Annika Porter“I was intrigued by the plot of this book as it is not my usual genre, but I was surprised by how much I enjoyed it. For every dead-end that Mitch ran into along his investigative journey, my interest was piqued and I found myself saying, ‘just one more chapter.’ The mystery shrouding Niki’s court case seemed to deepen at every turn, even when I thought the corruption could not run any deeper. Once the action really took off in this book, I found it difficult to put down. The plot was well-designed and the characters were realistic with human strengths and flaws.”
“Through Niki’s relationships with her ailing father, her ex-husband, and her son Randy, the reader sees Niki as extremely strong but also extremely bitter and untrusting. It is through her interactions with Mitch that the reader sees Niki work through and improve on these shortcomings for her own sake as well as her son’s. This well crafted character growth is, in my opinion, a sign of a great author.”
Adverse Reaction
Auctorem House · 2025 · ISBN: 978-1-965687-10-9
He swore he’d never set foot in a courtroom again.
Four years after vanishing from the legal world, trial lawyer Mitchell Redden is pulled back in by a beautiful single mother and a malformed child. The case looks winnable. Then the bodies start dropping — and Redden realizes the killer’s list isn’t finished.
Synopsis
“A trial is a game of odds. Winning is everything. Everything!”
Niki Burroughs already has scars. A truck driver’s lunch-break shortcut put her in traction and shattered what was left of her six-year-old son’s only good leg. But Randy was born missing the other one, and Niki knows exactly why: the drug she took every day since she was fourteen.
She needs a killer. She gets Mitchell Redden, a burned-out trial lawyer hiding from a past that nearly disbarred him.
“Gillingham said if the case went away, so would the evidence. He didn’t want to know how, he just wanted results. These people who died were all part of the scheme.”
Now he’s going to war with Brookhurst Pharmaceuticals, a company with a vault full of “lost” records, a federal judge quietly in their pocket, and an old adversary who taught Redden everything about winning dirty.
Then the bodies start dropping. A bullet splinters a window inches from Redden’s head in New Jersey. A witness gets erased by a hit-and-run in San Francisco. A missing FDA reviewer turns up dead. And the closer Redden gets to the truth, the clearer it becomes that the enemy already knows his every move.
“If this case went to trial, everything would go public.”
Someone in Redden’s inner circle is feeding the other side. When he finally follows the trail into a federal courtroom and up a stairwell to the roof, the last face he expects to see is the one he trusted most.
A thriller ripped from three decades of real pharmaceutical litigation by the attorney who lived it. Ruthless corporate power. A scarred single mother who refuses to break. And one flawed lawyer who has to decide what he is willing to lose to win.
Justice has a price. Somebody has to pay it.
Reader Reviews
IndieReader.com – Staff“Terence Mix’s Adverse Reaction follows a once-great trial attorney pulled back into the courtroom by a desperate mother and a case that spirals into something far more dangerous. As personal demons resurface and a hidden past threatens to unravel everything, the story delivers unexpected twists and escalating tension that keeps the pages turning. Terence Mix blends courtroom drama with suspenseful intrigue into a gripping narrative that keeps you guessing until the very end.”
Rebecca De Figueiredo“With unexplained deaths, immoral and evil pharmaceutical conduct, horrific car accidents, friends turning bad, and newly found love, ‘Adverse Reaction’ by Terence Mix is nothing if not eventful! It is a thriller that keeps the reader on their toes until the very last. There are corrupt lawyers and mafia-type killings, all set within the framework of a modern day backdrop.”
“I enjoyed the flow of the book. There is an interesting beginning, a chunky and action-filled middle, and a satisfactory end. Well done to Terence Mix for arranging it all so well. I would love to see this as a TV series: the viewer will be biting their nails at the end of each episode!”
Komal Patra“Adverse Reaction by Terence Mix is a compelling crime thriller mystery that exposes the dark side of pharmaceutical giants through an intense courtroom drama and suspense.”
“The positive of this book for me is how well it holds the reader’s attention. The author has done a great job keeping the story engaging from start to finish. The conversations are funny and quirky, which you will find with the character Harry, a funny, loyal friend and mentor to Mitchell, and my favorite character in this book. The suspense that the author builds throughout the story stood out most for me. As the chapters progress, the tension increases, making it hard to stop and pushing me to go for just ‘one more chapter.’”
David Alabi“It is a very interesting story. What is touching to me is that the author takes time to show how the accident had disfigured Niki and her son not just physically but also emotionally and financially. The fact that the chapters are alternated between the legal world and the personal lives of the characters makes the story engaging.”
“The whole conversation in the book comes out naturally and real, such that I get lost in the characters’ conversation. The dialogue includes some casual jokes and thrilling undertones. The family issues, the circumstances in court, and personal struggles bring the story to the stage where this book seems to be very emotional and dramatic at the same time.”
“I cannot point to something I do not like in this book; this is why I would give it a rating of 5 out of 5 stars.”
Nikki Collin“Adverse Reaction by Terence Mix had the perfect amount of suspense. This book was hard to put down because there were so many answers I was searching for. I love that the author provides background stories for most of the characters, even the ones who are not mentioned more than once.”
“I am giving this book a rating of 5 out of 5 stars. I would happily read more books written by this author. The back stories of the characters gave the book even more dimension.”
JJ Rob“The author did a fantastic job of creating an engaging plot with realistic legal drama. The legal scenes are detailed and cover scenes such as depositions and courtroom strategy. The author made sure not to lose the reader by explaining the complex legal and medical terms that the reader might not be familiar with; hence, beyond being thrilling, the book also imparted some knowledge to the reader. The emotions of the characters were also well captured, giving the book a new dimension by exploring emotions such as trauma, betrayal, and grief in a way that the reader sympathizes with the characters.”
Prem Mathur“What caught my attention about this story was how it made ordinary moments interesting, right from the start. The characters in this story are not overly developed. It is not that Niki is perfect; it is because her flaws stand out — that she stands out because of her flaws is intriguing because it makes her feel real and not created for the reader’s eyes. The curiosity that the story instills in the reader is also interesting because it persists from page to page, compelling the reader to continue reading. The secrets that the story slowly reveals open doors to more and more, until halfway through, it is impossible to stop reading and find out what is really going on underneath it all.”
Prince Padova“Adverse Reaction is an intriguing thriller with an impressive storyline. The twist of events was spectacular. However, the progression of events was fast-paced. The story depicts the ethical issues plaguing the health industry and how justice is averted in the presence of strong financial connections.”
Arjumand Nazneen“Adverse Reaction by Terence Mix is a compelling medicolegal thriller that follows the story of a lawyer fighting against a powerful pharmaceutical company. It raises important questions about true justice, judicial manipulation, unchecked power, and limitations inherent in the legal system.”
“Through the lens of the drug case, the writer offers a vivid portrayal of the challenges faced by those seeking justice from medical wrongs.”
“While the book is slow-paced, especially in the initial chapters, it builds a sturdy foundation for the legal battle that ensues. The writer skillfully avoids overcomplicating the narrative, despite dealing with heavy themes. The characters are three-dimensional. The writer clearly shows why they are a certain way through their past. Mitch is ego-driven, and Niki is distrustful of men. The best part about the characters is their growth. By the book’s end, they are changed. The plot is rewarding because of this.”
“I give this book 5 out of 5 stars. It is a thought-provoking book that raises critical questions about the ethics of the pharmaceutical industry. It is an essential read for fans of legal thrillers.”
Ams Strong“I have many positive things to say about this book. For starters, the characters were amazing: relatable, highly motivated, and showed good development throughout the story.”
“Furthermore, this book was well-paced and contained an adequate amount of suspense and thrill that kept me hooked to the story.”
“I rate this book five out of five stars because it was well-edited, featured awesome and memorable characters whose determination to seek victory was truly inspiring, and had an intriguing and adequately paced plot full of suspenseful and thrilling moments.”
Paschaline Anah“Adverse Reaction by Terence Mix is a captivating thriller that explores themes of blackmail, romance, litigation, and courtroom drama. The investigation also uncovers a trail of murders, and Redden soon realizes that he may be the next target.”
“I enjoyed reading this book due to its in-depth character development. The author left no stone unturned in unveiling each character’s thought process and history, making the book quite easy to follow despite it being a thriller.”
Alida Spies“I enjoyed the unexpected twists, layered mysteries, humor and romance in ‘Adverse Reaction’ by Terence Mix. The plot is intriguing, and the author executes it well. The character building is excellent, and it is easy to relate to all of them, including the minor characters. I could understand the behavior of undesirable characters, even if I didn’t like them.”