Don’t forget to be afraid.

Neuropsychiatrist Cristina Silva cannot escape her past. The voice in her head of her former identity won’t let her. Cristina also can’t quite manage to force herself to forget the ex-boyfriend she dumped: handsome police detective Gary Wilson.

Soon after beginning her new job at the Longwood Memory Center, Cristina receives a startling phone call from her contact at the FBI: an assassin is crisscrossing the country, killing anyone connected to the now-defunct pharmaceutical company ReMind—people like Cristina. The shadowy criminal enterprise Zero Dark is back.

Indeed, an assassin is tracking Cristina, a literal femme fatale known as Dama Branca. Like Cristina, DB’s memory was robbed by Zero Dark. Transfixed by the brilliant doctor, DB’s unsure what’s preventing her from killing Cristina. DB has memory glitches and longs to interpret them. Whether or not these have to do with Cristina, she doesn’t know, but she senses their fates are entwined—with any luck, not fatally.

Danger lurks in the shadows. Cristina’s spurned lover, Wilson, is investigating the suspicious deaths of local teens, convinced they’re not accidents. Before their bewildering ends, all the victims exhibit bizarre behavior, and there are now terrified whispers among their friends of a hooded boogeyman called Sack Man. One exceptional young man, Reggie Horne, is clearly in the middle of this bedlam. Wilson vows to prevent Sack Man from claiming Reggie as his next casualty.

And when Cristina’s in danger, Wilson is never far away. Just as it becomes apparent their two stories are entangled, the peril shoots sky-high. With at least one killer in their wake, they must quickly determine what’s real and what’s not. Unlocking Cristina’s memories could save many lives—her own included.

TOXIC EFFECTS earned a coveted READER'S FAVORITE FIVE STAR REVIEW!

"Toxic Effects by Joel Shulkin has a highly complex plot. The story was fast-paced with so many twists and turns I never knew what to expect next. It was jam-packed with action and never had a dull moment. I did not have to wait to find out what was going to happen. The chapters flowed naturally into each other. Several stories were woven together to form this awesome thriller. The characters’ descriptions made them realistic, and I could relate to them. They were strong throughout the story and my favorite character was Christina. She lived with two identities and had to hide who she was. I was curious to know whether she and Detective Gary Wilson would rekindle their relationship. The story is exceptionally well written, and it was a pleasure reading it. There was much more to it than I expected."

"Toxic Effects is one of the year's top medical thrillers"

-Finalist in the Bestthrillers.com book awards!

Read the complete list here

Praise for ADVERSE EFFECTS!

Read the entire review at Best Thriller Books!

"Although this is labeled a medical thriller, I would like to point out that there is a lot of espionage as well in case that helps you make your decision to pick it up or not. The premise is interesting and it is very action-packed. I’m not quite sure how it will be a series, as the author wrapped things up nicely at the end. However, I look forward to hearing more about Cristina and Wilson."

-San Francisco Book Review