Badlands

Why would two women, years apart, disrobe and burn themselves to death in the same New Mexican desert? That's the question Preston and Child pose for forensic anthropologist Nora Kelly in the crackling sequel to Dead Mountain. After the skeletal remains of high school science teacher Molly Vine are spotted by a drone, FBI agent Corrie Swanson is assigned to investigate. He finds that Vine apparently died five years earlier, after venturing into an area that the Navajo believed to be the home of skinwalkers. A spearpoint found under Vine's bones leads him to consult Kelly. The FBI canvasses the area and discovers the corpse of geological consultant Mandy Driver, leading Swanson and Kelly to theorize that the deaths might be connected to the Gallinas, an Indigenous tribe who were wiped out in the 13th century. Preston and Child once again use real history as the starting point for their hair-raising plot, which makes a series of tantalizing turns before culminating in an encounter with the supernatural. This is on a par with the best of the authors' Pendergast series. Agent: Eric Simonoff, WME. (June)

Preston and Child's fifth adventure featuring Nora Kelly and Corrie Swanson (following Dead Mountain) tackles a terrific story while highlighting the continued growth of two stellar characters. Though she has not become a full FBI agent yet, Corrie Swanson lands a baffling case. In the New Mexico badlands, a film crew's drone spots the remains of a woman. Swanson recruits her friend, archaeologist Nora Kelly, to inspect the bones. Found clutched in the skeleton's hands are some extremely rare stones. When a second body is found with the same stones, the women learn that both victims were students of a professor known for his aggressive manner with women and his fascination with the ancient Chaco people of the region. Will their investigation lead them to a terrifying truth, and is there an entity that lives in the canyon that demands human sacrifice? VERDICT Preston and Child were brilliant to team up Kelly and Swanson in their own series, bringing the legends and geography of the New Mexico badlands to life. This installment would be a great launching point for readers who haven't read one of their books.--Jeff Ayers