WILMINGTON DOCTOR TURNED AUTHOR

In a thrilling literary turn, Wilmington, North Carolina's own Dr. Greg Player—better known to patients as a trusted family physician—is now making headlines for a very different kind of work: fiction. His debut medical thriller, The Enemy Within, has hit the ground running, capturing attention with its breakneck pace, eerily timely premise, and chilling portrayal of what happens when science turns sinister.

Dr Greg Player

Drawing on his nearly two decades in family medicine, Player crafts a story in which an experimental psychological weapon escapes containment, infecting an unsuspecting population. As fear and paranoia spread faster than the virus itself, readers are left questioning who's really in control—and whether the mind can be the most dangerous battlefield of all.

"I like to imagine what is possible in medicine but not yet discovered," says Player. "And when it comes to the mind, we're only scratching the surface."

The novel, released just a few weeks ago, has already secured a coveted spot on Ingram's Summer Reading List 2025, appearing alongside literary giants such as John Connolly, Brad Thor, and the powerhouse duo of Bill Clinton and James Patterson. It's also caught the eye of bestselling author Tess Gerritsen, who called it "a medical thriller that's nonstop action and suspense. The virus may be fictional, but the real dangers are not."

Even more impressively, The Enemy Within was named a Judge's Top Pick for Best Thriller 2025 by the Silver Falchion Awards at Killer Nashville—one of the most respected platforms for thriller, suspense, and crime writers. Though this is his first adult thriller, Player is no stranger to the written word. Before choosing a career in medicine, he worked summers as a cub reporter on Nantucket and wrote for his college newspaper. He's also the author of two middle-grade novels with medical themes: Lilly Stone: Adventures of a Seventh Grade Doctor and Different.

We sat down with Dr. Player to discuss the transition from medicine to fiction, the inspiration behind The Enemy Within, and what's next in his dual life as a doctor and writer.

From Family Medicine to Fiction: What inspired you to turn your medical experience into a thriller, and why now?

I've always loved writing, so that part isn't new to me. I'm sure you've heard the adage, write what you know—and fortunately, medicine offers so many rich, complex stories. I've written middle grade books before, but this is my first thriller for an older audience. It just felt like the right time to try something darker and more complex.

You've said the brain is as mysterious as the ocean floor. How did that idea shape the story and the fictional virus in The Enemy Within?

As much as doctors know about what goes on from the neck up, it's still essentially a black box. There has been incredible progress in psychiatry and neuroimaging, but much remains unknown. The idea for this book actually came while listening to a podcast about a rash of suicides on a college campus. I thought, "What if something like that wasn't psychological, but biological?" The idea of a virus causing mental illness is terrifying—and plausible enough to keep you up at night.

What was your reaction to landing on Ingram's Summer Reading List alongside literary giants, and so early into your debut release?

Honestly, I'm speechless. To be named to that list, and so soon after the book came out, is both humbling and exciting. It's incredibly rewarding to see your work recognized, especially on such a big stage.

How do your real-life experiences as a physician inform the authenticity of your characters and medical details in the book?

Character development is key. If I don't care about the characters, I'm not going to care what happens to them—whether I'm reading or writing. My medical background definitely helps bring authenticity to the scenes and conditions described in the book. That realism, I think, grounds the story and makes the horror more believable. I plan to stay in this space—medical and psychological thrillers—for a while.

Tess Gerritsen praised your book for its nonstop action. How did you approach pacing and suspense? Was it instinct, or something you studied?

Great question. I read a lot of thriller writers, including Tess Gerritsen herself, to understand how pacing works. But for me, it comes down to feeling the scene. If I can see it clearly in my mind and feel the tension in my gut while writing, I know I'm on the right track. Then comes the endless rewriting, shaping, and tweaking until the page matches what's in my head.

What's next—are you already working on another thriller, or does medicine still hold the front seat?

I'm still doctoring—and still writing. I love both, and I think they complement each other. Hopefully, I'll have another psychological thriller out soon. I'm definitely not finished exploring the dark corners of the mind.

With early accolades and a concept that feels both urgent and unsettlingly real, Greg Player's The Enemy Within marks the arrival of a bold new voice in medical thrillers. It's a novel born from the mind of a doctor, shaped by the heart of a storyteller—and it might just leave you questioning everything you thought you knew about modern medicine.

Player will host a book signing and meet-and-greet on Saturday, August 16, from 1 PM to 4 PM at the Barnes & Noble in Mayfaire Town Center. Readers are invited to stop by, meet the author, and get a signed copy of one of the summer’s hottest new thrillers.