BADLANDS

4.5 stars out of 5

Make no mistake: this is one of my favorite series, and even if it weren't, if I've ever passed up an opportunity to read anything written by either (or both) of these super-talented authors it was an accident. So why only four-and-a-half stars? Simply because the subject matter, while extremely interesting (I can't imagine the amount of research it must have taken to write the book) it crosses just a hair over the line of credibility for someone like me who is certain my late parents lied and I really was born in Missouri.

Still, except maybe for that one part that encompassed only a couple of pages, I loved it. And I'm pretty sure other fans of the series will love it as well. If nothing else, it once again brings together New Mexico FBI Agent Corrie Swanson and archaeologist Nora Kelly - both interesting yet very different characters. That happens following the discovery of a female skeleton in a remote section of the Navajo Nation badlands - a woman who appears to have been there all alone of her own volition. She'd inexplicably shed her clothing in the terrible desert heat, but she had with her a pair of extremely rare stones Knowing Nora likely would know more about them, Corrie solicits her advice; as it turns out, Nora is more than intrigued - and at that point, let the adventure begin.

Intrigued by the stones, Nora takes her younger brother Skip to meet Edison Nash, the wealthy dude who owns the two known stones. They take an immediate liking to one another - and bottles of expensive tequila - but Nora worries that Nash may have acquired some of his extensive collection of artifacts by not-so-legitimate means and could be a negative influence on Skip. While that's going on, Corrie's team identifies the woman's body and finds a connection to a local university professor and his loyal group of accolytes - most definitely worth checking out, especially since the professor seems to have disappeared. To confuse matters even more, yet another body is found in the badlands - another female who died under almost identical circumstances.

Many more strange discoveries later, everything comes crashing together as Skip and his new best bud go missing and Nora and Corrie head out to find them. Needless to say, everything from that point on I read from the edge of my seat - until I lugged my Kindle to bed just because I wasn't about to wait till morning to finish and that seat edge was getting uncomfortable. It was definitely worth the loss of a little sleep, though, and I heartily thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for allowing me to tag along on this latest ride. I'm ready for next adventure, in fact, so bring it on soon, please!

Badlands by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child (Grand Central Publishing, June 2025); 368 pp.

DIABLO MESA

5 stars out of 5

When I first realized the direction this book was taking, I admit my first reaction was, "Aww, c'mon, guys, you're really not going to go there, are you?" Well, yes - yes they did - and guess what? It was a heck of a ride.

This is the third in the series starring archaeologist Nora Kelly and Corrie Swanson, an FBI agent. I've been following the two since the beginning, and this entry certainly doesn't disappoint. When billionaire Lucas Tappan (think: a more affable but no less filthy rich version of Elon Musk) asks the Santa Fe Archaeological Institute to take on a scientific excavation of the Roswell Incident site on his dime, the Institute head and Nora's nemesis assigns Nora to the project. Nora refuses - after all, the UFO crash theory was debunked years ago. When the boss insists, Nora walks out.

As it turns out, so does Tappan - right to the parking lot, where he turns on his charm and opens his wallet to convince Nora to head up what now will be their private project. To her surprise, she learns that her brother Skip, who lives with her and works at the Institute, has accepted a job with Tappan's new venture. After much cajoling - and a closer look at the crash site - Nora agrees (well, it's not like she has a job to go back to, and besides, there's no one else to keep an eye on her brother). 

The dig site is at a remote spot called Diablo Mesa, the spot where an alien spaceship is believed by some to have crashed - an event the government has tried to cover up ever since. When a pair of not so well-buried bodies turns up early on and it seems great pains have been taken to hide their identities, Nora gets suspicious. She calls in her friend Corrie, who through a nasty turn of events has just been assigned a new FBI mentor (readers get a glimpse of what he's up to in previous chapters). The dig resumes, unearthing clues that lead to more questions than answers. Neither Nora nor Corrie are about to quit, at least until things start to happen that could force that issue and possibly even bring their careers to a permanent end.

Honestly, I can't say I've ever bought into the conspiracy theories of a Roswell cover-up, but this tale certainly put a new, and at least somewhat plausible, spin on it. Besides that, I was so intrigued by the cologne that Tappan favored - called "Creed Santal" - that I just had to look it up. At roughly $300 for a relatively small bottle of the stuff, though, guess I'll have to settle for popping in an upscale department store to see if I can find a salesperson who'll let me sniff a sample. Meantime, many thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review a pre-release copy of this book. It was a dandy!

Diablo Mesa by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child (Grand Central Publishing, February 2022); 400 pp.

THE SCORPION'S TAIL

5 stars out of 5

For a plain old whodunit-when-how story, this series offers a refreshing new direction. If you're a history buff, you'll like it even better. If it matters, I read the first one, Old Bones, and I loved it as well. The stars of the show are archeologist Nora Kelly and FBI Agent Corrie Swanson, both stationed in the Santa Fe area of New Mexico. Here, Carrie is fresh off a case in which one of her skills was put to the test - with an outcome that's left her (and possibly her superior officer) uncertain of her future at the FBI.

When a new case comes along - the discovery of a mummified corpse in High Lonesome, a ghost town near White Sands, where the atomic bomb was tested in 1945 - Corrie gets the assignment (mostly, she suspects, to keep her mind off recent events). She's not thrilled, but given her degree in forensic anthropology, she quickly realizes she needs professional help. She and Nora are the kind of friends who hold hands to keep from fighting, but Nora's expertise - and proximity to the mummy's burial site - mean Corrie must put aside any personal misgivings and ask Nora to make an examination. Nora isn't pleased either - she's working another important case and hoping for a big promotion - but Corrie's persistence wears her down and off she goes.

Two things are striking right from the start: the manner in which the victim was poisoned and how the dead man came to be holding tight to an extremely valuable, centuries-old artifact. That brings up questions about the nearby Army base and unearths interesting history of the people who once inhabited the lands.

All told, it's another great adventure from a pair of writers who never disappoint. It's not necessary to have read the first book to enjoy this one, but it's always a good idea to start at the beginning - especially when that one is equally delicious.

The Scorpion's Tail by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child (Grand Central Publishing, January 2021); 309 pp.