What Harms You
Coming July 25th - the second book in the Locard Institute series!
The Locard Institute is a state-of-the-art forensic research center where experts from around the world come together to confront and solve the world’s most challenging and perplexing crimes. When Dr. Ellie Carr arrives for her first day as an instructor at the prestigious facility, the buildings glimmer amid the brilliant fall foliage on the shores of the Chesapeake Bay. But within hours a colleague, Dr. Barbara Wright, is found dead on the floor of a supply closet. Her death appears to be an accident—but Ellie and her new supervisor, Dr. Rachael Davies, suspect a more sinister explanation.
A young woman attending a professional training program then disappears, only to be found in a gruesome tableau. Other than their link to the Institute, there seems to be no connection between the student and Dr. Wright. Although forensic traces are elusive, Ellie and Rachael are determined to find the bizarre link between the violent and diverse deaths.
As reporters shatter the privacy of Ellie’s new workplace, she searches old files and finds evidence of a crime that feels much too personal. But who, among those dedicated to justice, could be the threat? No matter how skilled she and Rachael may be in uncovering the truth, they may not be able to prevent a well-schooled killer from striking again.
Praise for 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, winner of the 2020 and 2022 G.P. Putnam’s Sons Sue Grafton Memorial Award and the 2022 Sara Paretsky Award
“Lisa Black’s forensic expertise shines bright in this sophisticated thriller that will keep you guessing until the last page. Cutting-edge science meets edge-of-your-seat thrills. A triumphant return for Ellie Carr and Rachael Davies that you don’t want to miss.”
--Alex Finlay, author of the 2021 breakout novel, Every Last Fear
"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, NYT bestselling author of the Gemma James/ Duncan Kincaid novels
"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. Two experts in their forensics fields zero in on the shocking danger in their midst, and 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. Do not miss this!"
--Hank Phillippi Ryan, USA Today Bestselling Author; Mary Higgins Clark, Anthony, and five-time Agatha Award winner
“How does she do it? How, in this age of CSI super-saturation, does Lisa Black manage to hurl such masses of detailed forensic arcana at us and always have it land as brilliantly fresh, wholeheartedly captivating, and relentlessly in the service of an insanely compelling storyline? It’s as masterful a literary sleight-of-hand as you’ll ever see, and I frankly don’t know how she pulls it off. But I’m glad as hell she does.”
— John David Mann, New York Times bestselling coauthor of the Chief Finn series
“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
"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, author of Dexter and Riley Wolfe series.
“...a very clever fair-play mystery, with a deeply satisfying ending. ... I’m so looking forward to enjoying more of Ellie and Rachael’s adventures together, and can’t wait to read what Ms. Black writes next."
Criminal Element on Red Flags
"This is a one-sitting read!" - Jeffery Deaver, about Let Justice Descend.
"First-rate plotting and a compelling cast of characters." - Kirkus [starred review] of Every Kind of Wicked.
"Black keeps the suspense high throughout." -- Publisher's Weekly, about Suffer the Children
"As always with Black, this psychological suspense is incredible." --Suspense Magazine, about Perish
"The surprising ending is sure to keep readers coming back for more." - Booklist, about That Darkness
"She is, quite simply, one of the best storytellers around." -- Tess Gerritsen, about Trail of Blood
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