State of Wonder by Ann Patchett

It's a nasty, shivery sort of day here in Brighton.

I can't think of anything nicer than being transported to another sunny, tropical world. At least, that's what I thought when I first started this book. Soon I was drifting along in the creepy, sinister world of high pharmaceutical warfare, the jungles of Brazil and was entranced from beginning to end.

Dr Marina Singh is working in a lab in the US, working for a large drug company, when her colleague is sent to Brazil to investigate the workings of maverick Dr Swenson.

She has been in the jungle researching a tribe of native Indians who seem to be able to conceive and bear children far beyond the normal age.

But she's uncontactable, and has been gone far too long. The drug company are getting anxious and want a return on their investment.

They send Marina's colleague out to bring the elusive Dr Swenson home, and to report on her findings. But Anders goes missing, presumed dead.

Marina is sent out to Brazil to see what's going on. The world of a market town in Brazil, that has a dock and an every ebbing population from the river is quite scary, but when Marina finally goes up river to Dr Swenson (who she already knows from medical school and is in awe of) things get beyond interesting.

The native tribe is welcoming but bewildering and Dr Swenson has some quite astonishing news. A pretty perfect read. Enjoy.