Thursday Mar 12, 2026
(Ep: 496) Anthrax, COVID, and Dengue: Inside the Maya Maguire Mysteries
#MillicentEidson #MayaMaguire #MicrobialMysteries #MayaVerse #MedicalMystery #Zoonoses #PublicHealthFiction #Epidemiology #ClimateChangeFiction #Anthracis #Borrelia #Corona #Dengue #StorycomicPresents #IndieAuthor
In this episode of Storycomic Presents, I’m joined by veterinary epidemiologist–turned–mystery author Dr. Millicent Eidson, creator of the alphabetical Maya Maguire Microbial Mystery series. Drawing on decades of work at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and state health departments in New Mexico and New York, she’s built the “MayaVerse,” where a veterinary medical detective chases real-life zoonotic diseases—microbes that jump from animals to people.
We dig into Maya’s world, starting with Anthracis: A Microbial Mystery, and moving through Borrelia, Corona, and Dengue, now collected in the new MayaVerse A–D Book Collection. The series blends medical thriller, mystery, and climate fiction as Maya and her colleagues confront anthrax outbreaks, tick-borne relapsing fever, COVID-19, and dengue in places like Arizona, New Mexico, and Hawai‘i.
We also talk about why Dr. Eidson believes fiction is a powerful way to help readers understand pandemics, climate-driven disease, and public health work; how her adopted Chinese American heroine Maya reflects both her own family and the people she’s worked with; and how her teaching at the University at Albany and University of Vermont shaped these stories.
Learn more and find all the books at DrMayaMaguire.com and via the MayaVerse A–D Book Collection
The Title sequence was designed and created by Morgan Quaid.
See more of Morgan’s Work at: https://morganquaid.com/
Storycomic Logo designed by Gregory Giordano
See more of Greg’s work at: https://www.instagram.com/gregory_c_giordano_art/
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Thank you to our Founders Club Patrons, Michael Winn, Higgins802, Von Allan, Stephanie Nina Pitsirilos, Marek Bennett, Donna Carr Roberts, Andrew Gronosky, Simki Kuznick, and Matt & Therese. Check out their fantastic work at:
https://www.stephanieninapitsirilos.com/
Also to Michael Winn who is a member of our Founders Club!
1 months ago
Barney Smith is such a wonderful, professional interviewer and I was honored to join him on this podcast to discuss my medical thrillers with a twist (the disease detective is a public health veterinarian).