Craig Keffeler’s debut novel, Asesina, offers a new style of healthcare thriller. One that gives the reader a blistering, behind-the-scenes look at corporate medicine and at the same time delivers a high-octane thriller with a diverse cast of characters.

FAQ’s about Asesina

Question: How did you come up with the plot for Asesina?

Keffeler: “Several What-ifs? What if I could create a modern character who captures all the traits of past literary killers, but is somewhat nonidentical. She’s clever, hardened, compelling—a soloist with no spouse, boyfriend, girlfriend, or significant other; there’s no mentor, ‘gal-pal,’ or sidekick. It’s just her: a talented ex-con who’s close to her mother and her cats and is quite adept at what she does, which is killing.”

Question: Other ‘What-ifs?’

Keffeler: “Medicare for All. So many people have an intense interest. So what if California enacted its own statewide single-payer program? And what if our other protagonist—a gifted but entertainingly-flawed Beverly Hills neurosurgeon—is a key player in the state’s Medicare for All program? And what if his malpractice scam and legal screw-ups shatter the multimillion-dollar buyout of his group? And what if the CEO acquiring his group is so desperate for cash that he cannot accept ‘no’ for an answer? Asesina weaves all these subplots into a fast-paced, realistic novel that has become quite timely.”

Question: The beginning of Asesina introduces a fit, agile, dialed-in killer. Was that by design?

Keffeler: “Certainly. I interspersed the introduction of several key characters, moving back and forth between Angel, the asesina, who’s in full-blast mode targeting a corrupt politician who’s headlining an elaborate fundraiser in Juárez, Mexico. Next, I introduced Dr. Ernie Girard and his laundry list of shortcomings. The third goal was to pull the reader in further by describing California’s new Medicare for All system, then tying it all together.”

Question: Is another novel in the works?

Keffeler: “Absolutely. I have to bring some of these characters back.”