Search

In this mesmerizing new novel from bestselling author Lisa Black, the discovery of a young man's corpse leads forensics expert Maggie Gardiner and Cleveland detective Jack Renner into a dark and dangerous web of lies... Life and death have brought Maggie Gardiner full circle, back to the Erie Street Cemetery where she first entered Jack Renner's orbit. Eight months ago, she learned what Jack would do in the name of justice. More unsettling still, she discovered how far she would go to cover his tracks. Now a young man sprawls atop a snowy grave, his heart shredded by a single wound. A key card in the victim's wallet leads to the local university's student housing—and to a grieving girlfriend with an unsettling agenda. Maggie's struggle to appease her conscience is complicated by her ex-husband, Rick, who's convinced that Jack is connected to a series of vigilante killings. Also a homicide detective, Rick investigates what seems like a routine overdose on Cleveland's West Side; but here, too, the appearance belies a deeper truth. Rick's case and Jack's merge onto the trail of a shadowy, pill-pushing physician who is everywhere and nowhere at once, while Maggie and Jack uncover a massive financial shakedown hiding in plain sight. And when Rick's bloody fingerprint is found at another murder scene, Maggie's world comes undone in a violent, irreversible torrent of events... more...

Forensics expert Maggie Gardiner and Cleveland detective Jack Renner believe in delivering justice. One follows the rules. The other follows a darker path... Three days before a key election, U.S. Senator Diane Cragin is electrocuted on her own doorstep—a shocking twist in an already brutal political race. The obvious culprit is Cragin's rival Joey Green, a city official who's had his hand in every till in town for the past twenty years. But after discovering a fortune in cash in Cragin's safe, Maggie and Jack suspect they've stepped into a much bigger conspiracy—and they'd better watch their backs. Dogged by a reporter on the verge of discovering the truth about Jack's deadly brand of justice, Maggie and Jack plow through a city seething with corruption. As one murder leads to another, and another, their only chance to stop a killer requires trusting each other. Easier said than done... Praise for Lisa Black and Her Gardiner and Renner Thrillers “A must read!” —Charles Todd “Black keeps the suspense high throughout.” —Publishers Weekly “Well-plotted and paced... with a pair of intriguing protagonists.'—Booklist “One of the best storytellers around.” —Tess Gerritsen more...

A stunning Gardiner and Renner thriller from the New York Times–bestselling author of Every Kind of Wicked, “one of the best storytellers around” (Tess Gerritsen). Forensic investigator Maggie Gardiner always follows the rules. Detective Jack Renner doesn't believe in them... In a mansion on the outskirts of Cleveland, a woman's body lies in a pool of blood. The victim is Joanna Moorehouse, founder of Sterling Financial. To crack the case, Maggie and Jack will have to infiltrate the cutthroat world of high-stakes finance. But every employee at Sterling Financial is hellbent on making a killing. When a series of unrelated murders reveals disturbing evidence, only Maggie recognizes the handiwork of a killer who will continue killing until he is stopped. Burdened with unbearable secrets, Maggie must make an agonizing choice, while her instincts keep telling her: she's next. “As always with Black, this psychological suspense is incredible.” —Suspense Magazine “Full of fascinating forensic science and an eye-opening deep dive into predatory mortgage-lending practices.” —Publishers Weekly Praise for Lisa Black and The Gardiner and Renner Thrillers “Lisa Black always delivers.” —Jeff Lindsay, creator of the Dexter series “This terrific mystery will keep you guessing—and turning pages.” —Hank Phillippi Ryan “A great choice for readers of psychological suspense, forensic investigations, and mystery.” —Library Journal more...

The investigative team hunts for a possible killer stalking a juvenile detention center in this crime thriller by the New York Times bestselling author. The body of fifteen-year-old Rachael Donahue—abandoned by society and violently unapproachable—was found at the bottom of a stairwell at Firebird, the secure facility for juvenile offenders in Cleveland. For forensics expert Maggie Gardiner and homicide detective Jack Renner, Rachael's death comes with a disturbing twist—the girl may have been involved with a much older man. But Rachael's not the only resident at the center to come to a dead end. A ten-year-old “wild child” has overdosed in the infirmary. The back-to-back tragedies appear to be accidents. But Maggie and Jack suspect a cold-blooded murderer is carrying out a deadly agenda. Meanwhile, Maggie's ex-husband gets nearer to uncovering the secrets that she and Jack must hide—and that makes it even harder for them to protect a new and vulnerable victim from a killer with unfathomable demons. more...

A “timely, tense, and thought-provoking” Gardiner and Renner thriller from the New York Times bestselling author of Every Kind of Wicked (Hank Phillippi Ryan). “Lisa Black always delivers.” —Jeff Lindsay, creator of the Dexter series When it comes to the dead, forensic investigator Maggie Gardiner has seen it all. But detective Jack Renner knows there are always more ways to die... The Cleveland Herald is making headlines for all the wrong reasons. A dead body found hanging above the newspaper's assembly line is a surefire way to stop the presses. Forensic investigator Maggie Gardiner rules out suicide. The evidence tells her a murderer is implementing a staff cut—and the killing is far from over. Homicide detective Jack Renner believes in justice—by any means necessary. If killing is what it takes, he won't let the law get in his way. It's just too bad Maggie knows his secrets. As the body count rises, Maggie has no choice but to put her trust in the one person she can never trust. Praise for Lisa Black and Her Gardiner and Renner Thrillers“The definition of psychological suspense! Superbly drawn characters, nonstop plotting and a style that's downright lyrical keep us racing through this tale of crime, politics, power and journalism from first page to the last. This is a one-sitting read!”—Jeffery Deaver, New York Times bestselling author “As always with Black, this psychological suspense is incredible.”—Suspense Magazine “Black is one of the best writers of the world of forensics.”—RT Book Reviews, 4 Stars “A great choice for readers of psychological suspense, forensic i more...

The “taut and haunting” first thriller in the Gardiner and Renner series from the New York Times bestselling author of Every Kind of Wicked (Jeff Lindsay, creator of the Dexter series). As a forensic investigator for the Cleveland Police Department, Maggie Gardiner has seen her share of Jane Does. The latest is an unidentified female in her early teens, discovered in a local cemetery. More shocking than the girl's injuries—for Maggie at least—is the fact that no one has reported her missing. She and the detectives assigned to the case (including her cop ex-husband) are determined to follow every lead, run down every scrap of evidence. But the monster they seek is watching every move, closer to them than they could possibly imagine. Jack Renner is a killer. He doesn't murder because he enjoys it, or because he believes himself omnipotent, or for any reason other than to make the world a safer place. When he follows the trail of this Jane Doe to a locked room in a small apartment where eighteen teenaged girls are anything but safe, he knows something must be done. But his pursuit of their captor takes an unexpected turn. Maggie Gardiner finds another body waiting for her in the autopsy room—and a host of questions that will challenge everything she believes about justice, morality, and the true nature of evil... “An absolute must read.”—Suspense Magazine “Black skillfully portrays the stark realities of homicide cases.”—Library Journal “Intriguing forensic details help drive the plot to its satisfying conclusion.”—Publishers Weekly “The surprising ending is sure to keep readers coming back for more.”—Booklist more...

'A must-read for fans of Cornwell and Grafton'Booklist “Taut suspense, a brave and likable heroine, a clever plot, and a slam-bang ending add up to a high-water mark for this popular series” Booklist on Close to the Bone Forensic scientist Theresa MacLean stumbles across a murder rather too close for comfort when she returns to the Medical Examiner's office following a late-night call to find one deskman missing and the other beaten to death. Written in blood above the dead man's head is a single word: ‘Confess'.It's the first time a homicide has taken place actually within the ME's office. Medical Examiner Stone works on how to spin the news while Theresa works the scene.When a second victim is discovered, Theresa uncovers a link to the death of another co-worker, records secretary Diane Allman, who was murdered in her own home ten years before. As she painstakingly pieces the clues together, Theresa realizes that she has become an integral part of a ruthless killer's murderous agenda. And if she is to survive, she must find out what really happened to Diane all those years ago. more...

A twisting forensic thriller from the New York Times–bestselling author, “quite simply, one of the best storytellers around” (Tess Gerritsen). Forensic scientist Theresa MacLean is puzzled by the questionable death of a female construction worker at a Cleveland building site. A witness to the death—a young girl nicknamed Ghost—may be able to help. Ghost says the woman was pushed by someone she can only identify as the Shadow Man. Soon Theresa finds herself in a race against time to protect Ghost from an unknown killer before he is able to find the little girl and silence her for good. “An intense plot, knuckle-biting suspense, a likable heroine, and a shock ending make for a thoroughly satisfying read.” —Booklist “The pace doesn't slow in Blunt Impact.” —Ohio.com “The bond that MacLean forms with Ghost lends human interest and few will guess the killer's identity before the final desperate confrontation.” —Publishers Weekly “Black handles multiple plots like a pro.” —Kirkus Reviews more...

Called out to investigate a suspected suicide in a luxury high-rise apartment, forensic scientist Theresa MacLean only just escapes with her life when the building is blown to smithereens. An accident – or something more sinister? A mostly empty block of trendy apartments in downtown Cleveland seems an unlikely terrorist target.The following day, Theresa is examining another suspected suicide in a wealthy neighbourhood when the cop accompanying her is shot dead by an unseen assailant. Could the two events be connected?As Theresa painstakingly pieces the clues she uncovers evidence of a dark secret in the murdered cop's past. more...