Publication Date: May 22, 2023
Dr. Anne Mastik, an Infectious Disease specialist at the University of Virginia with multiple sclerosis, is called on to save the life Ruth Morehouse, a teenager with a mysterious life-threatening infection. Ruth is the last survivor of a once-thriving community isolated for centuries on an isolated mountaintop in West Virginia. Anne must contend with Miriam Morehouse, Ruth’s iron-willed aunt and guardian, who lives by the directives of an ancient prophecy centering on Ruth.
To save Ruth, Anne explores the toxic relationship between the Morehouses and the nearby town of Eden. When people connected with Ruth die under suspicious circumstances, Anne questions whether there is a genetic time bomb that has killed of the community… or is it murder. To save Ruth, Anne must earn the trust of the two women and use all her wiles to outwit the killer. And Ruth must ultimately make her own decision to defy the prophecy… or fulfill it.
Infectious disease specialist Dr. Anne Mastik is good at solving complex cases, but a request to assist on a West Virginia case involving a teen girl requires an in-person visit.
Author Gil Snider delivers a top-notch medical thriller with The Last. Young Ruth Morehouse has grown up at the top of a mountain with only her aunt and uncle in the most primitive of conditions. Although she desperately needs medical care, her family’s religious beliefs require that she stay on the mountain.
Anne manages to convince the family of the urgency of providing treatment and gets Ruth to a hospital, only to discover the Morehouses follow an ancient prophecy focusing on Ruth.
The drama heats up when people close to Ruth die under unusual circumstances. Anne and Ruth escape, trying to outwit the killer who has targeted Ruth. The characters are compelling, especially Anne, as she struggles to keep her MS under control. Ruth stands out as a spunky teen who isn’t afraid to share her opinions.
In a story that pits religious beliefs against modern medicine and highlights the destructive path of greed, The Last provides a fresh storyline packed with well-developed characters.
Gil Snider is a neurologist, born and raised in Brooklyn, New York and medically trained at the University of Michigan. The proud father of two grown sons, he and his author-wife Judy reside in Virginia Beach, Virginia. He is a member of Hampton Roads Writers and James River Writers and has previously published “Brain Warp-A Medical Thriller“.
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