Reviewed: John Carreyrou, Bad Blood, Picador, 2018

Blood is not a single substance, but a collection of individual parts that comprise a magical fluid that maintains life. It’s made up of many components: red blood cells that carry oxygen to tissues and give blood its colour; cells from the immune system; and large biomolecules such as proteins, salts, nutrients, fats, hormones and medicines. Blood and blood vessels serve as the body’s highway, and blood can reveal much about your health. Before it can be tested, it must be drawn and separated out into its components. This is the most efficient and widely used diagnostic tool in medicine.