Beverly Connor

Another good instalment, even if it doesn't feature any caving. It's quite intense and fast paced with a lot going on that initially seems unconnected, but does eventually make sense. The motivations are believable. The focus is very much on Diane even more than usual, with her team only there to offer support and theories.

Diane is somewhat surprised when the Museum board is convened to discuss a recent newspaper article regarding potential smuggled Egyptian artefacts. She has full trust in her staff and procedures and vigorously defends these. In the midst of this the request from a convicted prisoner to discuss the evidence that put her away comes as yet another distraction. But the case was intriguing so Diane finds time. The prisoner escapes shortly afterwards, and this leads to yet more complications. Diane's full team on both sides use more of their combined skills in inventive ways - this is quite well done without becoming too complex.

Much as it doesn't seem like it will it does all eventually wrap up apart from how the prisoner escapes in the first place. Looking forward to some more.… (altro)

Caving novels, so rare, and usually so wrong, so this is a delight in that it depicts caving somewhat accurately. Very different from the UK scene, and a with a few discrepancies (no littering no chemicals but suddenly climbing chalk is acceptable? It's never used in the uk's (much wetter) caves), but the spirit is right. The case is, as per the previous two books, far too complex with many possible angles that only come together in a final revelation.

Diane and her mixed bag of museum staff and criminal investigators finally manage to have a recreational caving trip - still trying to map the unexplored cave on a neighbouring land. Something that in the UK wouldn't happen, anything that open would have been well explored by now, but the US is more sparsely populated. Diane is in the lead of course when the floor falls away under her. A very very rare occurrence (that caused a major rescue only a few months ago, so it does happen). Fortunately she barely fell any distance, but discovered a new chamber - that contained a mummified body. It hadn't come in the way she did! But the first priority is to get him out and formally recorded. After that perhaps they can finish exploring. Meanwhile having bring donated an Egyptian mummy, the next offering to come their way is skeleton from a british cave, thought to be a witch - and the local witch's coven want the remains to go back to them instead. And life goes on - with funerals of relatives and museum donors. Mike and Diane and attend, but both are stabbed. Suddenly a few bizarre instances are turning much nastier. Diane is summoned away to deal with family emergency, there's a break-in and some more threats.

Given all their injuries there's no more caving, but eventually the strands are woven together, evidence from the bodies along with some very imaginative 'database searching' provides some identifications and then everything wraps up quickly. It's not a guessable mystery, as the story is hugely contrived but it's well worked through with attention to detail, and believable mistakes and motivations.… (altro)