Back in the present day, Commander Grayson Pierce is enjoying some much-needed vacation time on a remote sandy beach off the island of Maui. Gray, one of the top operators for Sigma Force, a covert group tied to DARPA, has spent time travelling the world with Seichan, his girlfriend. Together, they witnessed a bizarre event when a small plane dumped a black cloud above the water before them, and then flew into the cliffs in a fiery explosion. The black cloud turns out to be a swarm of three-inch long, poisonous black wasps.
Meanwhile, off the coast of Brazil, a team of scientists discovers a horror like no other, an island where all life has been eradicated, consumed and possessed by a species beyond imagination.
Amidst all the mysterious happenings, this inexplicable threat traces back to a terrifying secret buried a century ago beneath the National Mall: a cache of bones preserved in amber. The artefact was hidden away by a cabal of scientists - led by Alexander Graham Bell - to protect humankind. But they dared not destroy it, for the object also holds an astonishing promise for the future - the very secret of life after death.
To stop its spread, Gray and Seichan must both first survive a direct attack on the island of Maui. Being first on the scene has always been the core mission of Sigma Force. But this time, even Sigma may not be able to decipher this deadly mystery, one that traces back to the founding of the Smithsonian Institution.
With time and options running out, Gray and his team of Sigma Force will be forced to make an impossible choice. To eradicate this extinction-level threat and expose those involved, he will have to join forces with Sigma’s arch enemy, the newly resurrected Guild, even if it means sacrificing one of his own.
James Rollins takes the thriller to a whole new level with The Demon Crown, which features a chilling plot, lots of suspenseful action, and several well-timed twists to keep readers glued to the pages.