The Theresa MacLean Series

Latest release: September 27, 2011
Series
4
Books

About this ebook series

A gutsy forensic investigator is caught between a gruesome murder and a high stakes bank heist in this crime thriller series debut.

Early one Thursday morning, forensic scientist Theresa MacLean is called to the scene of a gruesome murder. A powerful executive was beaten to death in front of his own house in suburban Cleveland. It appears to be another grim day at the office for Theresa. But what unfolds during the next eight hours is unlike anything she could imagine.

During a robbery at the Federal Reserve Bank, seven people are taken hostage—including Theresa’s police detective fiancé. The police bring in the city's best hostage negotiator: handsome, high-profile Chris Cavanaugh. He hasn't lost a victim yet, but Theresa suspects he may be too arrogant to save the day this time.

When her fiancé is injured, Teresa manages to trade places with him. Once on the inside, she will use wits, wiles, and technical skills to gain control of the situation. But what appears to be a bank heist turns into something far more complex and deadly, and Theresa must decide how much more she is willing to sacrifice to save innocent lives.
Takeover: A Novel of Suspense
Book 1 · Oct 2009 ·
5.0
A gutsy forensic investigator is caught between a gruesome murder and a high stakes bank heist in this crime thriller series debut.

Early one Thursday morning, forensic scientist Theresa MacLean is called to the scene of a gruesome murder. A powerful executive was beaten to death in front of his own house in suburban Cleveland. It appears to be another grim day at the office for Theresa. But what unfolds during the next eight hours is unlike anything she could imagine.

During a robbery at the Federal Reserve Bank, seven people are taken hostage—including Theresa’s police detective fiancé. The police bring in the city's best hostage negotiator: handsome, high-profile Chris Cavanaugh. He hasn't lost a victim yet, but Theresa suspects he may be too arrogant to save the day this time.

When her fiancé is injured, Teresa manages to trade places with him. Once on the inside, she will use wits, wiles, and technical skills to gain control of the situation. But what appears to be a bank heist turns into something far more complex and deadly, and Theresa must decide how much more she is willing to sacrifice to save innocent lives.
Evidence of Murder
Book 2 · Aug 2009 ·
5.0
From a New York Times–bestselling author, “this fast-paced thriller features a lot of detailed forensics with a rip-roaring ending” (Publishers Weekly).

Eight months ago, forensic investigator Theresa MacLean lost her fiancé in a bank robbery gone wrong, and she’s had trouble concentrating on her work ever since. But when she investigates the death of a young mother that may have consequences for an innocent child, her attention is riveted by the harrowing case.

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—her body shows no visible marks, and the autopsy reveals nothing suspicious—and the leading theory is that she purposely wandered into the forest and succumbed to the freezing weather. But something doesn’t feel right to Theresa, and she can’t let it go.

To complicate matters, a former boyfriend of Jillian’s unexpectedly petitions for custody of her daughter. Obsessed with Jillian, he also suspects foul play in Jillian’s death, and now he and Theresa believe Jillian’s daughter may be in danger of meeting a similar fate. With a child’s life at stake, Theresa must search for evidence of murder—evidence that doesn’t seem to exist—before it’s too late.

“Black, a former forensic scientist, knows her stuff and briskly leads readers along the trail of clues behind her likeable, no-nonsense heroine. . . . Smart science propels this intelligent, well-thought out crime thriller.” —Kirkus Reviews

“She is, quite simply, one of the best storytellers around.” —Tess Gerritsen, New York Times–bestselling author of the Rizzoli & Isles series
Trail of Blood: A Novel of Suspense
Book 3 · Sep 2010 ·
0.0
With “captivating characters,” this forensics thriller from a New York Times bestseller features a killer who copycats unsolved historical serial murders (Booklist).

In 1930s Cleveland, a serial killer nicknamed the Torso Killer went on a horrific spree that resulted in more than a dozen murders. And he was never caught.

Today, forensic scientist Theresa MacLean is called to an abandoned building where a body has been found in a room that’s been sealed off for years. Although there’s no immediate proof, everyone assumes the newly discovered corpse was a Torso Killer victim.

But then another body—this one recently deceased—turns up, and all signs seem to indicate the work of a new Torso Killer. Theresa’s 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, danger closes in on Theresa. For the killer is keeping a watchful eye on Theresa, and each step brings them closer and closer to each other. . . .

Praise for Lisa Black:

“Black, a former forensic scientist, knows her stuff and briskly leads readers along the trail of clues behind her likeable, no-nonsense heroine.” —Kirkus Reviews

“Fans of forensic mysteries, CSI and Patricia Cornwell’s novels will enjoy the emphasis on evidence.” —Associated Press

“There are many forensic experts. There are many writers. Rarely, however, do the two meld as seamlessly and synergistically as Lisa Black.” —Sacramento Book Revie

“Quite simply, one of the best storytellers around.” —Tess Gerritsen, New York Times bestselling author of the Rizzoli & Isles series
Defensive Wounds: A Novel of Suspense
Book 4 · Sep 2011 ·
4.6
From a New York Times—bestselling author, a forensics investigator searches for a killer intent on murdering criminal defense lawyers.

When Marie Corrigan, a Cleveland defense attorney with a history of falsifying evidence, is found dead at the Ritz-Carlton, most would agree that she had it coming. Before entering the crime scene, Theresa knows she’s walking into a forensic nightmare—for hotels are teeming with trace evidence. But what she finds is even worse than she imagined.

Then two more bodies show up in quick succession, and Theresa’s investigation takes on a whole new urgency as authorities suspect they have a serial killer on their hands. But as she searches for the connection between the victims, Theresa begins to fear that both 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.

Praise for Lisa Black:

“Black, a former forensic scientist, knows her stuff and briskly leads readers along the trail of clues behind her likeable, no-nonsense heroine. . . . Smart science propels this intelligent, well-thought out crime thriller.” —Kirkus Reviews

“Fans of forensic mysteries, CSI and Patricia Cornwell’s novels will enjoy the emphasis on evidence. An amazing read.” —Associated Press

“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, New York Times–bestselling author of the Rizzoli & Isles series