What Lies Behind

April 13, 2015
Bestseller Ellison’s captivating fourth Samantha Owens novel (after 2014’s When Shadows Fall) finds the former Washington, D.C., medical examiner working as a consultant for the FBI. When a woman is found dead and a man near death in a house in Sam’s Georgetown neighborhood, the bloody crime scene suggests that the man stabbed the woman, then himself, in a fit of passion. Sam’s police detective friend, Darren Fletcher, who was recently promoted to homicide lieutenant, consults with Sam on the case. When the U.S. State Department asks them to keep the investigation under wraps, Sam and Fletch become increasingly suspicious that the crime wasn’t a simple murder-suicide. Meanwhile, Sam’s boyfriend, bodyguard Xander Whitfield, takes on the job of protecting James Denon, a wealthy British industrialist, while he’s visiting his business interests in the States. As Sam and Xander’s missions converge, they discover evidence of a serious bioterrorist threat. The cliffhanger conclusion will leave fans of romantic suspense eagerly anticipating the next installment. Agent: Scott Miller, Trident Media Group.

Starred review from June 1, 2015
Dr. Samantha Owens returns in another compelling thriller (following When Shadows Fall, 2014). Ellison can make mundane story lines seem fresh, thanks to clever writing and the magnetism of Owens as a lead character. This time the forensic pathologist is asked to assist her friend, homicide detective Darren Fletcher, who initially thinks that the crime scene he's examining showcases a murder/suicide. Owens investigates and realizes the area has been staged, and, with the discovery of vials of toxic materials, matters suddenly take an even more dangerous turn. Soon Owens and everyone she loves have become targets, and the only way out may be to make a connection between the killer and some cold cases on Owens' desk. The novel is a genuine page-turner from the very beginning. Ellison clearly belongs in the top echelon of thriller writers who base their stories on forensics. Her recent collaboration with Catherine CoulterThe Lost Key, 2014should help boost her profile, but readers should be encouraged to seek out the Owens novels. Don't leave this one behind.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)