When Dr. Diane Fallon, head of the Rosewood, Georgia crime lab, is called to the scene of a home invasion, the case becomes personal. The homeowner, Dr Marcella Payden, a colleague and friend, is hospitalized in critical condition. Another friend, Dr. Jonas Briggs, is being questioned by the police as a possible suspect.
Determined to find evidence leading to the person or persons responsible for the attack, Diane arrives at the crime scene. Her headlights illuminate an old farmhouse, peeling paint, rotten wood and eerie gargoyles standing sentry in the lawn. Before she can begin collecting evidence, Diane sees a shadowy movement inside the house and gunfire erupts from the nearby woods.
So begins another fast paced adventure featuring Rosewoods museum director, CSI and forensic anthropologist, Dr Diane Fallon. Before long, Diane is up to her knees in bodies, multiple cases, and strange, conflicting evidence. As determined as she is to let the evidence lead her to the solution, someone is just as determined to prevent it.
Connor always includes a little archeology, a little anthropology and just enough semi-technical crime scene detail to wet the appetite of arm chair CSI's. This novel also has some personal insights into the controversial science of criminal profiling which I found interesting. Connor's novels are roller coaster rides, one dramatic event leading to another with little time between. Strong female characters are one of the most appealing elements of these books. Fallon is no victim and never wastes time waiting for a hero on a white horse to rescue her. She manages to take care of herself in any situation.