Black Fall: A Jessica Blackwood Novel

“Enthralling . . . . The author, a professional magician, makes the impossible seem probable in this twisty, clever treat.”  —Publishers WeeklyIn Black Fall, the third book in the ITW Award-nominated mystery series, magician-turned-FBI agent Jessica Blackwood investigates a series of seemingly unrelated, but equally bizarre and sinister, crimes that lead her to the Colorado desert and a town that has, simply, disappeared.With two big cases under her belt, FBI Agent Jessica Blackwood is learning to embrace her unconventional past as the rising star in a family dynasty of illusionists. Her talent and experience endow her with a unique understanding of the power and potential of deception, and a gift for knowing when things are not always as they appear to be. Once resenting her eccentric grandfather, a brilliant magician in his own right, Jessica now sees him as a mentor and regularly seeks his advice about her work.But Jessica’s routine surveillance operation becomes a fight for survival when a disturbed young woman, clutching a baby, shows up at the stake-out location and threatens to kill her child. On the same day, an hour after a severe earthquake rocks the eastern seaboard, a strange video goes viral. Nobel Prize-winning physicist Peter Devon has been dead for eight years, yet here he is on camera, predicting the location and date of the earthquake. Jessica is put on the case by her boss, Dr. Ailes, but when Detective Aileen Lewis reports that they’ve found a Jane Doe who matches her description of her attacker, she’s torn between professional duty and a personal desire to find out who the woman was, and why she was killed.The investigations pull her in very different directions—until they start to converge, leading Jessica to confront something darker, and more powerful, than anyone expected. Something so twisted, only one person could be behind it…the Warlock.

From the Back Cover

An hour after a severe earthquake rocks the Eastern seaboard, a video of Nobel Prize—winning physicist Peter Devon predicting the location and date of the earthquake goes viral. But Peter Devon has been dead for eight years. The FBI’s best chance at finding an explanation is agent Jessica Blackwood. Raised as the rising star in a family dynasty of illusionists, Jessica has talent and experience that endow her with a gift for knowing when things are not always as they appear to be. Jessica’s boss, Dr. Ailes, puts her on the case even though she’s still recovering from a routine surveillance operation gone horribly wrong. When police discover a body that matches her description of the disturbed young woman who attacked her at the stakeout, Jessica is torn between professional duty and a personal desire to find out who this woman was, and why she was killed.The investigations pull her in very different directions—until they start to converge, leading Jessica to confront something so twisted, only one person could be behind it . . .The Warlock.

About the Author

Fred Berman has won several AudioFileEarphones Awards as well as the prestigious Audie Award for best narration. He is an actor of theater, film, and television whose credits include Broadway's The Lion King, Law & Order, and Directing Eddie, among others. He was featured in Entertainment Weekly for his work on the Walking Dead audiobook series.Andrew Mayne started his first illusion tour while he was a teenager and was soon headlining in resorts and casinos around the world. He's worked behind the scenes creatively for David Copperfield, Penn & Teller, and David Blaine. With the support of talk show host and amateur magician Johnny Carson, Andrew started a program to use magic to teach critical thinking skills in public schools for the James Randi Educational Foundation. Andrew's Wizard School segments, teaching magic and science to children, aired nationwide on public television. He also starred in the reality show Don't Trust Andrew Mayne.Jennifer O'Donnell is a voice talent and audiobook narrator.

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