In this 2nd outing archeologist Nora Kelly and FBI Special Agent Corrie Swanson team up to investigate a 75 year old murder mystery when a victim is found in the ghost town of High Lonesome.  As expected a fast paced thriller with one mystery leading to another!  Looking forward to more by Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child.  Thank you NetGalley for the advanced copy.

Special Agent Corrie Swanson is teamed up with archeologist Dr. Nora Kelly to solve the mystery behind a mummified corpse found in a remote New Mexico ghost town.  Added to that mystery is also the finding of a seemingly priceless artifact -- a gold cross that was found in a pouch from the corpse.  Now it's up to Nora, Corrie and the local authorities to not only identify and solve the death of "John Doe," they must also solve the mystery behind the gold cross.

The authors, Preston&Child have yet again executed another fine novel.  With a New Mexico backdrop, it is apparent that extensive research was conducted about the area, customs, and history to provide a flavor for the township and remote desert locations.  All of which are woven into an exciting and mysterious plot.

The characters Nora Kelly and Corrie Swanson play well into the storyline of the novel.  So do the villains and other minor players.  However, I did not particularly appreciate the appearance of Special Agent Pendergast (from the Pendergast series) in this novel because it just seemed to take away the spotlight from Nora and Corrie.

Overall, I really enjoyed The Scorpion's Tail.  It's an exciting and entertaining read sure to please mystery fans and fans of the authors.  I've rated it four stars.  I really liked it.

I received a digital ARC from Grand Central Publishing through NetGalley.  The review herein is completely my own and contains my honest thoughts and opinions.

My review is concurrently being posted to Goodreads and is scheduled to post to my blog, twitter, and facebook accounts on 12/12/20.

Please know I'm writing this review as a fan of Preston and Child's books. I've read every Agent Pendergast novel. I subscribe to the Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child Newsletter. I read the first Norah Kelly and Corrie Swanson spinoff (Old Bones) as soon as it came out. So when I saw I could request The Scorpion's Tail as an ARC, I crossed my fingers and hit send.

I read the book in two days. 

If you like strong female characters, the Southwest, archaeology, Native Americans, the Old West, FBI and Military intrigue, mystery, 1600 century treasure and a sheriff with six-gun shooters wearing a $1,000 cowboy hat, this is the book for you! 

(After reading the Norah Kelly series, go back and start the Pendergast series from the beginning - if you haven't already.)

Corrie Swanson Fresh from FBI training is assigned to the Albuquerque office of the FBI. On her first case her marksmanship lets her down and she feels she has failed. Given another chance with a case that may turn out to be nothing, she applies herself even harder to find the answers. A Sheriff  stumbles on a looter in a old Ghost town site and discovers a mummified body. Corrie's task is to determine how the man died. She contacts Nora Kelly, an archeologist at the Santa Fe Archeological Institute, who she had worked with on a case in Donner Pass last year. Nora reluctantly comes out to the Ghost town to exhume the body and search the site for clues. This begins a mystery inside a conundrum inside a dangerous investigation. The case takes the two on a roller-coaster ride of clues. This book is exciting and a wonderful read. The authors constantly keep things moving in their usual style and since both women are friends with a Special FBI agent it is not surprising that he might make an all important cameo appearance.
I highly recommend this book and/or any of the books by these authors. They always provide a good story!!!

This book is the second collaboration between archeologist Nora Kelly and FBI agent Corrie Swanson. Like most Preston & Child novels, it was excellent. These authors really know how to write and delivered a story filled with interesting characters, beautiful locations, non-stop action and an intriguing plot. My only complaint is that I don’t think Pendergast was used wisely in this book. 

My copy of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. My thanks to the the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review it.

Anything this duo writes is magic. I loved the earlier books - do yourself a favor and read them all - but I am really intrigued by the new main characters. Women! Yes, two men have written a  book (this is the second in the series) with female main characters. They are smart, brave, ambitious, and fun! I think I especially like that the woman do exactly what a man would do. No male to save the day, a woman does it! I just really appreciate a story where all characters can be unique and the authors don’t have to rely on old stereotypes. The authors are growing along with their audience. Way to go guys!

This book was exactly what you expect from a Preston & Child collaboration, with all the good and the not so good that comes with that territory.

As always the plot is interesting and well researched.  There are enough twists and turns to keep you interested, writing action is clearly a strong point for these two, but the mystery is eminently solvable.  These are traits you want in a thriller for sure.   The research and love of history is clear in the writing.  The scenery is beautifully described and the history comes to life as the story unfolds.  This pair can certainly craft a solid tale.

However, like other books by these authors, the character development all feels like a “men writing women” cliche.  With Corrie, it is leaned into pretty hard that she is facing discrimination as a young woman in a man’s field, but she is never written in a way that shows any kind of three-dimensional existence.  She is a girl (but not like other girls!) with a checkered (but never fully shared!) past...you know the formula.  Add in that she is written as an intellectual blank slate (an FBI agent with no idea about Watergate, was stationed in an area for 8 months and clearly never looked at a map, often deficient in knowledge she should have given her “specialty training”...just to name a few) and this protagonist rapidly fails to make an impact.  The men only do slightly better, each being a paper doll archetype, but there you at least feel like authors have imbued them with some intellect.

In short a five star plot with one star characters.

There's plenty of sting happenin' here in the vast deserts and mountains of New Mexico. In particular, Albuquerque and as far as the arms can stretch and the binocs can view.

We're riding alongside FBI Special Agent Corrie Swanson in this second edition of the Nora Kelly Series. Corrie is coming out the other side of a domestic dispute gone bad. She blames herself for a split second decision that almost cost the life of a child......an out of control adult seemingly devaluing his family in a hostage situation.

Being on a two-year probationary program in her training, Corrie is told to sit this one out for a while. Her boss, Morwood, has reassigned her to a recent unfolding case up near the Azul Mountains. An illegal relic hunter uncovered a man's body in the process. Morwood felt that Corrie's background in forensic anthropology could be key to this investigation. Said mummified body appears to have been there since 1945. A murder victim or what?

Corrie calls upon Dr. Nora Kelly, senior curator at the Santa Fe Archaeological Institute. Nora is an ace when it comes to ancient Pueblo culture. Besides, Corrie saved Nora's butt in the last outing. And this case is gonna try women's souls. Someone doesn't want Corrie and Nora anywhere near the ghost town of High Lonesome. They'll face the rigors of the dangerous terrain where Geronimo and the Apaches once roamed. Certainly not a place to go unprepared.

The Scorpion's Tail is another high-level adventure in the hands of the dynamic duo Preston & Child. If you've been a fan over the years, you know whereof I speak. This series features two superbly strong female lead characters packin' high-octane cerebral assets. And they work well together.

Preston & Child line their stories with layers of history and science which almost compels the reader to find out more on the topic.at hand. It's never overwhelming and it just adds to the intrigue of the setting. That's the draw with Preston & Child. Expect the unexpected. You'll never look at a historical situation with the same eyes again. And no one sets up a scene like they do. Bravo, Gentlemen, once again. Just Bravo.

I received a copy of The Scorpion's Tail through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Grand Central Publishing and to the talented Preston & Child.

Child and Preston bring back the dynamic duo team of Agent Pendergast's prodigy, Corrie Swanson, and archeologist Nora Kelly for another exciting suspense adventure....of course Corrie and Nora continue to get themselves in tight situations, but always come out on top. To make it even a better story....Pendergast makes a surprise appearance at the end!

I have always loved book by Douglas Preston, especially the Pendergast series, but Nora Kelly holds a special place in my reading heart too. Once again she combines forces with FBI agent Corrie Swanson to investigate the remains of a body discovered not too far from the sight of the Trinity explosion in 1945, when the atomic bomb was tested in the New Mexico desert. Their path will lead them down several historic pasts, not only the bomb, but pueblo revolts, hidden treasure and great Apache leaders.

If I have any criticism I was a little put off by the constant sniping between the two characters as to how they handled themselves in various situations. Both are strong, independent women with character flaws, yes, but the ability to not let that deter them.

All in all, a great read with a terrific ending and did I mention that Agent Pendergast may make an appearance? You have to read the book to answer that question.

Enjoy!

The Scorpion’s Tail is the second book in the series, featuring two strong women characters previously introduced in the Pendergast world. Nora Kelly is a very successful archeologist and Corrie Swanson is a rookie FBI agent. The two previously met when Corrie’s first case tied into a expedition/dig being run by Nora (in the book Old Bones). Now Corrie finds herself running a case involving a 50 year old mummified corpse found in a New Mexico ghost town. When Nora is convinced to assist with examining the remains to determine if the death was accidental or homicide, she finds the corpse is clutching a priceless gold cross and they have to track down the origins of the artifact along with the identity of the deceased. The more Corrie and Nora learn though, the more obvious it becomes that this is not a simple open and shut case, it is part of something much larger going on in the area. 

This was another very well written book featuring surprise twists and fast pace action sequences. The descriptions they include of the ghost town, military bases, desert etc are all so detailed and masterfully done.  They once again do a great job weaving in historical elements with their fictional characters. I thought Sheriff Watts was a great addition to the core characters as well, hopefully we see him again in future books. I did find parts of this book to lag a bit more than the previous book did but it did not detract from the overall story. 4/5⭐️

Thanks to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for providing me the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

In THE SCORPION'S TAIL, by Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child, Corrie Swanson, a green FBI agent, and Nora Kelly, a well-respected archaeologist, cross paths in this second book featuring this unlikely duo.  Corrie is assigned a seemingly mundane case, but as secrets start to bubble up and answers become difficult to find, Corrie reaches out to Nora and brings her into a case that becomes so much bigger than the FBI, Corrie, or Nora even thought was possible.
   Preston & Child books are always fun, with great surprises and thrilling action sequences.  In this book they go above and beyond; the way the describe the desert and ghost town seem idyllic and almost romantic is really a masterful stroke, seeing as how what they are describing is a sparse wasteland of sand, heat, and general uncomfortableness.  They illustrate scenes in the book so well that the reader can't help but want to go and visit these places.  The book ties history into the fictional narrative of the story so well that reader can't help but be sucked in to the story and forget it is fiction.  When I finished the book I was inspired to read about the historical events discussed in the book to understand them better.
   Thrilling from beginning to end, that's they best way I can think of to describe THE SCORPION'S TAIL.  Storytelling at it's best, I recommend this book to anyone who wants to escape into an exciting story that entertains nicely.

Preston & Child return with this latest story about Nora and Corrie. Although not quite as good as Old Bones, it was still a very entertaining story. The ending was, again, a bit too convenient. But overall, it was a fast, easy read that I enjoyed. 

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an ARC. This review contains my honest, unbiased opinion.

The team of Child and Preston have been giving their readers well done novels for many years.  The duo has the knack of formulating an interesting plot coupled with crisp writing making for a flow which captures the imagination of their readers.  The current novel utilizes Corrie Swanson a relatively new agent of the FBI and Nora Kelly an archaeologist to tell the story of a plot originating centuries ago.  The action takes place in an area near to and on the White Sands New Mexico military base.  A mummified corpse is discovered buried in the cellar of an abandoned building in a New Mexico ghost town.  Probably thinking that checking the body after so many years would be a relatively simple thing to do Corrie's supervisor assigns the investigation to her thinking that it would give her some more field experience with a relatively easy finish.
     In her initial investigation Corrie finds evidence that would require the services of someone trained in archaeology and she contacts Nora who has worked with her on a previous case.  Findings arise that indicate that the roots of what has been found date back about 400 years and initiating in the country of Mexico. A sheriff enters the investigation when findings indicate that the body may have been as a result of murder.  He is a young man and a bit of mutual attraction begins between Corrie and him.  Possibly something for the authors to continue in future books involving Corrie.
     The book is an interesting one and does incorporate research done by the authors which peaks up the interest for the reader.  No problem in continuing to look for and read novels by the team.  They also have written books individually giving rise to the question of do they sleep?

Thank you to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

When I see Preston & Child coming out with a new book, I make a dash to get my hands on it because I generally love whatever this duo produces, and The Scorpion’s Tail is no exception. This is the second installment focusing on Nora Kelly, archaeologist, and Corrie Swanson, newly minted FBI agent, and honestly, it’s even better than the first. The two seemed to really hit a stride in this novel as they’re drawn into the mystery of a man 70 years dead and the priceless artifact with him. The corpse may be long dead, but the case is anything but cold as Swanson and Kelly try to untangle the many threads connecting a corpse from the 1940s to a petty criminal in a desolate, remote ghost town in the American West to a 16th century priceless relic. Mystery, danger, suspense and two great female lead characters. Pick it up and clear your schedule.

I love the authors.

I love the characters.

I was…unfortunately kind of bored with the book.

This one was a bit of a miss for me.  I just didn’t find our crime or our mystery all that interesting.  I also (can’t believe I’m saying this) think they need to leave the Pendergast plays Hercule Poirot cameo out of the book.  It adds almost nothing for me when he comes and basically ties up loose ends after 30 seconds of page time.

These two characters have so much potential, but need a little more edge, a bit more darkness, and just something more interesting to do.

I still enjoyed much of the book, but it left me wanting so much more.

*ARC Provided via Net Galley

Scorpion’s Tail, another thrilling ride from the dynamic authors Preston & Child, brings together archaeologist Nora Kelly and FBI agent Corrie Swanson once again. It also introduces Sheriff Homer Watts, a character I hope will be in future novels too. Set in the southwest, the ghost town of High Lonesome is so isolated few can find it. Which is why when Sheriff Watts finds someone digging there he’s very surprised, even more so when a body is uncovered. FBI Swanson is called in to investigate and quickly asks Dr. Kelly for help. This is only the beginning of the many surprises and discoveries the novel lays out, as well as fascinating historical history of the area, and its people. I learned so much I didn’t know about the area, its truths and legends.  Combine that with two strong female leads, an interesting sheriff, and an amazing plot and it doesn’t get any better than this.