Available on Amazon in Summer 2025
When Dr. Peter Palma joins the medical team of the Paradise, he’s eager to treat passengers for minor ailments as the cruise ship sails from Copenhagen to New York. It’s a fresh start, far from the futility and grief that had him questioning everything.
“With tight pacing, visceral horror, and sharp psychological insight, The Regression Strain explores what happens when science, instinct, and morality collide in the vacuum of survival . . . claustrophobic, haunting, and razor-sharp”
K.C. Finn for Readers’ Favorite
“A fun, fast-paced read that blends the gruesome thrills of a zombie movie with the fascinating details of good medical writing and strands the whole thing in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean.”
Cassandra Rose Clarke, author of The Mad Scientist’s Daughter
“Kevin Hwang’s debut examines loss, grief, and what it means to be human, all while keeping the reader on the edge of their seat with what might go wrong next. The Regression Strain is a propulsive medical thriller that had me turning pages late into the night.”
USA Today Bestselling Author Kristen Bird
When Dr. Peter Palma joins the medical team of the Paradise, he’s eager to treat passengers for minor ailments as the cruise ship sails from Copenhagen to New York. It’s a fresh start, far from the futility and grief that had him questioning everything.
But something foul is festering under the veneer of luxury and leisure on the ship. Violence erupts—the brig fills with felons, the morgue with bodies, and the vacation becomes a nightmare.
Peter and his medical staff are pushed to the brink by a vile affliction that pits loved ones against each other and shatters the bonds of civil society.
With the ship hurtling towards an unprepared New York, only Peter—now betrayed by the very people and systems that should protect the ship—can isolate and neutralize the threat.
But he’s already delirious and hallucinating.
And sometimes primal urges are impossible to resist.
About Kevin
I’m an internal medicine physician, primary care provider, and Professor at UTHealth McGovern Medical School where I teach residents and students, conduct research and quality improvement projects, and serve as Medical Director of the UT Physicians General Internal Medicine Center.
My academic work has been published in The Journal of the American Medical Association, American Journal of Medicine, International Journal of Medical Informatics, Preventive Medicine, and other peer-reviewed journals.
I’m board-certified in Internal Medicine and Clinical Informatics.
Freelance Medical Writing & Reviewing
I’m occasionally write and review medical information for health professionals and public audiences.
- Articles, abstracts, and monographs
- CME material
- Slide presentations
- Exam questions and answers
- Clinical vignettes and case studies
Clients include:
Expertise
As an internal medicine physician and primary care provider, I offer a wealth of expertise in a broad array of topics.
- Acute illnesses
- Chronic disease
- Health maintenance and screening
- Health behavior
- Population health
- Health care system
- Clinical informatics
Background
I earned my MD from The University of Texas Medical Branch where I graduated with honors. I completed my internal medicine residency at Morristown Memorial Hospital. Subsequently I earned my Master of Public Health degree from The University of Texas School of Public Health. A long time ago, I graduated from Rice University with degrees in Biochemistry and English.
I love a hot bowl of chili and have a weakness for all kinds of noodles.
This website provides general information only. This website does not provide professional medical advice about the diagnosis, treatment, or prevention of medical conditions. This website is not a substitute for professional medical advice. No doctor-patient relationship is formed by any activity associated with this website. Opinions expressed on this website are strictly those of the author and do not represent the opinions or policies of the author’s employer.