Lisa Black's "Not Who We Expected"

As a forensic scientist at the Cuyahoga County Coroner’s Office, New York Times bestselling author Lisa Black analyzed gunshot residue on hands and clothing, hairs, fibers, paint, glass, DNA, and blood as well as other forms of trace evidence. Now she is a Certified Crime Scene Analyst and Certified Latent Print Examiner and for the Cape Coral Police Department in Florida. Black is a member of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences, the International Association for Identification, and the International Association of Bloodstain Pattern Analysts. She has testified in court as an expert witness and served as a consultant for CourtTV.

She is the author of the Locard Institute series and of the highly acclaimed Gardiner & Renner series, for which she was nominated for the Sue Grafton Memorial Award. Her books have been translated into six languages.

Here Black dreamcasts an adaptation of the fourth title in the Locard Institute series, Not Who We Expected:

This book takes place in two worlds. Locard Forensic Institute director Rachael Davies stays in the east interviewing their new client, rock legend Billy Diamond at his vast mansion and behind the scenes of his comeback concert venue. Billy’s daughter Devon left college for the summer and never returned after a career development retreat in the Nevada desert turned into her new home. When the boyfriend who accompanied her turns up dead, Billy wants eyes on his daughter without appearing to hover.

Former FBI agent and new Locard professor Ellie Carr is dispatched to said desert to find some answers—and she does. But they come with new and ominous questions.

As Rachael, I would cast Gabrielle Union. If, however, the creative team felt her stunning beauty too much of a distraction, Tamara Lawrance of Get Millie Black has a sufficient amount of grit to balance the looks. Provided she could hide her British accent.

For Ellie, I would still want Tatiana Maslawny, who could play the scientist with the right amount of unpredictability.

Billy Diamond is—this is not a spoiler—in thrall to several different abused substances. He tends to be dramatic and a bit unstable, but truly loves his daughter. Johnny Depp could play him. Or Ozzy Osborne.

Devon Diamond….angel child, or devil in disguise? Ellie doesn’t know what to make of the young woman. Devon is quite young, 19, so Lily-Rose Depp would be about right. Plus, if her father is in the same movie…!

The toughest to cast is the leader of the desert enclave, the charming Galen. I need someone whose eyes can change from the kindliness of Gandhi to the danger of Ted Bundy in a flash. Tom Hiddleston? Jared Leto? Michael Ealy? Timothée Chalamet? Any of them would be amazing.

Visit Lisa Black's website.

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--Marshal Zeringue