Publishers Weekly
02/26/2024
Forensic investigators Ellie Carr and Rachel Davies head to the Sunshine State for their third case (after What Harms You) in this lumpy thriller from bestseller Black. Reclusive tech guru Martin Post, the third-richest man in the U.S., summons Ellie and Rachel from Washington, D.C., to his Florida compound for a job. Two weeks earlier, Post’s pregnant daughter, Ashley, died in what appeared to be a boating accident. Post, however, suspects foul play, so he employs Ellie and Rachel to perform a second autopsy. The results indicate that intentional force may have killed Ashley, opening the gate for a flood of potential suspects: Could her husband, Greg, have done it? A rival tech company who’s competing with her father for a lucrative defense contract? A foreign government intent on stealing Post’s cutting-edge software for themselves? As suspicions proliferate, more bodies pile up, and Ellie and Rachel must find answers before they’re next on the chopping block. Black, a Floridian forensic scientist, infuses the narrative with scalpel-sharp regional and technical detail. Unfortunately, she’s shakier when it comes to the plot, delivering a herky-jerky investigation and rushed finale. This is best suited to devoted series fans. Agent: Vicky Bijur, Vicky Bijur Literary. (Mar.)
From the Publisher
Praise for the Locard Institute Thrillers:
“Lisa Black writes from her own experience as a forensic scientist, instilling What Harms You with the perfect blend of technical accuracy and polished storytelling. Kathy Reichs and Jeff Lindsay have claimed this turf as their own for years, but Black is every bit their equal.” —BookTrib on What Harms You
“The action is non-stop and the descriptions of crime scene analysis are fascinating and gruesome. With the authentic details and Ellie and Rachael working together, this could be only the beginning of a welcome series.” —Akron Beacon Journal on What Harms You
“What Harms You is a terrific, CSI procedural that takes a thoughtful, even-handed view of life and crime-fighting in the 21st century, balancing hot-button topics with common sense approaches.” —Criminal Element on What Harms You
“A brilliant idea and the ultimate locked-mansion mystery – a serial killer possibly on the loose at an elite CSI school – fully realized into a cinematic and riveting page-turner. The oh-so-knowledgeable Lisa Black immerses us in the fascinating science, the deadly secrets, the authentic details, and the personal danger. Fans of Tess Gerritsen and Kathy Reichs will especially be drawn to this compelling and fast-paced novel.” —Hank Phillippi Ryan, USA Today bestselling author on What Harms You
“Lisa Black’s return to the Locard Institute in What Harms You is a bona fide page-turner that kept me on the edge of my seat. What a great team Dr. Ellie Carr and Dr. Rachel Davies make. Black knocked it out of the park. The Locard’s in good hands, and so are we.” —Tracy Clark, award-winning author of the Cass Raines and Det. Harriet Foster series on What Harms You
"Lisa Black's second Locard Institute novel is clever, chilling, and enormously gripping right up until the very last page. Black combines spot-on forensic detail with empathetic characters I can't wait to see more of—this series tops my list of new favorites." —Deborah Crombie, New York Times bestselling author Duncan Kincaid/Gemma James Novels on What Harms You
“Black, who writes elegantly from personal experience as a criminologist herself, has fashioned a wondrously structured tale with the pace and energy of a great crime film.” —BookTrib on Red Flags
“This solid series launch from bestseller Black introduces forensics experts Ellie Carr and Rachael Davies…Black packs the novel with fascinating details for crime scene buffs, who will eagerly await the next case for the intrepid CSIs.” —Publishers Weekly on Red Flags
“A diabolical plot, the kidnapping of kids, and a zealous lobbying group all play roles in Black's twist-filled narrative. There is more than enough suspense to keep readers fully engaged until the shocking ending.” —Booklist on Red Flags
“As the pages are turned the tension rises. The investigation is interesting and the detail about forensics is a bonus. The twists offer different red herrings to keep readers guessing.” —Crimespree Magazine on Red Flags
“While Red Flags is a forensic thriller, it’s also a very clever fair-play mystery with a deeply satisfying ending. Black layers interconnecting mysteries, even as she sensitively explores Ellie and Rachael’s complicated family lives…[and] balances their personal stories perfectly with the suspenseful action.” —Criminal Element on Red Flags
"With her first-hand knowledge of forensics added to her skill as a writer, Lisa Black doesn’t miss. Red Flags is a real nail-biter, a can’t-miss thrill ride from start to finish." —Jeff Lindsay, creator of DEXTER on Red Flags
"She is, quite simply, one of the best storytellers around."—Tess Gerritsen on Red Flags
Kirkus Reviews
2023-12-16
A pair of forensic scientists helps a tech titan investigate his daughter’s death.
Although their history as colleagues at the Locard Institute has been relatively brief, Dr. Ellie Carr and Dr. Rachael Davies have formed a bond that’s uncommonly close professionally while remaining more distant personally. That’s about to change. Martin Post, the genius behind OakTree software design, summons them to the Gulf Coast to help determine whether his four-months-pregnant daughter, Ashley, died in an accidental drowning or was the victim of something more sinister. When they arrive at his Florida home, a palatial compound befitting the third-richest man in the United States, the investigators find a living situation that would try the most robust family ties. Ashley and her husband, Greg Anderson, lived entirely under Martin’s domineering thumb. Solo excursions on her boat, Phantom, were Ashley’s main source of release. Local police believe that, perhaps due to a pregnancy-related loss of balance, she was swept off the Phantom and drowned. But when Rachael’s careful inspection of Ashley’s body, recovered from the Gulf days after her disappearance, reveals a tiny nick in her spine, she and Ellie realize that they’re looking at a murder. Meticulous Rachael and intuitive Ellie must answer a daunting number of questions about how Ashley came to be killed so many miles from land. The two investigators end up strengthening their personal connection as memories from Ellie’s past, including details of her own mother’s drowning, inflect their inquiry.
Nothing about this case makes sense until it does. Cheers for Black’s knotty puzzle and the two canny women who unravel it.
