Former Detroit resident and WSU School of Medicine alumna Patricia Gussin will autograph and discuss her debut novel, "Shadow of Death," at local bookstores next week.

In 1967, Gussin was a first-year medical student at Wayne State University School of Medicine in Detroit. Riots engulfed the city, and tremendous devastation ensued. Now, after an illustrious career practicing medicine and directing medical research as a worldwide vice president for a leading health-care company, Gussin revisits that harrowing time in "Shadow of Death," a forthcoming thriller hailed as a stunning debut novel.

"Anyone who lived in the Detroit area in 1967 will never forget the horror of the riots as the city burned for five days," Dr. Gussin said. "I think everyone remembers where they were when it happened and how they felt. I remember that time vividly - like the protagonist in Shadow of Death, I was a medical student with two small children. The book is not autobiographical but in some ways, I did experience what Laura experiences in the book: the scariness of Detroit at the time; the ongoing curfews; the palpable hostility."

In "Shadow of Death," an Oceanview Publishing book, Gussin introduces Laura Nelson, a medical student, wife and mother struggling to strike a balance between her family and career. As the worst violence in the history of Detroit erupts around her, Laura's life changes in an instant when she becomes both a victim of a violent crime and a murderer. Laura is forced to make a split-second decision that will alter the course of her life.

Patricia Gussin graduated from the WSU School of Medicine as Dr. Patricia Stewart in 1971. Board certified in family medicine, she has practiced medicine and directed medical research in her role as worldwide vice president for a leading health-care company. "Shadow of Death" is her first novel. Proceeds of "Shadow of Death" will benefit the Wayne State University School of Medicine, in support of the Wayne First capital campaign.