The Fifth Vial

What if when you had your blood drawn for routine tests, the laboratory draws an extra tube without you being aware? That tube is then sent off to be tissue-typed and the results put in a massive database. If your tissue make-up turns out to be a perfect match for someone with power or money and the need of a transplant of any kind, you had best stay indoors for a good while!

THE FIFTH VIAL

Natalie Reyes has a chip on her shoulder. She’s had a tough life and worked hard to get herself, against all odds, to Harvard Medical School. But her efforts are thwarted when she is suspended from school. With time before her reinstatement, her mentor sends her to Rio de Janeiro Brazil to present a medical paper. There, Natalie is kidnapped, shot trying to escape, and left for dead in an alley. She survives, but loses a lung. And now, all her dreams are shattered.

Halfway around the world, medical genius Joe Anson is working on a serum that could save millions of lives…if only he can battle a fatal illness long enough to complete his research. Brilliant and paranoid, Anson is running out of time. And those watching from the shadows will stop at nothing to see him succeed.

In Chicago, detective Ben Callahan is hired to find the identity of a dead man with mysterious marks on his body. One lucky break could lead Ben into a conspiracy bigger than just a missing person and a mysterious accident.

Three people, with no apparent connection. Three people who don’t realize they hold the key to a secret society with God-like aspirations and roots in antiquity. Three people who will learn the meaning of trust and betrayal, power and genius, lies and truth, in a world where everything is give or take.

See what these New York Times bestsellers are saying about The Fifth Vial:

“An ingenious medical thriller, suspenseful and cleverly plotted.” –Kathy Reichs, author of Cross Bones

“A nail-biting thriller you don’t want to miss.” –Catherine Coulter, author of Point Blank

“A complex plot, fascinating characters, and plenty of action. The Fifth Vial is a roller coaster ride that winds its way through Boston, Africa, India, and Brazil on its way to a terrific surprise ending.” –Phillip Margolin, author of Proof Positive

“From knowledge comes power, and from power, temptation. Michael Palmer’s The Fifth Vial is a tale set at the very edge of our medical knowledge, and of a thrilling heroine who confronts a theft that haunts me still.” –Tess Gerritsen, author of Vanish

“A compelling and thought-provoking tale that will have you looking over your shoulder. It’s both realistic and terrifying and it will keep you up all night!” –Iris Johansen, author of On the Run

“There’s a compelling truth at the center of this high-octane thriller. The twists keep you reading and the questions Palmer poses keep you thinking all night long.” –Tami Hoag, author of Prior Bad Acts

“Not only is this one heck of a medical thriller, it’s…a premise that scared the daylights out of me. Could this happen? Palmer makes you think so.” –Sandra Brown, author of Ricochet

“Michael Palmer, perhaps the best of our medical thriller writers, has penned an action-packed tale that will have you checking all your body parts for days afterwards.” –Terry Brooks, author of Armageddon’s Children