The history of the miracle drug, penicillin, that helped the U.S. efforts to win World War II is the subject of Lauren Belfer’s new novel, A Fierce Radiance. She has written a gripping fiction read blending enough fact to create a desire to learn the truth about the history of this important medicine.

Claire Shipley is a single mother and photojournalist for Life magazine. She is sent on assignment to document a promising new drug made from molds. So begins the story that draws us into romance, love, murder and intrigue during a period in our nation’s history like no other. Medicine was deparately needed to help our wounded soldiers. Our enemies also were willing to go to great lengths to procure such important secrets.

The War department took over control from all researching pharmaceutical companies and prevented any one company from profiting from this medicine. These companies secretly continued to research into alternate antibiotics so they could make huge profits from people desperate for something to save their loved ones. Lauren Belfer shares in an epilogue, (Historical Note) the true facts she put into her novel and a list of recommended books for learning more about the development of antibiotics.