The Jeannie Johal Thriller Series
Two thrillers. One woman who won’t look away.
Susann Camus writes the Jeannie Johal series: A young Brown surgeon flees her controlling husband in Mumbai. In North America, she rebuilds her life and investigates what hospitals would rather no one see.
The Series
The Jeannie Johal Thrillers
Two novels. One protagonist. Health systems, hidden agendas, and the people inside them who will do anything to keep the truth offstage.
Book One – 2023
See Me
A Jeannie Johal Thriller
Jeannie Johal, a young Brown plastic surgeon, flees her controlling husband in India. She makes a new life for herself as a quality improvement consultant in Canada, where she investigates when patients are harmed while in hospital. She discovers a web of workplace intrigue fueled by professional rivalries and illicit relationships. Her investigation runs parallel with the investigation into the murder of the quality improvement physician leader, and Jeannie soon finds herself being threatened. Who wants her out of the way? Will she discover the truth or will she be the next murder victim?
Book Two – 2025
Bless Your Heart
A Jeannie Johal Thriller
A pharmaceutical giant has teamed up with the Pitt County, North Carolina public health department to test a drug that could help millions improve their health. But someone is sabotaging the research. Healthcare researcher Jeannie Johal is sent to Greenville, NC on special assignment to find out why. Little does she know that even before she begins, plans are underway to persuade her to leave the project. On her first day, her new boss is murdered. The beautiful Arboretum, next door, contains many poisonous plants and at least one master gardener who threatened Jeannie’s boss. Can she find out who’s sabotaging the data? And can she fix the problems before more people die?
The Author
Susann Camus
“Bless your heart” is a phrase imbued with so many meanings. I heard this phrase many, many times after moving from the West Coast of Canada to Eastern North Carolina in early 2018.
See Me: A Jeannie Johal Thriller was inspired by my work as a quality improvement and patient safety leader in British Columbia’s hospitals, where I had the opportunity to work alongside and learn from amazing nurses and physicians whose dedication to improving patient outcomes was exceptional.
Bless Your Heart: A Jeannie Johal Thriller is the follow-up to See Me. Bless Your Heart finds Jeannie assigned to investigate a research project undertaken by the Pitt County Public Health Department in Greenville, North Carolina. The City of Greenville and the Pitt County Arboretum play outsized roles in this novel. Greenville is the city where I became an Extension Master Gardener Volunteer. In December, I was honored with a pin for contributing 1,000 volunteer hours.
I currently split my time between Florida and the Carolinas.
Beyond the Books
The Writing Life
A natural observer with stories drawn from human nature and personal experience. As Susann puts it, “There is an element of truth in each story.”
Short Fiction
Twenty Vignettes
Brief stories ranging from comic to tender. Several connect to characters and settings in See Me; others sketch West Coast locations like Crescent Beach and Steveston.
- How to Keep Your Audience’s Attention
- Kayaking in an Origami Bathtub
- There Are No Bodies Buried Between These Walls
- A Thousand Cloves of Garlic
- A Free Margarita
Craft & Publishing
Notes from the Writing Life
Occasional posts on the craft and business of publishing: pitching agents at Thrillerfest, deciding to self-publish See Me, learning to promote a novel as a first-time author, and what gets you banned from Twitter.
- Self-Publish or Find an Agent?
- What Do Making Jewelry and Writing Fiction Have in Common?
- Buyers Bought Books; Jewelry, Not So Much
- What Does It Take to Get Banned from X and Facebook?
Press & Praise
Genre credentials.
Published Thrillers
Karin Slaughter, Lisa Gardner, Michael Connolly, Jeffrey Deaver, J.D. Barker & more
Weeks on Amazon Bestseller List
A realistic glimpse into the complexity of health system error fraught with conflict, hidden agendas, and unanticipated consequences. Camus is a masterful story teller, interweaving fact and science into an engrossing tale of intrigue, courage and human frailty.
Dr. John Hwang, Quality Improvement Healthcare Leader, British Columbia
A heartfelt gem. Camus masterfully blends humor, wit, and raw emotion. It’s a book that will have you laughing on one page and reflecting deeply on the next. The prose is sharp, yet tender, and leaves a lasting impression long after the final chapter.
Sheldon N., OnlineBookClub reviewer
Filled with twists and turns and a very satisfying ending, this thriller makes me want to visit Greenville, NC.
D. Camille, Largo, FL
Mesmerizing. I couldn’t put it down. I stayed up until I finished it.
Parmendra P., New Westminster, BC