Bifurcation Point…Survive the Night Papua (Survive the Night Series, book 1)

SCI-FI:  Tess Camon’s parents were biomedical engineers researching prion diseases and gene editing. Her mother died when she was young. Now an adult, Tess has a genius IQ, a degree in biomedical engineering and has served as a medic in the Army with Special Forces units.  She plans to follow in her parents’ footsteps. Now, with a new prion found in the Papuan rainforest, she relocates to Papua New Guinea to learn more. Soon, she discovers her work could lead to global devastation and her own government cannot be trusted. With the clock ticking down, and few friends to help, Tess must save the planet from an outbreak of the most devastating bioweapon ever—one her parents are to blame for. Will she survive the night when things reach their bifurcation point?

Strap in for a genetic engineering story strong in characterizing and creativity! This is not a romance and does not offer a HEA, but it does deliver action and thriller-style questions that keep readers engaged. The relationship between Tess and Michael is refreshing, even if it isn't romantic. Although the stakes are high, the conflicts in the story feel weak in comparison. The fast-paced action, although entertaining, leads to some choppy scenes and confusing prose, especially when multiple characters populate the same sentence or paragraph. Readers who enjoy smoking guns, questionable government purposes and military/medical thrillers that end with cliffhangers will delight in “Bifurcation Point”.

Emerson Matthews