Karen Harper

With lashing rain and brutal winds bearing down on them, residents of southwest Florida prepare for evacuation. But Julie Minton cannot leave. Her fourteen-year-old daughter, Randi, left home earlier that morning to go out on a Jet Ski with Thad Brockman, a boy Julie barely knows. Now Randi and Thad are missing -- and the hurricane that hours ago was just another routine warning has turned toward shore.

With local law enforcement absorbed in emergency response measures, Julie has only the help of Zack Brockman, Thad's father. Together they begin a race against time to find their children -- but first they must battle not only Mother Nature, but an enemy willing to use the danger and devastation of the storm for their own evil ends.

In 1566, Elizabeth Tudor faces tremendous opposition from Parliament for ruling England without the help of a husband. Instead, she turns to her Privy Plot Council for help, only to discover from her royal herbalist that a woman has drowned in a tub of starch. Soon another garment worker soon meets the same rigid fate. Elizabeth becomes unbending in her attempts to solve the murders, as well as iron out the problems of her kingdom. But with her list of suspects growing—and firm evidence pointing to those she trusts the most—Elizabeth must hang the murderer out to dry or risk losing her reign… or her life.