CoVid

by Richard Van Anderson

CoVid19 was not an accident. Its successor, the highly lethal and contagious CoVid23, is not a mutation of CoVid19. China would like us to believe the passage of 19 from animal to human was random and 23 is a natural mutation of 19. The United States wants us to believe both 19 and 23 are weaponized versions of a harmless coronavirus released during a botched Chinese bioweapons experiment. It will be up to Dr. David Aaronson, the new surgeon in the desert town of Fallon, Nevada—home to ranchers and farmers, cowboys and Indians, casinos and legalized brothels, and the US Navy’s TOPGUN training program—to tell the world what really happened. In this final installment of the McBride trilogy, revealing the truth will pit Dr. Aaronson (formerly David McBride) against the commander of a US Army bioweapons laboratory, a narcissistic president obsessed with nationalism, and a supervirus poised to decimate the world's population.

318 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 30, 2020

About the author

I’m a former heart surgeon turned fiction writer. I write what can be described as medical mysteries, medical thrillers or novels of medical suspense, but I prefer to think of them as novels of surgical suspense.

What is surgical suspense? Surgeons, surgical diseases and the operating room are inherently dramatic. As a former surgeon, I’ve experienced this drama first hand and thought it would make for good fiction. My surgery training took me from the "knife and gun club" of LSU Medical Center in Shreveport, Louisiana, to the famed Bellevue Hospital in Midtown Manhattan. My education as a writer includes an MFA in creative writing where I was mentored by New York Times bestselling author Dennis Lehane, among other accomplished faculty.

I know a lot about medicine and surgery, I know a lot about writing and storytelling, and I believe that combining this vast and unusual right-brain/left-brain experience will make for interesting reading and discussion, so please visit often.

Reviews

[Keshav Nair · Rating 4 out of 5]

A brilliantly penned book with suspenseful twists and turns. While the book was a bit slow at the beginning, it quickly picked up pace as the plot started unfolding. The machination centers around a small town of Fallon, Nevada where people are found dying due to Haemoptysis (coughing up of blood) and in some cases due to ruptured spleen. The new doctor in town, Dr. David is aghast of such cases in a small town. He later learns from the locals of the town that a clandestine research program is underway in the nearby US Army bioweapons lab rated as Biosafety level 4. He embarks on a mission to unravel the truth behind these mysterious deaths. As dwells into the depth of this mysterious lab with some trusted locals, he uncovers a nefarious conspiracy involving high ranking officials of the US state in a bid to shift the geopolitical power balance in favor of the US by unleashing a global terror using a bio-engineered virus that is several times lethal than Covid 19. Dr. David is in a race against time to save the town and the world from this hideous crime. The last few chapters are a cat and mouse game between the protagonist and the perpetrators, assisted by local rancher that will keep readers glued on their seats. The climax also reveals a lot more about Dr. David's personality. Although the end is more predictable unlike other thrillers, I found this new sub-genre of medical thrillers quite interesting. This book could be read as a stand-alone without reading the previous books although that would help understand the evolvement of the protagonist's character. Recommended read for thriller lovers.

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Initially I was not sold on this story as it seemed slow and I found it difficult to become invested. I did however journey on and found the story both worthwhile and involving, overall a 4 star recommendable read.

My thanks to goodreads and the book’s giveaway sponsors for the opportunity to obtain and read a copy of this book.

[Kathy Stibal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book with suspense that adds twists and turns. It probably would have been better if I had read the first 2 books to get all the back story. However, it is a good story even without reading the previous books. Ending is predictable but still enjoyed the story.

[Deborah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Superlative!

This third bok in the trilogy was even better than the first two. Excellent as they were. This had so much action I didn't want to stop reading until it was finished. Then I was sorry it was over. I give it two plus thumbs up!!!

[Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Starts out slow but gets better as it goes. The characters were all very real and relatable.

[Adam Thompson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This third installment definitely started off slowly, but it picked up substantially around 25% of the way through. I think this was a great conclusion or the McBride Trilogy.

[Terri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Terrific read!

I thoroughly enjoyed this final installment of the McBride trilogy. I don't want to give any spoilers so just let me say that the author has a great gift for description and bringing a scenario to life. The story moves at a good pace and the suspense is brilliantly executed. David McBride, through no fault of his own, finds himself in a situation requiring fast thinking and even faster action. Are his compatriots friend or foe? We don't know for sure until the very end. This series was a fun ride through the halls of medical suspense and intrigue.