First published 2019
Physician and researcher Matt McCarthy leads a clinical trial testing new antibiotics against superbugs, bacteria that resist existing life-saving medications. The trial becomes urgent as patients arrive with infections that conventional treatments cannot cure. McCarthy treats Remy, a teenager fighting a dangerous rare infection, and Donny, a retired New York City firefighter whose compromised immune system leaves him vulnerable. As the trial progresses, McCarthy traces the history of bacterial resistance from Alexander Fleming's penicillin discovery through modern DNA manipulation techniques like CRISPR. He searches for innovative medicines in unexpected places, including soil samples that might yield new compounds. The stakes climb as his patients' conditions worsen and time runs short. McCarthy must determine whether his experimental antibiotic can save lives that hang in the balance, representing hope for patients who have exhausted all other medical options. The trial results will determine the future direction of humanity's fight against bacterial infections that grow stronger while our medical arsenal grows weaker.
Genres: science, medical, non-fiction, health, 21st-century, academic
Vibes: emotional, fast-paced, thought-provoking
Tropes: against-the-clock, high-stakes
Setting: New York City
Period: Modern
304 pages · Hardcover · Avery