Cabinet of Curiosites - Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child
These are by far my favorite authors and this is one of my favorite books by them. Agent Pendergast is one of the several characters that you get to know and love in their books. Although you can read them as stand alone books, the characters really come alive as they are developed throughout. Most of the characters are found lurking around somewhere in all of their books. This is the perfect book to introduce you to these wonderful authors. It's the beginning of a wild ride that takes you from New York City to a remote monastery in Tibet. The writing is brilliant, the story lines are amazing and it's a sure win for any suspense junky!
In the 19th century, New Yorkers flocked to collections of strange and grotesque oddities called "cabinets of curiosities." Now, in lower Manhattan, a modern apartment tower is slated to rise on the site of one of the old cabinets. Yet when the excavators break into a basement, they uncover a charnel pit of horror: the remains of thirty-six people murdered and gruesomely dismembered over 130 years ago by an unknown serial killer.
In the aftermath, FBI Special Agent Pendergast and museum archaeologist Nora Kelly embark on an investigation that unearths the faint whisper of a mysterious doctor who once roamed the city, carrying out medical experiments on living human beings. But just as Nora and Pendergast begin to unravel the clues to the century-old killings, a fresh spree of murder and surgical mutilation erupts around them. . . and New York City is awash in terror.
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Breathtaking period detail, a centuries long mystery, and compelling characters make this third historical novel from author Anne Easter Smith a must read for any fan of the genre. All history records of Grace Plantagenet is that she is the bastard daughter of King Edward IV of England, and that she was present on the funeral barge of his wife and queen, Elizabeth Woodville. Anne Easter Smith has richly imagined the life that Grace could have led, and in so doing immerses her in the family mystery of her missing half brothers, Prince Edward, and Prince Richard, the little princes locked in the tower by their uncle, King Richard III. This enduring mystery is the source of much speculation, and many historical figures have been vilified in the search for the truth. |
Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
Anybody who has ever asked me to recommend a book, you know there are some authors I turn to automatically. For my first pick, I would have recommended the exact same book as Aimee, The Cabinet of Curiosities. Since that would be lame, I will go ahead and give you another, not very surprising recommendation: Outlander by Diana Gabaldon. This book, indeed the entire series, (there are 6 currently, with volume 7 due out later this year), remains my favorite - ever.
Outlander is the story of a British WWII combat nurse, Claire Randall, and what happens to her after accidentally walking through an ancient circle of stones while on holiday in Scotland with her husband. Just as in the old Faerie stories, Claire is transported nearly two hundred years into the past, to land in the hands of Scottish rebels just at the outset of the Rising. Vainly attempting to return to her own time and husband, Claire meets Jamie Fraser, a young Scottish rebel and outlaw. This is their story. Sweeping historical novels, the Outlander series will transport you to the Scottish highlands, and you will return to reality only reluctantly.
Nick's Pick
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Kathy's Pick
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