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Eight Lives
A brilliant young doctor is dead ... and someone has to take the blame.
Former refugee David Tran becomes the Golden Boy of Australian medical research and invents a drug that could transform immunology. Eight volunteers are recruited for the first human trial, a crucial step on the path to global fame for David and windfall gains for his investors. But when David dies in baffling circumstances, motives are put under the microscope.
With its origins in a real-life drug trial that ended in tragedy, EIGHT LIVES is told from the perspectives of David’s friends, family and business associates, who all played a role in his downfall.
Former refugee David Tran becomes the Golden Boy of Australian medical research and invents a drug that could transform immunology. Eight volunteers are recruited for the first human trial, a crucial step on the path to global fame for David and windfall gains for his investors. But when David dies in baffling circumstances, motives are put under the microscope.
With its origins in a real-life drug trial that ended in tragedy, EIGHT LIVES is told from the perspectives of David’s friends, family and business associates, who all played a role in his downfall.
314 pages, Paperback
First published March 26, 2019
44 people are currently reading
693 people want to read
About the author
Susan Hurley
1 book28 followersSusan Hurley is a writer and former medical researcher. Her work has appeared in national and international publications, including The Australian, Kill Your Darlings , Meanjin , The Lancet and The Big Issue.
Eight Lives, her debut novel, won the 2020 Davitt Award for Best Debut Crime Book and was shortlisted for the Ned Kelly Award for Debut Fiction and the Caledonia Novel Award.
Eight Lives, her debut novel, won the 2020 Davitt Award for Best Debut Crime Book and was shortlisted for the Ned Kelly Award for Debut Fiction and the Caledonia Novel Award.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 178 reviews
June 6, 2023
Autoimmune diseases that afflict the human race include Crohn's Disease, Diabetes, Fibromyalgia, Lupus, Multiple Sclerosis, Psoriasis, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Scleroderma, and more than seventy others. These conditions cause great suffering, use a vast array of medical resources, and cost millions of dollars in research and therapy.
Patient with Multiple Sclerosis
Drugs called monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) are used to treat autoimmune illnesses and some cancers, with specific types for each disease. The 'Holy Grail' would be a mAb effective against ALL autoimmune conditions, and Dr. David Tran - the main character in this book - has invented one. It only needs to pass human trials to be worth billions.
David, whose given name is Dung (pronounced Yoong) Tran, is a Vietnamese-Australian who was spirited to the island continent with his mother Mai and sister Natalie after the Vietnam War. The trio escaped to Hong Kong, then traveled to Australia.
The little family struggled financially until David was taken under the wing of a wealthy, do-gooder Australian family named the Southcotts, whose son Miles was little David's contemporary. The Southcotts raised Miles and David in their home like brothers, and helped support Mai and Natalie, who lived in a rented house.
As young men Miles and David both studied medicine, and Miles is now a hospital administrator while David - who's brilliant and ambitious - does biomedical research.
David's miraculous mAb, nicknamed EIGHT, is "a master switch for the immune system." EIGHT is being manufactured by a company called SuperMab, whose boss is a n'er do well called Charlie Cunningham. Charlie's successful businessman father CC gave Charlie the job, hoping to make an entrepreneur out of his dilettante gambler playboy son.....and good luck with that!!
As the story opens Charlie and David are being interviewed for a TV segment announcing the upcoming human trials of EIGHT, and Charlie brags about how profitable the medicine will be. This presentation makes several people uncomfortable, including David and other researchers, who know that human trials can fail miserably. In any case, David dies tragically before the trials begin.
The story is told by a rotating array of characters, who talk about Dave's demise from their individual points of view. The narrators include:
Rosa: an Italian-Australian graduate student who works in David's lab and hopes to get a doctorate. Rosa, who also studies mAbs, is anxious about the human trials of EIGHT because of possible reactions to the drug. Rosa was raised by an aunt and uncle who adhere strongly to their Italian culture, and she wants to make them proud.
Ly (Natalie): David's sister, who runs a nail salon with her mother, Mai. Ly tries to make sure her mother never 'feels shame', which is important in Vietnamese culture - but not that easy in their overall circumstances. This causes some of the story's drama. Ly and Mai often speak Vietnamese, which makes a fun addition to the novel.
Miles: David's 'brother from another mother.' Miles was wary when David first became part of the Southcott household, but soon accepted the smart little boy in his midst. In fact Miles - who was a professional tennis player in his youth - would have flunked out of school if not for David's tutoring and academic assistance.
Foxy: A public relations honcho who's been CC's 'fixer' for decades. When CC's son Charlie - the Superlab supervisor - messes up, it's Foxy's job to rush in and engineer a rescue. Foxy will cajole, bribe, pay off, blackmail, etc. - whatever it takes - to put things right.
Abigail: David's beautiful blonde Australian girlfriend who's a vegan and a committed animal activist. Abigail studied chimpanzees in Rwanda and is averse to using animals for medical experiments. Having a boyfriend who's a medical researcher is problematical for Abigail.
As the storytellers slowly dribble out their tales, it feels like the layers of an onion are being removed one by one, revealing the truth about David and his wonder drug. All this leads to a spectacular ending that I certainly didn't predict.
The author, Susan Hurley, has worked in medical research and the pharmaceutical industry for more than thirty years. In the author's note, Hurley writes that the drug EIGHT was inspired by a real monoclonal antibody called TGN1412 and the consequences of it's human trials.
Among other things I studied microbiology in graduate school, and I enjoyed the explanation of the medical research. The biomedical lingo isn't too complicated though, and - since it's smoothly incorporated into the story and sufficiently explained - should be comprehensible to most readers.
I also liked the novel's plot, which melds very well with the science. I'd strongly recommend the book to fans of medical thrillers and mysteries.
Thanks to Netgalley, the author (Susan Hurley), and the publisher (Affirm Press) for a copy of the book.
You can follow my reviews at https://reviewsbybarbsaffer.blogspot....
March 5, 2019
David Tran, a Vietnamese refugee who grew up in Australia to become a doctor is the "Golden Boy" of Biomedical Research. He's developed a powerful immunotherapy, a super drug that shows a lot of promise and could be used to treat a number of diseases including cancer. He's completed all the laboratory work and the pre-clinical testing in rats to show that it works and now he's on the verge of starting a phase one clinical trial, which will test the safety of the drug in eight healthy people. If successful the drug will go on to clinical trials to treat a range of diseases and make a lot of people very rich. But something goes badly wrong and David dies.
Told from the viewpoint of David's friends, relatives and business associates this is a multifaceted mystery. Each of the narrators sheds a different light on the tragedy and their role in it. Not many of the characters are very likeable and don't have David's best interests at heart but that just adds to layers of the story. The novel is well written and the medical basis of the drug well explained in simple terms. The underlying motive for David's death is revealed at the end and may be confronting for some readers. I very much enjoyed this debut medical mystery from Susan Hurley and hope she goes on to write further novels of this type.
With thanks to Netgalley and Affirm Press for a digital ARC to read.
Told from the viewpoint of David's friends, relatives and business associates this is a multifaceted mystery. Each of the narrators sheds a different light on the tragedy and their role in it. Not many of the characters are very likeable and don't have David's best interests at heart but that just adds to layers of the story. The novel is well written and the medical basis of the drug well explained in simple terms. The underlying motive for David's death is revealed at the end and may be confronting for some readers. I very much enjoyed this debut medical mystery from Susan Hurley and hope she goes on to write further novels of this type.
With thanks to Netgalley and Affirm Press for a digital ARC to read.
July 11, 2019
Eight Lives is an Aussie mystery/drama about a biotech entrepreneur whose experiment goes badly awry. This is a juicy story filled with secrets and scandals, idealistic yet conflicted scientists, shady venture capitalists, and a suspicious death at the centre of it all…
Multiple, alternating first person perspectives give Eight Lives a gossipy feel; it’s such an easy to read page-turner, but its topic – the murky world of for-profit pharmaceutical research – makes it brainier than similar books usually are. Like chatty witness statements, each character gives their version of events in the life of Dr Dung Tran. We hear from his best mate, sister, girlfriend, a lab colleague about Tran’s efforts to develop a much-hyped, cutting-edge medical treatment called EIGHT, and how it all went horribly wrong.
Eight Lives is far-fetched at times, but it never strains credulity too far, and Susan Hurley backs it all up with impressive knowledge of the biotech, what it’s like inside start-up labs, and the machinations of high net wealth investors. What’s more, Hurley has a knack for explaining these details, so they are easily grasped but not dumbed down. This was a fun change of pace for me and a really enjoyable read.
Multiple, alternating first person perspectives give Eight Lives a gossipy feel; it’s such an easy to read page-turner, but its topic – the murky world of for-profit pharmaceutical research – makes it brainier than similar books usually are. Like chatty witness statements, each character gives their version of events in the life of Dr Dung Tran. We hear from his best mate, sister, girlfriend, a lab colleague about Tran’s efforts to develop a much-hyped, cutting-edge medical treatment called EIGHT, and how it all went horribly wrong.
Eight Lives is far-fetched at times, but it never strains credulity too far, and Susan Hurley backs it all up with impressive knowledge of the biotech, what it’s like inside start-up labs, and the machinations of high net wealth investors. What’s more, Hurley has a knack for explaining these details, so they are easily grasped but not dumbed down. This was a fun change of pace for me and a really enjoyable read.
May 29, 2019
Eight Lives by Susan Hurley was an interesting read. The story was good but there was so much medical jargon that I found myself getting a bit bored. I get that it is a medical book but some of it was just a bit over the top. There was also so many characters to try to keep track of that at times it hard to keep up. Overall I enjoyed this book but it is one that I loved. In saying that I did red it quickly.
It tells the story of David Tran, a former refugee who is now the golden boy of Australian medicine. He has invented a wonder drug that is going to change the world. But as the first trial on humans is set to start David dies under mysterious circumstances. Suddenly everybody in his life - family, friends and colleagues are all under scrutiny and they all have a motive. Was David really as wonderful and he was made out to be? And who wanted him dead.
Thanks to Affirm Press and Netgalley for my advanced copy of this book to read. All opinions are my own and are in no way biased.
It tells the story of David Tran, a former refugee who is now the golden boy of Australian medicine. He has invented a wonder drug that is going to change the world. But as the first trial on humans is set to start David dies under mysterious circumstances. Suddenly everybody in his life - family, friends and colleagues are all under scrutiny and they all have a motive. Was David really as wonderful and he was made out to be? And who wanted him dead.
Thanks to Affirm Press and Netgalley for my advanced copy of this book to read. All opinions are my own and are in no way biased.
April 20, 2019
This is a book set in Melbourne and centres on the development of a new miracle drug, a monoclonal antibody that could cure cancer and all sorts of incurable diseases. It is told through the people who surround David Tran, the 'golden boy'. A Vietnamese refugee who has beaten the odds and come through medical school as a star.
However, David carries a lot of secrets and baggage. His girlfriend is a vegan and despises his research methods and protocols. His mother and sister need his constant protection and support due to a past liaison. He ends up with the worst possible business partner. This leads to the 'incident' and point at which everyone's lives start to fall apart.
There is a lot of technical medical information in this book, but it is the reality of this research world and revealing as to how the big pharmaceutical companies operate.
A very interesting and though provoking insight into new medication development.
Thank you Affirm Press and Netgalley for the opportunity to review this book.
However, David carries a lot of secrets and baggage. His girlfriend is a vegan and despises his research methods and protocols. His mother and sister need his constant protection and support due to a past liaison. He ends up with the worst possible business partner. This leads to the 'incident' and point at which everyone's lives start to fall apart.
There is a lot of technical medical information in this book, but it is the reality of this research world and revealing as to how the big pharmaceutical companies operate.
A very interesting and though provoking insight into new medication development.
Thank you Affirm Press and Netgalley for the opportunity to review this book.
March 8, 2025
Some interesting twists towards the end, but it just took way too long to get there, with lots of pointless details on the way.
Plot: A talented doctor is dead, and now a bunch of randoms will tell of their involvement.
So we have multiple perspectives - the best friend, the colleague, the sister, the girlfriend, the lawyer - and they all take a nice long time to talk about themselves before you get to any of the interesting stuff. I'm sure the intention was to round out each character, but it seemed a bit unnecessary, since their part in David's story was enough to show their character on its own. I found myself skimming some of the chunky paragraphs of superfluous detail because they really bogged the story down.
Added to that, the story implies there's a mystery to solve but doesn't really give a lot of detail as to what and why we need to solve it. We know a doctor is dead. We are told each character was involved somehow. But it doesn't seem to present much of a mystery beyond what the characters aren't saying. I found it not only frustrating but confusing. It took me over half the book to work out what the point was, and even then there wasn't really a gripping argument.
Aside from the extra, pointless information, the language works a little too hard to be authentic; often lapsing into stereotypes and relying on other languages to display multiculturalism. For example, any time Ma talks we get the Vietnamese first, with the English translation in the next sentence. I understand why, but after the first few uses it seems pointless - the story has already conveyed that Ma speaks Vietnamese so adding every one of her sentences untranslated seems a waste of space. The same happened with Rosa and Italian.
Then we get Foxy, who says Aussie-isms like 'strewth!' but also British things like 'ghastly'. It seemed mis-matched to me and bothered me no end.
It's a medical thing, so there's lots of jargon and while it does get broken down into layman's terms, there's so much of it that again, it slows the story down. I feel like this is another case of the author wanting to include every detail they know, rather than just what's pertinent to the story.
Aside from all these complaints, though, by the last third of the book I was indeed hooked and needing to understand what the hell was happening. There are so many layered admissions and conclusions that it's impossible to know the real answers until the last chapter. It does indeed get addictive.
So it's slow and includes a lot of pointless detail, but if you hang in there it does present some interesting twists to make it feel like the book was indeed worth your time.
Fans of medical crime/drama might enjoy this one, but patience is the key here.
Plot: A talented doctor is dead, and now a bunch of randoms will tell of their involvement.
So we have multiple perspectives - the best friend, the colleague, the sister, the girlfriend, the lawyer - and they all take a nice long time to talk about themselves before you get to any of the interesting stuff. I'm sure the intention was to round out each character, but it seemed a bit unnecessary, since their part in David's story was enough to show their character on its own. I found myself skimming some of the chunky paragraphs of superfluous detail because they really bogged the story down.
Added to that, the story implies there's a mystery to solve but doesn't really give a lot of detail as to what and why we need to solve it. We know a doctor is dead. We are told each character was involved somehow. But it doesn't seem to present much of a mystery beyond what the characters aren't saying. I found it not only frustrating but confusing. It took me over half the book to work out what the point was, and even then there wasn't really a gripping argument.
Aside from the extra, pointless information, the language works a little too hard to be authentic; often lapsing into stereotypes and relying on other languages to display multiculturalism. For example, any time Ma talks we get the Vietnamese first, with the English translation in the next sentence. I understand why, but after the first few uses it seems pointless - the story has already conveyed that Ma speaks Vietnamese so adding every one of her sentences untranslated seems a waste of space. The same happened with Rosa and Italian.
Then we get Foxy, who says Aussie-isms like 'strewth!' but also British things like 'ghastly'. It seemed mis-matched to me and bothered me no end.
It's a medical thing, so there's lots of jargon and while it does get broken down into layman's terms, there's so much of it that again, it slows the story down. I feel like this is another case of the author wanting to include every detail they know, rather than just what's pertinent to the story.
Aside from all these complaints, though, by the last third of the book I was indeed hooked and needing to understand what the hell was happening. There are so many layered admissions and conclusions that it's impossible to know the real answers until the last chapter. It does indeed get addictive.
So it's slow and includes a lot of pointless detail, but if you hang in there it does present some interesting twists to make it feel like the book was indeed worth your time.
Fans of medical crime/drama might enjoy this one, but patience is the key here.
June 5, 2019
Thank you to #NetGalley and the publisher (Affirm Press) for granting me an ARC of this title, which is due to be published on 26 March 2019.
The plot unfolds from the perspectives of five individuals who are each closely connected with the untimely and tragic death of brilliant Vietnamese-Australian immunologist David (Dung) Tran. The nature of his death only becomes apparent by about the half-way point of the book, and is closely tied to his groundbreaking research into a "SuperMAB". (By way of explanation, MAB is the acronym for monoclonal antibody, an extraordinary class of pharmaceutical which are able to specifically target antigens and stimulate immune responses at a molecular level in some autoimmune or inflammatory dieases and certain types of cancers).
While the author was very effective in presenting the quite complex science in a format that was accessible to a non-scientist reader like myself, my feeling is that #EightLives would be most appreciated by readers who have a general interest in medical science and a basic understanding of how the human immune system works. Personally, I found the scientific and medical information contained deftly within the plot absolutely fascinating.
The plot revolves around the often fraught intersection between scientific research for the benefit of mankind and the "big pharma" interests who seek to commercialise these discoveries. The rigorous ethical context within which animal and human trials take place can become clouded by issues of budget, marketing and reputation.
Another major plotline explores David (Dung)'s experience as one of a wave of "boat people" refugees who arrived in Australia in the aftermath of the Vietnam war. As an extraordinarily bright high-school student, he is drawn into the world of Melbourne's private school elite, where opportunity beckons, but he remains to a large extent socially excluded. He maintains an uneasy relationship between his dual identities, adulation as the high flying David and obligation as the frequently absent son and brother Dung (pronounced "Yoong"). While the future looks bright, his past in Vietnam and Hong Kong are somewhat clouded.
I found the structure of the book, whereby elements of the story are gradually revealed from the quite disparate perspectives of the five narrators, was successful in maintaining suspense while also building empathy for the challenges each face in their own lives and in navigating the relationship they have to David and his research. Some of these voices are necessarily more sympathetic than others, and perhaps that's where the reader brings their own background, experience and prejudices to the table.
Overall, I found this a thought-provoking and stimulating read, and would recommend it thoroughly to those readers who enjoy a complex personal drama and like to pick up a little new technical understanding along the way. #NetGalley #EightLives
The plot unfolds from the perspectives of five individuals who are each closely connected with the untimely and tragic death of brilliant Vietnamese-Australian immunologist David (Dung) Tran. The nature of his death only becomes apparent by about the half-way point of the book, and is closely tied to his groundbreaking research into a "SuperMAB". (By way of explanation, MAB is the acronym for monoclonal antibody, an extraordinary class of pharmaceutical which are able to specifically target antigens and stimulate immune responses at a molecular level in some autoimmune or inflammatory dieases and certain types of cancers).
While the author was very effective in presenting the quite complex science in a format that was accessible to a non-scientist reader like myself, my feeling is that #EightLives would be most appreciated by readers who have a general interest in medical science and a basic understanding of how the human immune system works. Personally, I found the scientific and medical information contained deftly within the plot absolutely fascinating.
The plot revolves around the often fraught intersection between scientific research for the benefit of mankind and the "big pharma" interests who seek to commercialise these discoveries. The rigorous ethical context within which animal and human trials take place can become clouded by issues of budget, marketing and reputation.
Another major plotline explores David (Dung)'s experience as one of a wave of "boat people" refugees who arrived in Australia in the aftermath of the Vietnam war. As an extraordinarily bright high-school student, he is drawn into the world of Melbourne's private school elite, where opportunity beckons, but he remains to a large extent socially excluded. He maintains an uneasy relationship between his dual identities, adulation as the high flying David and obligation as the frequently absent son and brother Dung (pronounced "Yoong"). While the future looks bright, his past in Vietnam and Hong Kong are somewhat clouded.
I found the structure of the book, whereby elements of the story are gradually revealed from the quite disparate perspectives of the five narrators, was successful in maintaining suspense while also building empathy for the challenges each face in their own lives and in navigating the relationship they have to David and his research. Some of these voices are necessarily more sympathetic than others, and perhaps that's where the reader brings their own background, experience and prejudices to the table.
Overall, I found this a thought-provoking and stimulating read, and would recommend it thoroughly to those readers who enjoy a complex personal drama and like to pick up a little new technical understanding along the way. #NetGalley #EightLives
March 10, 2019
I'm sorry to report that I could not finish this book. I read 25% of it and was....well..bored, sorry to say. There were so many POV's that I found the shifts between them jolting where they should be smooth and seamless. I couldn't care about any of the characters, not even the Golden Boy doctor who came across as some sort of medical god.
The premise was intriguing - a dodgy medical trial and a dead doctor prodigy - and if you like medical thrillers I would suggest giving it a go. But I felt smothered by the medical and legal particulars - and I am no dummy! - but they were delivered in a dry, matter-of-fact kind of way.
Maybe it improves further along. It certainly has positive reviews, but unfortunately for me there was no connection.
The premise was intriguing - a dodgy medical trial and a dead doctor prodigy - and if you like medical thrillers I would suggest giving it a go. But I felt smothered by the medical and legal particulars - and I am no dummy! - but they were delivered in a dry, matter-of-fact kind of way.
Maybe it improves further along. It certainly has positive reviews, but unfortunately for me there was no connection.
July 29, 2020
Eight Lives begins in the aftermath of David Tran's death as those close to the young doctor recount their intertwined histories. They try to piece together the truth of his death, unprepared for the secrets they'll uncover about the "Golden Boy" of Australian medicine.
Eight Lives is Susan Hurley's debut novel, and what an spectacular debut it is. One of the aspects of this novel that captured me the most was the technical detail interwoven. Fear not, the impeccable pacing isn't slowed a bit. Instead Hurley enhances every turn of the plot with expertise, her decades of experience in medical research shining through as she shines light on an industry so vital, but so little known.
But this is more than a thoroughly researched thriller, Eight Lives is woven together with incredible precision. The story is told from the perspectives of David's sister, his childhood friend, his lab assistant, his long-time girlfriend, and a "fixer" employed by his investors. Their stories, though many of them have nothing in common besides their relation to David, come together elegantly. Each holds a crucial piece to the puzzle and it is a thrill to watch realizations coalesce between parties that are, at times, completely at odds with one another. The truth of David's death comes together slowly and painstakingly. It took my breath away as the truth was finally realized and Eight Lives has been in my thoughts for days since I finished. I'm certain this is one of those books you'll have to read twice to truly appreciate.
I received my copy of Eight Lives from Affirm Press via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Eight Lives is Susan Hurley's debut novel, and what an spectacular debut it is. One of the aspects of this novel that captured me the most was the technical detail interwoven. Fear not, the impeccable pacing isn't slowed a bit. Instead Hurley enhances every turn of the plot with expertise, her decades of experience in medical research shining through as she shines light on an industry so vital, but so little known.
But this is more than a thoroughly researched thriller, Eight Lives is woven together with incredible precision. The story is told from the perspectives of David's sister, his childhood friend, his lab assistant, his long-time girlfriend, and a "fixer" employed by his investors. Their stories, though many of them have nothing in common besides their relation to David, come together elegantly. Each holds a crucial piece to the puzzle and it is a thrill to watch realizations coalesce between parties that are, at times, completely at odds with one another. The truth of David's death comes together slowly and painstakingly. It took my breath away as the truth was finally realized and Eight Lives has been in my thoughts for days since I finished. I'm certain this is one of those books you'll have to read twice to truly appreciate.
I received my copy of Eight Lives from Affirm Press via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
May 26, 2019
David Tran is the "Golden Boy" research Doctor who ends up dead. Told through rotating points of view of his friends and family, we discover why everyone blames himself for his death. And eventually we uncover the truth behind what happened.
I'm unsure how to rate and review this book. What I really enjoyed were the medical descriptions and research processes which were all given in layman's terms and quite fascinating. The book is also well written, well paced and easy to read. Plus I always enjoy an Australian setting.
There was just something missing, or not quite fleshed out for me enough with the mystery. It kind of fell a little flat and disappointing and I felt that a number of questions remained unanswered. Nevertheless, it was a good debut novel that I would recommend to fans of medical mysteries.
3.5 stars
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest reviw.
I'm unsure how to rate and review this book. What I really enjoyed were the medical descriptions and research processes which were all given in layman's terms and quite fascinating. The book is also well written, well paced and easy to read. Plus I always enjoy an Australian setting.
There was just something missing, or not quite fleshed out for me enough with the mystery. It kind of fell a little flat and disappointing and I felt that a number of questions remained unanswered. Nevertheless, it was a good debut novel that I would recommend to fans of medical mysteries.
3.5 stars
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest reviw.
March 2, 2019
Thanks to Netgalley and Publishers Affirm Press for the opportunity to read and review this delightful E-book.
This read has quite a bit of medical jargon in it due to the author’s experience in medical research. Fortunately most of it includes explanations as part of the dialogue and should not be a hindrance to non medic readers. All the characters are in the first person giving accounts of their relationships with Dr Tran and their involvement with the events that unfolded. The story is comprehensive and it is a good read, although it seemed a little bit like a powerpoint presentation. All the characters are colourful and diverse. The ending is disturbing and could have been edited out. It would have left Mai’s and Dr Tran’s illness diagnosed but not resolved. The author’s role is not necessarily to conclude all elements and in this instance most readers would accept the obvious ending.
I love the cultural mix of this read and the Australian vernacular which may have some international readers startled. The description “Fairweather Friends” a terminology used a lot in the past but doesn't seem to be in much use today, however it does ideally describe some acquaintances.
Dung/ Dr Tran/Davey is thought of amongst his colleagues as a Wonder Boy, a medical research doctor/professor, a Vietnamese refugee who in his early life in Australia has been lucky to attract a rich Australian benefactor, Sally Southcott who takes him under her wing. Son Miles Southcott is not particularly impressed at first with his mother's “cause”, however with young Davey’s reserved personality and high intelligence it's not long before Miles accepts his new bro. After his failed tennis pro endeavours Miles completes his own medical training and becomes an Admitting Officer at the hospital. He appears to be a bit of a flake throughout the story until the end when he does change for the better.
Rosa Giannini has returned to live in the isolated community over 100kms from Melbourne with Aunt Frankie and Uncle Pep after a relationship breakup and from where she commutes each day to the laboratory, she is a budding scientist looking to be accepted as a PhD entrant but after an unfortunate incident with one of her experiments she is tossed out. Dr Tran throws her a lifeline by involving her in his new wonder drug. This new drug Eight shows all the signs of being a huge success, however as with all things of this nature large monetary investment is needed. Charlie Cunningham, provides the investment through his father's wealth. However Charlie is an all round failure, typical offspring of rich parents. To cover his losses from a previous bad investment he manipulates the financial structure of his involvement with the Eight drug. In the meantime Rosa undertakes secret investigations into Eight, disclosing her concerns to Dr Tran. To add to the mix a standover man from Mai’s (Davey's ma?) past is causing trouble for her and her daughter, Natalie. Davey, Dr Tran has always taken care of Mai and Natalie. Mai’s and Davey’s escape from Vietnam reveals a time of extreme hardship with sad and terrible experiences. Combined with the manipulative financial changes, Rosa's concerns and family secrets revealed Dr Davey Tran makes a life threatening decision.
This read has quite a bit of medical jargon in it due to the author’s experience in medical research. Fortunately most of it includes explanations as part of the dialogue and should not be a hindrance to non medic readers. All the characters are in the first person giving accounts of their relationships with Dr Tran and their involvement with the events that unfolded. The story is comprehensive and it is a good read, although it seemed a little bit like a powerpoint presentation. All the characters are colourful and diverse. The ending is disturbing and could have been edited out. It would have left Mai’s and Dr Tran’s illness diagnosed but not resolved. The author’s role is not necessarily to conclude all elements and in this instance most readers would accept the obvious ending.
I love the cultural mix of this read and the Australian vernacular which may have some international readers startled. The description “Fairweather Friends” a terminology used a lot in the past but doesn't seem to be in much use today, however it does ideally describe some acquaintances.
Dung/ Dr Tran/Davey is thought of amongst his colleagues as a Wonder Boy, a medical research doctor/professor, a Vietnamese refugee who in his early life in Australia has been lucky to attract a rich Australian benefactor, Sally Southcott who takes him under her wing. Son Miles Southcott is not particularly impressed at first with his mother's “cause”, however with young Davey’s reserved personality and high intelligence it's not long before Miles accepts his new bro. After his failed tennis pro endeavours Miles completes his own medical training and becomes an Admitting Officer at the hospital. He appears to be a bit of a flake throughout the story until the end when he does change for the better.
Rosa Giannini has returned to live in the isolated community over 100kms from Melbourne with Aunt Frankie and Uncle Pep after a relationship breakup and from where she commutes each day to the laboratory, she is a budding scientist looking to be accepted as a PhD entrant but after an unfortunate incident with one of her experiments she is tossed out. Dr Tran throws her a lifeline by involving her in his new wonder drug. This new drug Eight shows all the signs of being a huge success, however as with all things of this nature large monetary investment is needed. Charlie Cunningham, provides the investment through his father's wealth. However Charlie is an all round failure, typical offspring of rich parents. To cover his losses from a previous bad investment he manipulates the financial structure of his involvement with the Eight drug. In the meantime Rosa undertakes secret investigations into Eight, disclosing her concerns to Dr Tran. To add to the mix a standover man from Mai’s (Davey's ma?) past is causing trouble for her and her daughter, Natalie. Davey, Dr Tran has always taken care of Mai and Natalie. Mai’s and Davey’s escape from Vietnam reveals a time of extreme hardship with sad and terrible experiences. Combined with the manipulative financial changes, Rosa's concerns and family secrets revealed Dr Davey Tran makes a life threatening decision.
March 28, 2019
‘Golden Boy, that’s what we called him.’
As a child, Dung (David) Tran was a refugee from Vietnam. He and his mother were among those who undertook the perilous trip to Australia by boat. As an adult, Dr David Tran has become known as the Golden Boy of Australian medical research. He’s invented a drug which could transform immunology. But, just after eight volunteers have been recruited for the first human trial of the drug, David dies in very unusual circumstances.
What has happened, and why?
The story is told to us by five of David’s family, friends and business associates. Each of them must carry some responsibility for his death but finding out how (and why) takes a reader on a complicated journey. And you’ll need to pay attention because there are more than a few twists in this tale. This is not a book for the squeamish: details of some of the procedures involved in drug trials are upsetting. It’s the kind of reading that may have you questioning whether the costs involved in developing and trialling drugs justify the benefits.
The origin of this novel was in a real drug trial that ended in tragedy. This may have been Ms Hurley’s starting point, but there are several other issues covered in the novel. It took me a while to get into the novel (reading multiple perspectives often slows me down) but once I had the voices straight, I found it very hard to put the novel down.
And the mystery of David’s death? You’ll need to read to the very end to find that out.
I enjoyed this novel, although I found some aspects quite confronting.
Note: My thanks to NetGalley and Affirm Press for providing me with a free electronic copy of this book for review purposes.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
As a child, Dung (David) Tran was a refugee from Vietnam. He and his mother were among those who undertook the perilous trip to Australia by boat. As an adult, Dr David Tran has become known as the Golden Boy of Australian medical research. He’s invented a drug which could transform immunology. But, just after eight volunteers have been recruited for the first human trial of the drug, David dies in very unusual circumstances.
What has happened, and why?
The story is told to us by five of David’s family, friends and business associates. Each of them must carry some responsibility for his death but finding out how (and why) takes a reader on a complicated journey. And you’ll need to pay attention because there are more than a few twists in this tale. This is not a book for the squeamish: details of some of the procedures involved in drug trials are upsetting. It’s the kind of reading that may have you questioning whether the costs involved in developing and trialling drugs justify the benefits.
The origin of this novel was in a real drug trial that ended in tragedy. This may have been Ms Hurley’s starting point, but there are several other issues covered in the novel. It took me a while to get into the novel (reading multiple perspectives often slows me down) but once I had the voices straight, I found it very hard to put the novel down.
And the mystery of David’s death? You’ll need to read to the very end to find that out.
I enjoyed this novel, although I found some aspects quite confronting.
Note: My thanks to NetGalley and Affirm Press for providing me with a free electronic copy of this book for review purposes.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
January 2, 2019
Disclaimer - I am writing from the Publisher of this book, but that shouldn't lessen your opinion of this review one bit. We're publishing this book because we fell in love with it front the very first page. It's a remarkably fresh and smart page-turner, with a twist at the end that will leave you thinking about this book for days. Even more remarkable is that it is inspired by a true story of a drug trial that went horribly wrong. I highly recommend getting your hands on this one in April 2019.
April 29, 2019
“When eating the fruit, think of the person who planted the tree.”
What scientist has not dreamed of discovering the drug that will cure cancer or any of the killer diseases out there? It would make them not only a lifesaving hero, but also a billionaire. But I am betting that the average person has no idea of the “behind the scenes” that is necessary before a new medication hits the market. According to one of the interesting facts the author discloses in this intelligent thriller is that only 15% of all drugs that go through clinical trial actually make it onto the market. Which is quite an eye-opener, considering that a clinical trial costs tens of thousands of dollars if not more. Not to mention the political wheelings and dealings that play out between drug companies. So even if you discovered that grandma’s innocuous herb in her vegie patch is the new cure to diabetes, don’t hold your breath that fame and fortune await any time soon.
Former asylum seeker turned protégé doctor David Tran has indeed managed to crack the code that could turn on our own immune system to fight disease, making him the golden boy of Australian medicine and highly sought after by drug companies wanting to cash in on his imminent success. If the drug makes it through all stages of clinical trials, it could be worth billions. But on the eve of the first human trial, David is dead. What happened? Who is to blame?
EIGHT LIVES is one of the most intriguing, intelligent and well-researched medical thrillers I have ever read, and the author’s intimate knowledge of medical research and the pharmaceutical industry became very obvious as soon as the story unfolded. As a health professional, I had no problems with the medical terminology included in the book – in fact, I appreciated the accurate portrayal of medical procedures and processes that often get lost in works of fiction for the sake of entertainment or simply because the author is not familiar with them. With its Australian setting, the book also reflected our own medical system here, which made it easier to navigate for me than US based medical thrillers.
Hurley tells her tale through the POVs of multiple characters, and it was one of those rare books where I found each and every character equally interesting. I also really appreciated the inclusion of characters from different cultural backgrounds, like David (Dung) Tran and his family, who were asylum seekers from Vietnam, and Rosa, whose family were Italian. It added an extra depth to the story and reflected some of the current topics related to immigration in Australia. As the story slowly unfolds through different eyes, and each character’s unique voice, we soon learn that David’s unfortunate death is surrounded by mystery and speculation. Why did this brilliant young man have to die?
Hurley includes many fascinating facts about immunology, pharmaceuticals, drug trials, animal and human testing of drugs and the politics behind having a new medication approved for market, which all made for fascinating reading. I was drawn in very quickly and could not tear myself away! Whilst some characters are not very likeable, there is always some subtle self-deprecating humour and good Aussie tongue-in-cheek at play here, which gave the story a special flair I really enjoyed.
IF you are wondering about the title – it will make perfect sense in the end. An end which is as tragic as it is shocking, and took me by surprise. I would have to be a true mastermind to tie together all the strings on my own, but it was very satisfying to finally have all the answers. What really happened to David Tran? You will have to read it to find out. Make sure to also read the author’s note, which explains the inspiration for this story, which made it even more poignant for me. Also notable are some of the ethical issues raised in this novel, which would make for an interesting discussion in a reading group.
Multi-layered, intelligent, gripping and satisfying are all terms that come to mind when trying to describe this book. I highly recommend it to readers who are looking for a smart medical thriller from a writer who has insider knowledge of the industry and is not afraid to showcase it. I really hope to read more from this author in future!
Thank you to Netgalley and Affirm Press for the free electronic copy of this novel and for giving me the opportunity to provide an honest review.
*blog* *facebook* *instagram*
What scientist has not dreamed of discovering the drug that will cure cancer or any of the killer diseases out there? It would make them not only a lifesaving hero, but also a billionaire. But I am betting that the average person has no idea of the “behind the scenes” that is necessary before a new medication hits the market. According to one of the interesting facts the author discloses in this intelligent thriller is that only 15% of all drugs that go through clinical trial actually make it onto the market. Which is quite an eye-opener, considering that a clinical trial costs tens of thousands of dollars if not more. Not to mention the political wheelings and dealings that play out between drug companies. So even if you discovered that grandma’s innocuous herb in her vegie patch is the new cure to diabetes, don’t hold your breath that fame and fortune await any time soon.
Former asylum seeker turned protégé doctor David Tran has indeed managed to crack the code that could turn on our own immune system to fight disease, making him the golden boy of Australian medicine and highly sought after by drug companies wanting to cash in on his imminent success. If the drug makes it through all stages of clinical trials, it could be worth billions. But on the eve of the first human trial, David is dead. What happened? Who is to blame?
EIGHT LIVES is one of the most intriguing, intelligent and well-researched medical thrillers I have ever read, and the author’s intimate knowledge of medical research and the pharmaceutical industry became very obvious as soon as the story unfolded. As a health professional, I had no problems with the medical terminology included in the book – in fact, I appreciated the accurate portrayal of medical procedures and processes that often get lost in works of fiction for the sake of entertainment or simply because the author is not familiar with them. With its Australian setting, the book also reflected our own medical system here, which made it easier to navigate for me than US based medical thrillers.
Hurley tells her tale through the POVs of multiple characters, and it was one of those rare books where I found each and every character equally interesting. I also really appreciated the inclusion of characters from different cultural backgrounds, like David (Dung) Tran and his family, who were asylum seekers from Vietnam, and Rosa, whose family were Italian. It added an extra depth to the story and reflected some of the current topics related to immigration in Australia. As the story slowly unfolds through different eyes, and each character’s unique voice, we soon learn that David’s unfortunate death is surrounded by mystery and speculation. Why did this brilliant young man have to die?
Hurley includes many fascinating facts about immunology, pharmaceuticals, drug trials, animal and human testing of drugs and the politics behind having a new medication approved for market, which all made for fascinating reading. I was drawn in very quickly and could not tear myself away! Whilst some characters are not very likeable, there is always some subtle self-deprecating humour and good Aussie tongue-in-cheek at play here, which gave the story a special flair I really enjoyed.
IF you are wondering about the title – it will make perfect sense in the end. An end which is as tragic as it is shocking, and took me by surprise. I would have to be a true mastermind to tie together all the strings on my own, but it was very satisfying to finally have all the answers. What really happened to David Tran? You will have to read it to find out. Make sure to also read the author’s note, which explains the inspiration for this story, which made it even more poignant for me. Also notable are some of the ethical issues raised in this novel, which would make for an interesting discussion in a reading group.
Multi-layered, intelligent, gripping and satisfying are all terms that come to mind when trying to describe this book. I highly recommend it to readers who are looking for a smart medical thriller from a writer who has insider knowledge of the industry and is not afraid to showcase it. I really hope to read more from this author in future!
Thank you to Netgalley and Affirm Press for the free electronic copy of this novel and for giving me the opportunity to provide an honest review.
*blog* *facebook* *instagram*
March 26, 2019
Eight Lives is a highly accomplished Australian medical mystery novel, set in the unusual-for-fiction world of modern biomedical research. This was a fascinating read for me, as I work part time as a Medical Investigator in a clinical trials unit, fortunately not doing Phase 1 research though. The author, who knows her stuff having worked in the industry for decades, has crafted a complicated tale about what happens when greed, pride and ambition win out over love, honour and loyalty.
Dung ‘David’ Tran came to Australia as a refugee from Vietnam at a young age, and thanks to his genius and hard work, as well as the intervention of the well-intentioned wealthy mother of his school-mate, has become the “Golden Boy” of medical research, thanks to a new monoclonal antibody treatment, with the potential to cure a wide range of immunological diseases and cancers, which is about to begin human trials. Now he’s dead, and his family, partner, colleagues, business associates and friends, reflect on how it all went so horribly wrong.
Told from the POV of various narrators, each with a refreshingly different voice, this has layers of truth being peeled off like an onion. We gradually discover how a range of characters, from the spoiled scion of a family of entrepreneurs, who doesn’t let knowing nothing about medicine put him off the idea of running a drug trial, to the shadowy Vietnamese gangster terrorising Davey’s family, to the conflicted vegan martyr girlfriend, and the useless doctor/failed tennis player best friend each play a role in his demise.
I don’t think you need to know much about science or medicine to enjoy this book as long as you are interested in the topic, as everything is brilliantly explained - perhaps in too much detail for some, but obviously I loved all the medical details. The pharmaceutical industry has a horrible reputation for corruption and greed on a massive scale, but without them there would be no new treatments, and as someone working in the middle, parts of this were pretty chilling. I remember the disastrous UK trial which inspired this book, and changed the industry, but we would be naive to think it couldn’t happen again.
Early on I did start getting confused by the sheer range of characters and how they all interconnected, but by paying attention and reading it fairly quickly, all the pieces slotted elegantly into place. I really liked all the Australianisms and the Melbourne setting, as well as the insight into the Vietnamese and Italian immigrants’ experiences. This is best read without knowing any spoilers, but I did enjoy the little twists at the end.
My thanks to Susan Hurley, NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an arc and provide an honest review, I’ll be recommending this to all my colleagues. Eight Lives is published today.
Dung ‘David’ Tran came to Australia as a refugee from Vietnam at a young age, and thanks to his genius and hard work, as well as the intervention of the well-intentioned wealthy mother of his school-mate, has become the “Golden Boy” of medical research, thanks to a new monoclonal antibody treatment, with the potential to cure a wide range of immunological diseases and cancers, which is about to begin human trials. Now he’s dead, and his family, partner, colleagues, business associates and friends, reflect on how it all went so horribly wrong.
Told from the POV of various narrators, each with a refreshingly different voice, this has layers of truth being peeled off like an onion. We gradually discover how a range of characters, from the spoiled scion of a family of entrepreneurs, who doesn’t let knowing nothing about medicine put him off the idea of running a drug trial, to the shadowy Vietnamese gangster terrorising Davey’s family, to the conflicted vegan martyr girlfriend, and the useless doctor/failed tennis player best friend each play a role in his demise.
I don’t think you need to know much about science or medicine to enjoy this book as long as you are interested in the topic, as everything is brilliantly explained - perhaps in too much detail for some, but obviously I loved all the medical details. The pharmaceutical industry has a horrible reputation for corruption and greed on a massive scale, but without them there would be no new treatments, and as someone working in the middle, parts of this were pretty chilling. I remember the disastrous UK trial which inspired this book, and changed the industry, but we would be naive to think it couldn’t happen again.
Early on I did start getting confused by the sheer range of characters and how they all interconnected, but by paying attention and reading it fairly quickly, all the pieces slotted elegantly into place. I really liked all the Australianisms and the Melbourne setting, as well as the insight into the Vietnamese and Italian immigrants’ experiences. This is best read without knowing any spoilers, but I did enjoy the little twists at the end.
My thanks to Susan Hurley, NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an arc and provide an honest review, I’ll be recommending this to all my colleagues. Eight Lives is published today.
February 10, 2019
Eight Lives is the based on a true story of a drug trial gone bad. Set in Australia, the "Golden Boy" doctor responsible for the trial dies under bizarre circumstances. He was working on an immunology drug. The story is told through multiple perspectives, and it's easy to get lost. Each voice is distinct with some likeable and others not. The characters have some relatable qualities and complex interactions and situations. The stakes are high in drug trials, and when things go bad, they go really bad. The story is engaging and suspenseful. As it unfolds, there are many twists and turns to keep you guessing. It's also informative about the process and procedures of some drug trials. It's also terrible in many ways. Honestly, I found it disturbing and fascinating because there is truth in this story. That truth is difficult to process. It's just the very nature of medicine and pharmaceutical companies and the corruption therein. It's a shady business at best with the profit based on human lives, and it disgusts me. The story is a good reminder of how pharma rules the world. It's an excellent read for everyone. Thanks to NetGalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review.
September 27, 2019
Trigger warnings: animal testing, death, death of a sibling, refugee experiences, drug abuse,
Well this was a disappointment. I mean, it was fine?? But it was so. freaking. slow. And I was never especially motivated to actually pick it up because I didn't like any of the characters.
I finally sat down today and forced myself through the second half of the book because I've been reading this for long enough already thank you very much and while it did get SLIGHTLY more interesting in the second half, I mostly...just didn't care. Which is disappointing because I love medical thrillers. This, however, is not a thriller at all. I don't quite know what it is, to be perfectly honest. But a thriller isn't it.
Well this was a disappointment. I mean, it was fine?? But it was so. freaking. slow. And I was never especially motivated to actually pick it up because I didn't like any of the characters.
I finally sat down today and forced myself through the second half of the book because I've been reading this for long enough already thank you very much and while it did get SLIGHTLY more interesting in the second half, I mostly...just didn't care. Which is disappointing because I love medical thrillers. This, however, is not a thriller at all. I don't quite know what it is, to be perfectly honest. But a thriller isn't it.
March 14, 2019
It takes some talent to tell a story about medical research studies and the risks/impacts it has on the human body. Then amongst the medical jargon to throw in side stories of refugees, corporate crime, domestic violence, animal rights and being a vegan. To her credit, Susan Hurley has produced an enlightening insight into what can go wrong in the world of pharmaceutical and medical testing. Her characters are a mixture of the likeable, the gullible, the greedy, the egotistical and the evil. A well rounded collection of individuals who make the book and it's story very real.
October 16, 2019
What a clever story! Great characters all with interesting back stories and tales to tell. So many twists and pieces of the puzzle revealed bit by bit. Make sure you read it to the very last line!!!
February 17, 2023
It was an okay book. I skipped some of the characters' POVs because they weren't that interesting, but the pace picked up towards the middle of the book.
January 18, 2019
Thank you NetGalley and Affirm Press for the eARC.
The 'Golden Boy' of medical research in Melbourne, Australia who supposedly came up with a wonder drug for immune diseases, dies in mysterious circumstances.
The story leading up to his death is told by several voices. He and his mother were 'boat people's who came to Australia after surviving a perilous boat trip. The book is excellent, a mystery set in the shadowy world of Big Pharma, a world that is filled with the promise of big money and people who work hard to find drugs that not only save and ease lives, but promises fame and fortune. There are passages that were quite shocking to me; the trials conducted on animals before human trials begin are graphically horrendous, I'm having a hard time processing them. The ethical questions are difficult to answer, but the fact that people can jeer and laugh at any creature in unspeakable pain as is described in the book made my blood boil. It's certainly an eye opener.
The solving of his death was incredible, what an unexpected turn of events!
So well written and informative, this book will stay with me for quite a while and I highly recommend it for anyone who loves a good, intelligent mystery.
The 'Golden Boy' of medical research in Melbourne, Australia who supposedly came up with a wonder drug for immune diseases, dies in mysterious circumstances.
The story leading up to his death is told by several voices. He and his mother were 'boat people's who came to Australia after surviving a perilous boat trip. The book is excellent, a mystery set in the shadowy world of Big Pharma, a world that is filled with the promise of big money and people who work hard to find drugs that not only save and ease lives, but promises fame and fortune. There are passages that were quite shocking to me; the trials conducted on animals before human trials begin are graphically horrendous, I'm having a hard time processing them. The ethical questions are difficult to answer, but the fact that people can jeer and laugh at any creature in unspeakable pain as is described in the book made my blood boil. It's certainly an eye opener.
The solving of his death was incredible, what an unexpected turn of events!
So well written and informative, this book will stay with me for quite a while and I highly recommend it for anyone who loves a good, intelligent mystery.
June 5, 2019
Thank you Netgalley for providing this book for a honest review.
I was intrigued by the book summary but very disappointed in the execution for the following reason:
1) The book introduces Dung/Davie/David but the focus shifts to multiple perspectives. I found it to be very distracting.
2) There are references to medical jargon and abbreviations that I did not understand. I had to keep reading the brief explanation of the medical terminology when provided.
3) The use of foreign language was unique, but it personally added no value to my reading experience.
4) The structure of the plot was not smooth. The rotation of different people's perspective and shift from past to present distracted me.
5) The first half of book progressed slowly. Suddenly, the mystery of the plot is revealed towards second half of the book.
6) I didn't find Charlie's final outcome to be relevant to the plot. I personally would have been okay with Charlie being in Hong Kong.
What are the pros?
I found the truth behind Dung's death to be intriguing despite my review.
I was intrigued by the book summary but very disappointed in the execution for the following reason:
1) The book introduces Dung/Davie/David but the focus shifts to multiple perspectives. I found it to be very distracting.
2) There are references to medical jargon and abbreviations that I did not understand. I had to keep reading the brief explanation of the medical terminology when provided.
3) The use of foreign language was unique, but it personally added no value to my reading experience.
4) The structure of the plot was not smooth. The rotation of different people's perspective and shift from past to present distracted me.
5) The first half of book progressed slowly. Suddenly, the mystery of the plot is revealed towards second half of the book.
6) I didn't find Charlie's final outcome to be relevant to the plot. I personally would have been okay with Charlie being in Hong Kong.
What are the pros?
I found the truth behind Dung's death to be intriguing despite my review.
October 1, 2024
The nurse in me LOVED this one! It was fast paced, loaded with guilty suspense and a twist at the end that I didn’t see coming!
.
This for me resembled an alikeness to a perfect storm. All the little ducks all lined up in a row.. until one wasn’t. This was so well written and well thought out plot wise that it just worked and worked well.
.
The characters were so vastly different and interesting in their own rights and all easily had reason for the reader to be suss on them! I really enjoyed the multi POV chapter lay out too as this really added depth and perspective to the story. Charlie’s frat boy behaviour was a bit repetitive and got tired real quick.. I really respected Miles loyalty and by the end I was so moved by David’s story I felt such a heavy wave of sadness in how things ended up.
.
I was really intrigued that the origins of this story were based on a real life drug trial that ended in tragedy. I ended up watching a documentary after reading this and could see how they were inspired. The drug, the volunteers and the reaction is where the similarities stop though. I haven’t had any personal experience with trials or anything like this so I found this quite interesting.
.
I feel that those without a medical history may struggle a bit with this one. It was very heavy on the research and science front to the point of being a bit too much at times. There was so much story happening that it didn’t need to have this angle so heavily dominating.
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The ending threw me and tbh I am still processing. I could not stop turning the pages! It was also like whiplash. One moment you’re incredibly sad and overcome with realisation than the next your happily rejoicing at justice. This ended on a high and left me with a smile. Highly recommend and completely left me guessing!
.
This for me resembled an alikeness to a perfect storm. All the little ducks all lined up in a row.. until one wasn’t. This was so well written and well thought out plot wise that it just worked and worked well.
.
The characters were so vastly different and interesting in their own rights and all easily had reason for the reader to be suss on them! I really enjoyed the multi POV chapter lay out too as this really added depth and perspective to the story. Charlie’s frat boy behaviour was a bit repetitive and got tired real quick.. I really respected Miles loyalty and by the end I was so moved by David’s story I felt such a heavy wave of sadness in how things ended up.
.
I was really intrigued that the origins of this story were based on a real life drug trial that ended in tragedy. I ended up watching a documentary after reading this and could see how they were inspired. The drug, the volunteers and the reaction is where the similarities stop though. I haven’t had any personal experience with trials or anything like this so I found this quite interesting.
.
I feel that those without a medical history may struggle a bit with this one. It was very heavy on the research and science front to the point of being a bit too much at times. There was so much story happening that it didn’t need to have this angle so heavily dominating.
.
The ending threw me and tbh I am still processing. I could not stop turning the pages! It was also like whiplash. One moment you’re incredibly sad and overcome with realisation than the next your happily rejoicing at justice. This ended on a high and left me with a smile. Highly recommend and completely left me guessing!
March 23, 2025
Oh this is a good one. Telling the story of Dung 'David' Tran, a Golden Child scientist who has developed a new potential superdrug, Eight Lives is told through the people around David after his death. Knowing that he dies makes the story interesting - how and why did he die?
The fact that the details are based on a true story makes this scientific tale really engaging. I highly recommend this hidden gem of a book.
The fact that the details are based on a true story makes this scientific tale really engaging. I highly recommend this hidden gem of a book.
September 24, 2021
Medical research thriller, set in Melbourne. I was excited to read this. Unfortunately, it was disappointing. Clunky dialogue, slow moving narrative, and unengaging characters.
June 12, 2019
I was very intrigued and excited to pick this one up. A thriller/mystery set in Australia around the field of immunology sounded fantastic. However I feel quite mislead.
The plot was very slow, only seeming to lift at around the 200 page mark. I do not see this fitting into the thriller/mystery genre as it read as a fiction in the medical field. Yes, there was an aspect of how? and why? however it played out too straight forward to be anything other than fiction. The twist ending was unpredictable but honesty felt like a cop out that ruined the integrity of the carefully thought out scientific basis.
I also had an issue with Rosa not realising her experiment had been failing her for months and then being the person to discover EIGHT could have life threatening properties. As a PhD student the first oversight seemed unlikely and made the subsequent discovery difficult to believe came from the same person.
I enjoyed the multi character perspective of this and the heavy basis in real life drug trials. However felt lead on by the supposed genre and disappointed in the pace, ending and lack of build as a ‘thriller’.
2 stars.
The plot was very slow, only seeming to lift at around the 200 page mark. I do not see this fitting into the thriller/mystery genre as it read as a fiction in the medical field. Yes, there was an aspect of how? and why? however it played out too straight forward to be anything other than fiction. The twist ending was unpredictable but honesty felt like a cop out that ruined the integrity of the carefully thought out scientific basis.
I also had an issue with Rosa not realising her experiment had been failing her for months and then being the person to discover EIGHT could have life threatening properties. As a PhD student the first oversight seemed unlikely and made the subsequent discovery difficult to believe came from the same person.
I enjoyed the multi character perspective of this and the heavy basis in real life drug trials. However felt lead on by the supposed genre and disappointed in the pace, ending and lack of build as a ‘thriller’.
2 stars.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 24, 2019
The premise of this book was interesting - a promising young doctor makes a discovery that might change the world, only to have everything go terribly wrong at the trail period. Unfortunately the book's structure made it difficult to enjoy what should have been a cracking medical thriller.
There are eight different POVs in this book, and while a couple of them were distinctive, the others blurred into one another, making it difficult to remember who each character was and what role they played in the story. And it took so long to actually get into the story because each of these people had to introduce themselves before anything actually happened.
The other thing that bugged me was the amount of jargon used. Yes, I know this is a medical thriller, and there is a certain amount of information that a reader needs to understand the facts, but there was far too much here. It started feeling like the author wanted us to know she's an expert in this field.
Overall, I didn't enjoy this book as much as I wanted to. It took me quite a long time to read, which is unlike me, and I think that didn't help with keeping up with what was going on and who was doing what. But if you like slow-burning thrillers, it might be your cup of tea.
Thanks to Netgalley for the chance to read this in advance.
There are eight different POVs in this book, and while a couple of them were distinctive, the others blurred into one another, making it difficult to remember who each character was and what role they played in the story. And it took so long to actually get into the story because each of these people had to introduce themselves before anything actually happened.
The other thing that bugged me was the amount of jargon used. Yes, I know this is a medical thriller, and there is a certain amount of information that a reader needs to understand the facts, but there was far too much here. It started feeling like the author wanted us to know she's an expert in this field.
Overall, I didn't enjoy this book as much as I wanted to. It took me quite a long time to read, which is unlike me, and I think that didn't help with keeping up with what was going on and who was doing what. But if you like slow-burning thrillers, it might be your cup of tea.
Thanks to Netgalley for the chance to read this in advance.
April 13, 2019
I am going to preface this review with a disclaimer: I worked in this particular field at the time this book was set which will colour my review.
This story is slow to start but picks up towards the end of the book, and gives a really good insight into the commercialisation aspects of immunology and medicine in general. There are multiple character viewpoints, some of which are more engaging than others. The science was reasonably clear and well explained, and I appreciated how different characters viewed it and tried to explain it differently. There were some predicaments I found rather too far-fetched for my liking (Rosa's failure to notice her hybridoma had stopped working being the major one), but I was mostly able to set aside those concerns and enjoy the story as it was. The author sets up the different stories threads and weaves them altogether to give a very satisfactory ending.
This story is slow to start but picks up towards the end of the book, and gives a really good insight into the commercialisation aspects of immunology and medicine in general. There are multiple character viewpoints, some of which are more engaging than others. The science was reasonably clear and well explained, and I appreciated how different characters viewed it and tried to explain it differently. There were some predicaments I found rather too far-fetched for my liking (Rosa's failure to notice her hybridoma had stopped working being the major one), but I was mostly able to set aside those concerns and enjoy the story as it was. The author sets up the different stories threads and weaves them altogether to give a very satisfactory ending.
April 9, 2020
Eight Lives is quite an unusual and unique book. A medical murder mystery combined with scientific insight into pathology and the process of bringing pharmacological drugs to market. It felt eerie reading about Cytokine storms while isolating from Covid-19 but provided an understanding of why some Covid sufferers fall off a "cliff" during their illness. A cytokine storm is when the immune system over produces an immune response that attacks the body's own cells.
After finishing the book I consequently read it was based on a real life drug trial disaster. I have a strong interest in medicine and science and didn't find the medical aspect difficult to follow but I could see some readers may. Each character in Eight Lives is well developed and provides perspective from a range of socio-economic profiles including refugee David Tran.
It is always a privilege to read books published by Australian authors and Susan Hurley is based in Melbourne.
After finishing the book I consequently read it was based on a real life drug trial disaster. I have a strong interest in medicine and science and didn't find the medical aspect difficult to follow but I could see some readers may. Each character in Eight Lives is well developed and provides perspective from a range of socio-economic profiles including refugee David Tran.
It is always a privilege to read books published by Australian authors and Susan Hurley is based in Melbourne.
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