No “Peace on Earth” until the End of the Novel by J.L. Greger
“Peace on Earth” is a frequent blessing. However, readers don’t want “peace on earth” until the end of a novel. This is another way of saying that novels, especially mysteries and thrillers, depend on tension. In most thrillers, much of this tension is caused by physical threats . The threat in The Flu Is Coming is a new strain of the flu, called the Philippine flu. The threats used in novels must be plausible to engage readers. Thus, readers of The Flu Is Coming watch as physicians and scientists treat patients and collect data on this new strain of flu virus as it kills almost half of a small, gated community in New Mexico. As would occur in a real public health emergency of this sort, the residents of the community, named La Bendita, are quarantined to keep the flu from spreading. However, physical threats alone are not enough to sustain a satisfying novel. Remember how teachers in high school and college literature classes drilled most of us on symbolism in nov...