In the shadow of COVID-19, a new threat emerged. Scientists are tantalizingly close to creating Super-Plants for the benefit of mankind. But bad decisions and an unforeseen act of nature turns celebration into despair. Somehow the impossible occurred. Grounded in accepted and speculative science, INSECTi(cide) takes you on a fascinating journey with as many twists, turns, and terrifying moments as the Coney Island Cyclone. It’s about a rogue plant whose characteristics are derived from tinkering with the common dandelion. Events are told through the voices of two teenage boys—one a Kiwi from Christchurch, the other an indigenous Nenet from Siberia—and a twenty-something New Jersey molecular biologist with streaked blond hair and a killer recipe for cranberry chutney. The intrigue stays true right up until the end.