Relic by Preston & Child

Title: Relic
Author: Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child
Publisher: Tor Books
Rating: 📖📖📖📖 / 5

In the heart of the jungle is a myth of the Kothoga people and a monster that is only known by a statue bearing its image. When crates from the Amazon jungle arrive at the New York Museum of Natural History, museum researchers create an exhibit to show the discovery. However, a series of murders puts the opening in jeopardy. And DNA from the murderer shows it cannot be human. The museum decides to move forward with the opening. But will it be the right choice?

Relic is the first book in the Pendergast series by Preston & Child. I have always seen their books on the shelves in the library and have even listened to one or two on tape in the car, but I hadn't really had any interest in starting the series until recently. I even found out yesterday that there is a movie based on this book (but with many changes). Still on the fence about watching it...

...Anyway...

I'm a sucker for museums. I'm a sucker for a good mystery. And a monster on the loose in a museum? Sure I'll give it a try! I must say I was sucked in pretty quickly. It has elements of a murder mystery mixed with science ala Crichton with a dash of science fiction. While this may turn off many readers, it can appeal to a large array of people because the story isn't overwhelmingly science talk. The reader is exposed to a lot of gore and scares that'll keep you on your toes. You also have a mix of different main characters: A police detective, a research assistant, a quirky FBI agent and a journalist, among others. All of which I found relatable in some way. The dialogue could be cheesy at times and some of it was predictable, but none of that is necessarily a bad thing. Not everything can be perfect literary writing.

All in all, I will definitely have to start reading the rest of this series. It's not often that I want to tackle a series with over 15 books, but I think this one will be promising. I suggest this book for anyone looking for a scary, fun mystery!

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