Monday With Kaye: Panacea by F. Paul Wilson (Reviewed by Kaye George)

Like zombie novels anything billed as a medical thriller is a no go for me right off the bat. For this final Friday in August,  Kaye George reviews the July release of Panacea by F. Paul Wilson. 

Unfortunately, this also marks the final Monday With Kaye blog post for awhile. Kaye has a lot going on and desperately needs to take a break. With huge thanks and anticipation of her glorious return to this time slot sometime in the future....

 

Panacea by F. Paul Wilson

Here’s a medical, slightly supernatural thriller from this multi-dimensional writer, and it’s a good one. I believe this is a stand alone, but there could be more planned.

The storyline touches down in the Yucatan, Israel, and other places—usually with disastrous results. However, Laura Fanning, medical examiner for Suffolk County, and her silent, dangerous-looking bodyguard, feel they’re drawing closer to discovering what the panacea is about with each foray.

Laura has a daughter who is recovering from cancer and is in precarious condition. Laura is reluctant to leave her with her father (Laura’s ex), but she receives a stupendous offer from an ailing billionaire to journey to a Mayan village and learn about a miracle cure. She’s the perfect person for the job because of her medical knowledge and because she’s half Mayan and speaks the local language.

It all starts amid an arson investigation with a murdered victim. It appears that the dead man has been growing something in his house, marijuana is what law enforcement assumes. When another case pops up that is almost identical, people take notice. Both victims have similar back tattoos and both were connected with a startling series of seemingly miraculous recoveries from unrelated illnesses. On her journeys, Laura finds herself entangled with two opposing groups, one called 536 and the other called the panaceans. The latter has possibly been secretly curing people for centuries and the former has been attempting to prevent them for almost as long.

Laura not only has to deal with the warring clandestine factions with some incredible abilities, and searching for a cure she doesn’t believe exists, but also is having problems trusting her bodyguard—while being drawn to him against her will.

Complete with twists and turns and high adventure, this thriller will grip you to the end.

Reviewed by Kaye George, author of Eine Kleine Murder, for Suspense Magazine