Book Review: Malice | Jennifer Jaynes

Unputdownable—this book shows how quickly a perfect life can unravel. You will start the book thinking you know where it is heading, and then you will find yourself at the end with a completely unexpected twist in the plot. I tore through this book in a day and half, putting aside every commitment I could so I could race to that shocking ending!

About the Book

Dr. Daniel Winters is out one evening after a work meeting when he meets the perfect woman. Mia is drop-dead gorgeous—a type Daniel would normally be skeptical of—and she has intelligence, poise, and kindness. After a childhood filled with his father being manipulated by beautiful women, Daniel has always shied away from them. But there is something different about Mia.

10 months later

Daniel and Mia are newlyweds and live in his gorgeous Malibu home. Daniel is a successful pediatrician at one of California’s most sought after clinics. When he arrives back from his honeymoon, he discovers his clinic is pushing a new vaccine called Respira that pedals itself as the cure for the common cold.

The Morning Of

Across town, a pediatrician and his family are brutally murdered in their home. The pediatrician was outspoken against Respira, saying he had found evidence it was strongly linked to seizures, migraines, and even death in some children. A few days later, a pediatric resident who was looking into Respira is found dead as well. Is it a coincidence, or is something more sinister going on?

Things Unravel

As Daniel struggles with uncovering the truth behind Respira, things begin to unravel. He starts drinking more—something he tightly controlled his whole life. His wife Mia starts to act secretive. The voice in his head becomes louder, telling him that his greatest fear may be true—Mia may not be the woman he thought he married. And Daniel must discover the truth before his perfect life becomes a perfect nightmare!

Reflection

What a ride this book took me on! This is a fast-paced thriller that will have you questioning everything and everyone, even Daniel! It flew by and I was completely engrossed in the story. The multiple narrators was extremely effective, because it added to the questions and theories I had.

I wnt to address something that may have readers wondering—this book does walk the line of commentary on vaccines, which can be a hot-button issue. I will say that this book by no means comments on whether they are for or against vaccines, but it brings up a lot of thought-provoking discussion on the pressure of big pharma in the medical industry. Nothing was shocking to me, but I found it to be an interesting plot device used to push the novel forward. If this is a sensitive issue with you, I want to assure you that it isn’t political in the way Jaynes handled it.

Onto the fun parts! Mia is a really great and unique character. She is completely mysterious, and I found myself unsure whether to trust her. As the novel goes on, you’ll get more snippets from her, and they will round out her character. I won’t comment at all on what type of character she is though—that’s something you’ll have to discover for yourself!

Daniel is also a fascinating character. On one side, he is so rootable. He is a decent person and a hard worker, and he doesn’t take his many blessings for granted. But he is also self-destructive and as he loses control, I found myself questioning if he is a reliable narrator. That is what is so fun about him though! You’ll follow him, Mia, and a few other characters (Teddy, Rachel) and learn more about each of them. And suddenly what seemed clear at first becomes muddy. Who should we support? Who is telling the truth? What will happen to these characters?

There is some darkness lurking in this book as well. The ending is fantastic, but don’t expect everything to be happy and coming up roses for everyone. Jaynes is fearless and honest in the way she explores the trajectory of these characters. I finished the book and found myself backtracking to the beginning, trying to find out if any of the outcomes were deserved, and if any were avoidable. And the punches will keep coming until the last, satisfying scene! I hope readers have a fun time with this book—I know I did!

Many thanks to the team at Amazon Publishing and Thomas & Mercer for my copy of this book.