A thriller with supernatural vibes that I really enjoyed. It was a bit gorey and twisty and had chilled meore times than one. It was fast paced and highly readable. I liked it and think it's a good one to pick up if you don't want something super dark or heavy on its themes.

Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child are both excellent authors in the their own right, but when I see Preston & Child on a book cover I know I am in for something extra special. They are such a great writing duo and never disappoint. And in this case, Preston & Child’s latest offering is Badlands, the fifth book in the Nora Kelly series. It all kicks off when a film crew discover skeletal remains the New Mexican badlands and FBI Agent Corrie Swanson is assigned the case. While some bones missing, others gnawed on, what really gets the agent’s attention is a pair of extremely rare lighting stones are found on the body, which is when she bring archeologist Nora Kelly in to assist on the case. (Or rather as soon as Nora sees pictures from the site and the stones she brings herself into the case, lol.) And then another body is found. Was this murder, suicide, or something else entirely? And how exactly to do the sacred artifacts factor in? Preston and Child have crafted another memorable, complex tale, and while this is the fifth book in the series, it can be read as a standalone. Though, trust me, you will want to read the entire serie. (Not to mention you if you haven’t already you really should also check out their Pendergast series.) I’d like to thank Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an eARC of Badlands.

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/badlands-douglas-preston/1146385904?ean=9781538765852&bvnotificationId=ed736cee-4609-11f0-90b9-12decf91e25f&bvmessageType=REVIEW_APPROVED&bvrecipientDomain=gmail.com#review/348987158

Absolutely loved this book, I could not put it down. It kept me pulled in to the very end. I was a fan of the author's works for a long time but Nora Kelly was always my favourite book character.

Did not disappoint. As these characters develop so does the excellent read. Don’t forget to leave a great review to keep this character alive!

Psst…..Pendergast, where is he?

Another great mystery by Preston & Child with a small hint of the supernatural. I like how they actually insert real science and history into the story giving it a techno-thriller feel. They also include info on the real tribes and traditions in a post script after the story is over. Highly recommend!

"Badlands" by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child is a thrilling 5-star adventure read! FBI Agent Corrie Swanson, along with archaeologist Nora Kelly, must unravel the suspicious events that led to the discovery of skeletal remains in the New Mexico desert.

While this is the fifth book in the Nora Kelly series, the true star of the story is Corrie Swanson, with Nora taking on more of a supporting role. There's plenty of deceit and trickery, woven together with Native American history—slightly embellished for storytelling purposes, but certainly enjoyable. If you enjoyed the first four books, you’ll definitely enjoy this one. I’m already looking forward to book #6!

Thanks to Grand Central Publishing, Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child, and NetGalley for providing me with the opportunity to read this ARC and share my honest review.

June 8 update: New release review post on TikTok
I've read several Preston & Child books, and some of their solo works. This was my first experience with this series. Their latest Pendergast novel and Preston's Extinction were outstanding. I have mixed feelings about this one. My suspension of disbelief got as many jolts as the vehicles in this thriller.. It's a quick read with some intense squelchy, grisly scenes, action, peril, and a immersion in its settings that engages all the senses.

Strengths:
The cinematically vivid setting
Disturbing, mysterious crimes
Geology, forensics, weapons, artifacts, history, archeology and other crunchy details
Some of the background on early indigenous people
Fast pace and strong suspense.

Distractions:
Bland 'good' characters and caricature villains
Lack of depth
Mention of thrillers by the authors in this novel took me out of the story
The climax didn't feel earned
Some cringe-inducing dialogue
Careless use of a casually dehumanizing term
Implausibilities and coincidences

Overall, it was entertaining. Recommended for fans of this series and thriller readers who find it easy to suspend disbelief.
Thank you, Grand Central, for the eARC for consideration. These are solely my own opinions.

In Bad Lands, the fifth and latest installment of the Nora Kelly and Corrie Swanson thriller series by Preston and Child, archaeologist Nora Kelly and FBI Agent Corrie Swanson are once again showcased in a masterful blend of mystery, history, and supernatural suspense that grabs hold from the first page and refuses to let go.

Set against the eerie backdrop of the New Mexico badlands, the story begins with a chilling discovery: the sun-bleached skeleton of a woman found in a remote desert, her hands clutching ancient lightning stones linked to the long-vanished Chacoan civilization. As Corrie Swanson takes the lead on the investigation, she quickly enlists the help of Nora Kelly, whose archaeological expertise reveals a troubling truth—the death may not have been a simple case of heatstroke or madness, but something far older and more sinister.

Preston and Child are at their best when excavating the past to tell stories that blur the lines between science and the supernatural. The pacing is relentless, the atmosphere tense and immersive, and the chemistry between the skeptical, pragmatic Corrie and the intellectually adventurous Nora remains a highlight. As more bodies surface and ancient rituals resurface, the duo finds themselves up against a malevolent force rooted in forgotten history and long-buried belief systems.

What makes Bad Lands particularly compelling is how it layers real archaeological mystery with a creeping sense of dread. The authors deftly weave historical lore with modern investigative techniques, creating a narrative that feels both grounded and otherworldly. The desert landscape is rendered with vivid, often chilling detail, evoking a palpable sense of isolation and danger.

Fans of the series will appreciate how Preston and Child continue to evolve their protagonists, while new readers will find this a perfectly accessible entry point. Whether you’re drawn by the thrill of the chase, the lure of lost civilizations, or the suspense of a well-executed paranormal mystery, Bad Lands delivers.

Verdict: A pulse-pounding, bone-chilling thriller that combines ancient history and modern horror with trademark Preston and Child flair. Not to be missed.

This ARC book was complimentary…provided by the Publisher and NetGalley. I am voluntarily providing my honest review.

4.5 stars, actually.

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!

I liked the forensic science details. I liked the gore. I didn't know who the killer was.

I received an arc from NetGalley and the publisher for an honest review.

Excellent writing and fast pace make this 5th book in the series another must read.

FBI Agent Corrie Swanson and archeologist Nora Kelly are working together again. This time, they are investigating the unusual, separate, deaths of two women found in the desert. The deaths seem almost like suicide as the women had apparently taken themselves to remote areas in the New Mexico badlands. Corrie and Nora know the deaths are related when the evidence team finds lightning stones clutched in their hands. These stones, used by the ancient Chaco people, make Corrie and Nora believe that they are on the trail of some sort of cult that is involved in long extinct, and most probably evil, rituals.

I love the writing style of the Preston and Child team and read almost everything they write together and separately. I like the two main characters, Corrie and Nora, as well as their friends, lovers, and colleagues. Nora’s brother, Skip, always a bit impulsive and immature, plays a larger role in this particular book. The narrative is straight forward and the fascinating historical details are evidence of a great deal of research. I really like when I can learn a lot from reading a work of fiction. I always look forward to a new installment in this series and highly recommend it to any fans of suspenseful thrillers.

I was able to listen to the audiobook while also following along in the e-book ARC provided by the publisher. The narrator, Cynthia Farrell, did a great job of voicing all the characters and giving the story an appropriate amount of dramatic flair. I do wish the production had a male narrator as well as there are many male characters, but this was a fine production that enhanced my enjoyment of the book.

This is the latest installment of the Pendergast Series spin off featuring Nora Kelly and also in the last few books - FBI Agent Corrie Swanson. If you've read any of these books, you know that they usually have some type of paranormal/supernatural element. Sometimes it is very apparent, and other times just kind of implied. This one leans towards the side of some definite woo-woo shenanigans.

For whatever reason, this week I've felt like I was in a weird reading slump. The last 5 or 6 books that I've read were all HUGE books - upwards of 700 pages. In fact, the book before this, I started purposely because I thought it was a novella. Imagine my surprise when I kept reading and thinking, "WHEN is this going to be over?" and went to look at the book details and discovered that it was 904 pages in length. Ugh....totally my fault, but definitely not on purpose. I was just tired of HEAVY books.

Sooo, I was thrilled to start this and be quickly swept up into the story. The chapters were short, the pacing quick and it was easy to read. Since we are already at book 5 - the world has been established, and we have grown to know the characters. We could just jump right into the latest case that FBI Agent Swanson finds herself involved in - and it is a doozy.

There have been a couple of odd deaths in the New Mexico desert by highly educated women - and it seems that the deaths were actually intentional and self-inflicted. Corrie brings Nora in to ask for her expertise and Nora realizes there might be more to this than previously thought.

Is the plot a little out there? Yep, it is. But, truly, for fans of the wonderful Pendergast Series and then the Nora Kelly Series, when ISN'T it out there? Granted, this is not one of my favorite stories, but it was enjoyable and entertaining, and I did like it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for the opportunity to read and review this ARC. This book will be out for publication on June 03, 2025.

I am definitely a fan of Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child so I was very happy to see this book and grabbed it a quickly as I could. I have read many of their books and always enjoy them. I loved this one!

Description:
In the New Mexico badlands, the skeleton of a woman is found—and the case is assigned to FBI Agent Corrie Swanson. The victim walked into the desert, shedding clothes as she went, and died in agony of heatstroke and thirst. Two rare artifacts are found clutched in her bony hands—lightning stones used by the ancient Chaco people to summon the gods.

Is it suicide or… sacrifice?

Agent Swanson brings in archaeologist Nora Kelly to investigate. When a second body is found—exactly like the other—the two realize the case runs deeper than they imagined. As Corrie and Nora pursue their investigation into remote canyons, haunted ruins, and long-lost rituals, they find themselves confronting a dark power that, disturbed from its long slumber, threatens to exact an unspeakable price.

My Thoughts:
It is obvious that a lot of research went into this book. This history of the Chaco people is fascinating and mysterious. The events happening in the book are steeped in history as well as archeology. The book is permeated with a sense of evil from the isolation and alienness of the terrain to the events occurring throughout the book. It is fast-paced, mysterious and suspenseful and kept me on edge and flipping the pages. I couldn't wait to read more and find out what was happening. Bodies were found in strange circumstances. Nothing seemed to fit. The investigator, Nora Kelly, was courageous and committed. She did an outstanding job in the investigation against all the odds. Dangerous is putting it mildly. Thriller lovers will eat this up!

Thanks to Grand Central Publishing through Netgalley for an advance copy.

Badlands by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child is a Nora Kelly thriller. Nora is an archeologist in Santa Fe, Nw Mexico. She lives there with her brother Skip, who is a little fly-by-night but does hold down at full-time job at the Santa Fe Archeological Institute as a collections manager. Nora had befriended probationary FBI agent, Corrie Swanson on an earlier case so when Corrie called she was not surprised. She was surprised by what Corrie showed her and she and Skip had gone to visit an eccentric local billionaire collector, who may be able to provide an explanation. Skip held this man in awe and that worried Nora as he was young and charismatic, but they proceeded. This was the beginning of of a bizarre and frightening case which passed the understanding of all of them. Corrie had been called to a site in the wilderness by a film crew where they had discovered the bones of a dead woman. She had been dead for 2-7 years and hopefully could be identified by modern forensic means. Very odd crime scene. Shortly after, another body was discovered, this one much more recent. It sent them on a trail that made no sense.

Corrie Swanson is a young but enthusiastic agent and was being given the chance to be lead investigator on this case. Nora was a season archeologist who had worked with Corrie before and had seen much in her lifetime. What they and Skip would see together defied explanation. It was a tricky investigation and turned into a man hunt for Skip and his friend, who had gone camping, but, they had chosen the wrong place to camp, as they soon discovered. These characters are deeply human and very bright. They are willing to take leaps of faith when the situation calls for it. This is an astounding book, full of Native American culture and mysticism; in this case, mysticism co-opted by some white intelligentsia and misused. It is an enthralling read. Good characters; intricate plot; and a crime that defies explanation.

I was invited to read Badlands by Grand Central Publishing. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #GrandCentralPublishinng #DouglasPreston #LincolnChild #Badlands

This is the latest book in the Nora Kelly series. I hate to say it but I was a bit disappointed in this one. While I enjoy learning about ancient peoples and their cultures, I would have liked to see a little more action and a faster pace. It was fun to see Nora and Corrie working together again, both being strong female characters. It’s possible the timing just wasn’t right for me and this book. While the dynamic duo of Preston & Child are still among my favorites, I’m hoping for a bit more in their next book.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for the advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Corrie and Nora are drawn into a dark mystery. It will grab you from the beginning and doesn't let go. I really loved seeing Corrie grow as a character. There's plenty of action and suspense. I was so engrossed, before I realized it, hours had passed and I had read the entire book.

Badlands is the 5th installment in author Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child's Nora Kelly series, featuring archaeologist Nora Kelly and FBI Agent Corrie Swanson. FBI Agent Corrie Swanson is assigned the investigation into the skeleton of a woman found in the New Mexico badlands by a movie crew. The woman apparently walked into the desert, removed all her clothes while walking, and died of heatstroke and thirst. By the bones, an arrowhead and two round, green stones called lightning stones are found.

When Corrie calls Nora to look at the arrowhead, Nora immediately takes more interest in the stones, which she identifies as scarce green lightning stones. The body is later identified as Molly Vine, who went missing five years earlier. When another body is found and identified as Mandy Driver, a geological consultant, two green lightning stones are again found by her. Their investigation leads Corrie and Nora to believe that the two deaths might be connected to Professor Oskarbi who had ties to both deceased women at the University of New Mexico.

He also had an interest in the Gallinas, indigenous people who used lightning stones and were wiped out in the 13th century by the Chaco Canyon people. How does this all connect together? As Corrie and Nora pursue the investigation into remote canyons, haunted ruins, and long-lost rituals, they find themselves confronting a dark power that, disturbed from its long slumber, threatens to exact an unspeakable price. In the meantime, Nora's younger brother, Skip, gets into a situation where he needs Nora to save him from his idiocy.

The investigation follows some complicated turns along the way, and several different story lines are going on as everything heads to a run-in with the supernatural. Nora and Corrie complement each other, and having Nora’s brother, & Corrie’s very close friend, Sheriff Watts, in the story adds some depth to the story. Corrie, first introduced in Still Life with Crows (2003), has evolved from a troubled, rebellious teenager into a capable yet still-developing FBI agent who finally gets her chance to prove herself to her supervisors.

I appreciate that the co-authors incorporated actual historical context into this story. I once visited New Mexico to visit a friend and interview for a job. I can honestly say the State has a unique and long history of Indian tribes that didn't like each other, and used brutality and genocide to wipe out entire tribes of men, women, and children. Going back to the 12th century, a tribe known as the Galina people lived in New Mexico. They were said to have been wiped out by another tribe called Chaco, which existed in the same time frame. Were they wiped out because they practiced dark magic and believed in Skinwalkers, or was it something else entirely?

Thanks to Douglas Preston, Lincoln Child, Grand Central Publishing, and NetGalley for access to the Advanced Reader Copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The book begins with a woman’s death in the desert. There is no obvious foul play but what happened and why did someone experienced with the desert die from exposure? FBI agent Corrie Swanson and her associates are called onto the case.

The book is fast paced and engaging with interesting characters and an engaging mystery. The setting in New Mexico adds further interest and I found myself checking maps to see where the events in the book took place. Recommended and a worthy addition to the series.

Was it suicide...or something far darker?

When a woman's skeleton is discovered in the desert of New Mexico's badlands, her clothing shed and with only stones and an arrowhead nearby her cause of death is both easy to diagnose and hard to explain. Heatstroke and thirst were what killed her, but what brought her to the desert in the first place and why did she end up the way she did? FBI agent Corrie Swanson, relatively new to the Albuquerque field office, is assigned to lead the investigation into the woman's death....was it suicide or something else?..,and forensics yield very little evidence to explain what happened. She contacts archaeologist Nora Kelly for her input, thinking that perhaps the arrowhead was a weapon used by or against the victim. The stones, however, are what attracts Nora's attention; they are of a sort that had ritual connotations in the Chaco people centuries ago. When a second body is found in strikingly similar circumstances the investigation deepens, leading to a charismatic professor who has a deep interest in the ancient Chaco culture, especially those beliefs which are a pathway to wielding the powers of darkness. Could there be some sort of cult that has developed, one which leans towards supernatural elements, and if so how does it tie in to the two deaths (if at all)? Can Corrie and Nora as a team get to the truth of the matter, or will they become the latest victims of someone or something that doesn't want it revealed?
This latest pairing between Corrie Swanson and Nora Kelly shows the women becoming a strong team, two female protagonists with very different skills and beliefs which blend effectively in their investigation. The harsh environment in which they are working, featuring extreme heat and a stark almost otherworldly landscape (likened early in the book to the dark side of the moon), sets the tone for the book, and the authors depict the surroundings to great effect. The plot is fast paced with the ending kicking things into overdrive, featuring twists and turns along the way which keep the reader guessing. I enjoyed in particular the information woven into the story about the different cultures and the archaeology involved, especially as it was done without causing the momentum of the narrative to slow, Readers who enjoy a mystery with historical and/or supernatural elements, including fans of Preston and Child's other books as well as readers of Steve Berry, Dan Brown and Clive Cussler, should definitely put Badlands on their summer reading list. While this is not the first novel to feature Corrie and Nora (there are four that precede it), it is not necessary to have read those earlier books in order to fully enjoy this one. My thanks to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for allowing me access to this addictive read in exchange for my honest review...I look forward to more Corrie/Nora adventures!

In this taunt thriller, FBI Special Agent Corrie Swanson and archaeologist Nora Kelly are faced with the most bizarre case of their careers. Skeletal remains are found in an extremely remote and lethally hot area of New Mexico’s Badlands. Oddly, the victim seems to have shed her clothing, knelt, and waited to die from heat stroke. Five years earlier. Was this a bizarre accident, a suicide, or a homicide? Then a second, more recent victim is found under the exact same circumstances. Even more bizarre, the two were connected to the university’s anthropology department and under the tutelage of a charismatic and long-missing professor, who has generated a maniacally loyal following among his former students. Toss in looted archaeological artifacts, particularly very rare lightning stones, and a third woman located before her too succumbs to the hostile environment, and you have the ingredients of a fascinating and convoluted tale. As Corrie and Nora work to unravel the connections, and the true circumstances of the deaths, they find themselves in grave danger and isolated deep within canyons of the Badlands. An excellent thriller by two masters of the genre.

DP Lyle, award-winning author (Jake Longly and Cain/Harper thriller series), Lecturer, and Story Consultant and Co-creator of The Outliers Writing University