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The Last High
In this riveting novel from international bestselling author Daniel Kalla, a Vancouver doctor and a detective face the deadly consequences of the opioid crisis as they track down the supplier of fentanyl that landed a group of teens in the ER with critical overdoses.
“Michael Crichton ought to be looking over his shoulder.” The Chronicle Herald
Deliberately or not, they must’ve been poisoned…And if it happened to them…
There will be others.
Dr. Julie Rees, a toxicologist and ER doctor, is stunned when her emergency room is flooded with teenagers from the same party, all on the verge of death. Julie knows the world of opioids inside and out, and she recognizes that there’s nothing typical about these cases. She suspects the teens took—or were given—fentanyl. But why did they succumb so quickly?
Detective Anson Chen is determined to find out. He and Julie race to track down the supplier of the deadly drugs. But the trail of suspects leads everywhere, from unscrupulous street dealers to ruthless gang leaders who hide behind legitimate business fronts and the walls of their mansions.
As Anson and Julie follow clues through the drug underworld, Julie finds herself haunted by memories of her troubled past—and the lover she lost to addiction. When other overdoses fill the ER—and the morgue—Julie realizes that something even more sinister than the ongoing fentanyl crisis is devastating the streets. And the body count is rapidly rising.
A gripping thriller, The Last High explores the perfect storm of greed, addiction, and crime behind the malignant spread of fentanyl, a deadly drug that is killing people faster than any known epidemic.
“Michael Crichton ought to be looking over his shoulder.” The Chronicle Herald
Deliberately or not, they must’ve been poisoned…And if it happened to them…
There will be others.
Dr. Julie Rees, a toxicologist and ER doctor, is stunned when her emergency room is flooded with teenagers from the same party, all on the verge of death. Julie knows the world of opioids inside and out, and she recognizes that there’s nothing typical about these cases. She suspects the teens took—or were given—fentanyl. But why did they succumb so quickly?
Detective Anson Chen is determined to find out. He and Julie race to track down the supplier of the deadly drugs. But the trail of suspects leads everywhere, from unscrupulous street dealers to ruthless gang leaders who hide behind legitimate business fronts and the walls of their mansions.
As Anson and Julie follow clues through the drug underworld, Julie finds herself haunted by memories of her troubled past—and the lover she lost to addiction. When other overdoses fill the ER—and the morgue—Julie realizes that something even more sinister than the ongoing fentanyl crisis is devastating the streets. And the body count is rapidly rising.
A gripping thriller, The Last High explores the perfect storm of greed, addiction, and crime behind the malignant spread of fentanyl, a deadly drug that is killing people faster than any known epidemic.
320 pages, Paperback
First published May 12, 2020
70 people are currently reading
3548 people want to read
About the author
Daniel Kalla
19 books565 followersBorn, raised, and still residing in Vancouver, Daniel has worked as an ER Physician for the past twenty years. He is also the author of fifteen published novels, which have been translated into thirteen languages.
In his latest novel, THE DEEPEST FAKE, a tech CEO and AI pioneer’s carefully curated life is unraveling—his wife is cheating, someone is defrauding his company, and he’s just been handed a fatal diagnosis. He’d end it all, if only he could trust his own reality. As deepfakes and deception blur the lines between truth and illusion, the novel explores the challenges and pitfalls of safeguarding reality in an age when it can be fabricated.
Daniel received his B.Sc. and MD from the University of British Columbia, where he is now a clinical associate professor. He is the proud father of two girls and a poorly behaved but lovable mutt, Milo.
In his latest novel, THE DEEPEST FAKE, a tech CEO and AI pioneer’s carefully curated life is unraveling—his wife is cheating, someone is defrauding his company, and he’s just been handed a fatal diagnosis. He’d end it all, if only he could trust his own reality. As deepfakes and deception blur the lines between truth and illusion, the novel explores the challenges and pitfalls of safeguarding reality in an age when it can be fabricated.
Daniel received his B.Sc. and MD from the University of British Columbia, where he is now a clinical associate professor. He is the proud father of two girls and a poorly behaved but lovable mutt, Milo.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 384 reviews
March 11, 2020
When I was younger, dreaming about my future career in medicine (I thought I was going to be an orthopedic surgeon), I read Robin Cook, Michael Palmer, and Leonard Goldberg novels incessantly. Eventually, Cook's novels became biased and ridiculous, Michael Palmer passed away, and I think Goldberg stopped writing...so my love-affair with medical suspense came to an end.
Later, working as an OR nurse and dealing with life and death situations daily...reading about the same scenarios wasn't appealing. I've avoided this genre for years--until now.
Daniel Kalla is a very talented writer. His main characters are well-flashed out, his plot timely, and the story engaging. He's quite adept, being an ER physician himself, at explaining the medical procedures/language included in the story...so please don't feel you have to be an expert about emergency medicine to read The Last High.
If I were to point out a few minor grumbles, the first would be the sheer number of characters...it was difficult trying to remember who was who, particularly because of their unusual names. Next, as an RN, I felt a little snubbed. There were a few comments which gave the impression that Kalla isn't really a fan of my profession. Finally, the obligatory romance felt forced and unnecessary.
My final thoughts: This is a fun, fast-paced story I devoured, and I would definitely read Kalla's future novels. Available May 12, 2020.
3.5 stars rounded up
**Many thanks to the publisher for my review copy.
Later, working as an OR nurse and dealing with life and death situations daily...reading about the same scenarios wasn't appealing. I've avoided this genre for years--until now.
Daniel Kalla is a very talented writer. His main characters are well-flashed out, his plot timely, and the story engaging. He's quite adept, being an ER physician himself, at explaining the medical procedures/language included in the story...so please don't feel you have to be an expert about emergency medicine to read The Last High.
If I were to point out a few minor grumbles, the first would be the sheer number of characters...it was difficult trying to remember who was who, particularly because of their unusual names. Next, as an RN, I felt a little snubbed. There were a few comments which gave the impression that Kalla isn't really a fan of my profession. Finally, the obligatory romance felt forced and unnecessary.
My final thoughts: This is a fun, fast-paced story I devoured, and I would definitely read Kalla's future novels. Available May 12, 2020.
3.5 stars rounded up
**Many thanks to the publisher for my review copy.
March 29, 2020
THE LAST HIGH by Daniel Kalla is a medical thriller and a romantic suspense story set in Vancouver, Canada. Dr. Julie Rees is a toxicologist and emergency room doctor. One night the ER is filled with overdosed teenagers from the same party. While she initially suspects fentanyl, she doesn’t yet understand why it affected them so quickly. With deaths mounting up, she teams up with Detective Anson Chen to track down the supplier of the deadly drugs.
The author is an ER physician in a teaching hospital in Vancouver and his expertise gave this novel a realistic feel. As a reader, I felt like I was in the ER with the doctors and nurses trying to save lives. The characters were compelling and well developed. They felt real and had distinct voices, flaws and virtues. Their motivations seemed believable and well-drawn. The internal and external conflicts were well defined for each main character. The main characters were bold, spirited, and unswerving in their pursuit of the opioids and their supplier. The stakes and tension were high and made this book a page turner. The descriptions were vivid and gave a clear sense of urgency and place.
Overall, this was a complex, compelling, thought-provoking and suspenseful read. Themes include emergency medicine, drug use, drug overdose, second chances, torture, murder and much more. This is only the second book that I have read by this author, but I am looking forward to reading more of his books.
Thanks to Simon & Schuster Canada and Daniel Kalla for a complimentary ARC of this novel via NetGalley and the opportunity to provide an honest review. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way.
The author is an ER physician in a teaching hospital in Vancouver and his expertise gave this novel a realistic feel. As a reader, I felt like I was in the ER with the doctors and nurses trying to save lives. The characters were compelling and well developed. They felt real and had distinct voices, flaws and virtues. Their motivations seemed believable and well-drawn. The internal and external conflicts were well defined for each main character. The main characters were bold, spirited, and unswerving in their pursuit of the opioids and their supplier. The stakes and tension were high and made this book a page turner. The descriptions were vivid and gave a clear sense of urgency and place.
Overall, this was a complex, compelling, thought-provoking and suspenseful read. Themes include emergency medicine, drug use, drug overdose, second chances, torture, murder and much more. This is only the second book that I have read by this author, but I am looking forward to reading more of his books.
Thanks to Simon & Schuster Canada and Daniel Kalla for a complimentary ARC of this novel via NetGalley and the opportunity to provide an honest review. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way.
May 25, 2020
Disturbing And Frightening Medical Thriller!
Dr. Julie Rees an emergency room doctor who also happens to be a toxocologist is working the night shift when a call suddenly comes through with five teens on the way to the hospital who are not breathing and they all attended the same party. The first assumption is opioid drug overdose but how could they take out the kids so quickly all at one time. Julie struggles to save these kids because she understands the heartbreaking pain of losing a loved one to drug overdose. Soon after, detectives arrive to assess the dire situation and Julie happens to be friends with Detective Chen and he needs her expertise in these cases as the calls to the er continue to come through with more people not breathing and drug paraphernalia by their side and the standard medical reversal drug naloxone given by the paramedics is not working on these victims of drug poisoning. Julie and Detective Chen will team up to try to find the dealer and distributor of this poison before it travels out of the city it hasn't done so already. In the meantime bodies keep dropping and time is of the essence before this becomes a worldwide pandemic.
What a timely and very disturbing story of the opioid crisis that America has been facing for quite awhile. This book has taken on an important and authentic subject matter that is filled with suspense and excitement. This book was so well-written that I couldn't stop reading fast enough and put everything else aside because there was so much thrilling action going on and I was so pumped up with adrenaline that I needed to read and not sleep until I finished this book. Daniel Kalla did wonderful research for this story and he is terrific writer. This is my first time reading a book by him but it certainly won't be my last. I am so pleased to have found this incredible book to read. If anyone is interested in the drug epidemic happening out there or just wants to read a very realistic medical thriller, please don't hesitate to pick this book up. The author did an amazing job with the subject matter and the believability of what could really happen to any family in America.
I want to thank the publisher " Simon And Shuster" and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this terrific story and any thoughts and opinions expressed are unbiased and mine alone!
I highly recommend this thrilling book and have given a rating of 5 Sinister And Toxic 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 Stars!!
Dr. Julie Rees an emergency room doctor who also happens to be a toxocologist is working the night shift when a call suddenly comes through with five teens on the way to the hospital who are not breathing and they all attended the same party. The first assumption is opioid drug overdose but how could they take out the kids so quickly all at one time. Julie struggles to save these kids because she understands the heartbreaking pain of losing a loved one to drug overdose. Soon after, detectives arrive to assess the dire situation and Julie happens to be friends with Detective Chen and he needs her expertise in these cases as the calls to the er continue to come through with more people not breathing and drug paraphernalia by their side and the standard medical reversal drug naloxone given by the paramedics is not working on these victims of drug poisoning. Julie and Detective Chen will team up to try to find the dealer and distributor of this poison before it travels out of the city it hasn't done so already. In the meantime bodies keep dropping and time is of the essence before this becomes a worldwide pandemic.
What a timely and very disturbing story of the opioid crisis that America has been facing for quite awhile. This book has taken on an important and authentic subject matter that is filled with suspense and excitement. This book was so well-written that I couldn't stop reading fast enough and put everything else aside because there was so much thrilling action going on and I was so pumped up with adrenaline that I needed to read and not sleep until I finished this book. Daniel Kalla did wonderful research for this story and he is terrific writer. This is my first time reading a book by him but it certainly won't be my last. I am so pleased to have found this incredible book to read. If anyone is interested in the drug epidemic happening out there or just wants to read a very realistic medical thriller, please don't hesitate to pick this book up. The author did an amazing job with the subject matter and the believability of what could really happen to any family in America.
I want to thank the publisher " Simon And Shuster" and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this terrific story and any thoughts and opinions expressed are unbiased and mine alone!
I highly recommend this thrilling book and have given a rating of 5 Sinister And Toxic 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 Stars!!
February 27, 2020
3.5 Stars rounded up to 4.
The author, Dr. Daniel Kalla is an ER doctor in Vancouver. He writes with firsthand knowledge of the medical and personal results of the opioid crisis and has researched the criminal side from the law enforcement perspective. He mentions that thousands have died in B.C. from opioid overdoses. He conveys the suffering and loss associated with this devastating drug.
I read his exciting previous book, We All Fall Down, which discusses what might happen when a new disease threatens to reach pandemic proportions. Both medical thrillers concentrate on timely issues.
The author mentions that fentanyl, now causing many deaths, is 100 times more powerful than heroin. The drug in this plot, carfentanil, is said to be 100 times stronger than fentanyl. The goal of the toxicologist and police in this story is to stop the manufacture and distribution of carfentanil before numerous deaths occur.
It is first noticed when a group of teenagers are rushed to the emergency room from a party on the brink of death or headed to the morgue. Dr. Julia Rees, an ER doctor and toxicologist recognizes that they have succumbed to something even more deadly and that kills more quickly than fentanyl, the present scourge of drug addicts. Soon others die from the same illegal drug; a street user, an airplane pilot, and a lawyer along with three of his party guests.
Julia realizes that if the source of this narcotic isn’t found quickly, many more will die. She is haunted by the death by overdose by her lover nine years ago when she had also been addicted. Joining up with Detective Anson Chen and other officers in drug enforcement, they must follow a difficult and convoluted path. They must find and investigate drug users, street and phone dealers, and wealthy gang leaders who import and supply illegal drugs. It is essential they locate the person cooking the lethal carfentanil and passing it off disguised as another drug. To penetrate this complex drug net, they must confront many users, the families of the victims and users, dealers, suppliers and importers. This leads them on a suspenseful and thrilling chase in an effort to stop the drug before it reaches the streets.
For such a complicated investigation, many character’s names were mentioned. I believe this was necessary to tell the story, but it slowed the pace for me. Also, I wondered if an ER doctor like Julia could leave sick and injured patients in the hospital to get so intensely involved with the work of the police, and time to develop a romantic attachment.
I found this story well researched, realistic, and informative about the devastating opioid crisis. Many thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for this compelling medical thriller in return for an honest review.
,
The author, Dr. Daniel Kalla is an ER doctor in Vancouver. He writes with firsthand knowledge of the medical and personal results of the opioid crisis and has researched the criminal side from the law enforcement perspective. He mentions that thousands have died in B.C. from opioid overdoses. He conveys the suffering and loss associated with this devastating drug.
I read his exciting previous book, We All Fall Down, which discusses what might happen when a new disease threatens to reach pandemic proportions. Both medical thrillers concentrate on timely issues.
The author mentions that fentanyl, now causing many deaths, is 100 times more powerful than heroin. The drug in this plot, carfentanil, is said to be 100 times stronger than fentanyl. The goal of the toxicologist and police in this story is to stop the manufacture and distribution of carfentanil before numerous deaths occur.
It is first noticed when a group of teenagers are rushed to the emergency room from a party on the brink of death or headed to the morgue. Dr. Julia Rees, an ER doctor and toxicologist recognizes that they have succumbed to something even more deadly and that kills more quickly than fentanyl, the present scourge of drug addicts. Soon others die from the same illegal drug; a street user, an airplane pilot, and a lawyer along with three of his party guests.
Julia realizes that if the source of this narcotic isn’t found quickly, many more will die. She is haunted by the death by overdose by her lover nine years ago when she had also been addicted. Joining up with Detective Anson Chen and other officers in drug enforcement, they must follow a difficult and convoluted path. They must find and investigate drug users, street and phone dealers, and wealthy gang leaders who import and supply illegal drugs. It is essential they locate the person cooking the lethal carfentanil and passing it off disguised as another drug. To penetrate this complex drug net, they must confront many users, the families of the victims and users, dealers, suppliers and importers. This leads them on a suspenseful and thrilling chase in an effort to stop the drug before it reaches the streets.
For such a complicated investigation, many character’s names were mentioned. I believe this was necessary to tell the story, but it slowed the pace for me. Also, I wondered if an ER doctor like Julia could leave sick and injured patients in the hospital to get so intensely involved with the work of the police, and time to develop a romantic attachment.
I found this story well researched, realistic, and informative about the devastating opioid crisis. Many thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for this compelling medical thriller in return for an honest review.
,
April 13, 2023
“ … beneath Vancouver’s beautiful veneer lies a lot of ugliness.”
It was true when Canadian author William Deverell penned his iconic best-selling legal thriller NEEDLES and it’s true now. Vancouver is a city with an evil, insidious drug problem. In 1988, it was heroin and, while heroin is still an issue, the heart of today’s problem is fentanyl and opioids. THE LAST HIGH imagines a terrifying scenario in which a batch of raw carfentanil, (fentanyl on steroids, if you will, to coin a phrase that is at once ludicrous but painfully à propos), is released on the street. The drug is so powerful as to result almost universally in virtually instant death from the ingestion or injection of even the most minute dosage. In effect, the first high is THE LAST HIGH and any dose is a fatal overdose.
Kalla’s experience as an emergency room physician motivates his heart-thumping high speed rendition of the medical realities of a drug overdose. How’s this for a bit of medical thriller wonderfulness?
“… the heart rate reads a hundred and thirty while the systolic blood pressure sits critically low at sixty and the oxygen saturation is only eighty-one percent. It’s information enough for Julie to diagnose Chloe with cardiogenic shock and florid heart failure. Her lungs must have filled with fluid and she’s drowning in her own secretions, which have backed up because of a heart that’s too damaged to pump blood properly. The syndrome is one of emergency medicine’s most feared Catch-22s – a patient who desperately needs to have her breathing supported, ideally with a ventilator, but can’t afford any intervention that will drop her blood pressure by even a single point, … ”
Or how about this paramedic’s succinct summary of the location and extent of a gunshot wound and the degree of subsequent blood loss? My medical knowledge isn’t sufficient to judge this excerpt’s credibility, but it sure sounds right to me!
“Single GSW to the proximal biceps with an arterial bleed. Controlled by proximal tourniquet. No other identified injuries. GCS fifteen. Peripheral pulse weak but present. Grade two hemorrhagic shock.”
And THE LAST HIGH's success isn’t predicated on high-speed action alone. Character development is phenomenal. Dialogue is crisp and believable. There’s even a self-referencing, light-hearted cameo à la Clive Cussler or Alfred Hitchcock:
“We have two docs who do ICU part-time. And two others who also work palliative care on the side. One guy even writes books – medical thrillers – they’re not half bad.”
And, of course, what Canadian reader wouldn’t chuckle at this timely sardonic reference to the dysfunctional shambles that we are currently witnessing south of the border:
“What a disaster! Who talks like this at a dinner party? … Can we please talk about Trump instead?”
Daniel Kalla is a recent find for me and THE LAST HIGH is only the fourth of his novels that I’ve read, no, let’s say devoured. But I sure intend to hunt down the titles on his back list as quickly as I can. Definitely recommended for those who love a great medical thriller.
Paul Weiss
It was true when Canadian author William Deverell penned his iconic best-selling legal thriller NEEDLES and it’s true now. Vancouver is a city with an evil, insidious drug problem. In 1988, it was heroin and, while heroin is still an issue, the heart of today’s problem is fentanyl and opioids. THE LAST HIGH imagines a terrifying scenario in which a batch of raw carfentanil, (fentanyl on steroids, if you will, to coin a phrase that is at once ludicrous but painfully à propos), is released on the street. The drug is so powerful as to result almost universally in virtually instant death from the ingestion or injection of even the most minute dosage. In effect, the first high is THE LAST HIGH and any dose is a fatal overdose.
Kalla’s experience as an emergency room physician motivates his heart-thumping high speed rendition of the medical realities of a drug overdose. How’s this for a bit of medical thriller wonderfulness?
“… the heart rate reads a hundred and thirty while the systolic blood pressure sits critically low at sixty and the oxygen saturation is only eighty-one percent. It’s information enough for Julie to diagnose Chloe with cardiogenic shock and florid heart failure. Her lungs must have filled with fluid and she’s drowning in her own secretions, which have backed up because of a heart that’s too damaged to pump blood properly. The syndrome is one of emergency medicine’s most feared Catch-22s – a patient who desperately needs to have her breathing supported, ideally with a ventilator, but can’t afford any intervention that will drop her blood pressure by even a single point, … ”
Or how about this paramedic’s succinct summary of the location and extent of a gunshot wound and the degree of subsequent blood loss? My medical knowledge isn’t sufficient to judge this excerpt’s credibility, but it sure sounds right to me!
“Single GSW to the proximal biceps with an arterial bleed. Controlled by proximal tourniquet. No other identified injuries. GCS fifteen. Peripheral pulse weak but present. Grade two hemorrhagic shock.”
And THE LAST HIGH's success isn’t predicated on high-speed action alone. Character development is phenomenal. Dialogue is crisp and believable. There’s even a self-referencing, light-hearted cameo à la Clive Cussler or Alfred Hitchcock:
“We have two docs who do ICU part-time. And two others who also work palliative care on the side. One guy even writes books – medical thrillers – they’re not half bad.”
And, of course, what Canadian reader wouldn’t chuckle at this timely sardonic reference to the dysfunctional shambles that we are currently witnessing south of the border:
“What a disaster! Who talks like this at a dinner party? … Can we please talk about Trump instead?”
Daniel Kalla is a recent find for me and THE LAST HIGH is only the fourth of his novels that I’ve read, no, let’s say devoured. But I sure intend to hunt down the titles on his back list as quickly as I can. Definitely recommended for those who love a great medical thriller.
Paul Weiss
April 9, 2022
After feeling underwhelmed by several books lately, I finally found a thriller that held my attention. It was a welcome change to read a medical thriller, and I could tell it was written by an author familiar with the field. The thriller was expertly executed. The suspense kept increasing even when the story focused on the protagonists lives. It added depth, that kept me invested in the outcome. I loved the characters, with all their complicated feelings. The banter between Julie and Anson was a delight, making me like them even more.
I will most definitely read more of Kalla’s work in the future!
I will most definitely read more of Kalla’s work in the future!
May 11, 2020
3.5 stars
This was a good fast paced read. It’s a mystery focused on a deadly opiate making the rounds in Vancouver, British Columbia. The investigators are an emergency room doctor and a police detective, with their own pasts and a romantic interest in each other. The author himself is an emergency doctor in Vancouver, where he clearly deals with many opiate deaths. It’s not a complex mystery, but it makes its point without being pedantic, moves quickly and pulls at the heartstrings. This is the type of books that seems to work well for me these days. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an opportunity to read an advance copy.
This was a good fast paced read. It’s a mystery focused on a deadly opiate making the rounds in Vancouver, British Columbia. The investigators are an emergency room doctor and a police detective, with their own pasts and a romantic interest in each other. The author himself is an emergency doctor in Vancouver, where he clearly deals with many opiate deaths. It’s not a complex mystery, but it makes its point without being pedantic, moves quickly and pulls at the heartstrings. This is the type of books that seems to work well for me these days. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an opportunity to read an advance copy.
May 18, 2020
A dear friend recommended Daniel Kalla's novels to me and I am so glad to have started with The Last High.
The author, a true ER physician brought to life the current ongoing opioid crisis so that it was sadly believable and compelling.
A gritty, fast-paced story that focuses on an ER doctor and toxicologist, and a homicide detective who race against time to find the source of a new deadly batch of fentanyl in an attempt to prevent more deaths.
Daniel Kalla gives us a well-crafted medical thriller.
Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Canada for an arc of this novel in exchange for my honest review.
The author, a true ER physician brought to life the current ongoing opioid crisis so that it was sadly believable and compelling.
A gritty, fast-paced story that focuses on an ER doctor and toxicologist, and a homicide detective who race against time to find the source of a new deadly batch of fentanyl in an attempt to prevent more deaths.
Daniel Kalla gives us a well-crafted medical thriller.
Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Canada for an arc of this novel in exchange for my honest review.
March 28, 2020
Who is the supplier of the deadly fentanyl? Why have so many people, particularly teens come into a Vancouver ER, overdosed and dying? It hits too close to home for Dr. Julie Rees and it terrifies her, because she knows the pain opioid addiction and overdose cause and she is determined to help the police find the monsters getting rich off the lives of addicts.
Daniel Kalla’s THE LAST HIGH gives a raw, edgy and heartbreaking look into a tale of monsters hiding in the shadow, hooking their victims and reeling them in, hit by hit, dollar by dollar and now death by death. One doctor who knows about addiction and its toll will desperately join the chase to uncover who is responsible for the lives destroyed. As the list of suspects grow, so does the body count, many just teens looking for a little fun in all the wrong places.
Sit back and dive into a fast-paced tale with grit as the true faces of the victims and those who care about them come to life. This gripping nightmare is real and while told as fiction, is like going through the looking glass and seeing all sides of both the worst and best of mankind. Powerful reading.
I received a complimentary ARC edition from Simon & Schuster! This is my honest and voluntary review.
Publisher: Simon & Schuster (May 12, 2020)
Publication Date: May 12, 2020
Genre: Medical Thriller
Print Length: 320 pages
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
For Reviews, Giveaways, Fabulous Book News, follow: http://tometender.blogspot.com
Daniel Kalla’s THE LAST HIGH gives a raw, edgy and heartbreaking look into a tale of monsters hiding in the shadow, hooking their victims and reeling them in, hit by hit, dollar by dollar and now death by death. One doctor who knows about addiction and its toll will desperately join the chase to uncover who is responsible for the lives destroyed. As the list of suspects grow, so does the body count, many just teens looking for a little fun in all the wrong places.
Sit back and dive into a fast-paced tale with grit as the true faces of the victims and those who care about them come to life. This gripping nightmare is real and while told as fiction, is like going through the looking glass and seeing all sides of both the worst and best of mankind. Powerful reading.
I received a complimentary ARC edition from Simon & Schuster! This is my honest and voluntary review.
Publisher: Simon & Schuster (May 12, 2020)
Publication Date: May 12, 2020
Genre: Medical Thriller
Print Length: 320 pages
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
For Reviews, Giveaways, Fabulous Book News, follow: http://tometender.blogspot.com
June 14, 2020
A new illegal opioid drug hits the streets of Vancouver leaving many dead as they experience the last high they will ever know. Composed of the ingredient carfentanil, the drug is ten thousand times as strong as heroin and kills users almost instantly.
Julie Rees, an ER physician and toxicologist at St. Michael's, is working when ambulances bring 6 teenagers into her department -- all but 2 are dead. When other users from all walks of society start falling victim to this deadly drug, Julie teams up with Detective Anson Chen of the VPD to track the source, the suppliers, and trace new overdoses. NO SPOILERS.
This was an excellent read and I really enjoyed it. The scourge of opioids in our society is well-documented and has proven very hard to control. The narrative is action-packed and quite interesting -- it's obvious that the author did a tremendous amount of research along with pulling from his own personal experiences as an ER physician. The dynamics of the gangs and cooks, the "plugs" and those that seek the high are quite well described. I loved the characters and found them sympathetic and believable for the most part. It's a very timely and scary read. Daniel Kalla writes, "I want you to enjoy the story, I hope it will also make you a little more aware of a terribly indiscriminate and potentially stoppable killer that is ravaging our communities."
I'm a sucker for any medical thriller; I have read other books by this author and can recommend them to any who enjoy this genre. Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster, Inc. for this e-book ARC to read and review.
Julie Rees, an ER physician and toxicologist at St. Michael's, is working when ambulances bring 6 teenagers into her department -- all but 2 are dead. When other users from all walks of society start falling victim to this deadly drug, Julie teams up with Detective Anson Chen of the VPD to track the source, the suppliers, and trace new overdoses. NO SPOILERS.
This was an excellent read and I really enjoyed it. The scourge of opioids in our society is well-documented and has proven very hard to control. The narrative is action-packed and quite interesting -- it's obvious that the author did a tremendous amount of research along with pulling from his own personal experiences as an ER physician. The dynamics of the gangs and cooks, the "plugs" and those that seek the high are quite well described. I loved the characters and found them sympathetic and believable for the most part. It's a very timely and scary read. Daniel Kalla writes, "I want you to enjoy the story, I hope it will also make you a little more aware of a terribly indiscriminate and potentially stoppable killer that is ravaging our communities."
I'm a sucker for any medical thriller; I have read other books by this author and can recommend them to any who enjoy this genre. Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster, Inc. for this e-book ARC to read and review.
Read
June 15, 2020The Last High by Daniel Kallais a psychological thriller.
First, let me thank both NetGalley and Edelweiss, the publisher Simon & Schuster, and of course the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
My Synopsis: (No major reveals, but if concerned, skip to My Opinions)
Dr. Julie Rees is an ER doctor who also specializes in toxicology. So when a number of teenagers who were at the same party show up in her ER, all dying of an an opioid overdose, she is stunned. How could there be so many? What did they all take? What could possibly react this fast in these kids? Why can't she save them? These kids are not the only ones to die.
She soon learns that the drug must have been almost pure to have resulted in such fast deaths. This is definitely not your normal overdose situation. What is making this worse is that it seems this drug is all over the streets of Vancouver, and it doesn't care if you are rich or poor, first-time user or addict - one dose is enough to kill you. They are starting to call it TLH...The Last High....you probably won't survive to try again.
Julie works with Detective Anson Chen to get to the bottom of this crisis. Finding the one dealing the bad drug is hard, but finding the manufacturer is even more difficult when there are so many gangs out there. The possibility of a drug gang war looms.
Meanwhile, Julie's own past is coming back to haunt her.
My Opinions:
This was a really fast read, about a very dark subject. It is about more than the amount of drugs on the streets. It is about the greed and depths that the criminals who traffic drugs will stoop. It is about the victims, and their families, and those that try to help them. Although a fiction novel, a lot of the headlines today could tell the same story....not just in Vancouver.
The author knows his stuff. He is an ER doctor in a hospital in the middle of the same opioid crisis he writes about. So although he may have expanded on the truth a little, everything seems possible, which makes the book that more interesting, and that more scary.
So, the plot was good, as was the writing. The touch of romance did not bother me, and I liked the characters, who all had enough depth to make them feel real. It was a fast, entertaining (if somewhat disturbing) read.
This is the first book I've read by this fellow Canadian, but it will not be the last!
For a more complete review of this book and others (including author information and quotations), please visit my blog: http://katlovesbooksblog.wordpress.com/
April 14, 2020
Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.
Expected publication date: May 12, 2020
Daniel Kalla is an ER physician in Vancouver, and a bestselling author. Although I have not read Kalla before, most of his novels revolve around medical crises and science phenomenons (which, due to his experience, make perfect sense). His newest novel, “The Last High”, is a powerful story of drug addiction, those who fall prey to it, and those who try and stop it.
Dr. Julie Rees is an ER doctor and toxicology specialist who is also a recovering opioid addict. When her emergency room becomes increasingly flooded with overdose patients, many of whom don’t make it, Julie begins to suspect that a super deadly dose of fentanyl is making the rounds. With the help of police detective Anson Chen, Julie seeks to investigate where the deadly drug, nicknamed “The Last High”, is coming from and who is distributing it. Both Anson and Julie must find the source of the drug and stop its production, but time is of the essence as bodies continue to pile up.
Kalla portrays the deep, dark world of fentanyl addiction, and the dangers faced by users, and takes it one step further by introducing a drug of such potency, users very rarely survive. With his medical expertise, Kalla is able to portray an almost realistic portrayal of the underbelly of the drug trade. Although the story itself is gruesome and terrifying, the realism is there too, and the believability of this story is the scariest of all.
Julie is a successful medical doctor, haunted by the death of her late boyfriend, Michael, whom she watched die of an overdose. With this disturbing past, she makes it a personal goal to seek and destroy the makers of this dangerous drug. Her relationship with Anson is complicated and complex, the on-again-off-again romantic pair that must also face working together on a dangerously personal case in the seedy underworld of the Vancouver drug trade.
The characters in this novel are plentiful, although necessary, but it is sometimes difficult to keep up with who works for whom (again, this adds realism to the novel as the police investigate the ties between the drug gangs). The medical knowledge Kalla has is evident, but he takes his time to adequately explain jargon and medical procedures without condescension
Well-researched, gripping, and deeply realistic “The Last High” tells the all-too-real story of the dingy drug world, the high powered gangs who run it, and the innocent people who fall prey to it. This is a story that will stick with you, haunt you and also educate you, and you will leave the novel a different person than when you started it.
Expected publication date: May 12, 2020
Daniel Kalla is an ER physician in Vancouver, and a bestselling author. Although I have not read Kalla before, most of his novels revolve around medical crises and science phenomenons (which, due to his experience, make perfect sense). His newest novel, “The Last High”, is a powerful story of drug addiction, those who fall prey to it, and those who try and stop it.
Dr. Julie Rees is an ER doctor and toxicology specialist who is also a recovering opioid addict. When her emergency room becomes increasingly flooded with overdose patients, many of whom don’t make it, Julie begins to suspect that a super deadly dose of fentanyl is making the rounds. With the help of police detective Anson Chen, Julie seeks to investigate where the deadly drug, nicknamed “The Last High”, is coming from and who is distributing it. Both Anson and Julie must find the source of the drug and stop its production, but time is of the essence as bodies continue to pile up.
Kalla portrays the deep, dark world of fentanyl addiction, and the dangers faced by users, and takes it one step further by introducing a drug of such potency, users very rarely survive. With his medical expertise, Kalla is able to portray an almost realistic portrayal of the underbelly of the drug trade. Although the story itself is gruesome and terrifying, the realism is there too, and the believability of this story is the scariest of all.
Julie is a successful medical doctor, haunted by the death of her late boyfriend, Michael, whom she watched die of an overdose. With this disturbing past, she makes it a personal goal to seek and destroy the makers of this dangerous drug. Her relationship with Anson is complicated and complex, the on-again-off-again romantic pair that must also face working together on a dangerously personal case in the seedy underworld of the Vancouver drug trade.
The characters in this novel are plentiful, although necessary, but it is sometimes difficult to keep up with who works for whom (again, this adds realism to the novel as the police investigate the ties between the drug gangs). The medical knowledge Kalla has is evident, but he takes his time to adequately explain jargon and medical procedures without condescension
Well-researched, gripping, and deeply realistic “The Last High” tells the all-too-real story of the dingy drug world, the high powered gangs who run it, and the innocent people who fall prey to it. This is a story that will stick with you, haunt you and also educate you, and you will leave the novel a different person than when you started it.
April 30, 2020
ALL the stars for Daniel Kalla's fast paced medical thriller, The Last High!
Incredibly engaging from start to finish. A heavy storyline of drug use, critical overdoses and the street dealers/gang leaders who supply these opioids. Dr. Julie Rees, a toxicologist and ER doctor along with Detective Anson Chen take a deep dive into the drug underworld as they search for answers regarding the deaths of teenagers who attended the same party. Julie, knowing the world of opioids inside and out quickly recognizes there's nothing typical about these cases as the overdose was fast and death was almost immediate.
The author, Daniel Kalla practices emergency medicine in Vancouver, British Columbia. I very much appreciated the fact he explained the medical jargon as many of us likely wouldn't have a clue what most of it means.
Overall this was a fascinating and very timely read as I feel this is a topic that should be discussed much more often. Both of my teenagers attended the Love Is Love event where they were trained by the BC Centre Of Disease Control/St John Ambulance how to administer Naloxone. It is my hope they are never in a situation where this training is needed but I think it's so incredibly important to be educated.
A huge thank you to Simon & Schuster Canada for my review copy!!
Incredibly engaging from start to finish. A heavy storyline of drug use, critical overdoses and the street dealers/gang leaders who supply these opioids. Dr. Julie Rees, a toxicologist and ER doctor along with Detective Anson Chen take a deep dive into the drug underworld as they search for answers regarding the deaths of teenagers who attended the same party. Julie, knowing the world of opioids inside and out quickly recognizes there's nothing typical about these cases as the overdose was fast and death was almost immediate.
The author, Daniel Kalla practices emergency medicine in Vancouver, British Columbia. I very much appreciated the fact he explained the medical jargon as many of us likely wouldn't have a clue what most of it means.
Overall this was a fascinating and very timely read as I feel this is a topic that should be discussed much more often. Both of my teenagers attended the Love Is Love event where they were trained by the BC Centre Of Disease Control/St John Ambulance how to administer Naloxone. It is my hope they are never in a situation where this training is needed but I think it's so incredibly important to be educated.
A huge thank you to Simon & Schuster Canada for my review copy!!
April 1, 2020
If I ever had the inclination to do street drugs, this book would set me straight fast (thankfully, what few painkillers I've been prescribed over the years by my dentist always upset my stomach and did nothing to ease the pain, so even if I get them offered to me in the future, I'll just say no). Alas, that's not true of many of the characters in this book, which puts an ugly spotlight on the widespread illicit drug trade in Vancouver, British Columbia.
Julie Rees, an emergency room physician and toxicology specialist, is thrown in the center of the action one night as several teenagers are brought in - some in cardiac arrest and others already dead. One boy has a chance of surviving, and one of the girls has been put on a ventilator in the slim hope she might pull through. Julie is sympathetic, in part because she once was an addict herself (some of the details are revealed throughout the book), but she's been clean for several years.
Julie is friends (without benefits, at least at the outset) with Anson Chen, a local police detective. Together with other experts, they conclude that an extremely deadly drug - pure carfentanil, said to be thousands of times stronger than fentanyl - has somehow found its way to the public. Their task? Finding the source, and, if at all possible, rounding up all of what's on the street that hasn't already been injested before hundreds more die.
There's not much else I can say without giving away too much, but the trail takes Anson and Julie from dealers on the street to gangs to wealthy "businessmen" who have a lucrative side job (in fact, there are so many characters that early on I quit trying to keep them straight). It still seems incredible that an ER physician with no police training is allowed to tag along on dangerous police business like raids (who you know counts, I guess), but the whole thing adds up to a fast-paced story that carries a strong message. Thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for letting me read and review an advance copy.
Julie Rees, an emergency room physician and toxicology specialist, is thrown in the center of the action one night as several teenagers are brought in - some in cardiac arrest and others already dead. One boy has a chance of surviving, and one of the girls has been put on a ventilator in the slim hope she might pull through. Julie is sympathetic, in part because she once was an addict herself (some of the details are revealed throughout the book), but she's been clean for several years.
Julie is friends (without benefits, at least at the outset) with Anson Chen, a local police detective. Together with other experts, they conclude that an extremely deadly drug - pure carfentanil, said to be thousands of times stronger than fentanyl - has somehow found its way to the public. Their task? Finding the source, and, if at all possible, rounding up all of what's on the street that hasn't already been injested before hundreds more die.
There's not much else I can say without giving away too much, but the trail takes Anson and Julie from dealers on the street to gangs to wealthy "businessmen" who have a lucrative side job (in fact, there are so many characters that early on I quit trying to keep them straight). It still seems incredible that an ER physician with no police training is allowed to tag along on dangerous police business like raids (who you know counts, I guess), but the whole thing adds up to a fast-paced story that carries a strong message. Thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for letting me read and review an advance copy.
November 27, 2021
➙ 3¾⭐
➙ Narration 😔 = Did Not Like
➙ Narrated by 🎙️Nancy Wu
➙ Mystery/Thriller/Suspense
➙ Medical🩺
➙ Opioids laced with even deadlier opioids🔬💣
➙ Might work better in print format📖
I thought I’d try something different than my usual type of thrillers. I guess I was hoping this might be something like Christina McDonalds Do No Harm, and while it came up short in that comparison, it was still a fairly decent story. The subject matter is timely, alarming even, but also really quite interesting. Like something we should all be made aware of.
Sadly, the narration didn’t quite cut it. I’m sure that I would have enjoyed this more with a better narrator because her voice was so nasally, I was left not wanting to pick the book back up, again.
TOTAL SCORE 7.14/❿
🅒haracters ￫ 7
🅐tmosphere ￫ 7.5
🅦riting ￫ 7
🅟lot ￫ 7
🅘ntrigue ￫ 7.5
🅛ogic ￫ 7
🅔njoyment ￫ 7
➙ Narration 😔 = Did Not Like
➙ Narrated by 🎙️Nancy Wu
➙ Mystery/Thriller/Suspense
➙ Medical🩺
➙ Opioids laced with even deadlier opioids🔬💣
➙ Might work better in print format📖
I thought I’d try something different than my usual type of thrillers. I guess I was hoping this might be something like Christina McDonalds Do No Harm, and while it came up short in that comparison, it was still a fairly decent story. The subject matter is timely, alarming even, but also really quite interesting. Like something we should all be made aware of.
Sadly, the narration didn’t quite cut it. I’m sure that I would have enjoyed this more with a better narrator because her voice was so nasally, I was left not wanting to pick the book back up, again.
TOTAL SCORE 7.14/❿
🅒haracters ￫ 7
🅐tmosphere ￫ 7.5
🅦riting ￫ 7
🅟lot ￫ 7
🅘ntrigue ￫ 7.5
🅛ogic ￫ 7
🅔njoyment ￫ 7
November 27, 2020
The Last High by Daniel Kalla is a very interesting account of one of the biggest epidemics of our time, opioid abuse.
Dr. Julie Rees is an ER doctor and toxicologist who is working at the hospital when a group of teens are brought in, believed to be od'd on fentanyl. Detective Anson Chen is the detective called in to investigate. Together Julie and Anson discover something worse has happened and work to find out how and why, along with who is responsible.
As someone who has experienced opioid addiction's destruction firsthand, I found this book both tragic and informative in a easy to understand format that made me want to keep turning the pages. It kept me engrossed till the end.
I recommend this mystery thriller to everyone.
I would like to thank #NetGalley and the author for an ARC in exchange for my honest opinions!
Dr. Julie Rees is an ER doctor and toxicologist who is working at the hospital when a group of teens are brought in, believed to be od'd on fentanyl. Detective Anson Chen is the detective called in to investigate. Together Julie and Anson discover something worse has happened and work to find out how and why, along with who is responsible.
As someone who has experienced opioid addiction's destruction firsthand, I found this book both tragic and informative in a easy to understand format that made me want to keep turning the pages. It kept me engrossed till the end.
I recommend this mystery thriller to everyone.
I would like to thank #NetGalley and the author for an ARC in exchange for my honest opinions!
February 29, 2020
This latest is another winner, one of those stories that grab your attention from the start, an awesome medical thriller that deals with the terrible opioid crisis. The Last High (TLH) is carfentanil, a derivative of fentanyl a drug so lethal who ever tries it may end up dead. The story takes place in Vancouver BC one of the cities where the crisis is at the highest level but although this city is in Canada, the crisis is certainly a worldwide occurrence that kills thousands of users. Mr. Kalla, an ER doctor by profession has penned a story of what happens when teens show up in the ER from a deadly drug overdose.
The development is said in alternate chapters from the point of view of ER doctors, the toxicologist, the homicide detectives, the dealers and their associates. The pace is a bit slow at first but as good thriller does it soon springs into action and from then on we are into a rollicking tempo till the very end. The plot has a lot of intrigue and some violence after all dealing with the Triad, major drug gangs and petty dealers, one cannot pussyfoot around. We find a lot of medical jargon and chemical references in the book regarding the illicit drug world; I learned a few things (actually a lot)……and following the cleaver police force at work we find out the tricks they need to do in order to get the drugs off the streets. “Chapeau” to them. Thank you, Mr. Kalla for writing such a lively and timely story to enlighten us as well as for our enjoyment.
I received an ARC from the publisher Simon & Schuster for my thoughts.
The development is said in alternate chapters from the point of view of ER doctors, the toxicologist, the homicide detectives, the dealers and their associates. The pace is a bit slow at first but as good thriller does it soon springs into action and from then on we are into a rollicking tempo till the very end. The plot has a lot of intrigue and some violence after all dealing with the Triad, major drug gangs and petty dealers, one cannot pussyfoot around. We find a lot of medical jargon and chemical references in the book regarding the illicit drug world; I learned a few things (actually a lot)……and following the cleaver police force at work we find out the tricks they need to do in order to get the drugs off the streets. “Chapeau” to them. Thank you, Mr. Kalla for writing such a lively and timely story to enlighten us as well as for our enjoyment.
I received an ARC from the publisher Simon & Schuster for my thoughts.
January 20, 2024
Loved this book. Despite being sad I was glad to learn more about the ongoing opioid crisis in our country. There were so many characters it was hard to keep up at times though.
March 9, 2020
3.75* This is a very timely book dealing with the opioid crisis. Might be a bit biased since I live in Vancouver and it's quite rare to find books based in the city. It's quite nice to know the many places and scenes that were described in the book. The author, being an ER doctor, is well-versed in the plague of opioid overdoses due to Fentanyl. In this book, a group of teenagers were rushed into the ER with opioid overdoses and it was difficult to revive them. Most of them died. Then there are also spate of deaths across a broad range of society, probably linked to the same drug.
I find this book a very quick read. It shows us the heartbreak and misery that drug addiction causes. It also shows that some of the victims might not even know that they are taking opioids. The drug supply chain is complex. As the main character, Dr Julie Rees, had remarked, it's like a Russian doll, layers upon layers - from low level drug dealers to international criminal organizations.
If there's criticism of this book, it's that I think it's marketed as suspense, but I find it not to be so. A medical/police procedural, maybe? We follow mainly Julie and Detective Anson in their quest for the source of the deadly tainted drug. Overall, though, I still found it interesting and very enjoyable.
**Many thanks to Simon Schuster Canada for providing me an ARC in exchange for an honest review**
I find this book a very quick read. It shows us the heartbreak and misery that drug addiction causes. It also shows that some of the victims might not even know that they are taking opioids. The drug supply chain is complex. As the main character, Dr Julie Rees, had remarked, it's like a Russian doll, layers upon layers - from low level drug dealers to international criminal organizations.
If there's criticism of this book, it's that I think it's marketed as suspense, but I find it not to be so. A medical/police procedural, maybe? We follow mainly Julie and Detective Anson in their quest for the source of the deadly tainted drug. Overall, though, I still found it interesting and very enjoyable.
**Many thanks to Simon Schuster Canada for providing me an ARC in exchange for an honest review**
December 5, 2020
I'm not sure why but I've had a fascination with addiction for a long time and I used to love watching Intervention and still like to watch documentaries on the subject so I was really looking forward to reading this book. It was a good book and pretty timely with all the news about fentanyl and tainted drugs in the news. I couldn't help but wonder why a detective was allowed to drive around with an ER doctor/toxicologist in his car and allow her access to crime scenes. That's neither here nor there though, just a curiosity. I'd recommend the book to a friend and plan to read some of Mr. Kalla's other books. Did I mention the author's Canadian?!
May 12, 2020
Exciting medical thriller set in Vancouver, British Columbia
This was an excellent medical thriller focused on the opioid crisis in Vancouver, British Columbia. The author is also an ER doctor in Vancouver so the story rang very true.
Dr. Julie Rees is a clinical toxologist and an ER physician in a Vancouver hospital. She's working the night that a large group of teens are brought in apparently overdosing on fentanyl. This strikes close to home to her bringing up memories of a troubled past.
She finds herself working with homicide Detective Constable Anson Chen of the Vancouver Police Department in trying to figure how this group of teens was exposed to a deadly form of fentanyl.
"Fentanyl is about a hundred times more potent than heroin. But carfentanil? It’s a hundred times more powerful than fentanyl . . .”“So we’re talking ten thousand times as strong as heroin?”“Exactly. The stuff was developed for tranquilizing elephants. Literally. A single grain of it can kill a person.”
There are all kinds of bad guys in the story, from dealers on the street up the line to major distributors of all kinds of drugs.
This was a fast-paced story with a lot of scary info about the opioid crisis. I highly recommend this book to people who enjoy medical thrillers or mysteries, for that matter.
I received this book from Simon & Schuster through Edelweiss in the hopes that I would read it and leave an unbiased review.
This was an excellent medical thriller focused on the opioid crisis in Vancouver, British Columbia. The author is also an ER doctor in Vancouver so the story rang very true.
Dr. Julie Rees is a clinical toxologist and an ER physician in a Vancouver hospital. She's working the night that a large group of teens are brought in apparently overdosing on fentanyl. This strikes close to home to her bringing up memories of a troubled past.
She finds herself working with homicide Detective Constable Anson Chen of the Vancouver Police Department in trying to figure how this group of teens was exposed to a deadly form of fentanyl.
"Fentanyl is about a hundred times more potent than heroin. But carfentanil? It’s a hundred times more powerful than fentanyl . . .”“So we’re talking ten thousand times as strong as heroin?”“Exactly. The stuff was developed for tranquilizing elephants. Literally. A single grain of it can kill a person.”
There are all kinds of bad guys in the story, from dealers on the street up the line to major distributors of all kinds of drugs.
This was a fast-paced story with a lot of scary info about the opioid crisis. I highly recommend this book to people who enjoy medical thrillers or mysteries, for that matter.
I received this book from Simon & Schuster through Edelweiss in the hopes that I would read it and leave an unbiased review.
June 8, 2020
High-paced suspense novel about the opioid addiction in Vancouver. It starts when a group of teens overdose at a home party and from there Detective Anson and Dr. Rees try to find the source before more people die.
I enjoyed the hospital and medical aspect as well as the police and investigative side. It is a bit descriptive in parts and a lot of graphic overdoses occur.
Opioid use is at an epidemic rate in any Canadian city. If you walk down any main street in any city you can see the carnage. It touches every family and is unfortunately commonplace. I think this book is scarily on the mark with how real the issue is.
4.5 stars highly recommended
I enjoyed the hospital and medical aspect as well as the police and investigative side. It is a bit descriptive in parts and a lot of graphic overdoses occur.
Opioid use is at an epidemic rate in any Canadian city. If you walk down any main street in any city you can see the carnage. It touches every family and is unfortunately commonplace. I think this book is scarily on the mark with how real the issue is.
4.5 stars highly recommended
February 4, 2021
Billed as a medical thriller I guess, and it certainly was exciting. Set in Vancouver, 2 detectives and a doctor are in a race to discover the source of a super-potent opioid on the street. The first victims were teens, so that tugs at the heart, and we a little look at all of the characters. The author is an ER doc, so it's not quality writing but it is interesting.
April 26, 2020
The Last High is a fast paced medical thriller that follows an ER doctor and detective as they race to remove an extremely lethal drug that has been unleashed on the Vancouver streets. Dr. Julie Rees is working the night shift one evening when a party of teenagers are rushed to the ER for drug overdoses. Detective Anson Chen is assigned to the case to figure out who brought the drugs to the party and Julie is pleasantly surprised when he interviews her because they’ve been flirting on and off for months. Julie figures out the teenagers were drugged with carfentanil and soon they are not the only victims of a potent blend of narcotics, as it becomes known as “The Last High” on the streets. Anson and Julie won’t stop until they find the source of the drugs and save other addicts from certain death.
I enjoyed Kalla’s story because there was action right from the start and his plotline was to the point. There was some great character development and I could definitely see this becoming a series. Julie and Anson are very likeable as individuals and as a couple. The length was great (not too long) and I thought the setting of Vancouver was an excellent choice. As a fellow Canadian, I am aware of the difficulties that the city is facing with opioids and homelessness. My only criticism is that I found myself questioning some of the logistics. Julie was often riding along with Anson while completing official police investigations, and I was pondering if that would be a violation of confidentiality. He also shared many details about the case and let her question subjects. Overall, an enjoyable medical thriller but could have used some more zest!
I enjoyed Kalla’s story because there was action right from the start and his plotline was to the point. There was some great character development and I could definitely see this becoming a series. Julie and Anson are very likeable as individuals and as a couple. The length was great (not too long) and I thought the setting of Vancouver was an excellent choice. As a fellow Canadian, I am aware of the difficulties that the city is facing with opioids and homelessness. My only criticism is that I found myself questioning some of the logistics. Julie was often riding along with Anson while completing official police investigations, and I was pondering if that would be a violation of confidentiality. He also shared many details about the case and let her question subjects. Overall, an enjoyable medical thriller but could have used some more zest!
June 13, 2020
After a tragic incident involving teenagers overdosing on fentanyl, emergency room doctor, Dr. Julie Rees and Detective Chen turn to the streets to find the source of the laced drugs. As more cases turn up, the pressure is on, as the two are lead to various drug lords and under ground operations.
This is a fast-paced, engaging thriller that centres around a real life problem that hits very close to home. It's incredibly eye opening to read about the struggles of addiction in Vancouver, and the lack of support for those affected. The author, Daniel Kalla, is an emergency room doctor in Vancouver himself, so this story is very authentic and powerful. The characters are well developed and seem very realistic.
Though this topic is heavy, the novel is a quick, easy read, that had me completely absorbed. There are some shocking moments and unexpected twists! There's also a bit of a romance story line that seemed very authentic. The medical terms and the workings of the Vancouver drug scene are each explained really well, so it is easy to follow. I am not that familiar with Vancouver despite living close by, but it was still really nice to be able to recognize some of the locations mentioned! I am always grateful for the opportunity to read great fiction by Canadian authors. I love the idea of medical thrillers and will definitely be reading more of Daniel Kalla's work!
Thanks to Simon and Schuster Canada for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.
This is a fast-paced, engaging thriller that centres around a real life problem that hits very close to home. It's incredibly eye opening to read about the struggles of addiction in Vancouver, and the lack of support for those affected. The author, Daniel Kalla, is an emergency room doctor in Vancouver himself, so this story is very authentic and powerful. The characters are well developed and seem very realistic.
Though this topic is heavy, the novel is a quick, easy read, that had me completely absorbed. There are some shocking moments and unexpected twists! There's also a bit of a romance story line that seemed very authentic. The medical terms and the workings of the Vancouver drug scene are each explained really well, so it is easy to follow. I am not that familiar with Vancouver despite living close by, but it was still really nice to be able to recognize some of the locations mentioned! I am always grateful for the opportunity to read great fiction by Canadian authors. I love the idea of medical thrillers and will definitely be reading more of Daniel Kalla's work!
Thanks to Simon and Schuster Canada for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.
February 27, 2020
My first experience with this author won't be my last! A medical thriller written by a Canadian doctor and set in Vancouver BC Canada.
The opioid epidemic floods the ER of a Vancouver hospital dragging Dr. Julie Rees into tragic flashbacks. Working along with Det. Anson Chen of the Vancouver Police Department, Julie's toxicology knowledge helps trace back a batch of fentanal that is so powerful it leaves user dead in minutes.
The characters are well developed, the plot a steady flow of medical procedures, the police investigation intriguing, and a developing romance to round out all of the emotional aspects.
Only one '"unable to believe this' part" is breastfeeding right after heart transplant surgery. I enjoyed the tour of Vancouver - brought back a lot of good memories.
I volunteered to read an ARC from Simon & Schuster Canada through Net Galley
Release date May 12, 2020.
The opioid epidemic floods the ER of a Vancouver hospital dragging Dr. Julie Rees into tragic flashbacks. Working along with Det. Anson Chen of the Vancouver Police Department, Julie's toxicology knowledge helps trace back a batch of fentanal that is so powerful it leaves user dead in minutes.
The characters are well developed, the plot a steady flow of medical procedures, the police investigation intriguing, and a developing romance to round out all of the emotional aspects.
Only one '"unable to believe this' part" is breastfeeding right after heart transplant surgery. I enjoyed the tour of Vancouver - brought back a lot of good memories.
I volunteered to read an ARC from Simon & Schuster Canada through Net Galley
Release date May 12, 2020.
May 13, 2020
Thank you to Netgalley and Simon & Schuster for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. To be frank, I wasn’t familiar with Daniel Kalla before I started The Last High, but he is absolutely on my radar now. I loved this book! Part medical thriller, part police procedural, with a tiny bit of romance to add interest. It kept be hooked from the start.
Julie is an ER doctor who moonlights as a toxicologist with poison control. Anson is a homicide detective on the case of several deaths by carfentanil poisoning. When several teens are brought to Julie’s emergency room dead or dying from the drug, they team up to try to determine who is responsible. It’s a wild ride and the flow is great. It’s one of my favorite books of the year so far!
Julie is an ER doctor who moonlights as a toxicologist with poison control. Anson is a homicide detective on the case of several deaths by carfentanil poisoning. When several teens are brought to Julie’s emergency room dead or dying from the drug, they team up to try to determine who is responsible. It’s a wild ride and the flow is great. It’s one of my favorite books of the year so far!
April 18, 2023
A fast paced and engaging read that delves into the opioid crisis. The author is a practicing doctor in Vancouver which enriched the medical aspects of the book. I look forward to reading more books by this talented author.
June 1, 2020
This was such a good book. Make sure to pay attention to the many characters. I loved the medical references (the author is a Canadian ER doctor), it was right up my alley. Very intriguing/scary about the opioids though.
October 2, 2020
Since Kalla is a physician himself he does a really lovely job explaning medical terms for the non medical professional. So if you fall into this category, fear not! My only complaint is the number or characters in a short amount of time to follow even though this adds dynamic to the story.
I definitely had tears in my eyes at one point, not sure if that means the story is sad or if I am just a big cry baby though!
Either way, this book was fun and exciting and fast enough paced that I didn't want to put it down.
I definitely had tears in my eyes at one point, not sure if that means the story is sad or if I am just a big cry baby though!
Either way, this book was fun and exciting and fast enough paced that I didn't want to put it down.
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