The Deepest Kill

Forensic investigators Ellie Carr and Rachel Davies head to the Sunshine State for their third case (after What Harms You) in this lumpy thriller from bestseller Black. Reclusive tech guru Martin Post, the third-richest man in the U.S., summons Ellie and Rachel from Washington, D.C., to his Florida compound for a job. Two weeks earlier, Post’s pregnant daughter, Ashley, died in what appeared to be a boating accident. Post, however, suspects foul play, so he employs Ellie and Rachel to perform a second autopsy. The results indicate that intentional force may have killed Ashley, opening the gate for a flood of potential suspects: Could her husband, Greg, have done it? A rival tech company who’s competing with her father for a lucrative defense contract? A foreign government intent on stealing Post’s cutting-edge software for themselves? As suspicions proliferate, more bodies pile up, and Ellie and Rachel must find answers before they’re next on the chopping block. Black, a Floridian forensic scientist, infuses the narrative with scalpel-sharp regional and technical detail. Unfortunately, she’s shakier when it comes to the plot, delivering a herky-jerky investigation and rushed finale. This is best suited to devoted series fans. Agent: Vicky Bijur, Vicky Bijur Literary. (Mar.)