BLACK ANGEL

In this debut thriller, a Marine officer investigates a string of murders in Quantico, Virginia.

Gunnery Sgt. Roscoe Vance accepts an invitation to a Christmas party with a variety of guests. Officers don’t normally socialize with enlisted personnel, but the party is an opportunity for Vance to reunite with old friend Maj. Aksel Dahl. It’s a fairly ordinary get-together until someone suddenly guns down the Norwegian attaché. Before the night is over, Vance discovers both the shooter and a fellow Marine officer with their throats slashed. As the officer was a close friend, Vance wants answers, starting with who hired the assassin to kill the attaché and why. But though he’d spoken with Dahl at the party, the major is now strangely hard to find. Vance scours Quantico for clues, with help from Dr. Avery Quinn of the National University of the Marine Corps and a few fellow officers. Just when it seems as if they’ve got a lead, the murders continue. Evidence moreover suggests someone has targeted Vance, so he may be getting close to the culprits. Even if he’s in danger, Vance remains dead set on tracking down whomever killed his friend. Dayton skillfully establishes characters and relationships. For example, an Afghanistan flashback spotlights Vance’s history with Dahl. In addition, Vance is separated from his wife, who believes his Marine life overshadows his family. But Quinn is the story’s best character; she validates her boast of a “big Ph.D. brain” by unearthing perhaps the most essential clue. The engaging tale favors the murder mystery over action, although readers eventually get to see Vance hold his own in a fight. While identifying the villains isn’t difficult, the killings (after the party) are genuinely shocking, as they happen unexpectedly. The author sets a fast pace but knows when to slow down the narrative for maximum effect, as when Vance and Quinn methodically stake out a restaurant for suspects.

An enthralling military mystery with vibrant characters.