Shadow of Eden reads like a brilliantly executed slice of cinema intrigue, with a sequel sure to follow in its wake. It is a rat-a-tat triangulated tale of medical murder, corporate greed, political complexity, and international intrigue, woven seamlessly around Dr. Steve James -- an everyday-kind-of-guy who unwittingly finds himself smack in the middle of a drug killing-field called Eden, a drug that he has prescribed to many of his patients, a drug that has sent its consumers into terrifying fits of insanity before their demise, a drug that has amassed billions for Trident Pharmaceuticals and CEO Victor Morloch. The current financial prospectus looks good regarding the next evolution of Eden until dead patients start piling up. Enter ex-FBI hired assassins who quickly work to eliminate key researchers who are beginning to ask questions, and put Dr. James on the run for his life. How possible might it be for the President of the United States to be taking this drug? Very. How critical a situation? Extremely, with the President's cabinet and the power players of the Senate burning the midnight oil to avert an unmitigated US/China disaster as the President mumbles to himself incoherently, disconnected with reality.

Kirby has created a suspenseful thriller, populated with a cast of highly believable characters operating in extraordinary circumstances. The action scenes are heart pumping, and the nerve-racking countdown to a possible nuclear war with China a nail-biter. I read through the night on this one; something I rarely do.

This is a tour de force gripping read, which clearly demonstrates Louis Kirby is a gifted storyteller who has crafted a smart thriller of ingenious composition, populated with unforgettable characters. Indeed, the key players tend to lie about one's mind long after the book has been finished and put away. Kirby should well consider himself on the path to a second career.

If you like techno-thrillers from authors like A.G. Riddle, Michael Crichton, or Kathy Reichs, you're going to love Louis Kirby. But don't start the book anywhere near bedtime, the first seven chapters won't let you go; and the rest will keep you awake until the end.

It's not often you find a neurologist who can speak English to regular folks without making you run away. Rarer still, is the doctor who can turn a career of studying neurodegenerative diseases (Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, etc) into an understandable story. But Dr. Kirby is far better than his peers.

Shadow of Eden weaves a fascinating story that will fill you with page-turning anxiety and keep you engaged for hours.

From the opening scene in which an airliner plummets to the earth, through the death-defying car chase, to the final foot race through Washington, DC, you will be cheering your hero's drive to expose an evil pharmaceutical kingpin and save the country from an unwinnable war.

The bottom line: Shadow of Eden is a chilling, prophetic thriller and a terrific début that will keep you up late with exciting action and unexpected twists.

Read the full review on my website seeleyjames.com

Shadow of Eden by Louis Kirby, M.D. is a thriller of a book, but it's so much more than that.

The different levels run the gambit from our society's obsession with thinness at any cost to the sway of power and money with an even higher price tag.

I usually don't read this type of action-packed, plot driven novel. However, after finishing Shadow of Eden in two days because I couldn’t leave it alone, I wonder why I’ve put limits on my reading list. As usually happens, when I step out of my reading pigeonhole, surprising things happen.

At first, the number of characters and the changing names with each new chapter caused some confusion. However, as the layers of the story began to coalesce, I forgot about trying to keep all the names straight and went for the enjoyment of losing myself in the story. While the characters and their traits are important to the story, they aren’t as important as the speeding plot heading for a collision with the climax of the story.

I like the short chapters, too. This technique allows the plot to move forward quickly, and I didn’t have much of a chance to wonder if I knew who everyone was or if I was enjoying the genre or not. Who can stop to analyze when the novel’s train has already left the station and sped around the corner? That's a good thing for me when I read. As a writer myself, I spend far too much time taking apart the guts of what I'm reading. When I stop doing that and allow myself to be transported into a story, then I know the author has done what all good writing should do. Good writing gives the reader the opportunity to forget they're reading. Good writing transports the reader into the cockpit of a jet, even though the reader has never been inside of one. Good writing transcends believability because no matter what comes next, the reader has become lost in the setting and conflicts and plot. Dr. Kirby’s writing falls into this category.

Dr. Kirby delved into subject matter that required a tremendous amount of research. His standing as a respected neurologist and founder of a facility specializing in human drug testing gave him very specific knowledge of the body and its reaction to foreign substances; his knowledge of jets, government infrastructure, and corporation duplicity shines through in this novel for a fast read and a vast amount of tracks to explore.

I’m a fan of both Dr. Kirby and the action-packed thriller after reading Shadow of Eden.