When you read SPIRE, yes when, be sure you have provisions at hand and nothing demanding your attention, because you will have nothing extra to give.

This medical thriller set at the South Pole, is fast-paced and gripping from start to finish (which comes way too soon).

Virologist Dr Caroline Burchell, is the only survivor of a deadly multi-disease outbreak at the South Pole International Research Establishment. Naturally, she is the prime suspect. But it soon becomes clear that she’s not the only living creature in the base.

These suspicions and the bad weather makes an early rescue unlikely. In the isolation Caroline needs to take care of the base and her own sanity for the next nine months. An unexpected medical discovery complicates things. But Caroline is determined to make it out of SPIRE alive.

It was a joy to have a strong, smart, independent heroine. I believe it’s part of what makes this book so great.

Author Fiona Snyckers put a lot of effort into researching not only the physical setting of the story, but also the potential of biological warfare and environmentalist fanaticism.

SPIRE is a sequel to another suspense novel by Fiona Snyckers, Now Following You, but as someone who hasn’t read the latter, SPIRE clearly stands on its own.

Get it on Kindle now.