Red Flags

by Lisa Black

Overview

Now in paperback!
New York Times bestselling author Lisa Black weaves her own professional expertise as a crime scene analyst into the first in a tantalizingly taut new forensic thriller series featuring Dr. Ellie Carr and Dr. Rachael Davies, Washington DC forensic scientists untangling a political scandal involving kidnapped children… Perfect for fans of Tess Gerritsen’s Rizzoli and Isles thrillers and Kathy Reichs’ Temperance Brennan Novels.

"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

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…

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781638086765
Publisher:	Center Point
Publication date:	04/01/2023
Edition description:	Large Print
Pages:	500
Product dimensions:	5.75(w) x 8.75(h) x 0.00(d)

About the Author

Lisa Black is the New York Times bestselling author of the Gardiner and Renner Novels and the Locard Institute Thrillers featuring Dr. Ellie Carr and Dr. Rachael Davies. As a forensic scientist at the Cuyahoga County Coroner's Office, she analyzed gunshot residue on hands and clothing, hairs, fibers, paint, glass, DNA, blood and many other forms of trace evidence, as well as crime scenes. Now she is a latent print examiner and certified crime analyst for the Cape Coral Police Department in Florida, working mostly with fingerprints and crime scenes. She is a member of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences, the International Association for Identification, and the International Association of Bloodstain Pattern Analysts, and has testified in court as an expert witness over 65 times. Her books have been translated into six languages and she was named finalist for the prestigious Sue Grafton Memorial Award for Perish. She lives near Fort Myers, Florida. Visit Lisa Black online at Lisa-Black.com.

Editorial Reviews

06/20/2022

This solid series launch from bestseller Black (the Maggie Gardiner and Jack Renner series) introduces forensics experts Ellie Carr and Rachael Davies. Ellie, part of the FBI’s evidence response team in Washington, D.C., arrives at a mansion on the banks of the Potomac to investigate the disappearance of four-month-old Mason Carlisle, who vanished from his crib in the middle of the afternoon with no trace and, so far, no ransom demand. The baby’s father, Hunter, owns a lobbying firm, and his mother, Rebecca, is a policy adviser to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. She also happens to be Ellie’s cousin, with whom she hasn’t communicated in more than 15 years. Hunter, not satisfied with the FBI’s progress, calls in Rachael from the Locard Institute, one of the best equipped forensics labs in the country, to help with the investigation. Soon other children whose parents are connected to an online gaming site are kidnapped, and Ellie and Rachael join forces to solve a multilayered crime. Black packs the novel with fascinating details for crime scene buffs, who will eagerly await the next case for the intrepid CSIs. Agent: Vicky Bijur, Vicky Bijur Literary. (Aug.)

Publishers Weekly

Praise for RED FLAGS:
 
“Black packs the novel with fascinating details for crime scene buffs, who will eagerly await the next case for the intrepid CSIs.” —Publishers Weekly
 
“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
 
“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. Ellie and Rachael’s friendship develops from a realistic and understandable professional standoffishness to warmth as they learn not only to work together but to rely on one another. This series debut balances their personal stories perfectly with the suspenseful action. I’m so looking forward to enjoying more of Ellie and Rachael’s adventures.” —Criminal Element

“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
 
“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

From the Publisher

Mia Barron portrays highly focused Washington, DC, forensic scientist Ellie Carr in a gritty voice as listeners follow Carr's investigation of the disappearance of a four-month-old baby. The missing child is the son of her first cousin, Rebecca, whose helpless demeanor clearly conveys her distress. The gravelly voices of the male law-enforcement characters contrast with the sharp, sometimes secretive, tones of Rebecca’s husband, a lobbyist. Barron ramps up the tension as more children disappear and cryptic ransom demands emerge. Dr. Carr is helped by an efficient-sounding colleague from the Locard Institute. The two forensic scientists doggedly follow the physical, digital, and verbal evidence, untangling a case that eventually plays out in a Congressional hearing. M.B.K. © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine

NOVEMBER 2022 - AudioFile

Mia Barron portrays highly focused Washington, DC, forensic scientist Ellie Carr in a gritty voice as listeners follow Carr's investigation of the disappearance of a four-month-old baby. The missing child is the son of her first cousin, Rebecca, whose helpless demeanor clearly conveys her distress. The gravelly voices of the male law-enforcement characters contrast with the sharp, sometimes secretive, tones of Rebecca’s husband, a lobbyist. Barron ramps up the tension as more children disappear and cryptic ransom demands emerge. Dr. Carr is helped by an efficient-sounding colleague from the Locard Institute. The two forensic scientists doggedly follow the physical, digital, and verbal evidence, untangling a case that eventually plays out in a Congressional hearing. M.B.K. © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine

NOVEMBER 2022 - AudioFile