Nora and Corrie at it again.  

So amazing. This is a very good story of treasure and lore from the desert in New Mexico. If you are looking for a story like that and gunfights and modern day military tactics all in one this is for you. Can’t wait to see what they cook up next.

I'm always up for a new Preston, Child novel and The Scorpion's Tail did not fail Combining a good mystery with archeology (a love of mine) was definitely a roller coaster ride! FBI agent Corrie Swanson was needing a distraction and was assigned to a ghost town where a mummified body was found. Thinking it was a simple assignment she quickly changed her mind after getting help from Archeologist Nora Kelly to exhume the body and realizing there was more to meet the eye. Little did they know where their questions would take them and the dangers they would face.

The Scorpion's Tail was an exciting and interesting read and I thank NewGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to preview this book.

Review featured at www.books-n-kisses.com

This is the 2nd in a new series from Preston/Child. And Nora Kelly and Corrie Swanson make excellent partners. 

One of the best things about a Preston/Child book is the real life history that they add to their story. In this one we are brought to the desert of New Mexico. When Swanson finds a decades old dead body she asks Dr Kelly, archaeologist, to help. 

The story takes some wonderful twists and turns leading the reader on a fact filled and fun ride.

Preston/Child have a magical way of writing together. Their stories, including this one, pull you in from the first couple of pages. And the suspense lasts until you turn the final page. 

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

I love these authors and their Pendergast series. When I heard they had started a new series featuring Nora Kelly and Corrie Swanson how could I resist.

This is the second book in this new series and is set in New Mexico. A mummified corpse is found in a ghost town with a gold cross. Who is he? Where did he get the cross? You’ll have to read to find out!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this awesome book.

After enjoying “Old Bones” and many from the Pendergast series, I was looking forward to another featuring Nora and Corrie.  And I would like to continue to read it because the history of the area would really be interesting.  However, 25% is the best I can do.  

Corrie, a rookie FBI agent, is characterized as being an absolute nincompoop – not just once, but continuously.  She is further characterized as being weak, insecure in her training and totally incompetent.  Oh, and also she alternates between mouthing off showing a giant chip on her shoulder and being scared of a flea.  This is not only an insult to womanhood, but a HUGE insult to the men and women of the FBI.

As if that were not offensive enough, the F- word was dominant.  By the time I’d read 20%, it was on every “F*ing” page and after that, multiple times on each page.

Then there were the Federal Agents, presumably in the role of protectors of federal lands.  They were more like drunk red necks, trying to see how much damage they could do while gleaning anything valuable for themselves.

As much as I’ve enjoyed other books by Preston, I had to close this one.

I appreciate the ARC from NetGalley and the publisher, Grand Central Publishing, in exchange for an honest review.  I’m sorry I didn’t enjoy it.

This one didn't grab my attention like the first Nora Kelly did, but once I got into it, I definitely still enjoyed it.  Interesting history and mystery, fun science details, and awesome main characters.  I'll continue to follow this series.

3.5 / 5 ✪

https://arefugefromlife.wordpress.com/2021/01/07/the-scorpions-tail-by-preston-child-review/

The Scorpion’s Tail is the second in the Nora Kelly spinoff, a collaboration between the archaeologist and FBI newbie Corrie Swanson. As both are prominently linked with Special Agent Pendergast, the man still crops up from time to time, solving mysteries and annoying law enforcement. 

Note: The length of the book is suspect. The ebook version claims to be 309 pages, while the hardcover is 416, and the large print is 592. Short answer: I have no IDEA how long this is.

All Sheriff Watts wanted was a day off. A nice, lonely stream; a quiet bit of fishing. What he got was a wounded looter and a mummified corpse. High Lonesome was once one of the premier gold mining towns in the West. Like most early Western mines, it busted out and was left as little more than a ruin. Due to its remote, inaccessible locale, the ghost town is pristine, rarely looted, and intact. But when Watts comes upon a mummified corpse, the ruin is about to become the site of an FBI investigation.

Enter Corrie Swanson, junior agent. She in turn enlists the help of Nora Kelly, to ID the body and determine cause of death. It’s going along well enough at first—due to the lonesome nature of High Lonesome, the pair (plus Nora’s brother, Skip) don’t have to contend with a large team or crowd of reporters—until two unexpected details come to life. The first is that the mummified man died in horrible agony—in a fetal position, skin falling off in sheets, rictus of horror plastered on his face.

The second is the solid gold, 16th century Spanish cross hidden on the corpse.

When these details emerge, they expose Kelly and Swanson to the dangerous world of looters and treasure hunters, conspiracies and cover-ups. Throw in a mystery so strange it involves the Army, the Pre-Columbian city of Teotihuacan, a certain sexy sheriff, a terrible secret, and the most explosive moment in American history.

If nothing else, this will be a case neither Swanson nor Kelly will ever forget—should they live long enough to solve it.

The story of Scorpion’s Tail is a good one, for the most part. The author combo can sure spin an addictive yarn. As usual, the story, the setting, the mystery drinks you in in its early stages. And when the story really gets rolling you’re already heavily invested. I had no problem reading—again, up to a point.

The main issue (and my main complaint with the recent Preston & Child books) concerns the ensuing conspiracy theory and ridiculous leap of faith that always follows. In theory, there’s nothing wrong with a conspiracy theory. They can be practical, ridiculous, and sometimes even true. The first several times can even be a fun adventure. But eventually the fun stops. Now if 2020 taught us anything, it’s that everyone loves a good conspiracy theory, and that everyone has their own point of disillusionment. Scorpion’s Tail eventually leads me past my own. It’s… absurd. And honestly, neither terribly intricate nor well formed. On the positive side, it waits until the 2/3 mark to kick in, when I was already invested in the story. So, while it soured things, I still wanted to finish the book. Whether it does the same for you is the question.

The details—usually Preston & Child’s bread and butter—aren’t as sound in this one. From referring to Spanish Friars (Jesuits don’t have friars, and they were the choice of Colonial Spain), to cutoff words in Spanish translating to cutoff words in English, to the change in language for a few key characters at the 2/3 mark—everything seems a little less polished, a little less cared for.

The pace is as amazing as ever. The mystery begins with an action-packed opening chapter and keeps upping the ante throughout, so that there’s never a dull moment. Hiccups in the plot aside: I never had trouble reading this book. And I never thought about putting it down. So, while there may be some less than stellar action sequences, there were also those that were genuinely heart-pounding. The conspiracy theory soured my opinion, but the mystery redeemed it. The characters are a nice contrast of likable and unlikable that the authors write so well, and every character has their own history and motives. No cardboard cutouts here.

Now, let’s talk about the ending.

So, as spoiler free as possible, without getting into specifics, let’s say that there are two mysteries to solve. The former is settled through most of the book. The latter is summed up in its conclusion. The latter mystery is annoying as we’re provided almost none of the details such that I was expecting it would be the premise of the next book. But then it’s summed up and solved in but a few pages. The way this was done, the manner of it… was annoying. 

Also, not all characters get resolution at the end. In fact, one of the two leads (Corrie and Nora) doesn’t. The fledgling romance is left completely in the wind, and isn’t even addressed in the conclusion. It was like: here’s the wrap-up, oh and this second mystery solved, then a brief snapshot of one character’s resolution—the end. I was on-board throughout; the leap of faith, the absurd bits, the annoying bits, the action, mystery, tension, romance—but this lost me. It was an incredibly disappointing and abrupt ending. And I really expected better.

TL;DR

Once again, Preston & Child deliver a heart-pounding, gut-wrenching thriller with an intricate mystery, fascinating location, and highly believable characters. Unfortunately, while I never had a problem reading it, Scorpion’s Tail suffers from a lack of polish, a ludicrous leap of faith, absurd conspiracy theory, and a disappointing lack of resolution for most of its characters. While there’s no denying that this is a very good ride, the final third sours what could’ve been a really good book. And the conclusion tests even that. For fans of the first, I’d still recommend Nora and Corrie’s follow-up. For fans of the Pendergast series, I’d still recommend Scorpion’s Tail as there’s no Constance. For people looking for a book to read on a plane, yeah, you could do much worse. For people who are looking for a intricate, believable, amazing, or inventive thriller—keep looking. For the bottom line: I had no trouble reading this. And while the ending was a disappointment, at the end of the day it was still a mostly good read.

In 2019, Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child introduced their fans to a new series led by archaeologist Nora Kelly and FBI Special Agent Corrine Swanson in the bestselling book Old Bones. Now, the authors bring the duo back for another adventure in THE SCORPION’S TAIL.

This time around, a mummified corpse from the ’40s is found in a remote New Mexico ghost town. Corrie and Nora must work together to figure out this daunting mystery that connects with an important date in American history.

“We wanted this novel to be a quintessential New Mexico story,” Preston says, “since Corrie has just taken up her first job at the Albuquerque Field Office of the FBI. A body is discovered in a remote ghost town at the edge of the fearsome Jornada del Muerto—Journey of the Dead or Journey of Death desert, north of the White Sands Missile Range. Corrie investigates and asks archaeologist Nora Kelly to excavate the corpse to determine if it’s a homicide or an accidental death. The corpse, which is 75 years old, shows evidence of a very strange and agonizing death—and a fabulously valuable golden cross is found on it.”

Full article available on the link

It is always a joy to have a new Preston/Child book and The Scorpions Tail  doesn't disappoint.  The New Mexican history one learns is a plus.

This is the 2nd book in the series & I enjoyed it a lot. I love the mix of history & archaeology in a really good mystery like this. It’s so interesting! I also like the two main characters who are intelligent, strong women. However, like the first book, I get tired of the way Corrie is talked down to & basically told to behave by her male superior way too often. I gave a little cheer at one point, though. Hope to see her continue to grow & be more assertive. Overall, great book! I look forward to the next one.

A great mystery filled with a beautiful setting, historical facts, and wonderful research by the authors. The story follows FBI agent Corrie Swanson and archeologist Nora Kelly dig through history to solve a possible murder and the legend of a hidden treasure. The story also includes several interesting and background characters such as Sherriff Watts (the cowboy sheriff type) and Skip (Nora's brother and apparently amazing cook). Like all things Preston and Childs, the story takes the reader on a ride culminating and one huge climactic scene and even a cameo by our favorite Special Agent Pendergast. 

I liked a lot about this book. Like several books by the duo, the historical elements and backgrounds are interesting. The writing easily carries the reader through the story. The pacing of this book is pretty steady in my opinion. At no time did I feel like the story was dragging. Overall I really liked the book and this second installment of the Corrie Swanson and Nora Kelly series.

I love a book with a strong female lead, and this book has two of them!  Add in Pendergast and I'm in heaven.  I'm also looking forward to more of Sheriff Watts.  I learned a lot of New Mexico history and I like when a book educates me.  The combo of archaeologist and FBI agent is a winner!

I like Nora Kelly but her character along with newbie FBI agent Corrine don't really carry this adventure. Interesting archeological references but the predictability offsets it. The evil Colonel is almost a caricature. The unlikely events that the group including the FBI and a local sheriff finds themselves is a bit of shoot 'em up western material . I enjoy the regular series but this title doesn't reach that caliber.


Copy provided by the publisher and NetGalley

Corrie Swanson, rookie FBI agent, is given her first case. Her job is to identify a mummified corpse found in a remote New Mexico ghost town. To help her, she calls on Nora Kelly, acclaimed archaeologist at the Santa Fe Archeological Institute. What begins as a simple excavation become a twisted tale of hidden treasure, grave robbers, murder and corruption. I enjoyed the latest installment of the Nora Kelly series! Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child weave a twisted, thrilling tale with glimpses of the turbulent history of New Mexico. I found this book to be very hard to put down!

Sheriff Homer Watts wounds a relic hunter on federal land, and FBI Special Agent Corrie Swanson joins his investigation of the unidentified corpse uncovered by the artifact thief before his capture. After visiting the site, a cellar in a building in High Lonesome, an abandoned ghost town in the Azul Mountains near White Sands Missile Range, Corrie decides she needs an expert. She recruits archaeologist Nora Kelly to excavate the body in order “to preserve the integrity of the evidence.”  

Doug Preston and Lincoln Child are exceptional storytellers. This tale combines old west history – American Indian lore and the legend of the Victorio Peak Treasure of a billion dollars in gold – with the corpse’s cause of death. The extensive analysis concludes the body is Jim Gower, a rancher who dies due to witnessing the first nuclear device test in July 1945.  The authors’ ability to combine fascinating historical perspective with present-day mystery makes a captivating adventure told at a relentless pace. 

A Scorpion’s Tail features the newest Preston & Child protagonist, Archaeologist Nora Kelly from the Santa Fe Archaeological Institute. And while their popular character, Agent Pendergast, comes by for a brief appearance, it is Nora and Corrie that carry this exceptional adventure.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

The creators of Pendergast have done it again. I've always loved both Nora and Corrie, and was super excited to hear about their first book, Old bones, in which they come together to solve a historical mystery *and* a modern mystery. Lucky for us, Preston & Child had bigger plans than just one book, and from this plan comes The Scorpion's Tail.

Interestingly enough, it's pretty clear early on who the bad guy is. The fun in this story is all the twists and turns it took to get there - all of the clues, all of the dead ends, all of the puzzles and conundrums that build towards an explosive finale.

I'm really interested to see, after that ending, where the next Nora and Corrie book will take us. I'm *so* along for this ride.

Highly recommended but pick up book one first. (Honestly, you don't have to read all of the Pendergast books first, but you'd know so much more about these characters if you did.)

Another great Preston and Child book! I love the history, adventure, and action in all of their books. I especially like the character Nora Kelly.

Nora Kelly, archaeologist, is recruited by Corrie, the rookie FBI protégée of Special Agent Pendergast, to unearth the mummified body found in a ghost town in New Mexico. Set in the area near White Sands and the site of the original atomic bomb tests, the mystery deepens quickly. Who is the body? What killed him? 
I enjoyed this story very much and was caught up in the story immediately. I liked the characters of Corrie and Nora and their friendship, as well as the sheriff and Corrie’s superior.  Pendergast makes a short appearance at the end to reveal the solution to the final mystery, keeping his mysterious aura. A thoroughly entertaining story, set in a beautiful and rugged area of New Mexico, The Scorpion’s Tail is a welcome addition to the offshoot stories by Preston and Child.

Lots of great detail in this latest by Child and Preston.  Don't omit this one if you're set on reading everything turned out by these 2.  it delivers like all the others.

3 1/2 Stars

I have to be honest and say Scorpion’s Tail was not one of my favorites by Preston and Child. While their research was meticulous as always, there seemed to be something missing and for the first time I actually found my attention wandering a few times while reading one of their books. That’s not to say it’s not a worthwhile read though. I’m looking forward to seeing Nora’s and Corrie’s partnership develop in future books. While in these first two, their relationship has its rocky moments, I have a feeling they’re going to make quite the formidable duo.