Covenant Communications, 2019

BACK COVER

Professor Mitch Pine knows all too well the history of epidemics, so the startling new information he’s discovered has him racing to the CDC in Atlanta. Mitch has uncovered a startling pattern: dramatic environmental changes always occurred prior to devastating outbreaks, and the current climate change may be such a catalyst. But before his plane lands, Mitch’s journey takes a terrifying turn. He is intercepted by a woman who represents a dangerous faction whose interest in Mitch’s research opposes his mission to save lives. To secure Mitch’s cooperation, his research assistant is being held hostage. With so many lives on the line, Mitch embarks on a turbulent trip around the world, uncovering pieces of the puzzle until he untimately holds the key to prevent–or precipitate–global devastation. Unless he can find a way to stop the lunatics behind his abduction, a plague the likes of which the world has ever known will be unleashed.

REVIEWS

“Fascinating and compelling. With an intricately designed plot and incredible detail, Gregg Luke has woven his finest novel yet. Plague is definitely this year’s must-read novel.” –Traci Hunter Abramson, best selling author.

“From page one, author Gregg Luke has readers gripping the edge of their seats. The intense suspense of the story picks up in the first chapter and doesn’t slow down until the last page is turned. Not only is there suspense though, there is a romance element. Readers will anticipate the thrill from turn of every page in this intense romantic suspense novel. This is a story that will keep readers up late past their bedtime wondering what will happen next.” Sydney, Goodreads review.

AUTHOR’S NOTES

This book is all about the research. Every aspect of dendrochronology, epidemiology, climate science, history, and legends is valid. Each fact was directly obtained through exhaustive research. A good portion of the research was obtained with the help of my wife Julie Perkins Luke. In fact, she was the one who gave me the idea for this novel. My challenge was to portray a truly massive collection of facts in a way that didn’t sound like a textbook. To do that, I had to leave out a significant amount of science, journals, atmospheric data, astronomy, and myriad other facts. In fact, when I submitted the original manuscript, it was just over 400 pages long. Because of Covenant’s publishing policies, they asked me to chop it down to 350 pages. Then it was determined that the artwork shown throughout the novel was also to be deleted. In the end, the work is 290 pages, with a bibliography and an artwork reference appendix. So if you think this novel is loaded with science, trust me, it only scratches the surface!