CASSIA

A young woman is running for her life, she is the target of hunters with malicious intent. Despite her attempts, she can’t outrun her enemies or the voices inside her head. Dr. Jack Temple is a psychiatrist examining the effects of a new drug called Kyrorane on his patients. The drug is showing impressive results with interesting effects. One of his patients literally couldn’t recall the actions she undertook while watching them later. Jack is dedicated to his job, even to the detriment of spending time with his beautiful and charming wife Wendy. Wendy is a Cancer survivor with a new lease on life but has recently felt as if the disease might reappear in her life.

Jack’s curiosity of Kyrorane and its true effects, particularly empathy, lead him to utilize a serial killer named Lasker as his next subject. The day of the test proves foreboding, as an orderly in the hospital is killed by a malfunctioning elevator, Wendy prevents the suicide of a young woman who stumbled onto her school’s grounds and Jack accidentally overdosed Lasker. The young woman, known only as Jane Doe, is admitted as a new patient in the mental hospital where Jack works. She becomes the focus of interest of Jack’s assistant, Lillian. Lillian, haunted by past demons, is determined to learn more about Jane Doe.

Wendy’s worries about Cancer prove unfounded when she visits her doctor, instead she learns she’s expecting. The forces of fate prove cruel as she is involved in a near-fatal accident while rushing to inform Jack. Jack rushes to be at Wendy’s side, while events at the hospital continue to take odd turns. The seemingly incapacitated Lasker wakes from his drug-induced coma and escapes. Lillian has become consumed with the incoherent ramblings of Jane Doe.

Jack is faced with a gut-wrenching decision in choosing Wendy’s care. After speaking with Wendy, Jack heads home to get a memento for Wendy to hold on to, when a chance encounter alters Jack’s actions and life indelibly. Can he save Wendy? What compromises would he make to do so? Where is Lasker? Will Lillian be able to decipher Jane’s thoughts and figure out who she is?

Where does research end and madness begin? What would we do to save those most important to us? “Cassia” by DC Mallery is a dramatic thriller examining these questions with a profound depth of emotion. Jack is a brilliant, obsessed protagonist whose decision-making is at best flawed, but proves most interesting throughout the book. The storyline alters from drama to thriller in a flawless manner, the pacing of the action is well done. An excellent read.