CIA, it opens in the USA but the bulk of the novel is set in Verona where all of the plot threads come together. One of the main characters is a product of the CIA program, Maya Blake. She has a form of telepathy and can immediately tell when someone is lying. However, her ‘gift’ has put her and her family in danger which is why she finds herself teaching languages in Verona.

Maya’s path crosses with police detective, Livio Marchiori, when she becomes involved in two unrelated murders. At the same time, Marchiori is hunting a serial killer nicknamed ‘The Hypnotist’, who also turns out to be linked to the original CIA project. The novel is full of inexplicable coincidences but it is a credit to May’s writing that within the context of the novel it doesn’t seem odd.

The ‘Hypnotist’ murders are quite chilling and May builds the tension very effectively as he taunts the police with videos of his crimes. The team hunting him also includes Marchiori’s inexperienced partner, Giusto and the Chief Medical Examiner, Abigail Jones. They make for a very likeable bunch who would lend themselves well to a crime series. I particularly like the hint of romance between gruff, no-nonsense Marchiori and Abigail.

The investigation team are joined by American secret agent, Alex O’Neal who also happens to be Maya’s ex-fiancé. He brings a new level of excitement to the novel as he races against time to stop the biological terrorist attack planned by ‘doc’ who moved from the CIA to work for a group of multi-national, corrupt businessmen who have continued to fund his experiments.

I really enjoyed the novel but if I had one criticism it would be Maya who I found really difficult to like. She is so beautiful and perfect that other women seem to feel threatened by her which leads to her isolation. There is a bizarre scene where her best friend turns on her in a vitriolic fashion after yet another of her boyfriends has his head turned by Maya’s beauty. She also behaves in the way that women predictably behave in cheesy horror films – ignoring all common sense and placing themselves in the thick of danger. Having said all of that, the irritation that Maya brought out in me did not detract from the novel at all.

The novel ends in an explosion of violence which will delight fans of action thrillers before finally there is a spectacular twist. May cleverly wraps up all of her storylines in a satisfying ending but still leaves the reader with unanswered questions about the ethical implications of trying to engineer nature.

All in all, I really enjoyed Evo and if you’re looking for a gripping story to lose yourself in for a few hours then I thoroughly recommend this one.

[Allison · Rating 5 out of 5]

A gripping thriller with an intriguing topic!

I finished reading this book last night (late!) and although I may not want to read it again, I found it so gripping as to be hard to put down (hence the late night reading!). The short description the book has here is not all there is, as the story is much more complex than that (several seemingly independent threads which all tie in really nicely at the end) and it will surprise you more than once.

The story takes place nowadays, with several flashbacks (one of them being chapter 1) which are well-written and not too many as to make it difficult to follow the story.

One of the three main plots is the police investigation of the serial killer murdering doctors, and the way he does it is something I’ve never seen in a book before: he seems to hypnotize his victims into dying of heat stroke. I was curious to see how the author would explain this at the end, and although I never expected the explanation she gave, I must say I found it believable (and scary at the same time).

The other two plots are: a secret agent working for a very secretive agency who’s trying to prevent a biological terrorist attack from happening; the main female character who steals a black notebook and that makes her the target of a very ruthless billionaire. The way they all come together at the end is unexpected, but coherent.

Another thing I really loved about this book is that it is full of twists and turns and just when you thought you knew where the story was going you discover you were dead wrong. And I also loved the ending. Truly mind-blowing! And it leaves you thinking. What if that were to really happen?

[Bill · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book for several reasons: it’s filled with plenty of action which will undoubtely keep readers turning the pages; it’s more complex than the description gives out which was a very nice surprise; the characters are well-developed; the ending is superb and not just because you would never guess it but also because unlike other books in the genre it doesn’t stop when the crime is solved, but goes a step further and also shows you what happens in the characters’ personal lives. Would I read other books by this author? Yes, but I think it’s her debut novel.

[Melanie White · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliantly addictive! I was so engrossed that I completely lost myself in this book.

It starts with John Blake, a CIA special agent who twenty years ago uncovered a sinister genetic experiment conducted by a rogue faction of the agency. What he did then has dire consequences in the present and could very well lead to the extermination of more than half of the planet’s population.

It then takes you to Verona where you meet a lethal and elusive serial killer, unlike any serial killers you’ve ever read about. He is dark, merciless and doesn’t need any weapons to kill. All he needs is his own mind, his power to hypnotize people into dying. What can be scarier than not being able to control your own mind, your own body anymore? Of being completely aware of all that’s happening to you, all the pain, the certainty you’re about to die, but although you’re not tied up and nobody’s pointing a gun at you, you still can’t do anything to fight your killer? Livio Marchiori, the Italian detective in charge of the case doesn’t believe in “all that mumbo-jumbo called hypnosis”. At least at the beginning. But all the leads he’s got take him nowhere and he soon realizes this is more than just a murder case.

Is it possible to hate a character in a book and then love him? To be scared of him and then be in awe of him? Until reading EVO I would have said no, but now I know better. I can’t tell you who he is but the way you go from thinking “this guy is creepy scary” to “wow, he is a genius” is simply amazing.

I found the whole idea of the genetic engineering of our DNA fascinating and completely believable. As I was reading the last pages of the book I couldn’t help but wonder if maybe this is already happening but we don’t know anything about it. Scary thought?

There’s a lot more going on in this book than what I’ve written here. It’s a fast-paced thriller, an action-fuelled narrative with lots of twists and turns and exceptionally well-developed characters, the writing is beautiful and the story flows easily and effortlessly.

And the cherry on top: the utterly mind-blowing ending will leave you slack-jawed and unable to think of anything else.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

"I did what you asked me to do. I created Evo."
"This isn't Evo! Evo means "Evolution," means superhumans! Means health and genius! This, he yelled pointing at the horror lying on the green grass outside the window, "is death and destruction!"
"You see, you've always thought that Evo was short for evolution, when in reality it's not.".......


This thriller takes place in Verona, Italy. Exciting from the first chapter. Captain Livio Marchiori, is a hard working, never takes a day off type of police officer. Marchiori may have just met his match.

A murderer is hiding in the shadows. Known as “The Hypnotist,” he kills his victims and leaves a video of it. Can Marchiori and his team figure out the who and the why?

A new relationship between Livio and the medical examiner, Abby, may also complicate the situation. It may also give “The Hypnotist” a new focus.

Help presents itself to Livio when an Interpol officer arrives. A man he’s previously worked with, but should he be trusted? Captain Victor Miller is carrying secrets of his own. The future is complicated and there is more at stake then anyone realizes. The future is evolving at an alarming rate. Can it be altered? Can it be stopped?

Behind every serial killer is the story that keeps them company on their journey of death and destruction. A well written tale, with an unusual story line. Carefully crafted layer by layer. Characters that you will connect to and take you on a thrilling, if not murderous ride. What a great read, with an ending that will take your breath away.

I enjoyed this book from start to finish. What an thrilling, intelligent story line. I look forward to more from this new author.

Thank you Diane May.

[Shanell Meek · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m excited to see what else Diane May has to offer!

EVO- A Crime Thriller Novel By Diane May is full of twists and turns. Just when you think you’ve figured out where it’s going and what is happening it twists and you discover you were completely wrong and it’s not what is happening at all. Which makes it the perfect thriller. I wasn’t sure I’d like it because of fantasy part but Diane May managed to mix two smoothly and her imagery seems to keep the story in line and make you feel like you’re standing there watching the scene unfold before you rather than reading it. To me, that is a huge feat for even experienced writers to achieve at times let alone aspiring writers who are just starting out! I foresee great things in Diane Mays future if she puts this much skill, imagery and character building into all of her books! I look forward to reading more from her!

[Olivia Torres · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kickass read! And no doubt a very very hot and controversial topic right now. And those of you who know about the genetically modified babies in China (a huge scandal in the world of genetics nowadays) will find this story to be not only gripping but also terrifying, as you realize that the events in the book are not something that might happen one day in the distant future but very much in our world today. It’s a great crime thriller with an unusual serial killer, a sinister conspiracy and a mind-blowing ending.

[Lima Charlie · Rating 5 out of 5]

From the very first page of Evo, you’re hooked. One small paragraph, that as a reader you read over again to ensure you’ve absorbed it entirely. But that’s all it takes, the small paragraph has you turning through the pages at a rapid pace wanting, needing, and anticipating what will come next. With that anticipation comes predictions, which will most likely be wrong, with a character rich novel, your guess keeps proving to be false with each new chapter. Diane May delivers a heart thumping page turner with twists, suspense, action, betrayal, tension, and a gratifying conclusion that you will not see coming.



Starting with the first character we meet, John Blake. A CIA agent and a father who stumbles onto some information that force him to set into motion a chain of events that forever change their lives. Acting from passion, determination, and love, Blake begins a lifelong mission of keeping his family safe. His daughter Maya, one of the main characters is the driving factor for the good guys and the bad guys. The good guys, because they want to protect her. The bad guys, because they want to kill her. The kill, the bad guys just can’t accomplish, partly due to her “special abilities” and partly due to our next character description, Alex O’neal.



You can call him Alex O’Neal, Captain Victor Miller of Interpol, Herr Muller or even Olga Buratova. Not that he ever disguised himself as a woman, but he did, or should say the organization he works for, the Planetary Security Agency or PSA booked a hotel room under that name in order to facilitate an assassination of a Russian arms dealer. This particular scene occurs fairly early in the book and gives us a good understanding of who or what O’Neal is. A very skilled operative capable of neutralizing his target by any means necessary. A guy with a history in law enforcement, the secret service, and this unknown to most agency, the PSA. At which he’s been busy dealing with one bad guy after another. When he comes to Italy for what seems like another case quickly turns into something deeply personal for him, since Maya is involved, and those two have a rich history.



Captain Livio Marchiori is a veteran police detective for the Verona Police department, a no-nonsense type of guy who is married to his job. Alongside, Dr. Abby Jones, a newly transferred medical examiner for the police department. The two, along with their respective staff find themselves in uncharted waters with a new type of killer on the loose. A killer that leaves a recording of himself conducting the murder, but one which occurs in a way no one had ever seen before, a way that to all utilizing rational thinking seemed impossible, yet they were witnessing the act on a video recording. Which leads us to the killer. This particular killer possesses a set of skills perfected over a life time of determination and will to impose the maximum amount of pain to his victims. The killer able to roam free due to his skills of taking over the human brain and making it do and think anything he wanted. How you ask? Just read that first paragraph I mentioned at the beginning of the book.



Next comes Doc and the organization he works for, RegiPharma. Doc, as he prefers to be called is a brilliant geneticist. A type of doctor specializing in molecular genetics, cytogenetics, and biochemical engineering. Prior to working for Regipharma, Doc worked for the CIA attempting to make superhuman babies at the fertilization stage by implanting enhanced DNA into artificially inseminated sperm. A program that produced some very ‘special’ people and characters in this book. Regipharma, a pharmaceutical company run by Klaus Von Eckstein. He alongside a few wealthy investors hire Doc, who promises to develop a means to rid the world of a few billion people, and for those left, gain a life expectancy of a few hundred years, perfect health, and prolonged youth. Without giving away too much, but leave you wanting to read the book. I will tell you Doc is partially successful. At which promise exactly? ORDER the book and find out for yourself. You will not be disappointed.

[Kylie Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

I should say right from the start that I mostly read thrillers and crime fiction, so I used to think that I’d seen pretty much all there was to see in this genre. Well, I was wrong. This book had all the right ingredients but mixed in an intelligent, twisted and unexpected way that kept me glued to the edge of my seat, half of me wanting to read the whole book in one sitting, while the other half didn’t want it to finish so quickly. What made me buy Evo was the idea of a serial killer who could hypnotize his victims into dying and I was really curious how the author would describe the actual killing process. And I wasn’t disappointed. It’s chilling and scary but without going into too many gory details. I loved Verona police detective Livio Marchiori who loves his job more than anything else in his life and is a tough but fair kind of guy. He falls in love with the medical examiner, which only complicates things further as the serial killer decides to go after her in a cat and mouse game with Marchiori. I also loved Alex O’Neal, in fact I kind of wish he were real so I could marry him (haha), and Maya Blake, the beautiful, smart and vulnerable female protagonist who is at the heart of all the action in the novel.

I loved the story and found the book hard to put down. It’s fast-paced and has plot twists you won’t see coming. It is so much more complex than the description says and that’s something I love in a book. It is populated with lovable characters, it gives you a taste of Verona and Italy (I need to visit the country now) and it makes you think. Because of its ending. Highly recommended.

[Strich · Rating 3 out of 5]

There is a serial killer who kills by Hypnosis and gaining control of victims bodys which makes them die by heat stroke. But EVO is not just about a serial killer and the police agent who's after him, it has many plots like CIA experiments, special agencies, genetic engineering, romance and ...
Most characters and events of the EVO are predictable and the story goes on as you expect.
In total it was a good story, well written and likable characters.

[Tracy Shephard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow!!

This was a book I loved from the start.

I have said many times before I love a good serial killer and one that kills by hypnotism is just beyond my imagination.

It isn't just the murders though, it's the genetic experiments, the threat of a world wide virus and secret agents. This book doesn't need a sequel it needs a prequel!!

This is a novel with fabulous characters. Each of them have an edge and I especially loved Livio Marchiori, a man with attitude but enough sense to see when he has to just let go and let others do their job. His wife has given him an ultimatum, her or the job.....!

Maya was a child born of scientific means and now as young woman she finds that she has a fight to stay alive.

I was hooked from the very first page and this one sit read has a very realistic and unique plot.

Set in Verona it is wonderfully descriptive.  Diane May is a writer with a vivid imagination and a superb knack of weaving a fabulous tale.

EVO is a clever and intelligent thriller. It is superbly written and with the twists and the violence it really does satisfy a readers lust for a good creepy scare.

I so hope we get to see Maya again  ..Fabulous !!

[Emily Proctor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unputdownable! I could have never forseen the twist at the end. Loved it!

[Claire · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story starts with a flashback 20 years ago when CIA agent John Blake discovered that illegal genetic experiments had been performed on his young daughter Maya during IVF. Is this why she has special abilities? However there is a chilling note at the end of the file saying “Maya Blake and Christian Brent – test results positive. Terminate her”. He’s not going to let that happen but how?

Fast forward to the present day and there is a serial killer in Verona, seemingly murdering by hypnotism. Detective Captain Marchiori is investigating the case. Meanwhile Maya now lives in Verona too and one day trying to thwart a thief, she bumps into a gorgeous stranger, Christian Brent. By a twist of fate, Chris is dating Maya’s best friend Sara. A huge argument, another murder and a disappearance, followed by a trip to Africa. What is going on?

And then Captain Victor Miller from Interpol arrives on the scene, aka Maya’s ex fiancé, Alex. Who is he really and what is his agenda?

There is much much more to come in this story. It had me on the edge of my seat.
A thrilling read with a fantastically woven storyline.

This is a review of an e-book I was sent for free. All opinions are my own.
https://blogmumjd.wordpress.com/2018/...

[Ida · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is honestly the biggest piece of crap I have ever read. HOW does this have such a high rating? HOW does it only have positive reviews?

I don't even know where to start with this one.

I actually abandoned it at 15% last year, but picked it up because I re-read all the reviews and thought it might get better. Now I'm DNF at 80% because I don't want to waste another minute on this book.

This is the first time I've felt angry at a book like this. Angry for wasting my money.

But alright. Let's just put the (horrible) plot and (extremely dull) characters aside for a moment. Let's just talk about the writing, the actual technical aspect of story telling.

This book is so fucking horridly written. It reads like a non-native English speaker at high school age tried to write a novel and never had anyone proof-read it. I am convinced that this is a first draft that has not been touched before publication, which is simply NOT okay. I'm not even that much of a grammar nazi, but this book is so technically poor it is IMPOSSIBLE to ignore.

Let's have a look:

There's exclamation marks everywhere! Everywhere! Didn't the author get the memo that they have more effect if you use them sparingly?! In fact, the entire punctuation in this novel is weird! You can't use more than one question mark in a sentence, doesn't everyone know that?!? This is not a blog!!

Actual part of the book:

“Now it’s moving! It looks like a man! He’s going towards the doctor’s car!”
“Where?? I can’t see anyone!”

EDITOR, WHERE ARE YOU?

Sometimes a lack of commas in the appropriate place makes strange sentences:

He stopped allowing the waitress to put the drinks on the table.

No, he did not "stop allowing" her. He stopped [what he was doing], allowing her to serve them.

And sometimes, there's so many commas in a sentence I'm left laughing at how fucking ridiculous this is:

Not that he was scared of storms or anything, but this one felt different somehow, like something distinctively menacing, evil even, impregnated the cold, yet suffocating, air around him and Lieutenant Alberti.

Kill me.

This is the quote that made me abandon the book the first time around:

She went into the bathroom, took her toothbrush and toothpaste out of the cup next to the sink, uncapped the tube and squeezed it in the middle until a blob of white paste settled on the brush.

Yeah, I wanna pay to read about that. Or to have the author tell me the characters are "sipping their coffee" three times in half a page.

And these are just a few examples of the horrible writing. I'm not even gonna go too much into the plot. The exposition comes in lumps. Me abandoning the book at 80%, where it should be at its most exciting, is proof of how boring the execution of the plot is. I don't give a shit what happens. The characters are cardboard cut-outs. Sometimes they even feel like parodies:

“Impossible!” Conti exclaimed.
“Preposterous!” Abby agreed.

One final complaint before I leave this crap behind forever: I read the Kindle version, and chapter 40 was wedged in between chapter 23 and 24. All the exposition that was in Chapter 40 was stuff I had predicted before, so I wasn't bothered in that sense, but I was fuming at the mistake. I paid for this. I devoted my time to this. The least I expect is for the author to actually take the time to go through the work and make sure it is fit for publication.

I advise you not to waste your money on this until the author actually starts giving a shit and hires an editor, or at least takes the time to do a fucking proof-read. But, to use the words of the author:

You're choice.

[Tony Parsons · Rating 5 out of 5]

Camp Peary, VA. CIA John Blake was getting his yearly procreation physical from Dr. Lewis.
Dr. Lewis had left the room for John to get dressed.
What did John find while rummaging through the Dr.’s desk?
Borgo Trento hospital (Verona, Italy). Captain Livio Marchiori (Verona PD Detective), & Lieutenant Mario Giusto (Verona PD) arrived at the crime scene.
The victim was Dr. Niccolò Pasetto (virologist).
Lieutenant Bernini (CSU tech), & Dr. Abbigail Jones (60+, ME) were at the murder site also.
Abby was asking Captain Marchiori how Pasetto died.
Sir Charles Lambton (English, wealthy aristocrat, Tony’s business partner), had called Antonio “Tony” Reginaldi (wealthy, Catholic, aka Doc, MIT; geneticist, former CIA), & Klaus Von Eckstein (son, German, wealthy) for a very important meeting.

What did they discuss?
Rome, Italy. Pietro Paolucci driver picked Tony up at the airport & took him to see Cardinal Reginaldi (Tony’s brother) at the Vatican.
Captain Marchiori, & Lieutenant Giusto were discussing the new media frenzy the Hypnotist.
Maya Blake (daughter, linguistic) name came up.
Sara Sartori (27, Maya’s BFF) had been shot/killed.
They told her who might be a possible suspect.
What did Klaus (co. head) want Falk (grandson, security head) to do?
What were Captain Marchiori, & Lieutenant Giusto meeting with Captain Victor Miller (Interpol) about?
Was Dr. Thomas Pike (virologist, RegiPharma) hiding something?
EVO is housed in the BSL4 research/experiment lab.
Arnold Brecht, & Igor Stavinsky watched all the monitors.
What were Carol Lewiss, Carina Du Bray (WHO reporter), & Christine Preston (CNN reporter) up-to-date news reports saying?

I did not receive any type of compensation for reading & reviewing this book. While I receive free books from publishers & authors, I am under no obligation to write a positive review. Only an honest one.

A very awesome book cover, great font & writing style. A very well written medical thriller book. It was very easy for me to read/follow from start/finish & never a dull moment. There were no grammar/typo errors, nor any repetitive or out of line sequence sentences. Lots of exciting scenarios, with several twists/turns & a huge set of unique characters to keep track of. This could also make another great crime thriller movie, or better yet a mini TV series. A very easy rating of 5 stars.

Thank you for the free author; Goodreads; MakingConnections; Making Connections discussion group talk; Lake Union Publishing; Amazon Digital Services LLC.; book
Tony Parsons MSW (Washburn)

[AlcoholBooksCinema · Rating 2 out of 5]

Seeing all the 5 star reviews and interviews I had high expectations on this. I felt it was alright. I was intitally intrigued and quite into the story but only for few chapters. Then it got predictable and boring.

[Ashley Gillan · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s hard to describe what EVO is about, because it encompasses so many things that the author really blends together seamlessly into a tale of mystery, murder and bioterrorism. Fans of action-packed thrillers will not be disappointed in this book.

A basic synopsis: 20 years ago, a CIA agent discovers his daughter was born out of an experiment to create “super humans,” and that she’s scheduled to die. He makes a choice to save her life. Twenty years later, all roads lead to Verona, where that daughter, Maya, is now living, and a scary new serial killer has struck, seemingly killing a man via hypnosis. Everything seems to be tied to a secret experiment in the United States, which seems to be deadly - in that anyone connected to it seems to die. Can the police - and Maya - figure out what’s going on before it’s too late?

What i loved about this book is that while the plot seems so vast, the author really presents each storyline in a way that feels very intimate and really engages the reader with the characters. I definitely became invested in the characters and what was happening to them - each has their own personal struggles that they’re dealing with in addition to the events that begin to unfold, and those parts of them were both interesting and suspenseful - without giving any spoilers, I was turning pages to see how the personal storylines tuned out as much as the mystery itself!

The book’s villains are also complex, which I love because, as I’ve said before, I like when the lines are blurred a little bit and you’re forced to think a lot about “right” and “wrong” in context. This is one of those stories.

I would highly reccomend this book to anyone looking for a suspenseful book to curl up with that will keep you interested and make you think. You’ll be turning pages late into the night!

[Enea Adami · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ok, this is definitely not what I had expected when I bought this book.
What I’d expected was: new serial killer in town, police do their best to catch him, eventually they do, everything goes back to normal.
What I got was: new serial killer in town alright, but not your average psycho Joe whacking people left and right. No. This one is much more dangerous and lethal. He is The Hypnotist, and the nickname says it all. The police do indeed their best to find him, but things are way more complicated than they seem. So complicated that they need to partner with a very secretive agent. Then there’s genetic engineering and some really bad baddies, and it’s all connected to the killer. The ending? Let’s just say it’s not back to normal for anyone.
The characters are great and the prose is good.
Great fun!

[K Puck · Rating 5 out of 5]

From the very start this book it will draw you in. It will also raise the hair on the back of your neck. It is very well written and full of twists and turns that will keep you drawn in. Marchiori is a very intuitive investigator and I would love to see more investigations with him. All the characters are full of depth and the book will keep you guessing. I simply can't wait until her next book.

[Donna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant read, A real page turner.

[Maria Brando · Rating 5 out of 5]

EVO, a book worth buying and reading!

Even though thriller/ crime books are not really my cup of tea, I've heard about this new emerging writer from my friend and decided to read her book. It turned out to be a very good choice indeed.
The story takes place in Verona, where the Hypnotist, a serial killer, takes total control of his victims' minds and this is how he kills them. He never touches them. No proof is left behind except for a video or a pen drive showing a dark figure. All the victims are doctors or policemen. I've never read anything like this in a book before. EVO is really an amazing book with many twists and turns and suspenseful content. I was pleasantly surprised and impressed by the author's writing style and the way she portrays her characters. My favourite is Homicide Detective Livio Marchiori. And Alex O'Neal.
This very original plot would make for an awesome film!
I'm looking forward to reading the next book from this brilliant and promising author. Highly recommended