Malice by Jennifer Jaynes – a #BookReview

Title: Malice by Jennifer Jaynes

Genre: Psychological Thrillers, Murder, Women’s Fiction Contemporary

Publisher: Thomas & Mercer

Publication Date: Happy Publication Day! September 25, 2018

Source: Publisher and NetGalley

Title and Cover: Malice – Dark subject matter

Book Blurb: The perfect life becomes the perfect nightmare in a twisting novel of psychological suspense from #1 USA Today bestselling author Jennifer Jaynes…

Dr. Daniel Winters is living a fairy-tale life. He has a beachfront home in Malibu, a career as a respected pediatrician at a thriving Los Angeles practice, and a gorgeous new wife, Mia. For a man whose past was rife with mental illness, addiction, and thoughts of suicide, it seems too good to be true.

Then Daniel learns that a fellow pediatrician and his family were found slaughtered in their home. It’s just the first chip in the facade of Daniel’s perfect life. Little by little, everything starts to fall away. At work, his career becomes at risk when he’s asked to remain silent about a dangerous new drug. At home, Mia has gone from an affectionate newlywed to a mysterious woman carefully hiding secrets—and possibly a lover.

Then, another doctor is found dead, and as Mia’s behavior becomes increasingly suspicious, Daniel begins to wonder: Is paranoia getting the best of him…or has his fairy-tale life become a nightmare worse than he could have ever imagined?

There’s a lot of bad doctors out there, but protagonist Dr. Daniel Winters isn’t one of them. He’s a pediatrician in a high profile, successful LA practice. He is a newlywed with wife, Mia, too drop-dead gorgeous to be believed but he suspiciously continues the relationship until he feels confident enough about her to commit.

Dr. Dan is back from his honeymoon, still basking in the glow, when back at his practice sees the Respira posters and receives the hype of a new drug the practice is widely promoting for their little patients. Dr. Dan, having attended the rep’s presentation is somewhat hesitant but reassured that the drug is a safe drug, part of a new class called “immunoceuticals.” It is meant to protect against rhinovirus and boost the child’s immune system. They began administering the 3-step inoculation during his absence and seem pretty convinced that it will provide protection to recipients as well as those they contact. (Here’s where it starts getting sticky.)

AH! If you are a parent, especially an older generation parent, there were certain “schedules” you followed to immunize your child safely through those fragile years from everything from measles to polio. You trusted that you were doing right by your child. The world of pharmaceuticals began a radical change in medicine, however, creating a more focused look at what children were routinely receiving. Dr. Dan begins to administer the inoculations on his little patients, including little 18-month-old Suzie. It doesn’t go well and he begins to get glimmers there may be a problem.

The well-plotted multi-level story begins to twist into a dark account, wild but believable, scary but a little too plausible. That’s the problem, in today’s world of non-stop prescription commercials, it’s just a little too easy to envision this could, or perhaps has, happened. Enter the sub-plot, that of Dr. Dan’s beautiful wife. It’s obvious she has a whole boatload of baggage she hasn’t divulged to new fragile ego hubby and he begins second-guessing her activities. Though on the other hand, he hasn’t completely been open and honest in revealing his suitcases either. Communication with his bride is not a strong suit.

Chapter POV’s are divvied up between major characters, Dr. Daniel Winters, Mia, and Rachel, Suzie’s mother. The story has no lag, no filler, no behind the scenes activity. Dr. Winters is rebuffed when he tries to present the negatives he found with his research to the practice associates and events turn ugly.

“Daniel found it disturbing that a patient’s mother had read a package insert, yet the first time he ever had was just this week.”

A plot-driven narrative, this one begins a race to a conclusion that leaves the reader totally stunned into shocked silence. How in the world did this all go SO sideways?

I literally blew through this read in a day–could NOT put it down. It’s a fast, easy read but grips like few others. A standalone and my first experience with this author, I’ll be on the lookout for anything else by her I can get my hands on. I was given this download by the publisher and NetGalley and greatly appreciated the opportunity to read (and soon as my heart rate slows back down maybe I can finish the review). Recommended for any who love to sink their teeth into a psychological thriller they are helpless to let go.

Rosepoint Publishing:  Five of Five Stars 

The Author: (Jennifer Jaynes) I’m a novelist, wife, and mommy to the most wonderful twin four-year-olds on the planet.

While earning my bachelor’s degree in Health Sciences at Old Dominion University and a certificate from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, I did a little bit of everything to pay the bills. I’ve been a gas station attendant, waitress, a dancing waitress, beer girl, shot girl, bartender, closing coordinator, executive assistant, medical assistant, EMT, content manager, webmaster, news publisher, editor, copywriter, weight loss coach and publishing consultant.

However, through it all, what I really wanted to be was a novelist.

It’s been a very long, and sometimes difficult road, but in 2011, I finally began living my dream with the release of my debut thriller, Never Smile at Strangers. To date, Never Smile at Strangers has earned a place on the USA Today Bestseller’s list, the #1 spot (across all categories) in the Barnes & Noble’s Nook Store, has graced the Top 5 in the mystery/suspense category in the Kindle Store multiple times, and has appeared in the Top 25 in the Kindle Store (across all categories).

In 2014, Thomas & Mercer acquired the rights to Never Smile at Strangers and re-released it January 2015. They also bought the rights to my second novel, Ugly Young Thing, that released in March 2015.

I LOVE to connect with my readers. You can find me at http://www.ProjectJennifer.com, http://www.Facebook.com/NeverSmileatStrangers and http://www.Twitter.com/jenniferjaynes7. (To receive book updates, please subscribe at http://www.ProjectJennifer.com.)

©2018 V Williams