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.

FIND ME

4 stars out of 5

This book, which I snagged as an Amazon FirstReads pick, is the first in a series - and after finishing it, I'm already chomping at the bit for the next. It features Daniel Ellis, a detective in San Bernardino, California; he took over the case of a serial killer from a retired detective. The killer, Benjamin Fisher, has been in jail for 30 years or so, but so far he's refused to reveal the locations at which he hid his victims' bodies.

Out of the blue, Ben asks to see Daniel - and this time, he says he's willing to take the police to the bodies. But only, he adds, if his daughter Reni, a former FBI profiler, comes along (they've been estranged ever since he went to jail). As a young girl, Reni's father used her to lure his victims - all women - to him for the kill. Needless to say, that left Reni traumatized, with memories she can't quite pull together to make sense. Daniel, too, was traumatized as a child when his mother abruptly left him, never to return. His unspoken connection to the killer? Ever since Ben went to jail, he's been convinced that his mother was one of the serial killer's victims.

Finding Reni isn't terribly difficult, but convincing her to see her father again - even if it might bring closure to the victims' families - is another story (well, actually, it's part of this story). She's been living in the middle of the Mojave Desert, believing that some or all of the victims were buried there. Needless to say, she agrees, and the next part of the saga begins.

Much more of their journey than that I can't reveal without spoiling the story for others, but suffice it to say it's an exciting trip, with several twists (nothing much came as a big surprise, but the action kept me plodding onward right to the end). Very entertaining and a great beach read, I'd think - all that sand would make you feel like you're right there with Daniel and Reni.

Find Me by Anne Frasier (Thomas & Mercer, July 2020); 6031 KB, Kindle).