Novels Written by John P. Matsis
click on title for more information

A shortage of cadavers, necessary for medical school anatomy classes, creates a global market for bodies of the unfortunate dead. With no regulations to govern their acquisition and transport, the scene is ripe for disaster.

The Miranda, an ocean-faring vessel, makes regular eight-week voyages. Traveling to the Far East, it loads up with electronics and heavy equipment, sweeps south into the Indian Ocean through the Straights of Sumatra, and then on to East Africa, where the vessel takes on several thousand barrels of F4 oil. Along the way, Captain Stenovich picks up a steady supply of cadavers, which harbor the seeds of disease and death.

On another front, a diabolical plot--decades in the planning--swirls around Professor of Anatomy
Helene Astik. Test assassinations, using biological agents, allow the cause to fine-tune their ultimate campaign. Without a shot being fired or a device exploding within a crowd, she plans to take down the President of the United States.

In the wet, warm ecosystem of the Costa Rican rainforest, a deadly amphibian pathogen lies in wait for the unwary, as well as the cunning. Years earlier, this pathogen infected and decimated frog populations. Now, silently, the mutated microorganism allows amphibian-to-human transmission. Brightly colored imported frogs, sold as pets, enter the United States. An abused wife, her heart set on revenge, purchases a vial of powder, whispered to have magical powers: an aphrodisiac if only a tiny amount is used; a larger dose results in the "bleeding death." Experts at the Centers for Disease Control identify the pathogen, but is it too late? Has it already made the leap to human-to-human transfer? What happens when the impending peril reaches high into the U.S. political scene, all the way to the President of the United States?

Dr. John E. Cameron is a successful psychiatrist, respected by his colleagues and trusted by his patients. Within his office he listens and analyzes intimate details of his patients’ lives, their shortcomings, their bizarre inner feelings, and offers advice. And, if needed, suggests electroshock therapy, or ETC. The Phoenix police department is shaken by a series of mysterious murders that appear unrelated, but to Chief of Detectives Ted Vincent, his gut feeling tells him otherwise. The murders have something in common—that is, if he digs deep enough. He enlists the aid of maverick private investigator, Jack Diamond, who isn’t hesitant to bend the rules in order to put the pieces of the puzzle together. In an electrifying ending, Harm Not Thy Patient takes the reader into the mind of a serial killer, exposing the weakness that makes him vulnerable to that which he fears most.

By chance, or perhaps destiny, a small gathering of men and women are brought together during a transcontinental train journey leaving New York City.  Among them is a serial killer, but any one of them has the inner darkness, the inner rage, and the capacity to commit hideous deeds.  An Orthodox monk, tormented by the memory of his past, is the fulcrum of attention, laying bare the repressed feelings of fellow passenger—feelings that may not be uncommon to many of us.

Three medical scientists, in a moment of haste and poor medical judgment use an unapproved experimental treatment to save the life of an  ER patient. The result is unexpected and leads the scientists on a path of intrigue, personal conflict, and violence.