Throat Culture

I've been unable to find the books of this series in order, so I thought I'd provide them here, with the tenth, and apparently last, in the series. Needless to say, I've enjoyed them all very much. I'm *much* older than the recommended age group for these, but then I like the Paddington books too! 1. Body Bags (May 1999) 2. Thief of Hearts (August 1999) 3. Soul Survivor (November 1999) 4. Meets the Eye (February 2000) 5. Head Games (June 2000) 6. Skin Deep (October 2000) 7. Burning Bones (February 2001) 8. Brain Trust (July 2001) 9. Last Breath (October 2004) 10. Throat Culture (April 2005)

Nineteen-year-old Jenna Blake has been through enough drama in the past year since she started her freshman year at Somerset University, so making it to her sophomore year is definitely a blessing. Jenna's father is happier than ever, for he has finally married Shayna, a wonderful Professor who works alongside her father at the University, just in a separate field. Unfortunately, just as the happy couple is about to ride off into the sunset, they are surprised with a fabulous wedding luncheon, that carries a great deal of baggage along with it. Suddenly guests at the luncheon begin experiencing very peculiar symptoms, and a Dean ends up dead. As if that weren't bad enough, Shayna ends up paralyzed - unable to move, speak, or even open her eyes. But those attending the wedding luncheon aren't the only ones who have fallen victim to the mysterious illness. In fact, there are plenty more. Suddenly the virus is attacking various students at Somerset, and employees of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are sweeping the campus. Now the only thing left for Jenna and the rest of the ME's team is to put the pieces together and figure out what is truly going on. I adore the BODY OF EVIDENCE series, and love to read about Jenna's adventures. THROAT CULTURE hits a very strong point with me since many people are currently worried about biological warfare, and that's exactly what this book discusses throughout it's many chapters. Jenna, as you can always expect, is her normal Nancy Drew self, getting herself into trouble everywhere she goes. Die-hard fans will be excited to see the relationship between Danny Mariano and Jenna - that has kept us on the edge of our seats for years - take a new turn. One that is surprising and exciting at the same time. A must read book for anyone who has followed the series since book one. Erika Sorocco Book Review Columnist for The Community Bugle Newspaper

One of the things I love about this series is that the authors stay true to the characters and to reality. Bad things happen. Melody dies. Damon cheats. Danny gets suspended. Not everything is fixeable in Jenna's world. And while, for the last book, a part of me might have wished for a Hallmark happy ending, I discovered it's more satisfying this way. Something in your brain says, 'yes, this is right. If everything had worked out it would have been a lie.' In Jenna's world, happy endings are bittersweet. Sure, she catches the bad guy, but not before he kills his wife. And Shayna recovers but others don't. And Danny and Jenna have feelings for each other, but Danny's been fired for killing Yurkich, and he's leaving. That was the big kicker. Danny's leaving. And yet, every fan of the series knew things couldn't work out in the end. It was Buffy and Angel all over again. It was Ryan and Marissa. It was doomed. That was what made it so good. And that's why I'm badgering Simon and Schuster for more books. The authors have fulfilled their contract with S & S and have not been offered another one. So I'm going to write and e-mail Simon Pulse until I get a reply. Join me! Snail Mail Simon Pulse, an imprint of Simon and Schuster 1230 Avenue of the Americas New York, NY, 10020 E-mail [email protected] Together we can bring Jenna back to life! It worked for Cagney and Lacey.