Darwin's Blade

In his previous novel--the masterful, critically acclaimed thriller "The Crook Factory--Dan Simmons led readers back to a volatile era and an exotic locale. Now he brings his utterly original brand of riveting suspense closer to home.

Darwin's Blade

At any hour of the day or night, Darwin Minor is on call to be summoned to accident scenes that strain belief--horrifying tableaux of mangled metal and bodies. As an expert in accident reconstruction, Darwin uses science and instinct to unravel the real causes of unnatural disasters, and he is brilliant at it.

But even though his life is carefully arranged to avoid emotional involvement in his work--and outside of work, for that matter--everything is about to change. A series of seemingly random high-speed car accidents is suddenly leading him down a very dangerous road. The accidents seem staged, but the participants have all died, and though Dar suspects a grand conspiracy, why would anyone commit fraud at the cost of his own life?

The deeper he digs, the more enemies he seems to make--deadly enemies who are part of an international network specializing in intimidation and murder. But Darwin Minor has some deadly resources of his own, dating back to a time in his life he thought he'd left behind. And if he wants to save himself--and untold others--he must reopen a dark door into his past.

One of America's most talented, original, and versatile novelists, Dan Simmons delivers a work of brilliance, dark humor, and electric suspense. In the quietly introspective and fiercely intelligent Darwin Minor, he presents an unforgettable character and a story to match.