Heather’s Bookshelf: The Regression Strain
Author: Kevin Hwang
Released: 05/26/25
Genre: Medical Thriller
“Poor girl, of course someone was watching. There were cameras everywhere. But what was she hiding? Maybe she was paranoid, certainly a bit bizarre. He shook his head. Bizarre. That was the new normal around here.”
“The Regression Strain” introduces Dr. Peter Palma, a recent med school graduate and primary care physician who has joined the medical team of the cruise ship, Paradise.
At first, Peter is nervous but optimistic about the change in pace, change in environment, and set hours. But soon unusual things start to happen aboard the Paradise. People go missing, personalities are changing, and then there’s the suspicious deaths…
Members of the crew including the medical lead and the ship’s captain aren’t acting like themselves. Peter doesn’t feel like himself, either. The ship succumbs to chaos as more and more people demonstrate disturbing changes in behaviors and personalities.
Will Peter be able to figure out the cause of the symptoms before it’s too late or will he become the next victim?
Trigger Warning: violence, suicide, reference to drug-use, murder, torture, reference to sexual assault, adult language, reference to sexual situations
Overall, I enjoyed this book. The book is told through the POV of Peter who made a great protagonist. He’s flawed, with complicated family relationships, and questionable past choices. But he’s also an inherent healer - through both his profession and his personality. He genuinely wants to help those around him. The author incorporates aspects of medical care, procedures, and diagnoses into the book. I am a physical therapist by trade and enjoyed these aspects, though I don’t know if they were explained clearly enough for those without a medical background. The context of the book also basically required acknowledgment of the COVID pandemic. The author is very aware of this correlation and attempts to incorporate it with the reactions of those on board the ship. Unfortunately, the acknowledgement brought back some not-so-fond memories for me personally about working in the hospital around this time, job well-done by the author for realism and believability in people’s reactions. I also appreciated the inclusion of the character with CP. Without giving too much away, the behaviors of the people on the ship get pretty repulsive. There’s a few cringy scenes along the way, but they serve to provide an element of the unknown for who will be next affected. Peter’s sister, Nali, provides a levity within the story that is much needed. Unfortunately, there’s not much connection to the many ancillary characters, which results in less of a reaction than there could have been to the villain reveal. The ending ties up everything nicely and feels much-resolved.
I received a copy of this story in exchange of a fair and honest review.
OVERALL REVIEW:
A medical thriller with a great protagonist but less connection to ancillary characters. Personality and behavioral changes lead to a high suspense story.
Want to learn more about the author?
Check out my interview with Kevin Hwang
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Find it for purchase here
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