The Mosquito Bites

by James Frazee

Overview

When Alex Gregory takes his first job for Sterling Chemicals, a company poised to make millions from their newest pesticide, he has no idea he's stepping into the shoes of a murdered man.

Alex soon discovers the pesticide about to be released not only creates poisonous mosquitoes, but the treated plants begin competing for earth's oxygen at a slow but detrimental rate. Alex investigates the untimely deaths of those that learned the truth before him, and expose the company before they threaten the lives of future generations. But he must tread carefully, or he, Cindy, and Leslie, will meet their own untimely deaths.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781635246360
Publisher:	Litfire Publishing
Publication date:	01/09/2017
Pages:	278
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.63(d)

About the Author

James Frazee is an avid cook and bridge player. Raised in the Midwest, he received his Doctorate from Purdue University. He currently lives in New York City. The Mosquito Bites (2016) is his third book and first fiction novel. Like his protagonist, Alex, Dr. Frazee spent his early career working for a chemical company. His own experiences and education form the expertise and story for this book. His first book, Beginning Bride by the Numbers (2014) is a 'how to' book on the basics of bridge for beginners. His second book, Quick and Healthy Recipes from the Store (2014), provides healthy meals using what you already have in your kitchen.

Editorial Reviews

2017-04-26
In this debut thriller, recent hires at a chemical company learn there may be a coverup regarding a new product's nasty side effects. Alex Gregory's doctorate in statistics and minor in chemistry earn him his first " ‘real' job" at Sterling Chemicals, overseeing pesticide field testing and data analysis. Small-town Alex has barely settled into his New York City high-rise office when he gets a strange call from Cindy, the widow of Dr. Peter Hudson, whose fatal heart attack vacated the position Alex now holds. Cindy, trying to reach HR, inadvertently dials Peter's number and reaches Alex, a complete stranger with whom she'd like to talk about her deceased husband. At a coffee shop, she claims Peter was too close to something at Sterling, and his death was actually murder. The new administrative assistant (and Alex's potential romantic interest), Leslie Sherwood, hears of another former employee's unusual exit—Dawn Manning simply stopped showing up at work. Meanwhile, Alex and Leslie are unnerved by a blue-shirted man who they're fairly certain is following them. All of this likely stems from a pesticide in development, with a high kill rate for bugs but whose potential lethalness for humans Sterling may have intentionally buried. The tale's measured pace deftly establishes characters (Alex and Leslie bond during the company's dreary orientation) and plot (employees suspiciously avoid any discussion about Peter). Frazee's details are sometimes excessive, like specifics on how to run an espresso machine. But the introduction of a slowly approaching menace is effective, namely the recurring man in the discernible blue shirt, who's innocuous at first but decidedly more frightening once Sterling workers link him to probable murder. The mystery, too, is both alluring and appropriate in its white-collar relevance: a document inexplicably missing from a file signifies something sinister, while another one hidden in Alex's office is pure intrigue. The ending, though a bit rushed, is realistic and left predominantly open. Solid characters steer a tantalizing mystery that's unhurried but more than worth its while.

Kirkus Reviews