I'm a big fan of Preston & Child, they write, I read, no matter what. When they started writing a new series, at first I was disappointed because I just adore Pendergast. However I really relish this series. Two smart capable women. Archeology and Mystery. Yes, and more. I'm not going to re-write the book's description, if you are here you have already read it. I will tell you why I like ALL the authors' books. Their character development is supreme. The mystery is always....did I say always, yes always a grabber. They have the right touch with description, just enough, they do not put filler in their books. TG. You get no hints with how the book unravels or ends with my review because I love surprises. I would be shocked if you don't like this book. Grab a comfy place and read it! Enjoy. PS thank you to NetGalley for the ARC. To the authors .... love it!

Nora Kelly returns in what may be her strangest adventure yet. She gets pulled into a dig on the site of the supposed UFO crash in Roswell, New Mexico.
The story pulls in the FBI when bodies are found near the site from the same era as the crash.
Nora has chemistry with the financier of the dig - Lucas Tappan.
All sorts of cloak and dagger events go on, and the main players may escape with their lives.
It all sounds very exciting and it was until it wasn’t. I’m not really into UFOs, but I found the search and the ideas interesting. I felt let down by the ending. My imagination led somewhere the story didn’t go.
The story was fast past and edge of your seat, but it didn’t deliver at the end for me, which is why 4 stars rather than 5. More details would spoil things for other readers and I don’t want to do that. It’s a great addition to the Nora Kelly and Corrie Swanson series. Give it a read, maybe your feeling on the ending will be different from mine.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to review this book.

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I am a huge Lincoln/Child fan and was very excited to get this ARC. Readers unfamiliar with either series should note that Nora and Corrie are characters that originally appeared in the Pendergast books and now have their own spin-off series- it's more of Nora's series, but Corrie has a solid part. I enjoyed the two earlier books in the Nora Kelly series, but this one was definitely my favorite. It can be read as a standalone if you don't mind the spoliers of the other series books.

Nora, an archeologist, takes on a dig at Roswell. The benefactor/organizer of the dig, Lucas Tappan, wants to prove once and for all that there was a UFO crash and a government coverup. The story is jam packed with mystery and intrigue featuring our favorites: Nora, Corrie, Watts, and Skip (and introducing Tappan!). I was a HUGE X-Files fan back in the 90s/00s, so this book was right up my alley. Highly recommend.

4.5⭐
Another winner with the third Nora Kelly book. A highly entertaining and action-packed Archaeological site from the 40s and UFOs!

In "Diablo Mesa" Nora reluctantly accepts a new archaeological project. Digging The Roswell site where a UFO crashed in 1947 is not what she wants on her resume. Skip, her brother has already joined to assist Noam Bitan the artifact curator. The project is funded by a young billionaire and founder of Icarus Space Systems, Lucas Tappan. Shortly after they started the team discovered two bodies at the site and a colleague, Special Agent Corrie Swanson was contacted.

I admit this was rather an unusual entry, but I loved it. Government cover-up, secret agency, and spies. I didn't know what to think nor did I predict how the story will unfold. This can be read as a standalone thriller. Highly recommend it if you enjoy a fast-paced plot, action, and well-developed characters with a UFO storyline. A must read for Preston & Child fans!

Thank you Grand Central Publishing and Netgalley for this ARC.
Available 15 Feb 2022!

Extremely interesting and well-written. The action moves along at a good pace with sections making you keep reading long after you planned to put the book down. The story really makes you stop and think about all the what-ifs out there. Very satisfying ending.

While Old Bones deals with the infamous lost camp of the Donner Party tragedy, and The Scorpion’s Tail thrills with mummified corpses and lost Spanish gold, the third book in the Nora Kelly series by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child, DIABLO MESA, touches upon one of the most enduring and popular topics of the past 70 years. In their search for interesting ways in which the work of an archaeologist can intersect with an FBI agent, the authors thought a dig involving the Roswell site would be a great hook. They were right.

Full article available in the February edition of The Big Thrill.

The first series I ever "binge read" was Preston & Child's Pendergast series. I remember being in high school and finding a beaten-up paperback copy of Relic on a free paperbacks shelf at my local library. I picked it up and was immediately hooked. Over the course of the next few monthes I read every book in the series up to that point (which was Wheel of Darkness, one of my favorites). In the last decade or so, however, I'd kinda fallen off from the Pendergast series. However, when I saw Nora Kelly and Corrie Swanson were getting their own series a few years back, I knew I had to read Old Bones and have loved both it and The Scorpion's Tail.

Diablo Mesa was no exception. The premise of an archaelogical dig at the Roswell Crash site hooked me immediately and the book never slowed down. I love the relationship Corrie and Nora have and enjoyed the supporting cast immensely. One thing that Preston and Child have never had diminishing returns on is their ability to craft fantastic supporting casts.

The only real concern I have is how the book ended and whether that foreshadows a future narrative arc for these books. The end opens up a fascinating future arc for Nora Kelly but it's one with far reaching implications that take Preston & Child further afield from the Pendergast series. I imagine that the end will be controversial amongst Pendergast fans. However, if Preston & Child don't continue the arc set up in this book's closing pages I could also imagine readers being confused due to the sheer import expressed by the characters. In some ways I feel that Preston & Child have set themselves up for future failure in a way.

Overall this book was fantastic and I'm thank I was able to receive an ARC of it for review.

Diablo Mesa by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child is an engrossing thriller. The questions and suppositions are not to be taken lightly.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review.

4 stars

Nora Kelly and Corrie Swanson are back for their third book in the series. Billionaire Lucas Tappen hires Nora and her brother Skip to do a scientific excavation of the Roswell site in a search for proof of alien visitors.

The climax was much more action packed than normal for the Nora Kelly series. Solid addition to the Preston/Child collaboration

Nora Kelly, archeologist, has been tasked with supervising a dig for billionaire, Lucas Tappen, of the Roswell Incident Site in New Mexico. Although she is skeptical, Nora proceeds with the excavation until two bodies are recovered that date back to the 1940's. Because they are operating on federal land, Special Agent Corrie Swanson is called in to handle the investigation into the identity of the bodies. A secret government agency gone rogue, unsolved murders, a mysterious CIA operative and a possible UFO spaceship combine to give readers a thrilling, fascinating ride. The beautiful landscape of New Mexico is vividly described allowing incredible images to fill my head while reading. Another intelligent, intriguing read from Preston & Child!

Archaeologist Nora Kelly initially declines the opportunity to excavate the Roswell site, thinking being associated with the search for extraterrestrial life will sully her career. The wealthy sponsor, however, makes her an offer she can’t refuse, and soon she, her brother Skip, and dog Mitty are on the job. A disturbing discovery that hints to homicide brings Special Agent Corrie Swanson and dashing Sheriff Homer Watts in to investigate. As Nora uncovers more clues, she and her team find their lives in danger.

Like Nora Kelly, I was skeptical about the premise of an archeological dig of the Roswell site, but Preston and Child have deftly handled supernatural and science fiction elements many times in varies series, and this book is no exception. The first chapter hooked me and the ending gave me the satisfaction I desired. I liked seeing Corrie’s growth as a character and as a special agent. Like Pendergast, she remains willing to defy the rules in her search for the truth, which makes for fun reading. Homer Watts is a fantastic secondary character, and I was thrilled to have him on board again. I adore the chemistry between Corey and Homer. I enjoyed the pulse pounding action sequence at the climax of the book.

This series is special because of the strong female leads in Nora and Corrie. Both are smart and passionate, but also stubborn and at times impulsive. Nora’s brother Skip is awesome in this installment. While I keep hoping for a new book in the Gideon Crew series, I love that the authors are continuing to pump out new work both in this series and in the Pendergast series.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thanks to Grand Central Publishing, a division of Hachette Book Group, Inc., for providing an Advance Reader Copy via NetGalley.

Only these 2 authors could write a possible explanation regarding area 51 and ufo's in Arizona. This book is pure fun! They really do their research. Always impatient for their next book. This one is a great read. Don't miss it.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced digital copy of this book in exchange for my review.

Full disclosure: Preston and Child are fast becoming my favorite authors!! I have read the Pendergast series for a while and recently read one of the first in that series, which also introduced archeologist Nora Kelly. She now has her own series and this is the 3rd book, but the first I have read.

Nora is now back at the Santa Fe Archaeologic Institute and she is not happy. As usual, she cannot get the required funding for her projects - and now she is being asked to lead an expedition to Roswell to explore the mystery of the crash there in 1947. Alien spacecraft??? Really?

Rather than accept this assignment, she resigns. But as she is leaving, she runs into the billionaire who is funding the project and he offers her the same assignment, but for him privately, not through the Institute. It takes some persuasion, and she is still skeptical, but she takes the assignment. Soon she finds herself in the New Mexico desert with all the support and equipment she could ever imagine. With the advanced imaging available, the group finds a grave holding two bodies, dating from approximately 1947! Is this related to the crash? Then a scientist either abandons the group or is kidnapped. What is going on?

In typical Preston and Child fashion, this is a GREAT read and it really makes you wonder............

Diablo Mesa is the third novel in the Nora Kelly series and I’ve definitely gained an appreciation for her character as well as the character of Corrie Swanson. Being a die hard fan of Aloyisus Pendergast, I was skeptical about having Nora and Corrie in the lead roles. But now that we’re into the third Kelly novel, my opinion has changed for the better.

The characters in Diablo Mesa remain unchanged from the previous novels — with Nora, Skip and Corrie in the lead roles. You also have the carryovers such as Weingrau and Digby. All of which lends to a comforting familiarity. That being said, I would not recommend reading Diablo Mesa as a standalone.

The plot is well developed like the authors’ other novels. And it seems that they have changed course somewhat because they are now delving into the unknown territories of a parallel universe (in their latest Pendergast novel,) and now with Diablo Mesa, Roswell, and Area 51.

Though I wasn’t too keen on the parallel universe theme, I was intrigued with the Area 51 theme in Diablo Mesa. It is evident from reading Diablo Mesa that a lot of research was conducted into the science of UFOs, military intelligence, and forensics. As such, that research really made for some interesting topics.

Diablo Mesa will not fit with all Nora Kelly fans as some of the topics and themes did seem a bit far fetched. However, if you are reading the novel for entertainment value and as a part of the continuing series, Diablo Mesa will be a satisfying read. Four glowing stars.

I received a digital ARC from Grand Central Publishing through NetGalley. The review herein is completely my own and contains my honest thoughts and opinions.

I'm happy to report that this series feels like it's on the tracks after the third book. I enjoyed Old Bones, but found The Scorpion's Tale to be fairly boring. This left me wondering about my desire to continue this series in addition to my love for the Pendergast series.

Diablo Mesa, I feel, really solidifies this series's hold on me going forward. The plot was very interesting and frankly, what I expect from a Douglas/Child joint.

This book is a wild ride! The 3rd book in the Nora Kelly series is an investigation into the events in Roswell in 1947. Asked by the institute she works for to lead an archeological investigation into the site of the Roswell landing site, she finds the idea so ludicrous that she refuses and quits her job. The billionaire approaches her as she is leaving and offers her a huge salary to take the job now that she is free of the Institute. Nora informs him that she is skeptical of the whole project and the effect it would have on her career (laughingstock in her field). He persuades her to come for a tour of the site and she learns that he has hired her brother already. She agrees grudgingly and they begin excavating the trench where something landed at Roswell. Strange things start to happen and it begins to look like Nora may be proven wrong. Will they find an alien craft, will they find a massive government coverup where nothing out of the ordinary happened other than a wayward weather balloon?? This book will keep you guessing all the way to the end.
I enjoyed reading this book and it was as good as all their other books in series. I will look forward to their next book.

Diablo Mesa is a mystery thriller starring archaeologist Nora Kelly and special agent Corrie Swanson. I do enjoy this series that has branched off from the Pendergast series. Nora and her brother accept an assignment investigating a Roswell crash site and they get more than they bargained for. An action-packed adventure with an interesting conclusion.

This book can stand alone, however reading the previous books in the series offers more history and character development.

Thank you NetGalley, Grand Central Publishing and Preston & Child for the electronic ARC.
#DiabloMesa #NetGalley

Two possibilities exist: Either we are alone in the Universe or we are not. Both are equally terrifying. - Arthur C. Clarke

This is the third book in the archaeologist Nora Kelly series by writing duo Preston/Child and I enjoyed it just as much as the first two books.

Nora is approached by her bosses at the Santa Fe Archaeological Institute about an offer from a high tech billionaire (definitely made me think of Elon Musk) who wants her to lead an archaeological dig at the Roswell Incident site in New Mexico. She definitely has qualms about her professional reputation but - in the end - she and her brother, Skip, and their dog are flown to the site where she is to be chief archaeologist.

Because of extenuating circumstances, Nora's friend FBI Special Agent Corinne Swanson and her mentor are called in to the site and soon events start spiralling out of control and Nora's disbelief in alien life isn't quite as firm as when the dig started.

There is plenty of excitement, intrigue, questions raised and possibly answered? in this installment of the Nora Kelly series.

I highly recommend this book especially if you like adventure thrillers or tales about possible alien life.

I received this book from Grand Central Publishing through Net Galley in the hopes that I would read it and leave an unbiased review.

When I first realized the direction this book was taking, I admit my first reaction was, "Aww, c'mon, guys, you're really not going to go there, are you?" Well, yes - yes they did - and guess what? It was a heck of a ride.

This is the third in the series starring archaeologist Nora Kelly and Corrie Swanson, an FBI agent. I've been following the two since the beginning, and this entry certainly doesn't disappoint. When billionaire Lucas Tappan (think: a more affable but no less filthy rich version of Elon Musk) asks the Santa Fe Archaeological Institute to take on a scientific excavation of the Roswell Incident site on his dime, the Institute head and Nora's nemesis assigns Nora to the project. Nora refuses - after all, the UFO crash theory was debunked years ago. When the boss insists, Nora walks out.

As it turns out, so does Tappan - right to the parking lot, where he turns on his charm and opens his wallet to convince Nora to head up what now will be their private project. To her surprise, she learns that her brother Skip, who lives with her and works at the Institute, has accepted a job with Tappan's new venture. After much cajoling - and a closer look at the crash site - Nora agrees (well, it's not like she has a job to go back to, and besides, there's no one else to keep an eye on her brother).

The dig site is at a remote spot called Diablo Mesa, the spot where an alien spaceship is believed by some to have crashed - an event the government has tried to cover up ever since. When a pair of not so well-buried bodies turns up early on and it seems great pains have been taken to hide their identities, Nora gets suspicious. She calls in her friend Corrie, who through a nasty turn of events has just been assigned a new FBI mentor (readers get a glimpse of what he's up to in previous chapters). The dig resumes, unearthing clues that lead to more questions than answers. Neither Nora nor Corrie are about to quit, at least until things start to happen that could force that issue and possibly even bring their careers to a permanent end.

Honestly, I can't say I've ever bought into the conspiracy theories of a Roswell cover-up, but this tale certainly put a new, and at least somewhat plausible, spin on it. Besides that, I was so intrigued by the cologne that Tappan favored - called "Creed Santal" - that I just had to look it up. At roughly $300 for a relatively small bottle of the stuff, though, guess I'll have to settle for popping in an upscale department store to see if I can find a salesperson who'll let me sniff a sample. Meantime, many thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review a pre-release copy of this book. It was a dandy!

Diablo Mesa by Douglas Preston; Lincoln Child Rosewell, Alien conspiracies, dead Russian spies, Nora, Skip, Corrie, a nerdy billionaire, the FBI, a super secret black ops group, and my favorite, Mitty the rescue pup all in a fast-paced, action-filled adventure that seems far fetched, however is a thoroughly entertaining read.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to preview the book.