ENCODED MINDS: A Biological Thriller

Kfir Luzzatto

May 2026 · PINE TEN, LLC

About this ebook

Dark Matter meets HBO’s “The Last of Us” in this apocalyptic tale of humanity’s fight against a quickly spreading bacterial infection that turns people into possessed followers of the mysterious “Collective.”

Olivia Scott once had a strange ability: she could glimpse echoes of high-emotion events that had taken place nearby. As a child, those visions terrified her. Now, these long-forgotten gifts might be the only thing standing between survival and annihilation.

When Liv’s brother Bobby is arrested for murder, she must reclaim the power she once buried if she hopes to prove his innocence. With the help of two scientists, she makes a stunning discovery: bacteria can store memories of the world around them and transmit those memories directly into the human brain.

Humans, made of trillions of bacteria, are the perfect hosts for this microscopic invasion. A military state takes control, while scientists search for the bacteria's origins at its epicenter, the city of Wexberg.

But the deeper they dig, the more disturbing the truth becomes.

Because the bacteria aren’t just recording human history. They’re learning to control it.

Can Liv’s visions save humankind before they fall prey to the hivemind of The Collective?

Ratings and reviews

The first thing that came to mind after reading this book is that it would make a great serial. I'm old enough to remember watching short vignettes at the Saturday matinee, always ending with the hero in a life-threatening situation, to be miraculously solved (or forgotten about) in the next week's episode. I don't think I put my e-book reader down for more than five minutes from start to finish. For most of the book, I couldn't wait to find out how things were going to work out.

About the author

Kfir Luzzatto is the author of eighteen novels, several short stories, and seven non-fiction books. Kfir was born and raised in Italy and moved to Israel as a teenager. He acquired his love for the English language from his father, a former U.S. Army veteran, a voracious reader, and a prolific writer. He holds a Ph.D. in chemical engineering and works as a patent attorney. In pursuit of his interest in the mind-body connection, Kfir was certified as a Clinical Hypnotherapist by the Anglo-European College of Therapeutic Hypnosis.

Kfir is a member of the HWA (Horror Writers Association) and ITW (International Thriller Writers).