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Reviewed by Cheryl E. Rodriguez for Readers’ Favorite

Jenna Podjasek pens a hold-your-breath, action-packed medical thriller in her debut Particles in the Air. Dr. Mallory Hayes works at the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta, GA. She enjoys her work and has a boyfriend and a close relationship with her family. Other than being claustrophobic, Mallory’s life is good. Dr. Erik Lindgreen, a genius-level research scientist in the field of gene therapy, works at Paragon Genomics in Sweden. Erik is meticulous, arrogant, and prone to acts of violence. When Erik’s manipulative dark side takes a diabolical turn for the worse, he is called into a meeting and fired! Driven by revenge, Erik partners with a local radical Islamic cell group to engineer a deadly virus. He will have his fame in one way or the other. During the development of this despicable plan, a record-breaking tsunami hits the coast of southern California. Thousands are killed, and tens of thousands are missing. This disaster is perfect for an act of bioterrorism. Dr. Mallory Hayes finds herself in the middle of this horrendous outbreak, fighting against a biological evil never seen or imagined before.

Particles in the Air by Jenna Podjasek is a thrilling read. Time is counting down, pages must turn quickly to keep up with the fast pace of the plot. Podjasek pens short chapters, changing locations often, interconnecting the characters in the timeline of events. The narrative reveals what happens when a sociopathic scientist and ISIS pair up with the disastrous force of mother nature. As she states: “Nature isn’t always predictable,” and neither are Podjasek’s characters. The heroine’s supporting characters shape, sharpen, and prove her dynamic growth throughout the narrative. Likewise, the evil cohorts entangling the villain and his malevolent scheme fuel the fire of good versus evil at an accelerated rate. The surprising twists and unexpected turns propel the action and create an oh-my-goodness shock and awe factor. Podjasek being an immunologist pens authentic science, making bioterrorism real and threatening, which subsequently makes the virus the ultimate antagonist. This is an extraordinary and equally exhilarating read. I am looking forward to what happens next in the life of Dr. Mallory Hayes.