Throat culture / Christopher Golden and Rick Hautala

"Shayna tried to speak, but her throat was closed off. Her breath came in short, sharp gasps. Frank cradled her head in his lap, frantic as he looked up at the crowd. 'Is there an ambulance on the way?' " Wedding bells are ringing for Jenna Blake's dad, and she couldn't be happier for him. His new wife, Shayna, is just the greatest. And their wedding luncheon is perfect -- until the food arrives. When guests start experiencing unusual symptoms, Jenna knows something is terribly wrong. Then all too quickly, Shayna winds up paralyzed. But Shayna's not the only victim. The mysterious illness begins to sweep Jenna's college campus, leaving two students dead. Doctors suspect that this is no ordinary virus. Highly unusual and destructive, it could only be the work of human hands. While the Center for Disease Control is blanketing the campus, Jenna and the rest of the medical examiner's team scramble to put the pieces together. But the longer it takes to solve the puzzle, the more critical the situation becomes. Because this virus is deadly -- and very contagious.