Author: Amy S. Peele

Publisher: She WritesPress

ISBN: 978-1-64742-245-51

Amy S. Peele’s recentnovel, Hold: A Medical Murder Mystery, highlightshow pivotal clinical trials are in assessing the safety and efficacyof new drugs and medical procedures.

Undeniably, it becomes anissue when these firms are linked to venture bankers, where businessneeds can override scientific intent.

The kickoff chapter of thenarrative introduces us to Sarah Golden and her best friend, JackieLarsen, both residing in San Francisco.

Sarah is employed at theSan Francisco Global Transplant Institute and manages thecoordinators who work for the researchers. Her boss is Dr. Bower,whom she feels considerable respect and reverence until she learnssome distressing news about him.

We further hear that sheis in a romantic long-distance relationship with Rodney, who has beengiven the nickname Handsome. He is a cop working in Miami and willplay a crucial role in figuring out a crime.

Sarah's dear buddy Jackiehad just obtained her P.I. License and could barely wait to start hernew career. Previously, she had been involved in some amateursleuthing that nearly cost her and Sarah their lives in trying tofigure out a medical mystery.

The women are nowholidaying in Cuba, thanks to a gift given to them by Handsome andJackie’s partner, Laura. Sarah and Jackie both assured theirpartners that they had given up the detective business.

While in Cuba, they meetwith a Dr. Lopez, Chief of Transplant at the Havana medical center.Sarah reached out to him before taking off for Cuba, inquiring if hecould suggest a guide and permission to tour his transplant center.Little did Sarah and Jackie realize the perilous road they would beled down when they met Dr. Lopez at the medical center and theirsubsequent lunch date with him.

In their introductoryencounter with Dr. Lopez, they are briefed that the transplantcommunity had lost four of its distinguished immunologists in a fatalcar crash. Sadly, the catastrophic disaster occurred before theupcoming immunology conference in Chicago to examine their findingssurrounding inducing tolerance for kidney transplant patients. Theseconclusions concentrated on the prospect of the body not rejecting akidney or any other organ without the use of drugs long term. In thatcase, patients will be free of these drugs’ troublesome sideeffects. 

Sarah is moved by thistragic news, mainly because she recognized all these immunologists,and one of them, Dr. McKee, even worked in her institute’sprograms.

Dr. Lopez informs Sarahthat he requires her assistance concerning the research conducted bythe four deceased doctors. Evidently, they had shared with him, andoff the record, the protocol they were using for the tolerance study.Sadly, when Dr. Lopez applied it with one hundred patients, none didwell. A number even died. He was about to send the data summary toDr. McKee when he heard about his fatal accident.

Sarah pointed out to Dr.Lopez that she knew very little about the study and it would beprudent to approach Dr. Bower. Dr. Lopez responds that Dr. Bower wasuninformed of his participation with the four deceased doctors. Hefurther appeals to Sarah if she could help him and his family escapeCuba. As Dr. Lopez mentions to Sarah, his life is in jeopardy becauseof his participation in the trial in the tolerance study. He furtherhoped his research would open doors to academic appointments in thestates. Dr. Lopez schedules to meet Sarah and Jackie the next day forlunch.

The narrative veers whenwe meet Victor Bosworth, CEO of the pharmaceutical company Lago. Heand his company colleagues are troubled that the disastrousmisfortune of the four immunologists may put the spotlight on theircompany as potential culprits. Their company would have the most tolose if inducing tolerance is successful. The entire industry isvalued at roughly five billion dollars. 

When Sarah and Jackieencounter Dr. Lopez for lunch, little do they realize that all miseryis about to break loose. The two discover an envelope left by Dr.Lopez when he leaves the restaurant. They likewise notice that theyare being watched. 

As the tale unfolds, wewill learn the seriousness of the envelope’s contents, which iscritical data from Dr. Lopez’s research study. As we read more ofthe story, we discover that Lago pharmaceutical company receivessubstantial financing from a venture capitalist, Leland Ackerley, whorepresents several investors. 

Ackerley and Bosworth werecollege buddies and have remained close friends. Ackerley is notthrilled to hear about Dr. Lopez’s study. He and his investorswould lose a bundle if their venture to invest in Lago did notmaterialize. 

Both Ackerley and Bosworthare devious characters, and nothing will stop them from ensuring thatLago’s profits are not harmed. This will include drugging Sarah andattacking Jackie’s grandmother to send a message that whateverSarah knows about Dr. Lopez’s study must not see the light of day.

As a former nurse employedas Director of Clinical Operations at the University of California,San Francisco, Peele has masterfully integrated her expertise andtraining in crafting this mesmerizing thriller.

The narrative triumphs asboth a mystery and a reminder that the pharmaceutical industry, oneof the largest and wealthiest industries, can be culpable ofunethical clinical trials. Sometimes, data is falsified. Protocol isthrown out the window, and researchers manipulate their findings. Asa result, the results are distorted. When identified, it may be toolate to remedy the damage caused to patients who have been harmed androbbed of quality healthcare.

Follow Here To Read Norm's Interview With Amy S. Peele