Imagine if the person you are meant to replace is found dead in a closet at work on your first day. That's the problem facing Ellie Carr and Dr. Rachel at the Locard Institute which trains forensics experts. This is heavy on forensics instruction (fans of this genre might be familiar with many of the details) and a bit light on character development. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. I was a fan of the first novel - this will be fine as a standalone- and enjoyed this as well.

Ellie Carr has just started working at the Locard Institute and her day has just worse when one of her co worker’s dies. Dr Rachael Davies has a lot going on at the moment and with a missing student and a dead colleague can things get any worse? Will they be able to figure out what is happening at the Institute before anyone else dies?Ellie is starting to doubt everyone around her as she knows that someone that she has been spending time with could be the killer but who & why?
A great suspenseful read. Keeps you guessing as there were too many suspects to choose from.
Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the copy. This is my voluntary review.

What Harms You is the second novel in the Locard Institute series, but it’s possible to read it as a standalone novel.

While I do enjoy forensic science novels (Rizzoli & Isles, Bones,) What Harms You was just too over the top with acronyms and forensic terminology. But I admit that a lot of research must have been conducted to make everything real. Most of the novel consisted of classroom instruction on DNA tracing, and evidence retrieval. The murders just seemed to take a backseat, which made for a slow read.

I didn’t particularly like the main characters. They were not as fleshed out to distinguish one from the other. Maybe it had something to do with both of them being in the same profession.

The narrative didn’t flow as smoothly as I expected or liked. The story seemed to jump around from classroom instruction, to lab work, to field work and in between three murders took place. And then, a stray pub is added into the mix, which just made for another distraction. So in the end, the story just fell flat for me. Two okay stars.

I received a DRC from Kensington Books through NetGalley. The review herein is completely my own and contains my honest thoughts and opinions.

I didn’t read the first in this series and it wasn’t an issue. It was easy to learn about Ellie’s work and personal life. Ellie is starting a new job in the DC area, moved and bought a house. Her background and education in the forensic science field makes her a perfect fit for her new position teaching at the famous Locard Institute. Their reputation is renowned, they deliver results, innovation and education in the field. CSI investigative techniques and methods are fascinating to me. I could never stomach the actual evidence collection, but I geek out at the science of it. It’s black and white, no gray matter.
Skip the initiation and get aquatinted period, go straight to a dead teacher in the supply closet. Ellie hardly had a chance to begin her first session before the woman she’s replacing is dead. At first examination it appears to be an accident. Class is cancelled for the diverse mix of students from different states and varying career titles. One of them has drawn attention due to her heritage and bodyguards. Before the Locard staff and students can comprehend the Doctor’s horrible accident, an even more horrific body is discovered. Is the killer one of them, an outsider? Why? Is this racial and are the two deaths even connected?
Soon they’re on lockdown as the FBI assembles and takes control. Ellie has both personal and professional links to the FBI, which won’t deter her from doing hew own investigating. If she’s not careful a killer may target her next. The case is intense and complicated with a host of viable suspects and clues. It held my attention throughout with surprising conclusions along the way. I would enjoy following Ellie as she tackles new cases and it’s a series I wouldn’t hesitate to read more of.
A digital advance reader copy of “What Harms You” Locard Institute #2, by Lisa Black, Kensington Publishing was provided by NetGalley. These are all my own honest personal thoughts and opinions given voluntarily without compensation.

After leaving the FBI, Dr. Ellie Carr is excited to start a new job as an instructor at the Locard Institute, a prestigious forensic research center on the shores of Chesapeake Bay. Her new position is a fabulous opportunity and even better, she bought a new house where she can finally put down roots. Life is good for Dr. Ellie Carr. At least it is until Dr. Barbara Wright, the instructor she’s replacing, is found dead in a supply room.

Soon after her colleague’s death, a young woman attending the forensic program goes missing. Before long, her body is discovered buried on top of a decomposing goat in the facility’s “body recovery practice site.” With the Locard Institute now an active crime scene, local law enforcement calls on the FBI to take the lead in the investigation. However, Ellie and her supervisor, Dr. Rachael Davies, want to conduct their own discreet, in-house investigation. But how can they do that when all the program participants are in law enforcement, and all are suspects? Who better to circumvent a homicide investigation than a group of professional investigators?

With her livelihood and possibly her own life on the line, Ellie needs to solve the crimes before someone else dies and the Locard Institute’s reputation is damaged beyond repair.

Lisa Black’s “What Harms You (A Locard Institute Thriller Book 2)” is a smartly crafted mystery with authentic, richly developed female characters. Looking forward to Book 3 in the Dr. Ellie Carr series when it becomes available!

Put on your CSI cap and get ready to solve deaths at the Locard Institute. In a twist to the norm, suddenly forensic and evidence specialists in law enforcement find themselves not the investigators but the suspects. Like many professions, those responsible for solving crimes need to training, and in turn, ceritificates to prove they are up-to-date on their knowledge. Locard Institute does just that. From the earlier book in the series, Red Flags, the characters Dr. Ellie Carr and Dr. Rachel Davies can't stop being CSI specialists in the second book in the series that can be read as a stand alone but very likely one where you'll consider going back to the first book to find out more about the fascinating characters that lead the charge. As things start out, it's Ellie's first day as a new instructor, and she is the one that discovers the first body, that of the individual she is taking over for. Until things really blow up, training is ongoing, and you'll find yourself getting quite a bit of instruction in DNA and its place in the forensic field. The FBI, the police and the suspects themselves all are involved in figuring out what in the heck happened and who was responsible. CSI lovers and those who like mystery, suspense, and crime novels will enjoy this read. Thank you, Kensington and NetGalley for this Arc.

A great thriller, fast-paced and interesting. Part of a series, but I still read it fine as a stand-alone.
Thanks for the opportunity to read and review!

I was curious about reading a Lisa Black novel as I'd read about her books on Facebook when I stumbled across this title on NetGalley and decided to give it a try. I was pleasantly surprised to delve into the workings of the Locard Institute. It is a forensic learning facility that is on the cutting edge of research for the FBI. It runs certificate training courses for those in a forensic or evidence collecting position in law enforcement from around the country. I didn't realize that this was the second in the series, following the Locard Institute series #1-- Red Flags-- but I was still able to understand and enjoy this one just fine.

Dr. Ellie Carr is a new instructor at the facility, taking over for Dr. Barbara Wright, who is leaving to head up a program for furthering research concerned with solving crimes by matching DNA with medications taken by victims and murderers. Her first day is thrown into chaos when Dr. Wright is found dead in a supply closet. Is it an accident or foul play? The Institute is a contained campus so only doctors, researchers, and the CSI students could be responsible as another person goes missing.

This was a fun read because it mentions details about crime scene work and forensic science that I didn't know about and I couldn't figure out who was committing the crimes, and also, why. The unusual setting of a CSI training campus was something different for me, as a dedicated crime fiction lover, and it presented itself as a claustrophobic "locked-room murder mystery". There are no graphic scenes of any nature in this story so no trigger warnings. Recommended for mystery and suspense crime fiction fans. 4.5/5 rounded up for originality!
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for my digital arc.

This is the 2nd book of Locard Institute series, it can be read as stand alone. My first in this series and this book is good. Many incidents happend in Locard Institute, i worry about that place. I enjoy the prosses of crime scene and the practical theory of it. Until the end of the book i cant guess who did all of this.

Thank you to NetGalley for provide this book, it is pleasure to review this book.

#WhatHarmsYou #LocardInstitute #KensingtonBooks #NetGalley #ARC

This book took me awhile to get into. I felt like the ending was a bit lack luster. We didn't really get much with the killer and the why etc. I will say I didn't know who the killer was until the very end so I appreciated that!

I found the mystery involved interesting, The characters were like able.
This one was a little too technical for me. I do enjoy forensics and stuff and learned quite a lot. But I thought that too much information took away from the storyline.
Thanks to Netgalley and Kensington for the opportunity to read and review this one.

I loved WHAT HARMS YOU (A Locard Institute Thriller, Book 2) by Lisa Black. When Dr. Ellie Carr arrives for her first day as an instructor at the prestigious Locard Institute, a facility where experts from around the world come to solve challenging crimes, she's stunned when her predecessor, Dr. Barbara Wright, is found dead in a supply closet. It looks like an accident, but Ellie and her supervisor, Dr. Rachel Davies, suspect the manner of death might be homicide. Soon a student disappears and is found dead in a grisly gravesite. This time there is no doubt that this woman has been murdered. The only connection between the two deaths appears to be that they both take place at the institute, and Ellie and Rachel combine their skills to determine how and why the two women were killed.

I enjoyed learning more about forensic investigation through Black's approachable and compelling prose. Once started, I had trouble putting this book down. I highly recommend it!

Another great suspense read by Lisa Black! It is fast paced thriller about a serial killer who goes to forensics school. The characters and story line keep you glued to the page and as a true crime and CSI lover, the technical information was interesting.

On Ellie Carr’s first day of teaching at the Lockard Institute, the woman who position she is taking dies. It looks like an accident but both Ellie and her supervisor, Dr. Rachel Davies are suspicious. When a student goes missing and is found murdered in the body field, they team up to investigate and find the killer.

Fans of CSI and forensic shows, you will love this!

Thanks to NetGalley, Kensington, and Lisa Black for giving me an arc to read and give my honest opinion.

I loved this book. The writing is exceptional. The characters are so define and deep. The story sucks you in and doesn’t let you go. It keeps you guessing until the end and doesn’t disappoint. The detail within the story is amazing. I highly recommend this book.

This is the second book in the Locard Institute series (though the first that actually takes place at the Institute) but it can be read as a stand-alone. Ellie Carr has resigned from the FBI and is ready to begin her new position at the renowned forensics institute when she discovers the dead body of the woman she's replacing. As a crime scene specialist herself, Lisa Black writes a realistic crime story. If you forensic driven mysteries, you'll enjoy this.

Thanks to Kensington Books for access to a digital ARC on NetGalley.

An interesting book, with lots of info about how killers are caught and how they can be caught though medical histories mixed in with the story. One death at a training instuite for forensic evidence might be natural causes but then there is a murder. How do they connect and for what reason did they die?

An elite Institute for law enforcement to learn more about solving crimes has become the very place deaths are taking place. The teachers and students are trained professionals in one form or another all there to learn more or teach. Where to start to find the person or persons responsible for the deaths and who is next? The very law enforcement professionals that investigate homicide cases are now suspects.
It is Ellie’s first day on this new exciting job, where she can teach, do research, plus investigate unique crimes for private clients. After a teacher meets an unfortunate end on Ellie’s very first day on the job it's not a good start to this exciting new job. As another body is discovered teachers and students are on edge. As a former FBI agent, Ellie understands she is now in the suspect pool. It is not her job to investigate the deaths but you can't take the investigator out of an FBI agent, could that put her in danger?
I enjoyed this book you didn't guess early on who did what, when, and how. The characters are likable and professionally portrayed. I recommend this book. It's unique not the same oh when the suspects are all the very ones who solve crimes.
Thank you, NetGalley, and publishers Kensington Books plus author Lisa Black for this eARC this is my honest opinion.

This one kept me guesswork. There was a lot of suspects. It was a very interesting book. I liked both Ellie and Rachael. They are both very smart women. Some of the technical terms got a little lost on me but I still enjoyed learning new things. This book was extremely enjoyable. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced free copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I received a copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

If you like a who done it this is the book for you. You'll really love it if you're into CSI and forensic science. You're not but book two in this series so I suggest you read the first one for reference first and this one will make a lot more sense.

Ellie is starting her new job and things seem to be at warp speed with closing on a home and heading straight to work, not even unpacking. And she doesn't get a break. And that's just in the first half of her first day. Read this one while she tries to figure out if she has made the worst decision in leaving the FBI.

I received this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

What happens when a serial killer goes to CSI school? Yikes, right?

Lisa Black does not disappoint in What Harms You. I love the line in the book: Be wary around your enemy once and your friend a thousand times. A double-crossing friend knows more about what harms you. So true; it's the people close to you who know what buttons to push and may be the most dangerous.

A good addition to the Locard Institute Thriller Series. There is a lot of DNA information included in the story. The story has good suspense, a good storyline, and believable characters.

#WhatHarmsYou #NetGalley @KensingtonBooks