“State of Wonder”

This Ann Patchett book is an oldie but a goodie and absolutely as relevant today as it was when published in 2011. The backdrop is mostly deep in the Brazilian rainforest where an American pharmaceutical company is working on early-stage drug development with just a few scientists on location. The intrigue is the unexplained death of Anders, a researcher, and his colleague Marina’s quest to understand how and why he died in this remote area. There are so many twists and turns, moral/ethical questions and compelling but strange characters that you will constantly be in a “state of wonder” as you read this book.