Dies Irae

The third installment in the Shamus-nominated Scott Drayco series

A mysterious music puzzle. A murdered coed. Explosive secrets.

Three years ago, Scott Drayco left the FBI after an incident involving his partner, Mark “Sarg” Sargosian. Now a freelance crime consultant, Drayco often helps law enforcement on cases, but he never imagined his estranged former partner would turn up on his doorstep, pleading for Drayco’s help. A coed at an elite Washington, D.C., private college has been murdered, and the victim's friend, Sarg’s own daughter Tara, might be the next target.

The killer left behind a puzzling music code at the crime scene, and Drayco soon learns he has two things in common with the murdered girl - a music background and synesthesia. The case takes an even stranger turn after a second murder and a second music code, with signs pointing toward a possible ritualistic killing. Then, Drayco himself starts receiving coded messages ...

Praise for the Scott Drayco novels:

"Lawson’s book was so good, I read it twice from beginning to end." - Reader's Favorite Reviews

"The pace never sagged and it kept me enthralled." - Long and Short Reviews

"The lead character engaging, and the supporting cast interesting and diverse." - Omnimystery News