Diablo Mesa by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child

Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child’s third novel featuring Nora Kelly and Corrie Swanson may be their best yet! Diablo Mesa starts with Nora Kelly’s boss telling her to direct an archeological excavation at the site of the purported Roswell alien crash. The Institute is being promised a lot of cash by an Elon Musk-type billionaire to excavate the site. When Nora refuses over the damage she fears it would do to her reputation, she winds up losing her job. Intercepted on her way home by the billionaire himself, Nora is eventually persuaded to lead the project. Aerial surveys of the site along with ground-penetrating radar turn up what looks to be a nearby burial site. Excavation leads to the discovery of two long-dead bodies that appear to have been murdered and attempts made to conceal their identity.

The bodies call for the involvement of FBI agent Corrie Swanson. Mysteries old and new pile up as the investigation attempts to identify the bodies and discover what relation, if any, they have to the purported crash site. A couple of familiar faces join the efforts to unlock the mystery. Shadowy forces are at work who don’t want certain facts spilling out, either about the dead bodies or the crash site. Who is involved in the conspiracy and how high does it go?

The mystery surrounding the Roswell incident is used to great effect. Preston and Child are masters at combining intriguing mysteries with a hint of the supernatural or alien alongside strong characters and a breakneck plot that keeps propelling the story forward with pressure ratcheting up along the way. Their familiarity with the remote New Mexico landscape helps paint a picture that adds a level of reality to the danger that Kelly and Swanson find themselves in. A rousing, action-filled climax provides a very satisfying conclusion. This series has very much found its legs and more adventures featuring Kelly and Swanson will be very welcome!