The Lost Island

May 12, 2014
In Preston and Child’s sparkling third Gideon Crew novel (after 2012’s Gideon’s Corpse), Eli Glinn of Effective Engineering Solutions orders Crew to steal the Book of Kells, “the finest illuminated book in existence,” from New York’s Morgan Library, where it’s on loan from the Irish government—and protected by a highly sophisticated security system. When the success of this nearly impossible mission reveals a treasure map with links to ancient Greek history, Glinn sends Gideon and Amy, another operative in his employ, on a jaunt to the Caribbean. There Gideon and Amy, who briefly poses as his wife, face dangers from treasure hunters, nature, and an erosion of trust in each other. Gideon refreshingly doesn’t fit the superhero mold, and the enigmatic Amy is more than his equal in daring and intelligence. Fans of H. Rider Haggard and Edgar Rice Burroughs will find a lot to like. Agent: Eric Simonoff, William Morris Endeavor.

Continuing the "Gideon Crew" series of adventure novels, Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child add another fast-paced thriller, blending real science with tension, terror, and twists. As the ailing Gideon attempts to solve an ancient mystery, he discovers a long-lost secret that threatens the world, as well as the possibility of saving his own life. While David Collins is a master of enunciation, his narration sounds slightly flat--but still compelling. His vocals for Gideon are understated, allowing the character to command respect through his words and actions rather than his tone. Similarly, Collins gives the crippled Eli Glinn a calculated menace. Collins delivers perhaps his best performance with Amy, Gideon's new assistant, whose high, enigmatic tones slowly reveal the complexity of her character. A.Z.W. © AudioFile 2014, Portland, Maine