This was a tough read, as a parent of 2 Teenagers it will sit with me for a very long time. Daniel has a knack for writing raw, honest and amazing stories. This is a must read if you think we don't have a Narcotic problem in Canada. Powerful read

Another action packed story by this author - this time centring around illicit diet pils containing DNP ( and explosive !) that leads to multiple high profile deaths in LA and Vancouver . Definitely a interesting plot centring around the diet industry and food disorders⁣
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I was about half way through the book when one of the characters made a comment which made a little light bulb go off in my head . Two of the main characters in this book were the main characters in the 2020 novel 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗟𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗛𝗶𝗴𝗵 by this author . This isn’t marked as a series and clearly it works well as a standalone!

Wow! Super topical medical thriller!

Fit to Die is a medical thriller which applies so well to our current time. I couldn't put it down! As someone battling the bulge but keen on fitness, it would be so nice to have that shortcut, that little pill, which could solve my problems...and so the main premise of this book speaks to me on many levels! The plot moves right along, the characters are well developed, the topic is engrossing, this is a super book! This is the first book by Daniel Kalla that I have read, so I must find the backlist!!

Thank you to the publisher who lent me an e-arc via Netgalley. This review is optional and my own opinion.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are my own."

Fit to Die is a fast moving mystery novel with a unique story.

I Started reading on the way to a hockey tournament and finished the book once we arrived.

Thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Canada for this read. The book was good and faced paced. A medical/procedural novel that included looks into the US and Vancouver where they were looked at the death of young people due to drugs. When I was reading it, I would want to read it so it was something that was not boring and it did not have a time that it was not going anywhere either.

Thank you Netgalley and Simon & Schuster for the chance to read an advance copy of Fit to die by Daniel Kalla. This medical/police thriller was quite realistic, with issues like eating disorders, toxic diet drugs, and body shaming. I enjoyed it, but felt there was just too many characters. The fact that it takes place partly in Vancouver was a bonus.

This is a timely, topical thriller about the lengths people will go to lose weight and the perils of illegal drugs. Julie, a doctor for Poison Control, starts to see a pattern in gruesome deaths from infested substances. Her boyfriend, Detective Anson Chen, and Cari, an LA detective are teamed up to investigate the similar types of deaths in LA and Vancouver. A weight loss and performance enhancing supplement called DNP that is made from explosive materials, literally, is discovered to be the deadly substance but finding the source is the big challenge. Only available online, the websites keep changing and disappearing.
I found myself more interested in Anson and Cari’s separate back stories, and it seems like this might be a set up book for a series.
A good summer read!
Thanks to @NetGalley and Simon and Schuster Canada for a copy of this eArc in exchange for my honest opinion.

Fun, timely and freaky. Really enjoyed this roller coaster ride of a thriller. Perfect title, Fit to Die.

Loved this book. It's a real page turner. Follow Anson, Theo and Cari as they investigate several DNP poisonings across Los Angeles and Vancouver. Dr Julie Rees, toxicological, alerts the police to the situation, and is then involved in the investigation.

A tense medical thriller that gives the reader a look into the booming wellness industry and people's obsession about body image.
I like that the subject matter is relevant and informative without being overwhelmed by medical jargon that is too hard to understand.
It was great to read more about Dr. Rees and Detective Chen but I found many of the other characters a bit one dimensional. I am looking forward to the next thought provoking book.
Thank you Netgalley and Simon and Schuster for this ARC.

Intense, current and captivating. Canada and the US police join forces to find out what is killing young people. Couldn't put it down- loved it

Fit to Die just wasn't the right book for me; I like character-driven thrillers and the characters here were pretty shallow, with dialogue that didn't feel natural to me. I decided not to finish it, but I think it will definitely appeal to readers who like a fast-paced, plot-driven thriller. The issue of weight loss drugs and the harm they do is timely and really interesting.

Advanced Book Review! Thank you @netgalley and @simonschusterca for sending me this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
Daniel Kalla’s new book, Fit to Die, is described as “a riveting thriller about online body shaming, toxic diet pills, a vulnerable mega-celebrity, and a rapidly rising body count.”
I’m not sure about the the thriller part but I still enjoyed this book. Daniel Kalla is a Canadian author and former emergency medicine physician and that background really comes through in this novel. Fit to Die felt like a medical show that had a crossover with a cop show with a cross-border element. The majority of the book takes place in Vancouver, with some of it set in L.A.
Daniel Kalla explains in the author’s note that the book “focuses on the treacherous phenomenon of body image and eating disorders, which are perpetuated by a toxic weight loss industry and a social media ride with body shaming.”
In Fit to Die, Daniel Kalla focuses on one specific and very deadly diet pill that is growing in popularity. What’s interesting is that it’s mentioned several times throughout the novel, that the concern is that the substance will grow in popularity, because a famous pop star and social media influencer used it – and died from it. He writes in the novel, “Rain’s death seems to have turned into some kind of promotional campaign for DNP.”
I found this foray into celebrity and diet culture so interesting but also scary – that people are willing to do anything to obtain or maintain the body image they view as superior. Even die for it.

Fit to Die by Daniel Kalla [Book #69]

A new diet pill seems to be circling around North America which normally wouldn’t raise the authorities attention. That is, until it’s uncovered that the diet pills contain DNP, an explosive which isn’t safe for human consumption. As the death tolls continue to rise, investigators in Vancouver and Los Angeles work together to get to the bottom of it.

Fit to Die is an entertaining and interesting medical thriller. The story is told via short chapters with alternating POVs; it's fast paced and a quick read. I was fascinated by how realistic the characters; the plot and the twists and turns were. The author combined his medical knowledge with suspense and great police procedural in such a tasteful way. At times, I found it hard to read due to the level of detail he provides in a medical sense. That didn’t stop me from tearing through this book because it was so good!

Thank you so much Netgalley and Simon & Schuster Canada for this Arc in exchange for a review.

Book hits shelves on May 9, 2023.

Author and physician Dan Kalla has the expertise for taking real-life issues and meshing together with medicine and suspense.
That's one of my favourite types of thrillers!
Thank you to Netgalley and Simon & Schuster Canada for my eARC of Fit To Die for review.
This is the fourth Kalla medical thriller I've read. In the same vein (pun intended) as The Last High, Lost Immunity, and The Darkness In The Light, Fit To Die takes the diet industry and adds a toxic spin.
A mysterious drug is causing fatalities in Vancouver and LA, with symptoms not easily explained.
Once the substance is identified as DNP - actually an explosive, being improperly used for weight-loss and "wellness" - LAPD Cari Garcia, Vancouver detective Anson Chen and toxicologist Dr. Julie Rees are on the case.
Readers of The Last High will recognize some characters, though Fit To Die can be a standalone.
This is a tightly-knit thriller, with a sometimes-difficult subject matter made hard to put down. Recommended!
For release on May 9.

First of all Daniel Kalla is one of my favourite authors and this book did not disappoint.

I loved everything about this story. I was immediately drawn into it and did not want to put it down. I always appreciate that Kalla takes a real issue and weaves it into a fictional story where you not only get the entertainment of the story but also get to learn about something.

This one was of particular interest as this is a current issue. I appreciate that as the story progress we get more information about these diet pills and the source is revealed a little at a time. The author does an incredible job of building these characters up, moving through multiple locations, creating mystery and including the medical component. It is easy to get invested in the outcome.

I always save these books - I want to read but don't want to have to wait for the next one to come. Incredible job!! I will be patiently awaiting the next book from this author.

Thank you net galley for giving me this opportunity to read this book.
This story is a medical mystery/thriller.
I have never heard of this author before and was pleasantly surprised of how much I enjoyed this story.
The story takes place both in California and British Columbia.
A well known politician finds her son dead and goes to the L.A. police. Soon there are other unexplained deaths.
Rain is a young singer who is obsessed with her body. She has a party at her apartment. Things get out of hand and she licks herself in her bedroom.
Her therapist and others finally get into Rain's room and find her unconscious.
The police in L. A. and in Vancouver soon work together as the deaths in those two cities are similar.
The supplements that were ingested were powerful enough to kill if taken more then the 'recommended' does.
There were so many twists that I never could figure out who the perpetrator(s) was/were.
Thoroughly enjoyed reading this book.

This is an exceptionally pacy insight into something that either is - or is at least likely to happen - when the wrong kind of drugs get into the hands of the wrong people, and vulnerable people get hurt. LOVE that this is written by DK - who has actual ER experience! Would recommend, would also share content warnings.

Content Warning: Drug use, body shaming, eating disorders

People are dying to get fit, literally dying. Deadly diet pills, mixed with unscrupulous duplicitous "wellness" centre owners makes for a dangerous combination. Preying on people's desires to be fit and people with body image issues, this book tells a tale of the lengths people will go to attain that perfect body. It's not really a tale is it though? It's a reality for some regardless of the dangers known and unknown.

We are re-introduced to Dr. Julie Rees and her boyfriend Detective Anson Chen (who we met in The Last High) are once again on the trail trying to determine where these toxic pills are coming from.
It's always thrilling reading Daniel Kalla's books, we get a real look at what he sees coming through the doors of the ER hospital in Vancouver. His books might be fiction but they're steeped in reality and who better to tell the stories than a doctor.

I loved the twists and turns and the final double-cross was perfect. I stayed up till 2am to finish it, I just couldn't put it down. If you like medical thrillers I highly recommend this one.

Thank you to Simon & Schuster Canada and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for my unbiased review.

Thank you to the publisher and net gallery for this ARC. I loved the plot and storyline and immensely liked the characters.