Julie's Review: The Red Lotus

Author: Chris Bohjalian
Series: None
Publication Date: March 17, 2020
Publisher: Random House
Pages: 367
Obtained: publisher via NetGalley
Genre:  Contemporary Fiction
Rating: 4/5
Bottom Line: A bit timely and scary
Grab, Just get it at the library, or Remove from your TBR list? Grab

Summary: The first time Alexis saw Austin, it was a Saturday night. Not in a bar, but in the emergency room where Alexis sutured a bullet wound in Austin's arm. Six months later, on the brink of falling in love, they travel to Vietnam on a bike tour so that Austin can show her his passion for cycling and he can pay his respects to the place where his father and uncle fought in the war. But as Alexis sips white wine and waits at the hotel for him to return from his solo ride, two men emerge from the tall grass and Austin vanishes into thin air. The only clue he leaves behind is a bright yellow energy gel dropped on the road. As Alexis grapples with this bewildering loss, and deals with the FBI, Austin's prickly family, and her colleagues at the hospital, Alexis uncovers a series of strange lies that force her to wonder: Where did Austin go? Why did he really bring her to Vietnam? And how much danger has he left her in? Set amidst the adrenaline-fueled world of the emergency room, The Red Lotus is a global thriller about those who dedicate their lives to saving people, and those who peddle death to the highest bidder. ~amazon.com 

Review: I have never been disappointed in a novel by Chris Bojalian and his latest again doesn't disappoint. It is definitely scary and definitely timely but yet different than what we are dealing with currently. Alexis and her boyfriend of 6 months take a biking trip to Vietnam so that he can go visit the spot where his dad was injured and his Uncle killed there. So when he goes off on his own to explore these areas, no one really thinks twice since he's an experienced biker. Alexis only starts to worry when he isn't back an hour or so after he said he'd be back. What ensues after Austin not coming back is nothing she could have imagined.

For Alexis who is an ER Doctor knows when things aren't adding up and Austin's failure to return on time and then to end up dead, aren't for her. So when she gets back home, she starts to ask pointed questions. She learns that Austin not only lied to her but lied to other people as well. So that just makes her start to poke around even more. When things really get out of hand, she even goes and hires a private detective to look into the inconsistentcies. 

What he uncovers is a plan to unlease a horrific plan to unleash a deadly virus for profit into the world. It's a race against time to unravel it and to stop it which leaves your heart pounding and at times shouting "No!"



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