We’ll Always Have Poison by BJ Magnani

WE’LL ALWAYS HAVE POISON

by BJ Magnani

July 15 – 26, 2024 Virtual Book Tour

Synopsis:

A Dr. Lily Robinson Novel

In this series finale, pathologist Dr. Lily Robinson races around the globe to hunt an assassin who, like her, finds poison the weapon of choice.

A world-renowned climatologist is found dead off the Great Barrier Reef of northern Australia weeks before he’s set to deliver his earth-shattering findings at the international Climate Council conference. Was it greed to maintain the status quo of fossil fuels—or revolutionary new science—that motivated his murder? Can Lily Robinson stop the killer before another climate scientist dies?

With operative and lover JP Marchand at her side, Lily uncovers a cunning plot that endangers world order, and changes the trajectory of her life—forever.

Praise for We’ll Always Have Poison:

“We’ll Always Have Poison is a grand tutelage in the use of toxins as weapons in this captivating fourth book of the Lily Robinson international thriller series. Dr. Lily Robinson, expert pathologist and undercover assassin, is summoned once again when a key speaker at the International Climate Council is mysteriously murdered. When more lives and the world as we know it are in grave danger, Robinson and her cohort (and lover) Agent JP Marchand are charged with exposing and eradicating the new – and global – environmental threats. Trust is hard to come by as a large cast of brilliant scientists and political operatives jockey for dominance and revenge.
Author Magnani’s latest book is for readers who love deep and specific details, intricate relationships with tangled pasts and presents, nefarious intentions, criminal masterminds and, of course, poisons.”
~ Jule Selbo, screenwriter and award-winning author of the DEE ROMMEL MYSTERY NOVELS

“We’ll Always Have Poison is an emotional international adventure of epic proportions. Set on the poisonous points of a right triangle, South Africa, Australia, and Belgium, Magnani takes us on a thrill ride in pursuit of whoever is murdering climate activists in unique ways. Lily Robinson, the Queen of all Poisons, is back with her team of mentor and lover, JP, and his partner, Parker, in a global clash with a mysterious villain who might just be the tip of the iceberg for an ominous and sinister organization. For Lily, it is more than business as usual—a trip down memory lane and a peek at a future of potential peace, serenity, and happiness. In pursuit of the baddie, Magnani weaves in scintillating marine biology tidbits, fascinating historical and cultural detail, and the savoring of delicious food. We’ll Always Have Poison is a fabulous read on multiple levels and one not to be missed.”
~ Matt Cost, award-winning author of histories and mysteries

“Meet Dr. Lily Robinson. She’s smart and sophisticated and a little bit vulnerable, too. She’s also very dangerous. Why? Because she knows everything about poisons and how they work and how to use them in clandestine service to the U.S. government. She’s no superhero, but she’s unique in the male-dominated world of thriller fiction, and she’s back in We’ll Always Have Poison—a big, new adventure, a globe-hopping page-turner that will sweep you up, then surprise you, then leave you completely satisfied. Don’t miss it.”
~ William Martin, New York Times Bestselling Author of Back Bay and December ’41

Praise for the Dr. Lily Robinson series:

“A breathtaking puzzle of beautifully written words that provide vivid pictures. A terrifying account of our world today.”
~ Dr. Charles Steinberg, Longtime Executive Vice President, Boston Red Sox on The Queen of All Poisons

“A refreshingly unconventional hero in a fitfully effective thriller.”
~ Kirkus Reviews on The Power of Poison

“…fast-paced action juxtaposes nicely with the personal dilemmas… The result is another engrossing tale that is highly recommended for political thriller readers.”
~ Midwest Book Reviews on A Message in Poison

Book Details:

Genre: Suspense Thrillers
Published by: Encircle Publications, LLC
Publication Date: July 17, 2024
Number of Pages: 284
ISBN: 9781645995241 (ISBN10: 1645995240)
Series: A Dr. Lily Robinson Novel, #4
Book Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | BookShop.org | Goodreads | Encircle Publications

Read an excerpt:

CHAPTER 1

The Northeast Coast of Australia

Mountainous clumps of staghorn coral littered the seafloor like remnants of an exposed grave. The diver edged along the reef. He remained focused. Determined to capture the growing destruction, staccato flashes from his underwater camera reflected off the remaining bright purple sea fans. Delicate air bubbles floated above while he photographed the masses of stark white ‘bones.’ Closer to the shore, waves crashed over adjacent brain coral without effect. The coral sat unmoved; their pale fissures lifeless, devoid of thriving soft polyps.

Diving off this isolated stretch of beach had once been wondrous—all varieties of colorful aquatic life captured by the camera lens. Gone were the majestic manta rays that swam at his side, their broad wings flapping as they searched for zooplankton. Only a few remaining ornate butterflyfish, glorious in their brilliant orange-yellow stripes, darted in and out of the coral in search of polyps.

The change was undeniable. Bleaching had progressed. How could the Great Barrier Reef come back from this latest insult? The diverse ecosystem he had documented over the last fifteen years continued to collapse. He stopped. His fins fanned through the water, stirring the sand below. The ocean gasped for breath.

Tiny coral polyps had taken fifty million years to build the reefs. By comparison, human impact took less than two hundred years to unravel Mother Nature’s work. If these bastions of marine life died, the world would lose fifty to eighty percent of its oxygen emitted via plankton and photosynthesizing bacteria. A quarter of the planet’s marine life would lose their habitat, as coral reefs provide food, shelter, and protection for spawning. And, as lower organisms disappeared, those higher up the food chain, too, would be threatened.

The discouraged diver headed back to shore, lost in thought, believing the Great Barrier Reef was on the precipice of death. Only the sounds of his breathing filled his ears. Soon, he planned to meet with the Climate Council and deliver his report. What he would say would turn the world upside down. He made a mental note to call the Council Chair and request the presence of a security service at the conference.

Another diver hid, and watched, within the mounds of bleached coral. Her mask and snorkel allowed her to see the seafloor yet stay undetected—no bubbles to give her away. Strapped to her left leg, a diving knife remained ready. She took a few shallow breaths and waited. When her target stopped to remove his fins so he could step the remaining yards through the shallows, she made her move. The pouch at her side writhed in undulations. Using a set of snake tongs, she pulled the sea serpent from the bag, and with her own fins beating like a dolphin’s tail, she swam silently to the unaware diver and positioned the head of the snake at his exposed ankle. The bite was swift. The snake, agitated from its journey in a blind pouch, squirmed and lunged with a second bite. The man stumbled. Gravity pulled him face-first into the water, his mask slipping off the top of his head.

The woman returned the snake to the pouch, grabbed her victim’s camera, and swam along the shore with the deftness of a water ballerina. When she reached a dense cluster of orange mangroves, she rose from the ocean like a sea creature adapted to land. Hidden behind a tree, she dropped the writhing bag onto the sand and loosened its opening. In one swift gesture, she sliced off the serpent’s head. A spurt of dark fluid missed splashing her face—the turn of her head, too quick. Picking up the still wriggling pieces, the lithe diver cast them into the ocean, knowing the fish would finish off what she had started.

Damp, blond tresses curled in ringlets spilled from under her diving cap as she prepared to change. She took a deep breath and, with some difficulty, stripped off her dive skin to expose a royal blue print bikini. Gathering her things, the shapely diver waited for her contact’s arrival and thought, one down.

Back down the beach, gentle waves pushed the man’s body toward the sandy shore, nudging curious ghost crabs in its path. Their scurrying etched tiny trails in the sand, defining their movements. Overhead, squawks from silver gulls filled the quiet as they eyed the lifeless form below. Circling blowflies landed on the salt-soaked corpse, depositing eggs in the eyes, nose, and mouth. By now, the sky was a glorious red with streaks of purple, blue, and gold. Polluted air created a spectacular sunset as particles of smoke and dust reflected beams of brilliant light. And when the bright was replaced with the dark, only a ribbon of stars lit the heavens.

CHAPTER 2

Boston

My name is Lily Robinson, and I’m on the upside of my recovery from a gunshot wound suffered at the hands of a terrorist. Remnants of my past stay with me, plague me, tangled in what’s to come. It’s the past I now hear knocking at my door. And maybe the future, too…

***

Author Bio:

BJ Magnani’s fascination with toxicology led her to a career in pathology and laboratory medicine. She is Professor of Anatomic and Clinical Pathology Emerita at Tufts University School of Medicine and the author of the Dr. Lily Robinson suspense thriller series (The Queen of All Poisons, The Power of Poison, A Message in Poison, We’ll Always Have Poison and the short story collection Lily Robinson and the Art of Secret Poisoning) about a Boston physician recruited by the U.S. government as a covert assassin. A portion of the proceeds from her novels helps women receive free breast and cervical cancer screening through the College of American Pathologists Foundation.

You can learn more about Dr. Magnani, her work, and her Poison Blog at:
www.BJMagnani.com
Goodreads
BookBub – @bjmagnani
Instagram – @bj_magnani
Twitter/X – @bjmagnani
Facebook – @bjmagnaniauthor

Tour Participant Reviews:

‘The romance is steamy and well written… The dialogue is engaging for the readers… The book takes us all over from Belgium to Australia and more! I highly recommend this book to fans of mystery!’
~ Country Mamas With Kids

‘I really enjoyed this book. The study of poisons and how it was incorporated into the book was fascinating. I loved the descriptive text and felt I was in the labs and other places in the story as I was reading them. If you are interested in crime fiction with a medical side and traveling the Easter’s half of the Earth, I would recommend this book for you.’
~ Catreader18

‘This is fast paced and immersive. I love when the locations change and the language changes and how authentic it feels.’
~ FullyBookedInKentucky

‘Magnani provides a balance of the heroine’s personal life with action. It was interesting to read about discoveries and advances in technology… I liked this novel.’
~ Book Reviews From an Avid Reader

‘Dr. Lily Robinson faces her biggest challenge. We’ll Always Have Poison delivers a no-holds-barred battle between right and wrong that threatens everything Lily holds dear.’
~ Novels Alive

‘We’ll Always Have Poison by BJ Magnani is a thrilling action-packed mystery. It is full of murder, chaos, and of course, poison. We’ll Always Have Poison draws me in like a moth to a flame. Once I’m there, I’m burning to know more. Exciting read that goes by faster than readers will expect.’
~ The AR Critique

‘a suspense thriller with a dose of environmentalism and climate action. With a career in pathology and laboratory medicine, Dr Magnani’s knowledge and expertise is clearly present in this story – adding more realism.’
~ alittlemixofvix

‘BJ Magnani’s professional experience in toxicology and pathology provides a solid foundation for the series’ protagonist, Dr. Lily Robinson. The depth of detail throughout the narrative draws the reader into the story and anchors each scene, offering a rich background for everything from mundane bits of every day life to murder. Cleverly plotted, expertly paste, and rife with compelling intricate relationships and real life problems, this book is short to keep you reading far into the night.’
~ Dogs, Mysteries, & More

‘With its sympathetic main character and superb storytelling, readers should set aside a big block of time to start this book, they won’t want to put it down! Adding to the danger, excitement, and appeal of the story, the investigation takes the characters to locations across the globe. I was not prepared for the emotional range I experienced or the emotional investment I had in this story. ‘
~ Boys’ Mom Reads!

‘The mystery, was so intriguing… a true page-turner that I just couldn’t put down. If you’re looking for a great book to read – or a series to binge – I can’t recommend BJ Magnani’s Dr Lily Robinson series or WE’LL ALWAYS HAVE POISON highly enough. Just read them!’
~ Hott Books

‘I could feel the adrenaline pumping in this book of a epic adventure journey whilst also playing with my emotions. It was exciting travelling around the world to hunt down the killer and I was thrilled they travelled to my part of the world Australia!’
~ leannebookstagram

‘In The Queen of all Poisons, I could not stop reading until I finished the book.The powerful writing is fast paced and demanding.’
~ leannebookstagram

‘The Power of Poison is a intricate web of secrets and lies to be revealed and I relished unwrapping it slowly. The scientific jargon sometimes was hard to get my head around but you can get the gist. Towards the end of the story things certainly ratched up a notch and I was holding my breath waiting for the explosion. It sadly ends on a cliffhanger but that makes me all the more eager and excited to read the next book in this page turning series.’
~ leannebookstagram

‘In A Message in Poison, Dr Lily Robinson faces her toughest cases yet but she makes it look like a piece of cake… I will never look at a pair of stilettos the same after reading this series.’
~ leannebookstagram

Tour Host Info:

Book Formats: ePub, Print
Hosting Options: Review, Showcase
Giveaway: There will be a tour-wide PICT Giveaway
More: According to the author We’ll Always Have Poison does not include: Excessive Strong Language, Graphic Violence, Explicit Sexual Scenes, or Rape. However, readers may encounter content that is considered to be another trigger situation. Generally the content is considered to be: Moderate. At this time, PICT staff have not yet read this book and cannot give additional information.