Whitney Finalist: Bloodborne by Gregg Luke

I've been shoulder deep in Whitney Awards since the first of the year, and I've used that as an excuse not to blog. That was plain stupid because I've been reading some really awesome books, and I should be sharing.

So the blog drought is over, and I couldn't be more pleased with my first Whitney spotlight.

Bloodborne by Gregg Luke

My wife met Gregg several years ago at the Whitney Gala, and we've been friends ever since. He's one of the nicest guys you'll meet, which is surprising because, man, can he write a tense story with some of  the most despicable bad guys you've ever met.

He's made it to the finals several times before. And this book is good too. I had a hard time putting it down.

I asked Gregg what made this book special to him.

"I love taking actual facts and weaving them into an adventure. All of the medical details and geographic references in Bloodborne are accurate--except for the Armageddon virus. But I made that up using characteristics from existing viruses, so its existence is plausible"

Did I mention that Gregg is a pharmacist? He knows his medical details.

"One thing many people are surprised to find is real are all the facts about the island of Ni'ihau. It really is part of the Hawaiian archipelago, and it really does have the largest lakes in the island chain." 

I'd never heard of that island before. If you have, let me know in the comments. Sorry for interrupting again, Gregg, please continue.

"Over all, I think the thing I liked most about the story was the relationship between Erin Cross and Sean Flannery (aka John Ferguson), how they combined their respective talents to stop the bad guys from wiping out the entire population of Ni'ihau, and how Erin helped Sean uncover his mysterious past."

I want to thank Gregg for answering my questions and for his friendship. Before we go, I want to let the book speak for itself. Here are the first few lines:

Erin Cross's phone plinged and vibrated, indicating the receipt of a text message. The incoming number was a string of zeros; no name was attached. She pressed View.

You are about to die.

What to read more? I know you do? Go here to learn how to get your own copy.