Lisa Black

What initially appears to be a bank heist turns into something far more complex and deadly. When forensic scientist Theresa MacLean seizes the opportunity to trade places with the city's best hostage negotiator, she must decide what she is willing to sac

Takeover

In this tour de force of psychological suspense, bestselling author Lisa Black draws from her experience as a forensic investigator to create two of the most fascinating characters in crime fiction: a killer with a unique sense of justice and a woman in a lifelong relationship with death… That Darkness 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 … Praise For Lisa Black and her bestselling novels "Lisa Black writes with immediacy and unmatched authenticity." --Jeff Lindsay, New York Times bestselling author of the DEXTER series "In Black's skillful hands, you're in for a surprise…a gifted storyteller." --Ridley Pearson "A must-read for fans of Cornwell and Grafton." --Booklist "Black, who is a forensic scientist, certainly knows her field." --Publishers Weekly "Quite simply, one of the best storytellers around." --Tess Gerritsen "Highly entertaining…Fans of forensic thrillers will look forward to seeing more." --Library Journal "Pulse-pounding adventure…devilishly clever." --Mystery Scene "Lisa Black heightens the suspense." --South Florida Sun-Sentinel

That Darkness

Seventy-five years ago, a madman nicknamed the Torso Killer terrorized Cleveland. His horrific spree lasted four years and crisscrossed the entire city. Overall, he was credited with more than a dozen murders. And he was never caught. Today, forensic scientist Theresa MacLean is called to an abandoned building where a desiccated, decapitated body has been found in a room that's been sealed off for years. Although there's no immediate proof, everyone assumes the same thing: that the newly discovered corpse was a Torso Killer victim. The body has decayed beyond recognition, leaving few forensic clues, but Theresa sees this as an opportunity to shed some light on a big piece of Cleveland's past that until now has been shrouded in mystery. But then another body—this one recently deceased—turns up, and all signs at the scene seem to indicate the work of a new Torso Killer. Suddenly, Theresa's investigation takes on a whole new meaning. Her examination of the old body has opened a door to the past—a door someone wanted to keep closed—and she shifts her focus from solving a historical puzzle to catching a very dangerous, present-day psychopath. But as the body count rises, Theresa finds herself nearer to danger than she ever imagined. For the killer is keeping a watchful eye on Theresa, and she begins to feel his presence everywhere. Each step brings them closer and closer to each other—at one point separated by no more than a speeding train in a railroad switchyard—as Theresa scours the city in her hunt for a murderous lunatic intent on reliving a terrifying past.

A Novel of Suspense

Trail of Blood

Jillian Perry has been found dead in the woods, leaving behind a husband of three weeks and a young daughter. The police can't determine how she died--but forensic investigator Theresa MacLean suspects foul play. To complicate matters, a former boyfriendo

Evidence of Murder

Maggie Gardiner, a forensic expert who studies the dead, and Jack Renner, a homicide cop who stalks the living, form an uneasy partnership to solve a series of murders in this powerful new thriller by the bestselling author of That Darkness. It begins with the kind of bizarre death that makes headlines--literally. A copy editor at the Cleveland Herald is found hanging above the grinding wheels of the newspaper assembly line, a wide strap wrapped around his throat. Forensic investigator Maggie Gardiner has her suspicions about this apparent suicide inside the tsunami of tensions that is the news industry today--and when the evidence suggests murder, Maggie has no choice but to place her trust in the one person she doesn't trust at all . . . Jack Renner is a killer with a conscience, a vigilante with his own code of honor. In the past, Jack has used his skills and connections as a homicide detective to take the law into his own hands, all in the name of justice. He has only one problem: Maggie knows his secret. She insists he enforce the law, not subvert it. But when more newspaper employees are slain, Jack may be the only person who can help Maggie unmask the killer-- even if Jack is still checking names off his own private murder list.

Unpunished

Arriving at her job at the medical examiner's office to discover a co-worker dead and another missing, forensic scientist Theresa MacLean uncovers a link to the death of another co-worker who was murdered a decade earlier.

Close to the Bone

The key to Cleveland detective Teresa MacLean's latest case lies in a 25-year-old unsolved murder.

The Price of Innocence

Forensic scientist Theresa MacLean's investigation into the suspicious death of a female construction worker turns urgent when a young witness to the crime turns up and must be protected from the unknown killer.

Blunt Impact

In this fourth novel in Lisa Black’s captivating suspense series, forensic investigator Theresa MacLean finds herself embroiled in a case in which everyone has a motive and everyone is a suspect—especially when high-powered defense attorneys start turning up dead. When Marie Corrigan, a Cleveland defense attorney with a history of falsifying evidence and no shortage of enemies, is found dead in the presidential suite at the Ritz-Carlton, most people would agree that she had it coming. Forensic investigator Theresa MacLean is summoned to the crime scene by her daughter, Rachel, who is working the front desk. But even before Theresa enters the room, she knows that she’s walking into a forensic nightmare—for crime scenes at hotels, even the most luxurious, are teeming with trace evidence that has been left behind by innumerable guests and may or may not be related to the murder. But what Theresa finds is even worse than she imagined. Given the positioning of Marie’s body, everyone assumes the same thing—that it’s a lovers’ tryst turned lethal. But large questions remain: How did the killer gain access to the room without anyone’s knowledge? And has the scene been staged for their benefit? The little evidence Theresa has is conflicting at best. What’s more, a legal convention at the hotel provides an endless list of suspects—and potential victims. When two more bodies show up in quick succession, each in a similar state, Theresa’s investigation takes on a whole new urgency as she fears they may have a serial killer on their hands—a serial killer with a vendetta. But as she searches for the threads that tie the cases together, Theresa begins to suspect that she and her daughter are closer to danger than they realize. And a mother will stop at nothing to protect the life of her child.

Defensive Wounds

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

Let Justice Descend

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Dominated by the Boss, Contemporary Romance and Sex Story

Erotic Romance 3 - The Intern's Predicament

Suffer the Children

Red Flags

New York Times bestselling author Lisa Black launches a pulse-pounding new series with a taut, compelling forensic thriller that introduces Dr. Ellie Carr and Dr. Rachael Davies, who must combine their expertise to solve deadly crimes . . . When D.C. crime scene analyst Dr. Ellie Carr is called to investigate the heartrending case of a missing baby, she’s shocked to discover that the child’s mother is her own cousin. Close during their impoverished childhoods, Ellie and Rebecca eventually drifted apart. Rebecca is now half of a Washington power couple, and she and her wealthy lobbyist husband, Hunter, have been living a charmed life in an opulent mansion—until their infant son is taken. “Every contact leaves a trace.” That’s the basic principle of forensic science followed by pathologist Dr. Rachael Davies. A reluctant Ellie is teamed with Rachael, employed by Hunter to help with the investigation. Rachael is assistant dean at the prestigious Locard Forensic Institute, named in honor of the French criminologist who inspired the profession. But in this case, discovering where those traces lead quickly becomes a dangerous journey through a web of greed and deadly ambition. At first antagonists, then allies, Ellie and Rachael race to find the baby alive and bring the kidnappers to justice. What seemed like a simple ransom grab reveals links to a lobbying effort to loosen regulations on a billion-dollar gaming empire. Unless they can piece together the evidence before the Senate hearing, Rebecca’s son—and others like him—will face an unthinkable fate . . .

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

Tom Barlow

Brian Silverman

Andrew Welsh-Huggins

Robert Pope

Drew Buxton

Sara Garland

TJ Staneart

William Wilcox

Our 240 page Issue No12, Winter 2020 edition of Mystery Tribune is a must-have featuring Tom Barlow, Lisa Black, Drew Buxton, Sara Garland, Robert Pope, Brian Silverman, and more. Winter 2020 features: A curated collection of short fiction including stories by Tom Barlow, Lisa Black, Drew Buxton, Sara Garland, Robert Pope, Brian Silverman, TJ Staneart, Andrew Welsh-Huggins, and William Wilcox. Interviews and Reviews by Andrea Bartz, Hector Acosta, Tobias Carroll, and Charles Perry. Art and Photography by Chantal Convertini, Karen Jerzyk, Joël Sanguinetti and more. This issue also features a preview of the new graphic novel Bloodborne Volume 4: The Veil, Torn Asunder by Ales Kot (Author) and Piotr Kowalski (Illustrator). NY Times Bestselling author Reed Farrel Coleman has called Mystery Tribune “a cut above” and mystery grand masters Lawrence Block and Max Allan Collins have praised it for its “solid fiction” and “the most elegant design”. An elegantly crafted quarterly issue, with a beautiful layout designed for optimal reading experience, our Winter 2020 issue will make a perfect companion or gift for avid mystery readers and fans of literary crime fiction.

Winter 2020

Mystery Tribune / Issue No12

“There are many forensic experts. There are many writers. Rarely, however, do the two meld as seamlessly and synergistically as Lisa Black.” —Sacramento Book Review “She is, quite simply, one of the best storytellers around.” —Tess Gerritsen A former forensic scientist with the Cleveland coroner’s office, Lisa Black knows the world she writes about, as she has proven in the past with her gripping thrillers featuring Theresa MacLean (Takeover, Evidence of Murder, Trail of Blood). With Defensive Wounds, Black delivers possibly her most sensational crime fiction masterwork to date—a stunning tale of forensic expert MacLean’s investigation into the brutal murder of a criminal defense attorney at a Cleveland convention that reveals the frightening presence of a serial killer prowling the city. The forensic police thriller remains one of the most popular sub-genres in contemporary mystery fiction, and Defensive Wounds once again proves that Lisa Black is one of the “big guns,” in the top tier alongside Patricia Cornwell, Kathy Reichs, Jefferson Bass, and Michael Connelly.

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 . . .

Every Kind of Wicked

PERISH was a finalist for the G. P. Putnam’s Sons Sue Grafton Memorial Award. 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. Praise for Lisa Black and Her 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 “Intriguing forensic details drive the plot.” —Publishers Weekly “An absolute must read.” —Suspense Magazine

Perish

In the sixth Gardiner and Renner thriller by forensic scientist and New York Times bestselling author Lisa Black, Maggie Gardiner, a forensic expert who studies the dead, and her unlikely partner, a vigilante homicide cop who stalks the living, take a deep dive into the seedy world of fraud from medical fraud to money laundering to phone scammers and more. 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...

Lisa Black

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