The Scorpion's Tail by Preston & Child

 

I'm late to the Preston & Child bandwagon and I'd like to kick myself for missing out on all of their books all these years. They were always books I meant to read, but never got to--now I'm making a conscious effort to add them to my reading list. 

The Scorpion's Tail is the second in the Nora Kelly series. The first, Old Bones, grabbed me and made me an instant fan. If you want to read my review from September, 2019, click here.

In The Scorpion's Tail, we find FBI agent Corrie Swanson back in Albuquerque, still learning the ropes as a junior agent. She's still trying to prove herself and feels like she's failing. Until an interesting find pops up, and she's assigned to investigate. It seems like a job that's just to get her out of the way, but it turns out to be much, much bigger than anyone could image. 

Corrie travels to the ghost town of High Lonesome with Sheriff Watts to investigate the finding of a mummified corpse in the basement of one of abandoned buildings. Sheriff Watts (who wears two six-shooters) surprised a looter a few days before, and after a quick gun battle, spotted the corpse and called the FBI. Looting ancient burial grounds and abandoned mining towns is big business in New Mexico; toss in tales of lost Spanish gold and it quickly becomes dangerous and deadly. 

Corrie calls in Nora Kelly, an archaeologist in Santa Fe, to excavate the area around the corpse and help figure out if this is a recent death or much older. Nora is reluctant to help, but she's quickly pulled into the case when the corpse and what they find on the corpse blows the case wide open. Corrie and Nora are plunged into a case that could get them killed. The players involved are BIG, and involves many layers of the history of New Mexico.

Oh gosh I wish I could say more, but it would give things away. It's so darn good, and the unraveling kept me glued to the pages late into the night. It also made me a bit homesick for New Mexico. I was lucky to visit New Mexico (Los Alamos, Santa Fe, Taos, and Albuquerque) numerous times when my brother and sis-in-law lived there. It has a magical, haunting quality to it that it hard to describe. It is vividly stunning and truly is the "land of enchantment".  This novel brought it all back--the smell of piñon, the bright colors, the outstanding views for miles and miles. Don't get me started on the food! 

I've read two Preston & Child novels, and loved both of them. I am a big fan of thrillers/mysteries that involve history and archaeology. Combine that with myths and legends, and I'm all in. I am also a big fan of novels that have intelligent, strong women as main characters. You don't have to read Old Bones to read The Scorpion's Tail, but I would heartily recommend you read both. If you're a fan of James Rollins, you will love Preston and Child. 

Rating: 5/6 for a fantastic novel that combines New Mexican history, myth, and Native American culture into one hard to put down thriller. I can't wait for the next in the Nora Kelly series! 

Available in hardcover, ebook, and audio. 

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The Scorpion's Tail by Preston & Child

Tower of Thorns (Blackthorn & Grim #2) by Juliet Marillier

Juliet Marillier writes fantasy that makes for a great transition from early teen fantasy into adult fantasy.  She combines an alternate Ireland and mythical tales with contemporary issues.  For this, her second Blackthorn and Grim novel, the theme of PTSD continues.  Blackthorn, a wise woman who survived the murders of her husband and child, then a cruel imprisonment by a sadistic King, and her companion Grim--also a victim of King Mathuin, find themselves in Dalriada, quietly tending to the community and trying to find some peace.  Blackthorn is still under the edict of the fey, and must help everyone who asks her for help for seven years.  Only then is she free to take revenge on Mathuin.  

Blackthorn and Grim reluctantly leave their home to travel with the Prince of Dalriada and his pregnant wife to another village, and there they meet Lady Geileis and hear her tale.  Lady Geileis has traveled from her village to ask for help in ending a curse that has taken a toll on the land and her people. A creature lives in a tower surrounded by impassable gnarled hedges of thorns, and every day this creature sends out howls that are driving everyone mad and slowly killing the land.  Just what or who is this creature, and how is it tied to Lady Geileis?  She's not telling the whole story.  And yet, Blackthorn must help end the curse.  

Meanwhile, a friend from the past reenters Blackthorn's life, and gives her an opportunity to exact revenge on King Mathuin.  Does she take the chance and leave Grim, who has only shown kindness and love towards Blackthorn?  Dare she defy the fey, give in to her desire for revenge, and run away?  

This is the second novel I've read of Juliet Marillier, and I am happy to say she's a definite go to author when I want to read some fantasy.  Her characters certainly grow and develop as the plot moves along, and her storytelling compels you to keep moving towards the end.  Her characters are not perfect, and most of the time are vulnerable to their worst human qualities:  revenge, anger, jealousy.  But each has so many good qualities that you keep hoping good will win out.  I would say this author is comparable to Kristin Britain in writing style and storytelling.  Both mingle ancient myths and legends, entertaining characters, and a plot line that will satisfy your fantasy sweet tooth.  

Thank you to Penguin/Random House for a review copy of this novel.  Can't wait to read more in this series, and read through Juliet's backlist titles.  If you'd like to check out Dreamer's Pool I wrote a review on it in September, 2014.  

Rating:  7/10 for a satisfactory second novel in a new series that explores love lost, curses, and betrayal.  And the cover is gorgeous!

Available in hardcover, audio, and e-book.  

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Tower of Thorns (Blackthorn & Grim #2) by Juliet Marillier