Lucy Merritt has had a colorful past because of her anthropologist parents who she traveled across the globe with. When she was fourteen, they were killed, and Lucy was left to fend for herself in the jungle for a week where she survived based on her wits. She was rescued and raised by her godfather, whom she calls Uncle Edwin, the Deputy Director of Operations at the CIA. Lucy loves her job as a restorer of manuscripts, and because of her amazing skill and her past, she's called to duty by her uncle.

General Dan Changa is about to take over the country of Nhala from the king, who's dying. Changa also has the means to unleash a virus that will kill millions. Edwin needs Lucy to go undercover to Nhala since she was once friends with the Nahlaian Princess Paso. She must locate a hard drive with information that could stop this catastrophe under the guise of restoring a prized manuscript Changa has in his possession. Captain Mick Shafer, Army and Black Hawk extraordinaire, will go along with Lucy as her fake fiancé for her protection. Mike is shocked by this because Lucy has no experience and is too girly to possibly get her hands dirty.

When she and Mike arrive in Nahala, danger surrounds them around every corner. The clock is ticking and she and Mike have to work fast before they world as they know it could end since the body destroying virus is headed to the shores of the US in time for the Thanksgiving Day Parade.

DARKNESS AT DAWN has some nice tension but often fell a bit on the unrealistic side. Mainly this is because the CIA allows Lucy to be part of a deadly mission with no training. But Mike is extremely protective of Lucy and they do make a great team as they try to outwit the psychotic Changa.

The writing could have been better but the scenes with various madmen with opposite goals from Changa, who are bent on destroying the world, were suspenseful. Die hard fans of Elizabeth Jennings should be pleased with DARKNESS AT DAWN even though it's not, in my opinion, her best written work.