Deceit of the Soul: Saving the World from COVID-19 by Henry Cox is a spellbinding novel that explores the roots of a pandemic and the role of a brilliant mind in bio-genetic modeling and sequencing, a story that is as relevant as it is enthralling. Forty-two-year-old Huiwei is a very dangerous character. First, she has very strong feminine attributes, thanks to the constant exercises to maintain her fitness and a martial arts regime. Second, she is one of the smartest minds the world has known, gifted with an intellect that stands out from her childhood years. She has been a major in the People’s Republic Air Force since the age of thirty and is now a colonel. She made the discovery that can sink the economy of the world. Something that started from mere curiosity has taken on a magnitude now spiraling out of control. And time is running out. Can she make things right and save the world, but how?

Henry Cox has written a wonderful novel with memorable and compelling characters. I was pulled in from the very beginning by the crisp and clean writing, the gorgeous descriptions, and the intelligent way the protagonist is presented against the backdrop of her comfortable and peaceful setting. The contrast with what she unleashes will be stunning as the reader follows her story. The themes of espionage, global pandemic, and the struggle for redemption are all enmeshed in the writing. Deceit of the Soul: Saving the World from COVID-19 features a disturbing phenomenon and characters caught in the conflict of choices that are difficult. The short chapters augment the thrill when it comes to the reading experience. This is one of the best novels I have read with hints of the current pandemic, a page-turner.

Deceit of the Soul: Saving the World from COVID-19 is an intense work of fiction in the thriller and suspense sub-genres, and was penned by author Henry Cox. Written for adults due to the presence of some graphic violence and moderately sexual scenes, this is a fast-paced thriller that fictionalizes the COVID-19 pandemic and tells a tale of its origins rather than its current effects. The story follows Colonel Li Huiwei, an officer of the People’s Republic Air Force who has a head for statistics and planning. When Huiwei discovers that plans are in motion to devastate the world, she must team up with former colleagues to save the world from a potential global pandemic.

Author Henry Cox has crafted a thrilling work that combines the genres of military fiction, espionage, thriller, and socio-political writing to create a drama that feels both realistic and terrifying. One of the things which impressed me most about the book was the depiction of the action scenes, particularly as our central protagonist has her strengths in intellect rather than brute force. This encourages the author to think creatively about how Huiwei gets out of sticky situations, which presents many interesting surprises in the plot. I also really enjoyed the way the dialogue enhanced the plot and moved it forward without becoming too heavy or unnecessary. Overall, I would recommend Deceit of the Soul: Saving the World from COVID-19 for readers who are seeking an escape that’s not too far from reality and plenty of excitement in their next thriller read.

Henry Cox has given the world a dramatic and fictional insight into the birth of the Covid 19 virus in his book Deceit of the Soul. The scientist, working on the orders of the Central Committee, is arrested and told to confess, but he has no idea of the crimes he has committed. A thirty-year-old science modeler has constructed the program to show what would happen if either the Chinese or the Americans unleashed a pandemic virus on the world and the resulting chaos to the economy, health, education, communications, and the stability of the nations involved. To Lt Huiwei, it is an academic exercise but once she realizes it may have been put into practice, she will do anything in her power to stop it. What has she unwittingly helped to unleash on the world?

I am amazed at the speed with which this up to date book has hit the shelves. Covid 19 is still with us, many are still in lockdown and six million cases reported in 213 countries. This realistic story takes the reader inside China, to Wuhan, explaining the facts behind this killer disease, with a lot of scientific information. The characters are clearly drawn in this exciting story, and it was easy to identify with Huiwei the heroine and her desperate attempt to escape. Aiguo-Tao is neither hero nor villain, and it is easy to feel sympathy for him, but the reader is just as puzzled at the beginning of the book as to his crime. The ends are neatly tied together, and the book moves at a good pace, which had me turning the pages. The story is very good, besides being topical.