RED FLAGS Locard Institute, Book 1

Mia Barron portrays highly focused Washington, DC, forensic scientist Ellie Carr in a gritty voice as listeners follow Carr's investigation of the disappearance of a four-month-old baby. The missing child is the son of her first cousin, Rebecca, whose helpless demeanor clearly conveys her distress. The gravelly voices of the male law-enforcement characters contrast with the sharp, sometimes secretive, tones of Rebecca's husband, a lobbyist. Barron ramps up the tension as more children disappear and cryptic ransom demands emerge. Dr. Carr is helped by an efficient-sounding colleague from the Locard Institute. The two forensic scientists doggedly follow the physical, digital, and verbal evidence, untangling a case that eventually plays out in a Congressional hearing. M.B.K. © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine [Published: NOVEMBER 2022]