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Dark Plague #1
Dark Cure
WINNER of "Best Medical Thriller, 2021" by American Fiction AwardsCOVID-20 ravages the planet. A baby and his mother’s blood contain the cure. Mercenaries kidnap them.
In this medical thriller, biotech executive Sal Maggio plans to resettle his extended family in remote northern Canada out of the pandemic’s reach. A researcher from Sal’s company shares her experimental treatment that cures his near-death pregnant daughter and her unborn child. Sal’s ex-boss conspires to bankrupt the company in return for the drug’s ownership. Sal refuses to relinquish the last of the miracle cure or its formula.
The former CEO hires a rogue operator to kidnap the infant to barter for the wonder drug. A psychopathic biologist processes the newborn’s blood into a commercial treatment. The baby’s abductors put the Dark Cure for sale on outlaw websites in the expectation of a multimillion-dollar payday. The mercenaries next seize the mother as she represents a larger blood reservoir than the newborn.
As the US collapses and scheming kidnappers fortify their hideout, can the outgunned group save the mother and baby and embark on an eighteen hundred-mile trek north to safety?
“Dark Cure disturbingly imagines the near-future if Covid-19 mutates into a deadlier form. The writing is fast-paced and the plot fascinating.”
DON D. MANN
New York Times Best Selling Author
Inside SEAL Team My Life and Missions with America's Elite Warriors
Fans of domestic thrillers and family sagas will also enjoy Dark Cure.
What ARC readers are saying about Dark “Part Lord of the Flies and part Contagion, Dark Cure keeps readers engaged with well-developed characters, page-turning action, and an evolving plot that strays from its expected course. Well worth the read.” 5-Star Goodreads reviewer.
“Utterly gripping, taut plot that is disturbingly plausible. A tightly woven bio-terrorism thriller . . . Dark Cure leaves the reader pondering "what if...." with the terrifying prospect of real life imitating fiction . . . Dark Cure firmly establishes West in the genre of Michael Crichton, Matthew Reilly and Lee Child. Bring it on!” 5-Star Goodreads reviewer.
“. . . The US is breaking down, the race for a cure is on, and anything and everything—including bleeding babies and their mothers—is fair game . . . You will be hooked by the halfway point and will need to accept that the rest of your day will be spent reading this book . . . Bradley West's best book.” 5-Star Goodreads reviewer.
“I really enjoyed this timely book. The pacing was fast and I read the second half of the book in one sitting. I would even say the pace was frenetic at times! Read the book. You won't be disappointed.” 5-Star Goodreads reviewer.
“West has taken the art of weaving fact and fantasy in his conspiracy thrillers to the extent that often the boundaries get blurred. In short tight chapters, the story builds to a series of pounding crescendos. Dark Cure is a story of our times, told by a master storyteller.” 5-Star Goodreads reviewer.
In this medical thriller, biotech executive Sal Maggio plans to resettle his extended family in remote northern Canada out of the pandemic’s reach. A researcher from Sal’s company shares her experimental treatment that cures his near-death pregnant daughter and her unborn child. Sal’s ex-boss conspires to bankrupt the company in return for the drug’s ownership. Sal refuses to relinquish the last of the miracle cure or its formula.
The former CEO hires a rogue operator to kidnap the infant to barter for the wonder drug. A psychopathic biologist processes the newborn’s blood into a commercial treatment. The baby’s abductors put the Dark Cure for sale on outlaw websites in the expectation of a multimillion-dollar payday. The mercenaries next seize the mother as she represents a larger blood reservoir than the newborn.
As the US collapses and scheming kidnappers fortify their hideout, can the outgunned group save the mother and baby and embark on an eighteen hundred-mile trek north to safety?
“Dark Cure disturbingly imagines the near-future if Covid-19 mutates into a deadlier form. The writing is fast-paced and the plot fascinating.”
DON D. MANN
New York Times Best Selling Author
Inside SEAL Team My Life and Missions with America's Elite Warriors
Fans of domestic thrillers and family sagas will also enjoy Dark Cure.
What ARC readers are saying about Dark “Part Lord of the Flies and part Contagion, Dark Cure keeps readers engaged with well-developed characters, page-turning action, and an evolving plot that strays from its expected course. Well worth the read.” 5-Star Goodreads reviewer.
“Utterly gripping, taut plot that is disturbingly plausible. A tightly woven bio-terrorism thriller . . . Dark Cure leaves the reader pondering "what if...." with the terrifying prospect of real life imitating fiction . . . Dark Cure firmly establishes West in the genre of Michael Crichton, Matthew Reilly and Lee Child. Bring it on!” 5-Star Goodreads reviewer.
“. . . The US is breaking down, the race for a cure is on, and anything and everything—including bleeding babies and their mothers—is fair game . . . You will be hooked by the halfway point and will need to accept that the rest of your day will be spent reading this book . . . Bradley West's best book.” 5-Star Goodreads reviewer.
“I really enjoyed this timely book. The pacing was fast and I read the second half of the book in one sitting. I would even say the pace was frenetic at times! Read the book. You won't be disappointed.” 5-Star Goodreads reviewer.
“West has taken the art of weaving fact and fantasy in his conspiracy thrillers to the extent that often the boundaries get blurred. In short tight chapters, the story builds to a series of pounding crescendos. Dark Cure is a story of our times, told by a master storyteller.” 5-Star Goodreads reviewer.
356 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 4, 2020
About the author
Bradley West
6 books34 followersI've been blogging and writing full-time since 2014. After the Countless Lies trilogy concluded in 2019 with End of Lies, I took a year off as the sinister activities and mysteries on offer didn’t fuel my conspirator’s imagination. Starting in the second quarter of 2020, Singapore shut down along with most of the rest of the world. The combination of Covid-19’s unclear origins and a hermit’s lifestyle rekindled the writing bug and Dark Cure was the result.
There’s only a single major character overlap between Countless Lies and Dark Cure, so existing readers will have a new set of personalities to sink their teeth into. The timing is July 2020 and the setting is the San Francisco Bay Area. Covid-19 mutates into an even deadlier form, an experimental treatment confers immunity on a dying mother-to-be, mercenaries kidnap the baby to siphon his blood and we’re off to the races. The book takes place over a week and it’s an easy read that delivers plenty of intrigue, family tension, and action sequences against the backdrop of the U.S. in collapse.
The second book Hard Road appeared in the summer of 2021 and The Haven comes out in August 2022
* * * * *
I’m originally from Ohio but after a student stopover in London, I headed East and here I’ve stayed for thirty-nine years. Along the way, I’ve been fortunate enough to live mostly in Singapore but also logged many years in Hong Kong with stops in Kuala Lumpur, Bangalore and Colombo.
My fiction is the culmination of nagging doubts dating back over thirty years. In 1985 a leading Asia newspaper alleged that my housemate was the Singapore CIA chief of station. This came as news to both of us. I have questioned appearances versus reality ever since.
I’m a keen mountain biker, former baseball coach and avid fisherman. I enjoy red wine, dark chocolate and raucous friends around the table. If you’d like to connect, I’m on Twitter @TrueLiesBlog. I’m also on Facebook under Bradley West, Author.
There’s only a single major character overlap between Countless Lies and Dark Cure, so existing readers will have a new set of personalities to sink their teeth into. The timing is July 2020 and the setting is the San Francisco Bay Area. Covid-19 mutates into an even deadlier form, an experimental treatment confers immunity on a dying mother-to-be, mercenaries kidnap the baby to siphon his blood and we’re off to the races. The book takes place over a week and it’s an easy read that delivers plenty of intrigue, family tension, and action sequences against the backdrop of the U.S. in collapse.
The second book Hard Road appeared in the summer of 2021 and The Haven comes out in August 2022
* * * * *
I’m originally from Ohio but after a student stopover in London, I headed East and here I’ve stayed for thirty-nine years. Along the way, I’ve been fortunate enough to live mostly in Singapore but also logged many years in Hong Kong with stops in Kuala Lumpur, Bangalore and Colombo.
My fiction is the culmination of nagging doubts dating back over thirty years. In 1985 a leading Asia newspaper alleged that my housemate was the Singapore CIA chief of station. This came as news to both of us. I have questioned appearances versus reality ever since.
I’m a keen mountain biker, former baseball coach and avid fisherman. I enjoy red wine, dark chocolate and raucous friends around the table. If you’d like to connect, I’m on Twitter @TrueLiesBlog. I’m also on Facebook under Bradley West, Author.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews
December 5, 2020
“I’m not certain if it’s strictly allowed to thank a pathogen…”
Bradley West’s latest oeuvre is part medical thriller, part action book, part conspiracy theorising, and all exciting stuff. In this Year of Our COVID 2020, some folks might worry that we’ve had about as much pandemic as we can handle without reading a novel about it too, but hold fire. There is much more to West’s latest than this.
The author knows how to relate a rattling good narrative and create engaging characters, and there are many twists and turns along the way. As this is Part One of a planned trilogy, don’t expect all the loose ends to be neatly tied up – although some matters are resolved along the way. It’s a pacey read and difficult to put down once you’re hooked.
*** Taps fingers impatiently waiting for Book Two ***
Bradley West’s latest oeuvre is part medical thriller, part action book, part conspiracy theorising, and all exciting stuff. In this Year of Our COVID 2020, some folks might worry that we’ve had about as much pandemic as we can handle without reading a novel about it too, but hold fire. There is much more to West’s latest than this.
The author knows how to relate a rattling good narrative and create engaging characters, and there are many twists and turns along the way. As this is Part One of a planned trilogy, don’t expect all the loose ends to be neatly tied up – although some matters are resolved along the way. It’s a pacey read and difficult to put down once you’re hooked.
*** Taps fingers impatiently waiting for Book Two ***
November 15, 2020
From the first page through its 37 snappy chapters Dark Cure never slackens its frenetic pace. It steadily pulls in the reader over the first hundred pages and then drags her through sudden twists and turns in this action-packed medical thriller spun around a contemporary global phenomenon- a world, and more specifically the United States, wrestling with an out of control pandemic and the financial opportunity such a crisis inevitably presents.
A hallmark of Bradley West’s books is the deep research that goes into each effort, and this book is no different. Careful detail is offered with respect to the Covid 19 infection, its treatment, its future mutation, of SEAL Special Ops practices and weapons, the grimness of armed street protests in the US, among other things, to build a bed of authenticity on which fiction can be credibly crafted. Mr. West has taken the art of weaving fact and fantasy in his conspiracy thrillers to the extent that often the boundaries get blurred at many points.
Compared with the Lies trilogy, Dark Cure is a less complicated conspiracy thriller that cuts to the chase -pun intended. In short tight chapters, the story builds to a series of pounding crescendos. Unlike most thrillers that keep the good guys on the back-foot till the predictable comeback in the last chapter, this book is more like life itself with wins and losses randomly distributed among the heroes and the villains through the course of the story. The themes of a family coming together on the kidnapping of a baby, of the mother’s fanatic fight for her baby’s life, the deepening environmental and societal stresses that begin to impact individual lives and survival, are all developed very purposefully and will resonate with most readers. One is virtually a member of the ‘3M’ caravan on its thousand miles ride to safety, and of the extended Maggio family by the time one puts the book down. Dark Cure is a story of our times, told by a master story-teller! You will not be disappointed.
A hallmark of Bradley West’s books is the deep research that goes into each effort, and this book is no different. Careful detail is offered with respect to the Covid 19 infection, its treatment, its future mutation, of SEAL Special Ops practices and weapons, the grimness of armed street protests in the US, among other things, to build a bed of authenticity on which fiction can be credibly crafted. Mr. West has taken the art of weaving fact and fantasy in his conspiracy thrillers to the extent that often the boundaries get blurred at many points.
Compared with the Lies trilogy, Dark Cure is a less complicated conspiracy thriller that cuts to the chase -pun intended. In short tight chapters, the story builds to a series of pounding crescendos. Unlike most thrillers that keep the good guys on the back-foot till the predictable comeback in the last chapter, this book is more like life itself with wins and losses randomly distributed among the heroes and the villains through the course of the story. The themes of a family coming together on the kidnapping of a baby, of the mother’s fanatic fight for her baby’s life, the deepening environmental and societal stresses that begin to impact individual lives and survival, are all developed very purposefully and will resonate with most readers. One is virtually a member of the ‘3M’ caravan on its thousand miles ride to safety, and of the extended Maggio family by the time one puts the book down. Dark Cure is a story of our times, told by a master story-teller! You will not be disappointed.
April 3, 2021
In this tale, set in our current time frame, a deadlier new variant of COVID is unleashed upon the world, COVID-20. There is a promising cure/vaccine, but it it in limited supply and more lab tests are needed. Panic has broken out and the San Francisco Bay Area is a virtual war zone. Family patriarch, Sal Maggio, is making plans to evacuate his family to Canada, where he has property where the family can live in safety. Unfortunately, Sal's daughter, Stephanie, and newborn grandson, Tyson, are kidnapped by an unscrupulous business partner and held for ransom. This exciting story moves between the efforts of Sal and a team of seasoned veterans to rescue his grandson and daughter and the evil actions and intentions of the kidnappers. Helping the kidnappers and working on the cure for the COVID-20 is evil scientist, Katerina. This book is quite riveting and has many interesting plot twists. I am looking forward to new books in the series, as we are left without the quest being fully resolved. I would highly recommend this book.
December 29, 2020
Another meticulously detailed and researched thriller by this gifted author. Well before the current realities of Covid variants and possible mutations, Bradley West crafted this fast-paced and vivid page-turner which takes the reader through the terrifying ravages of a Covid-20 virus, and with all the ingredients of a gripping novel. This is the kind of book you could easily read in a weekend -- and then want to read it again next weekend. Time to go back and re-read the Lies trilogy while I wait for the 2nd in the Cure series!
July 9, 2022
[I was given a free copy of this book by the author in exchange for a review through Voracious Readers Only]
This was a fantastic novel and easily the most engrossing thriller I’ve read in a long time! The plot is action-packed right from the start and pretty much never lets up on the fast pace and suspense until the end. I was so worried for Stephanie and Tyson and the other Maggios and could barely stop reading to find out if the two would be rescued. The worst-case COVID-19 mutation scenario is portrayed very realistically and even though it was published early in the pandemic, this book has aged well in its foresight in many ways despite its alternate COVID timeline. The other details in the story as well as the characters themselves feel very real, even the minor ones. West’s research for the story along with his storytelling skills combine wonderfully in this gripping apocalyptic thriller and I would definitely recommend to any fans of the genre.
This was a fantastic novel and easily the most engrossing thriller I’ve read in a long time! The plot is action-packed right from the start and pretty much never lets up on the fast pace and suspense until the end. I was so worried for Stephanie and Tyson and the other Maggios and could barely stop reading to find out if the two would be rescued. The worst-case COVID-19 mutation scenario is portrayed very realistically and even though it was published early in the pandemic, this book has aged well in its foresight in many ways despite its alternate COVID timeline. The other details in the story as well as the characters themselves feel very real, even the minor ones. West’s research for the story along with his storytelling skills combine wonderfully in this gripping apocalyptic thriller and I would definitely recommend to any fans of the genre.
March 22, 2021
Review through Voracious Readers Only
I love a good action thriller and this did not disappoint. This was a very realistic read in today's day and age. I hope it doesn't come to this but that streak of realism definately rang through.
It took me a bit to get the characters all sorted in my head but once I did , it all linked together well. Sal is a hero in my eyes! I recommend this read to anyone who likes a current high action read! 5 Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I love a good action thriller and this did not disappoint. This was a very realistic read in today's day and age. I hope it doesn't come to this but that streak of realism definately rang through.
It took me a bit to get the characters all sorted in my head but once I did , it all linked together well. Sal is a hero in my eyes! I recommend this read to anyone who likes a current high action read! 5 Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
June 11, 2021
A riveting thriller of a book. When Covid-19 mutates into Covid-20 and people start dying in greater numbers and the whole country is going crazy, a possible cure is found, a newborn baby is kidnapped, and one man tries desperately to get his family to a safe place to ride it out. This book keeps your heart pumping from beginning to end. Fans of dystopian novels will love this one.
November 22, 2020
Ace conspiracy author Brad West is at it again. This time the theme revolves around a biological virus threatening the country and possibly the world. Classic protagonist/antagonistic rivalries duel with power, greed and ultimately a family’s survival. There are double crosses, broken trust, steadfastness and lightning decisions ripping through the pages like a circuit of fuses making the reader ponder an array of possible conclusions. Some of the characters will feel like old friends if you are an avid West reader while others weave and dance through the novel via clever dialogue against the backdrop of a geography the author obviously knows well. Like his earlier efforts, West blends salient themes in his vision allowing the reader nods to the possible which lend credibility to his tale. Dialogue blisters in a snap focused pace in this latest offering without defacing his usual attention to thematic detail.
Dark Cure is a must read for not only West disciples, but for those new to his laser focus on behalf of his genre.
Dark Cure is a must read for not only West disciples, but for those new to his laser focus on behalf of his genre.
November 13, 2020
This was brilliant I had not read this author before but have read other pandemic books recently. Somehow it makes me feel better whilst recovering from long covid.
I am really glad we don't live in this time of world but it does emphasis that we need to make changes to our way of live and hoping that one of the after effects of covid would be a rethink of climate change and pandemic planning.
I really needed to find out how the family would out of the situation, now I really want to know what happens next.
It is that gripping. Very well researched. I really liked the summary of characters at the beginning and I did have to refer back for the minor characters. The only issue I had was I can't work out how much money had been spent, money was just being thrown everywhere.
I was given an advance copy of the book by the author in exchange for an honest and fair review which I have done.
I am really glad we don't live in this time of world but it does emphasis that we need to make changes to our way of live and hoping that one of the after effects of covid would be a rethink of climate change and pandemic planning.
I really needed to find out how the family would out of the situation, now I really want to know what happens next.
It is that gripping. Very well researched. I really liked the summary of characters at the beginning and I did have to refer back for the minor characters. The only issue I had was I can't work out how much money had been spent, money was just being thrown everywhere.
I was given an advance copy of the book by the author in exchange for an honest and fair review which I have done.
August 26, 2021
Utterly gripping, taut plot that is disturbingly plausible
A tightly woven bio-terrorism thriller that grabs the reader's attention from the outset.
A covid-resistant baby and mother being hunted as collateral in a deadly race to develop a vaccine -
Dark Cure leaves the reader pondering "what if...." with the terrifying prospect of real life imitating fiction.
Thoroughly researched and at a fast pace in the hallmark Bradley West style, yet different to his "Countless Lies" trilogy, West's latest book will appeal to a broad audience.
The first in West's "Dark Plague" series with "Hard Road" to follow, "Dark Cure" firmly establishes West in the genre of Michael Crichton, Matthew Reilly and Lee Child. Bring it on !
A tightly woven bio-terrorism thriller that grabs the reader's attention from the outset.
A covid-resistant baby and mother being hunted as collateral in a deadly race to develop a vaccine -
Dark Cure leaves the reader pondering "what if...." with the terrifying prospect of real life imitating fiction.
Thoroughly researched and at a fast pace in the hallmark Bradley West style, yet different to his "Countless Lies" trilogy, West's latest book will appeal to a broad audience.
The first in West's "Dark Plague" series with "Hard Road" to follow, "Dark Cure" firmly establishes West in the genre of Michael Crichton, Matthew Reilly and Lee Child. Bring it on !
November 29, 2020
If you are tired of COVID-19, then read this book and focus on COVID-20, a mutated version of the virus that appears in this fictional thriller. Deadlier than COVID-19, the country turns into a dystopian nightmare, fighting the virus and each other to make a cure. This book reminded me of "The Stand" by Stephen King, only drawn out into multiple books. I am anxiously waiting for the next installment. This book is dark and emotional, which happens to be my favorite kind of books, so I loved it!
I cannot imagine a book that represents the internal terror that many of us have gone through this year. Extremely relevant and moving, I recommend "Dark Cure" to any reader.
I received a free advance review copy of this book in exchange for my open and honest opinion.
I cannot imagine a book that represents the internal terror that many of us have gone through this year. Extremely relevant and moving, I recommend "Dark Cure" to any reader.
I received a free advance review copy of this book in exchange for my open and honest opinion.
November 12, 2020
Bradley's best book and competitive with the more popular "thriller" authors out there. The premise was timely, but also very clever in how it projects us forward. Forward to a time, were the US is breaking down, where the race for a cure is on, and where anything and everything -- including bleeding babies and their mothers -- is fair game. Additionally, the character development is very interesting. I guarantee by the end of the book, you will have your favourites and some you are happy to see get in harm's way. You will be hooked by the halfway point and will need to accept that the rest of your day will be spent reading this book.
November 16, 2020
Another masterpiece from Bradley West who is rapidly establishing himself as a master of the conspiracy thriller genre after his stunning debut with the “Lies” trilogy. Like the Lies series, it is a page turner which is difficult to put down. Without giving too much away Dark Cure is an all too plausible account of what will almost certainly happen when a deadly virus grips a population in fear, with what is now becoming a Brad West hallmark of meticulously researched detail backing up the technical aspects of the plot. I am now eagerly awaiting the next instalment, part 2 of this trilogy.
November 16, 2020
Dark Cure differs from West's earlier novels and extends his repertoire and style in positive directions.
The action takes place in mid-2020 with a second, always fatal Covid outbreak turning normal life inside out: babies held as "blood bags" and vaccines that could save millions hoarded by elites.
The action is fast-paced and the author supplies insights and information on lab research and vaccine propagation techniques with thought-provoking observations about how we all might have to live our future lives off-grid if chaos truly descends.
I'm now in suspense waiting for the sequel!
The action takes place in mid-2020 with a second, always fatal Covid outbreak turning normal life inside out: babies held as "blood bags" and vaccines that could save millions hoarded by elites.
The action is fast-paced and the author supplies insights and information on lab research and vaccine propagation techniques with thought-provoking observations about how we all might have to live our future lives off-grid if chaos truly descends.
I'm now in suspense waiting for the sequel!
November 12, 2020
Dark Cure is a serious departure from author West's earlier conspiracy fiction. It presents a gripping take on a modern society's devolution in the face of a highly contagious and deadly pandemic. Part "Lord of the Flies" and part "Contagion", Dark Cure keeps readers engaged with well-developed characters, page-turning action, and an evolving plot that strays from it's expected course. Well worth the read.
November 12, 2020
I really enjoyed this timely book. The pacing was fast and I read the second half of the book in one sitting. I would even say the pace was frenetic at times! Silly me, I didn't realize this was a trilogy until I read the last page! Can't wait for the next two. Also some old characters from Brad's previous Lies Trilogy make an appearance, though it is not necessary to have read the Lies trilogy to read this one. Read the book. You won't be disappointed.
November 12, 2020
I have read all of the books written by up and coming novelist Bradley West and this is at par or even better that the Lies trilogy. I couldn't put down the book as its action packed & up to date with the latest events surrounding Covid19 global epidemic. Very impressed with the authors' knowledge around the vaccines for Covid 19.
Cant wait for the continuation of this book.
Highly recommended!
Definitely a homer!
Cant wait for the continuation of this book.
Highly recommended!
Definitely a homer!
November 17, 2020
Barely halfway through ... West has yet again come up with a timely and enthralling thriller that's makes you wonder "OMG .. could this really happen!!!". Virtual reality in paper at its best! You wanna go slow so it lasts longer but can't wait to get to the ending at the same time ... bed time dilemma I tell you!
November 18, 2020
A very timely release on a topical event, much similar to West's first book as an author. However, this one sucks you in immediately and the writing is easier to transform into imagery. West continues to lace the fiction with his interpretations of real events, which spices up the experience. A fast paced quick read during lockdown.
November 19, 2020
I really enjoyed this book. It was very nerve wracking, considering everything that is happening in the world right now. But, I was not disappointed at all. Fast paced, real characters, twists, turns, I am really starting to enjoy conspiracy thrillers... I will definitely be checking out more of the author's works.
November 23, 2020
Exciting fast paced thriller I couldn’t put down. While I enjoyed the excitement of the “Shoot ‘um up” scenes, I really loved the interpersonal relationships between the characters in the story. Can’t wait for the next book.
December 12, 2020
I received a complimentary copy of the book from the author via Voracious Readers Only.
I like the idea behind the book, but could not finish it. I found too many things in the book that just didn’t make any sense to me.
The beginning scene has the family at the hospital all together (which isn’t realistic) and then Sal later states he’s going to do an “in-person assembly, COVID be damned”
Sal also stated that his daughter’s immune system would fight off the virus, but on the next page states that she’s immune compromised and is worried. It’s not consistent.
The sentence “I wouldn’t trust a coyote, in Mexico they’re crooks” I’m not sure if this was meant about the guide and a racist term or what it even had to do with the story.
I found there to be a lot of religious overtones.
At one point Fraiser says he talks to Steph’s Doctor. He wouldn’t have been able to get any information from the Doctor due to HIPAA.
Sal cashed in all his life insurance policies, home equity loan, retirement, etc. That is suspicious behavior, especially while there’s an arson case going on. We have to assume he’s a suspect.
I had to stop after that because I was becoming frustrated with there being parts that just didn’t make sense.
I like the idea behind the book, but could not finish it. I found too many things in the book that just didn’t make any sense to me.
The beginning scene has the family at the hospital all together (which isn’t realistic) and then Sal later states he’s going to do an “in-person assembly, COVID be damned”
Sal also stated that his daughter’s immune system would fight off the virus, but on the next page states that she’s immune compromised and is worried. It’s not consistent.
The sentence “I wouldn’t trust a coyote, in Mexico they’re crooks” I’m not sure if this was meant about the guide and a racist term or what it even had to do with the story.
I found there to be a lot of religious overtones.
At one point Fraiser says he talks to Steph’s Doctor. He wouldn’t have been able to get any information from the Doctor due to HIPAA.
Sal cashed in all his life insurance policies, home equity loan, retirement, etc. That is suspicious behavior, especially while there’s an arson case going on. We have to assume he’s a suspect.
I had to stop after that because I was becoming frustrated with there being parts that just didn’t make sense.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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December 3, 2021Covid apocalypse
Covid 20, more deadly than covid 19, hits the country .
In the beginning , a pregnant woman is dying and receiving last rites when she codes. She is surreptitiously given a shot of an unproven vaccine . She is resuscitated and taken to the OR for a C-section, resulting in a healthy son. The man who bought the company that developed the vaccine is enraged when he doesn't get the vaccine and documentation as expected so he has the baby kidnapped . He wants to develop a cure.
Evil people , lots of fighting and death . Three groups of people to two as some change sides. Lots of conspiracy and bribery . Anarchy reigns as attempts to secure survival goods and find the baby. Lots of family infighting. San Francisco and environs are a war zone.
A couple of typos. I am glad this is only a 3 book apocalyptic series as I have read some that were longer and I stopped reading . Obviously I will read more. 4 stars because although I like the style of writing it can be chaotic reading at times .
Covid 20, more deadly than covid 19, hits the country .
In the beginning , a pregnant woman is dying and receiving last rites when she codes. She is surreptitiously given a shot of an unproven vaccine . She is resuscitated and taken to the OR for a C-section, resulting in a healthy son. The man who bought the company that developed the vaccine is enraged when he doesn't get the vaccine and documentation as expected so he has the baby kidnapped . He wants to develop a cure.
Evil people , lots of fighting and death . Three groups of people to two as some change sides. Lots of conspiracy and bribery . Anarchy reigns as attempts to secure survival goods and find the baby. Lots of family infighting. San Francisco and environs are a war zone.
A couple of typos. I am glad this is only a 3 book apocalyptic series as I have read some that were longer and I stopped reading . Obviously I will read more. 4 stars because although I like the style of writing it can be chaotic reading at times .
June 11, 2021
A new thrill ride from Bradley West steeped in intrigue and dark adventure drawing upon the fears and related mania from current Covid events. A shocking, but probably all too real, melt down of societal norms stemming from a wildfire like spread of the next, and more infectious and deadly, strain of Covid disease (Covid-20). Amidst the chaos, we find ourselves rooting for a dysfunctional, but multi-skilled extended family, and the friends they collect on the way to getting the hell out of dodge, but not before having to deal with kidnappings, assorted extortions and related gun battles! Fast paced, riveting and concentrated with exactingly choreographed and detailed action sequences means you'll be hooked from the get go and anxiously awaiting for more! A thrill writers master class!
January 2, 2021
Dark Cure is an exciting start to a new thriller series by West. Similar to the stories in his Countless Lies Trilogy, the plot unfolds at a fast pace. And West’s heroes and heroines are authentic. If you’re young, you’ll find one that you would like to be, and if you’re old, you’ll find one that you wish you had been. This is a timely novel. If the new UK strain of Covid was as deadly as it is contagious, the breakdown of society and civil disorder that provides the backdrop for this story is a plausible scenario.
March 5, 2021
A great addictive thriller about a man trying to get his family away from civilisation to a safe place where they will be safe. He has one cure for covid that he gives to a medical firm to reproduce. He has to fight off people trying to steal the cure off him to use themselves and people kidnapping his grandchild to try and blackmail him and even worse. He is dealing with criminals that will do whatever they need to steal off him what he needs to protect him and his family.
I received a complimentary copy of the book from the author via Voracious Readers Only.
I received a complimentary copy of the book from the author via Voracious Readers Only.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 4, 2022
This book was good, just not a great read for me.
It was a great pace and had a spooky quality to the story as it's talking about our current pandemic.
Unfortunately, I found the story lines hard to follow, so much was happening and it flipped between everyone's story so quickly. First person POV's were changed with no indication. It became confusing in some instances.
It also became hard to connect to some of the characters as there were a huge amount of them. Someone would be hurt or their life would be in danger and I wouldn't really care.
It was a great pace and had a spooky quality to the story as it's talking about our current pandemic.
Unfortunately, I found the story lines hard to follow, so much was happening and it flipped between everyone's story so quickly. First person POV's were changed with no indication. It became confusing in some instances.
It also became hard to connect to some of the characters as there were a huge amount of them. Someone would be hurt or their life would be in danger and I wouldn't really care.
January 8, 2021
A action packed thriller that is hard to put down. Based around the pandemic Covid 19 it turns into a more deadly form with chilling effect. 'Dark Cure' is well researched and as the plot unravels draws you away into the world of Bradly West.
August 4, 2021
This is a action packed dark, medical thriller, with and exciting plot and strong characters. A realistic, heart pounding, nerve wracking, hard to put down, cleverly written, fast paced, revering read.
I received a copy of this book free from VRO and this is my voluntary honest review.
I received a copy of this book free from VRO and this is my voluntary honest review.
December 17, 2020
This is a good read based on our current pandemic that has mutated into a much more deadly virus and how far people could go, both good and bad, in the search for a cure. A thriller of a ride.
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