Defensive Wounds

Summary

WhenMarie Corrigan, a Cleveland defense attorney with a history of falsifyingevidence and no shortage of enemies, is found dead in the presidential suite atthe Ritz-Carlton, most people would agree that she had it coming. Forensicinvestigator Theresa MacLean is summoned to the crime scene by her daughter,Rachel, who is working the front desk. But even before Theresa enters the room,she knows that she’s walking into a forensic nightmare, for crime scenes athotels, even the most luxurious, are teeming with trace evidence that has beenleft behind by innumerable guests and may or may not be related to the murder.But what Theresa finds is even worse than she imagined.

Giventhe positioning of Marie’s body, everyone assumes the same thing, that it’s alovers’ tryst turned lethal. But large questions remain: How did the killergain access to the room without anyone’s knowledge? And has the scene beenstaged for their benefit? The little evidence Theresa has is conflicting atbest. What’s more, a legal convention at the hotel provides an endless list ofsuspects, and potential victims.

Whentwo more bodies show up in quick succession, each in a similar state, Theresa’sinvestigation takes on a whole new urgency as she fears they may have a serialkiller on their hands, a serial killer with a vendetta. But as she searches forthe threads that tie the cases together, Theresa begins to suspect that she andher daughter are closer to danger than they realize. And a mother will stop atnothing to protect the life of her child.