Lost Immunity by Daniel Kalla is a recommended medical thriller.

Lisa Dyer, Seattle’s chief public health officer, is suddenly facing a deadly outbreak of meningitis. The same strain broke out in Iceland six months earlier, with devastating losses. This outbreak explicitly emerged at a nearby camp and the virulent strain of bacteria is now infecting teens and children. Due to the Icelandic outbreak, a pharmaceutical company immediately began work on developing a vaccine and is currently commencing final-phase trials on it. Lisa contacts Nathan Hull, vice president of the pharmaceutical company that developed the new vaccine, and requests doses of it to release to Seattle's citizens in order to stop the meningitis outbreak and save lives. This decision is met with resistance from several fronts and tension increases when people who have been treated begin dying. Lisa must find out why the initial success is now resulting in fatalities.

Kalla is a well-respected writer of medical thrillers and, as a working ER Physician, he has insight into into the medical community that provide a realism to his novels. In Lost Immunity, Kalla takes observations from the current health crisis and applies his observations to a bacterial outbreak of meningitis instead of a viral outbreak. Controversy surrounding vaccines plays a major role in the plot. The believable plot moves along at a brisk pace, keeping the tension high and instilling a palpable interest in the outcome. In some ways this almost mirrors reality too closely.

My qualms about the book are two fold. Lisa wasn't a compelling protagonist for me and it was a challenge to overlook certain aspects of her personality. Secondly, keeping this wording spoiler free, I knew the antagonist almost from the start and what would be a major emotional plot point. So, this is a recommended medical thriller for the fast-paced plot, but parts of the narrative will be very predictable for many readers. It must also be said that I do look forward to Daniel Kalla's next book.

Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of Simon & Schuster in exchange for my honest opinion.
http://www.shetreadssoftly.com/2021/04/lost-immunity.html
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3944552042 ( )

Daniel Kalla is an emergency doctor in downtown Vancouver B.C and the author of many medically themed novels. In his latest he writes about modern pandemic.

What a thrilling read.

“Lost Immunity” brings us to Seattle during an outbreak of meningitis that started nearby a Bible camp. The most vulnerable victims are children and teenagers. The chief public office, Dry Dryer and her team quickly take the necessary measure to contain the outbreak....An epidemic is in the making... an experimental vaccine deployed to battle a lethal outbreak - until patients start dying of unknown causes.

As usual Mr. Kalla mixes lots of information into a very suspenseful drama. Along this exciting page-turner we not only have a story that showcases the benefits of inoculation but also the point of views of anti-vaxxers and of the Pharmaceutical Company. Most of us will recognize the medical terms in this novel so Mr. Kalla did not expend on their meanings. The narration and dialogue are said in the everyday language.

Although a hard subject, the style is smooth and easy to read. The plot and characters are realistic. Because of the Covid 19 outbreak we have at the present it easy to relate to the characters and feel the pains of those suffering but most of all the devotions given by the frontline workers: excellent characterisation.

On a final thought: for a vaccine to be effective, a great % of the population has to be vaccinated. Yes, there will be “vaccine injury” as stated in this story but the benefits outweigh the risks....
Another strong story told by a master storyteller

Thank you Simon&Schuster, NetGalley and Edelweiss for the opportunity to read and review this book. ( )