A Swarm in May: A Novel

by Mark Anthony Powers

Overview

Dr. Phineas Mann has come a long way from the darkness in his past. He has a loving wife, two bright children, a lively interest in beekeeping, and a rewarding career in intensive care medicine.

And then a challenging case presents: an elderly man in the throes of full-blown tetanus. To make a difficult case worse, the patient's openly racist son abuses and threatens his father's medical team, especially the Black intern.

When inexplicable setbacks occur, the son's threats escalate, and the darkness from Phineas' past comes roaring into the present.

A Swarm in May is the debut novel of a doctor and beekeeper and weaves systemic racism, Little League baseball, and the art and science of beekeeping into a riveting medical mystery.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781737032908
Publisher:	Hawksbill Press
Publication date:	05/06/2021
Pages:	236
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.54(d)

About the Author

Mark Anthony Powers grew up in the small town of West Lebanon, NH. At Cornell University, he strayed into Russian and Creative Writing while majoring in engineering. After receiving his MD from Dartmouth, he went south to the University of North Carolina for an internship and residency in Internal Medicine, followed by a fellowship in Pulmonary Diseases and Critical Care Medicine.

After almost forty years in clinical practice and teaching, he retired from Duke University as an Associate Professor Emeritus of Medicine and began his exploration of other parts of his brain. Writing, gardening, IT, and magic courses were just some of the enjoyment that followed. A deep dive into beekeeping led to his presidency of the county beekeeping association and certification as a Master Beekeeper. Two cups of coffee and two hours of writing most mornings produced A Swarm in May and other works. To learn more or connect with Mark, please visit www.markanthonypowers.com.

Editorial Reviews

"A Swarm in May is a medical thriller that will delight fans of Robin Cook....Mark Anthony Powers holds the rare ability to build an intensive care unit drama that is connected to events not just outside the ward, but in nature. This juxtaposition of settings, concerns, and lessons about man and nature creates a satisfying mix of scenarios and insights that evolve on more than one level.... The family relationships, sports, ICU intrigue, and a rising threat that reaches into the doctor's family life create a multifaceted suspense story that is satisfyingly unpredictable....His approach places the story a cut above the ordinary medical thriller, embracing social inspection as part of the puzzle."

- D. Donovan, Senior Reviewer, Midwest Book Review

"The plot here is solid and intriguing .... an entertaining and original storyline with distinct characters and situations.... The author does an exceptional job with his protagonist, offering insight into Phineas's thoughts from the first sentence. Peripheral characters are also well-developed."

- The BookLife Prize

From the Publisher