The Death Relic

November 12, 2012
Former Special Forces operatives David Jones and Jonathon Payne race to the rescue of Jones’s old girlfriend, Italian archeologist Maria Pelati, in Kuzneski’s fast-moving seventh thriller featuring the wisecracking duo (after 2012’s The Secret Crown). At the invitation of American anthropologist Terrence Hamilton, Maria leaves Rome for Cancún, Mexico, where Hamilton, a Mayan expert, tells her he needs her help with an important discovery he’s made. When Hamilton is kidnapped, Maria calls in Jones and Payne, who soon get on the trail of a Mayan super weapon known as “the Death Relic” and a treasure hidden beneath a pyramid. As usual, Jones and Payne joke incessantly with themselves and others, while various scientists and historians recite long swaths of exposition. Readers who find the sophomoric jokes funny will enjoy the hijinks. Those looking for a thriller with action beyond the occasional gun battle should search elsewhere. Agent: Scott Miller, Trident Media.

December 15, 2012
Kuzneski's latest Payne and Jones novel is the best yet in the ongoing series. Archaeologist Maria Pelati receives an invitation from anthropologist Terrance Hamilton to come to Mexico and help him solve a mystery. Before he can tell her what he needs, he vanishes. Is his disappearance related to her arrival? She realizes she needs help and calls on Payne and Jones to assist. Hopefully, her past with Jones won't jeopardize the mission or their lives. The mystery involves an artifact called the Death Relic, an object rumored to be responsible for the disappearances of the Aztec and Mayan civilizations. The first part of the novel establishes the characters and the premise, but the second half is a nonstop action fest. Readers unfamiliar with Payne and Jones will find this the perfect place to start, and the constant banter between the two characters adds a bit of humor and fun to the mix. Fans of the adventure novels of James Rollins and Clive Cussler will dig this one.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2012, American Library Association.)