FBI Task Force S.W.O.R.D

Across the Pacific Northwest, a twisted killer stalks victims representing ancient archetypes: The Ruler. The Warrior. The Scholar. The Priest. Four are dead, leaving FBI investigators puzzled by the macabre, color-coded shrines the killer left behind.And clues now point to a fifth victim.With only two weeks until retirement, seasoned FBI Agent Claire Anderson is desperately trying to balance her work and complex home life when she's called in for one last job: lead a special task force to hunt down the enigmatic "Color Killer."That task force is the FBI's Special-Washington-Oregon-Regional-Detachment-nicknamed S.W.O.R.D. Now, Claire must marshal the talents of an eclectic crew of agents, including a brilliant criminal psychologist, a street-savvy undercover prodigy, a rugged covert-ops specialist, and a quirky tech savant.Pursuing the killer through the rain-soaked streets and deep forests of the Pacific Northwest, the men and women of S.W.O.R.D. must delve into an ancient lost religion, its shocking view of life and death, and the dark mind of a cunning psychopath. But when clues start intertwining with Claire's own life, she realizes she's up against a predator who's always one step ahead.The fifth victim is closer than she ever imagined.Dive into Book 1 of the blockbuster new FBI Task Force S.W.O.R.D Series by D.D. Black, author of the #1 international bestselling series, The Thomas Austin Crime Thrillers.

In the fragments of a failing mind lie clues to a forgotten evil. Can FBI Task Force S.W.O.R.D. uncover the truth before it disappears forever?In the hushed corridors of the Evergreen Memory Care facility, a young nurse's obsession with true crime leads to a chilling discovery. An elderly patient-his memories fading-speaks of unthinkable acts. Is he the Interstate Reaper, a notorious serial killer who terrorized the Pacific Northwest in the 1970s and 1980s?Enter FBI Task Force S.W.O.R.D., fresh off their dangerous pursuit of The Color Killer. As the team peels back the layers of this chilling cold case, their investigation stretches from the misty evergreen forests of Bellingham, Washington to the urban centers of Seattle and Portland, all the way down Interstate 5 to the rolling hills outside Yreka, California.But with every clue they unearth, the team faces a web of deceit, its strands stretching across decades. And when past and present collide, the case takes a dangerous turn no one saw coming.Can FBI Task Force S.W.O.R.D. solve a puzzle where the pieces are memories before those memories fade away? Or will the echo of old evils claim new victims?

Wealth. Power. Deception. Murder.Welcome to Medina, Washington.Nestled on the water's edge near Seattle, Medina is the richest zip code in the Pacific Northwest. Luxurious beyond belief, this untouchably powerful enclave is home to many of the wealthiest men and women in America. But when a celebrity tech CEO is found dead at his fiftieth birthday party, suspicion begins to swirl through the community like a mist over Lake Washington.All eyes fall on Suzanne Hartley, a three-time widow whom the local press has dubbedThe Gilded Widow.Tasked with peeling back layers of deceit, Agent Claire Anderson and her team find themselves entwined in the lives of the affluent, where friendly smiles mask dark motives and truth is just another commodity to be traded. But as more suspicious deaths come to light, FBI Task Force S.W.O.R.D. is confronted by a stark question: is The Gilded Widow really the cunning architect of multiple murders, or is she the tragic victim of a series of abusive husbands?In opulent Medina, every mansion hides secrets, revealing a labyrinth of deceit that stretches across some of the most powerful families in the world. Investigating these families is risky, but when the team finally learns the truth, it may be dangerous enough to bring down FBI Task Force S.W.O.R.D. for good.

Some mysteries aren't solved-they're survived.A key witness in a high-profile federal case vanishes from a government safehouse just hours before testifying, leaving behind no sign of forced entry, no clear escape route, and only one cryptic word scrawled across a windowpane:Midnight.FBI Agent Claire Anderson is tasked with investigating the disappearance off the books. The press can't find out. The Bureau can't afford a scandal. And her team-S.W.O.R.D., the Special-Washington-Oregon-Regional-Detachment-has just days to uncover what really happened before the entire case unravels.Meanwhile, Claire must navigate growing tension inside her own unit, where blurred lines and hidden relationships threaten to erode the trust they need to survive what's coming.As the trail leads to a powerful surveillance technology firm, the clues grow darker and the pressure more intense. The silence surrounding the witness starts to feel carefully constructed.What was the witness about to expose?What is Midnight?And how deep does the deception go?