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.

What a storyline. I really was captured but this book and premise. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this opportunity to read this book.

Kalla is both a successful author of medical thrillers and a physician who practices in Vancouver. His last book was "The Darkness in the Light". This new release was inspired by actual events where a number of people died because they took diet pills containing DNP, which was developed in WWI as a explosive to fill howitzer shells. Set in both Vancouver and LA, the book follows the fictional detectives and doctors as they track the source of this deadly poison that has killed both the son of a US senator and a pop star. This is a fun, easy read that sheds light on this dangerous product and it is a good recommendation for fans of medical thrillers. 3.5/5 stars

Thank you so much to @netgalley and @simonschusterca for my first eARC of Fit to Die by Daniel Kalla

I was very excited to read this thriller as it is partially set in Vancouver! Although I found that I am not a fan of medical thrillers, the plot surrounding celebrities, diet culture, body image and drug abuse was very intriguing.

As Kalla is local Canadian author and physician, I was happy to read and support his work.

Publication date is May 9th!

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TW: ED's, death

Maybe this one hit close to home for me but I really enjoyed it even though it scared me. It felt so current and like this could happen at any time. A really solid, twisty thriller.

Loved that it was set partially in Canada as well :)

Content warning: Eating disorders, body dysmorphia, drug abuse

Daniel Kalla, known for thrillers rooted in the medical field, had me intrigued when I saw his latest novel is based around online body shaming and toxic diet pills. When a US senator’s teenage son is found dead of an apparent overdose in his bedroom, LAPD Detective Cari Garcia assumes he is a troubled teen with a secret drug addiction. Meanwhile in Vancouver, Dr. Julie Rees, a toxicologist, is noticing a trend in overdoses among patients with eating disorders and body builders. Famous pop star and social media influencer Rain Flynn, is found dead in her hotel room showing similar symptoms to the patients Julie has lost to these overdoses. Autopsy shows that these patients have one thing in common - an illicit diet pill containing a toxin called DNP, in their system. An explosive agent that is unpredictable and deadly. The LAPD and Vancouver Police must work together to find the source before the body count continues to rise.

This book was so fast paced and engaging, I finished it over the course of an afternoon. There are quite a few POVs which really allows the reader to immerse themselves in the story from multiple angles. I always enjoy when writers do this. Each POV was unique and easily distinguishable from the others.

Daniel Kalla is an ER Physician, which is definitely what makes his stories so realistic. He breaks down the medical aspects of the story in a way that makes it easy for readers like myself, with absolutely no medical background, easy to understand. The premise of a toxic diet pill, and the pressures of social media influencing body image are sadly so relevant. I was really engaged and felt so much sympathy for the various victims in the story.

I would definitely recommend this if you’re looking for a socially relevant thriller. I could not put this one down.

Thank you to @netgalley & @simonschusterca for the eARC in exchange for an honest review! Fit to Die is out on May 9, 2023!

⭐4/5 stars⭐

I think the authors notes help you appreciate this novel for what it is - an eye opening look at a very real problem with drugs being used for weight loss. I found the multiple POV's difficult for me, and had to jot down notes to keep track of everything. It's a good mystery, but I do think it should come with some trigger warnings around eating disorders and body dysmorphia. I feel like this was written more like a screen play than a novel? The headings or titles of chapters would have helped immensely. The writing style was a bit disjointed which ultimately affected the overall feeling of the book. It was definitely enjoyable and would make for a great series.

Daniel Kalla does it again with this faced paced medical thriller about toxic dieting pills, anorexia and the influence of media/wellness culture. I enjoyed that characters from THE LAST HIGH were brought back for this book, as I enjoyed their storyline. But I felt like this book was a bit one-sided. I wish there was more from the victims' side, not just points of view from cops/medical team/bad guys. Still a solid read from Kalla. I would recommend if you like detective work, medical thrillers, and seeing the bad guys get what's coming for them. Very satisfying end!

3.5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Canada for this ARC!

Daniel Kalla is a Canadian author and a Vancouver doctor. His knowledge of what happens in an ER room makes this story all the better. Fit To Die will make you really realize how dangerous the weight loss industry is now, especially with easy access to purchase all kinds of weight loss miracle drugs on the internet. If you are looking for a fast-paced medical thriller then I suggest you pick this book up.

This was my first book by this author and I will be reading more. 5 stars!

An exciting read that kept me turning the pages. I had no idea of this "slimming method" and was shocked to learn that this could happen in real life, not only in medical thrillers. I loved the medical aspect and the (partial) Vancouver setting! All in all, a very satisfying reading experience. Thanks to the author, Simon & Schuster Canada, and Netgalley for my free copy in exchange for an honest review.

This timely thriller about a pop star who overdoses takes on weighty issues like the normalization of diet culture, body shaming and the dangers of off-label weight-loss medication. The fact that this story comes on the heels of recent headline news about the widespread use of diabetes medications like Ozempic for weight loss is almost eerie, making some of the set-up it explores — like influencer culture and social media — seem like almost too-easy targets. But Kalla, a Vancouver ER physician and toxicologist, has an insider’s knowledge of the milieu and the crisis, so he balances interesting medical details with empathy and a pacy plot, without getting preachy.
(Delighted to include this title in the May edition of Novel Encounters, my regular column highlighting the month’s most anticipated fiction for the Books section of Zoomer, Canada’s national culture magazine)

This book was a quick read for me. I would not classify it as a thriller, however there is a mystery behind the plot. All in all it was an ok read for me.

From internationally bestselling author Daniel Kalla comes a riveting thriller about online body shaming, toxic diet pills, a vulnerable mega-celebrity, and a rapidly rising body count.

This plot centres around Dr. Julie Rees, an experienced toxicologist, who notices a growing number of overdoses among the eating disordered and body builders, leading to a multi-jurisdictional cross-border investigation.

It is apparent that Daniel Kalla practices emergency medicine in Vancouver, British Columbia, as his portrayal of the Physician protagonists in their respective emergency settings is so detailed.

Overall, an interesting and unique topic, involving (sometimes unattainable) standards of beauty, the obsession with health and dangerous impact of social media; with current implications due to the ongoing societal pressure to be thin, popular and attractive.

I just reviewed Fit to Die by Daniel Kalla. #NetGalley
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Fit to Die: A Thriller by Daniel Kalla ~ A Book Review
How far would you go to get the "Diet" results that seem to be eluding you? It is a known fact that we are obsessed with our own individual perceived short comings! We are hard on ourselves in so many ways and because of this predisposed condition, we fall for so many "quick fixes".


In this novel by Daniel Kalla, hones in on this shortcoming many of us have and weaves a story around those people who are determined to the be the fittest, slimmest, most beautiful people in the world.

Just imagine if you will, an elite athlete, after a competition hears someone comment that if they were just a couple of pounds lighter, the results of the race would have been so much different! As an athlete little things like a couple of pounds can be the difference between winning and loosing! Could that be true? Would that comment stick with you? If you were the person being spoken about, what would you do?

Enter the shady world of "Diet Pills" and online "doctors" who are always pedaling their overpriced and often unreliable and useless products to a population looking for a quick fix. All of us with our insecurities, are the prey these advertisements are geared towards. That's one of the reasons the "diet" industry is thriving.

Fit to Die follows the death of a young man (Owen) who is in his prime, a great student and a successful athlete. He ends up dead with symptoms that no Emergency Room doctor can figure out. Multiple organ failure and super high body temperatures that are causing seizures and ultimately his death. Yet there are no signs of drug use, steriods or anything else, even though he is in the typical age range for these problems! What has cause this death? His mother a US Senator in California wants answers!

Then there is another suspicious death in Vancouver. A young beauitful and very popular singer and media influencer dies with the same symptoms. What the heck is happening and what is the connection between these two seemingly unrelated deaths? Could there be a connection?

Detective Chen from Vancouver and Detective Cari Garcia from LA must put their heads together to find out what is going on before it becomes an epidemic and more lives are lost!

You will have to read this book in order to find out the who, what, where, when and why of all the mystery!

This book had me reading well into the night and I know that this scenario is quite possible in our day, given our "need" to be perfect or as near perfect as possible. Who hasn't wanted a quick fix after dieting for months only to have the last 10 pounds hang on forever?

Dr. Daniel Kalla is not only a gifted writer, but he is also an Emergency Physician in the Greater Vancouver area. He has written 13 published novels and had a few of them optioned for film and a TV series. Keep your eyes open for this novel that is sure to keep you turning pages. You can preorder it on Amazon! Due out after May 9th of this year.

I was given a copy of this book for my honest review by Goodreads, Simon & Schuster Canada!

You can order yours here or you can read for free with your Audible account!
I just reviewed Fit to Die by Daniel Kalla. #NetGalley
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“How do you think you get noticed in the hypercompetitive, desperately overcrowded world of fitness and health? By playing by the rules?”

In this riveting novel from Vancouver ER doctor and international bestselling author Daniel Kalla, a Vancouver doctor and a detective join forces with counterparts in Los Angeles Police Department to face the deadly consequences of an illicit diet pill that is growing in popularity. They race to track down the supplier that has landed multiple people in Vancouver and L.A. in the ER with critical overdoses.

Kalla shines the spotlight on our society and reveals the dangers of our quick-fix society. His stellar medical suspense opens readers' eyes to the “treacherous phenomenon of body image and eating disorders, which are perpetuated by a toxic weight loss industry and a social media rife with body shaming” and warns readers about a deadly diet pill. Rather than focus on the toll on society, Kalla speaks up for the victims and highlights the criminals who’ve preyed on these susceptible people.


Kalla’s writing is fuelled by his passion as a physician. The drama, conflicts, and daily struggles he witnesses in his career, breathe life into this enlightening and compelling read. His stories always make me appreciate front-line workers and help me foster greater empathy for those who struggle. If you haven’t experienced the caliber of Kalla’s writing, what’s stopping you?

How did we become a nation of impatient and lazy people who are always looking for a quick fix? Why do we not want to wait for anything? Why are we hot on the tracks to attain the perfect body?

Kalla writes to reveal that the endless search for the quick fix is a trap and encourages us to become better informed, more discerning, and willing to find healthier ways to fill our dopamine tank.

Kalla deftly shows us that addiction is not a mere social ill; it’s a disease that involves the individual as well as their family, friends, and community. You’ll be introduced to a track star, Owen Galloway, a famous pop star and social media influencer, Rain Flynn, and co-owners of a popular wellness clinic, Cecilia and Lloyd Hunter. You’ll follow their quest for perfection and see the ripple effects of their choices.

I absolutely love Kalla’s books! In this medical suspense, he invited me inside the emergency room and gave me a glimpse of the challenges doctors/nurses face in triage, how collaboration across multiple departments is necessary, and how the daily battle of racing against time affects frontline workers. It was great to read about local places and get reacquainted with characters Detective Anson Chen (VPD), Dr. Julie Rees (ER doctor and toxicologist with Poison Control) and Dr. Goran Veljkovic (ER doctor) from The Last High and I am looking forward to meeting them again.

As I turned over the last page, I felt convicted to reassess my values on perfection, my responses on social media, and the weight I place on body image/shaming. I was left with the thought-provoking idea: ‘There’s a ton of truth in that old adage that anything worthwhile takes time and effort.’ I certainly have a responsibility to do something, anything.

HIGHLY recommended.

I was gifted this copy by Simon & Schuster Canada and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.