Masquerade — Roy A. Teel Jr.

“You’re the poison wizard. You can’t find an antidote?” Back matter:For most Southern California families, a visit to the Santa Monica Pier is a special treat. But for the Simmons family, a coincidental meeting with a renowned astrophysicist leads to tragedy. Found drowned and restrained beneath the pier, their deaths are the latest in a string of killings by an unknown group of serial killers masquerading as clowns while taunting Swenson and the FBI. In the search to connect the victims and discover how an old poison has been given new life, the Bureau’s biohazard specialists are called in, and a far-reaching plot to kill thousands is uncovered. Two questions weigh heavy on Swenson’s mind: Who could possibly weaponize the poison … and how can he prevent its release? Inside flap:Government agencies routinely receive threats, but Rudy Rude’s creepy clown videos are more than simple fodder. While investigating the latest murders attributed to Rude, Special Agent John Swenson’s team of biohazard specialists hint at a possible Bureau infiltration, forcing Swenson to look at his own team with suspicion. Los Angeles County Coroner Jade Morgan’s findings up the ante, leading Swenson to believe that a weaponized version of a common but relatively non-lethal poison might be in the works. And as innocent children and others fall victim, the Iron Eagle knows the clock is ticking on a mass kill experiment targeting the citizens of LA.