Book review: Corruption, deception, and greed in the digital age

Jacqueline Davis, Staff Writer, May 28, 2021

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Dr. Michael J. Young said he wanted to showcase greed and American entitlement in his recent novel “Net of Deception.” Photo by Jacqueline Davis

Dr. Michael J. Young is a professor by day, medical-instrument inventor by evening... and by night? A brilliant author. His third novel “Net of Deception,” covers a “web” of topics, including greed, corruption and deception in the medical and pharmaceutical industries.

“Net of Deception” follows the lives of three affluent men—a wealthy businessman, a U.S. senator, and a hospital administrator doctor—who all fall victim to an online sexual-

enhancement drug dispensary scheme.

Unbeknownst to the men, the nefarious and greedy owner of the online drug company is stealing their personal information online while plotting to wield control over their lives. Meant to be read in 4-5 hours, the book is a page turner. Young unmasks the dark side of the web and offers a terrifying look at how easily safety is compromised.

Young, who is a urologist, said he intended his novel to be disturbing and “a little creepy.”

“I wanted this to be bothersome because people need to be cognizant of the risks out there,” he said. “I can’t remember a time in my life where I have received more spam calls, more nefarious phishing emails that look really good. You really have to be mindful of the risks.”

There have been times in Young’s practice when he felt he spent a significant amount of time trying to tamper the anxieties of entitled people.

“I personally have a few issues that bother me,” he said. “Greed is one, entitlement is another—American entitlement—so, I wanted to showcase that.”

Young also wanted to call out a new trend among Americans—the too-easy process of buying medications online.

“These drugs are not candy. These drugs have side effects, these drugs are risky,” he said. “I decided to write a story about murder, using that as the predicate, with health care in the background, and try to weave in my concerns about cybersecurity and cyber manipulation in the cyber ecosphere and use medicine as the backdrop.”

Young’s novel can be ordered through Amazon.