Disturbing the Bones

Andrew Davis and Jeff Biggers have written a startling and action-packed political thriller, Disturbing the Bones. Chicago detective Randall Jenkins hasn’t been to his hometown of Cairo, Illinois since the death of his journalist mother. However, that changes when archaeologist Dr. Molly Moore uncovers a set of bones that don’t fit with the 12,000-year-old site at a highway construction site.

With her sponsor, retired military general and contractor William Alexander trying to hurry the dig, Molly and Randall find themselves in the middle of controversy. On top of this, there’s a global peace summit in Chicago after a nuclear weapons incident. How do these events intertwine? Can Randall and Molly put the pieces together?

The characters are well-drawn. Randall has an unflappable presence and Molly is ambitious. Both are intelligent, but their family histories have an effect on their thoughts and perceptions. The secondary characters also have depth.

This pulse-pounding thriller is full of suspense and action. The plot is multi-layered with a cold case disappearance, a significant and important archaeology dig using innovative technology, military technology, a political election, and a peace summit. The interpersonal dynamics added another layer of intensity and realism to the story. Political divisiveness, racism, civil rights, protests, to disarm or not, global politics, patriotism, conspiracies, domestic political intrigue, and trust are threads that are expertly woven into the storyline.

Quickly hooking me, the storyline gripped me and kept me rapidly turning the pages throughout the novel. The plot is thought-provoking and the characters are compelling. The exciting narrative gave excellent insight into the challenges the police, politicians, military officers and archaeologists faced. It’s insightful, thought-provoking, and riveting throughout. Additionally, it’s full of suspenseful moments that caused me to rapidly advance through the book. It incorporates real-world issues and looks at them from multiple perspectives. It’s chilling to consider the possibility of these events unfolding. My biggest quibble is the ending. It didn’t sufficiently wrap everything up satisfactorily. Does that mean there will be a sequel?

Overall, this was an intense and engaging thriller that looks at peace and patriotism from different perspectives. Exceptional characters, suspenseful events, and multiple conflicts kept me engrossed and wondering what was going to happen next. The story exceeded my expectations. If you enjoy political and crime thrillers, then I recommend that you check out this one. I am looking forward to finding out what these authors collaborate on next.

Melville House Publishing, Andrew Davis, and Jeff Biggers provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. The publication date is currently set for October 15, 2024.