Edge of Black

A biological attack on the Washington, D.C., subway system propels Ellison’s suspenseful second Samantha Owens novel (after A Deeper Darkness). Former medical examiner Sam has moved from Nashville, Tenn., to the nation’s capital, where she’s a guest lecturer at George Washington University. When a female student mysteriously passes out in class, Sam takes her to the ER only to discover that the student is just one of the victims of a biological agent released into the Metro. Only three people actually die as a result of this possible terrorist attack. Sam winds up working diligently with Det. Darren Fletcher, a member of the task force investigating the crime, to find the culprit, who Sam’s boyfriend, former Army Ranger Xander Whitfield, believes may have a peculiarly personal motive for the attack. The action builds to a breathtaking conclusion as Sam, Fletch, and Xander seek the connections among the three victims, from the inner circles of D.C. to the wilds of Colorado. Agent: Scott Miller, Trident Media Group. (Dec.)