Ararat

Starred review from February 27, 2017
The whole is more than the sum of its parts in this exceptional supernatural thriller from bestseller Golden (Dead Ringers). An avalanche on Turkey’s legendary Mount Ararat uncovers a cave that may contain the remnants of Noah’s Ark. Adventurers, authors, and filmmakers Adam Holzer and Meryam Karga are determined to be the first to stake a claim on the site, and thus get the Turkish government’s permission to excavate it. They succeed, despite fierce competition, only to find that the ark contains a hideous and unsettling humanoid skeleton with two horns on its skull. While the scientists and rationalists on the team, including Ben Walker, whose National Science Foundation affiliation is actually a cover for the U.S. Department of Defense, dismiss any talk of demons, someone—or something—begins to pick off members of the expedition. While the contours of the story line will be familiar to genre fans, Golden makes them feel fresh through solid prose, effective characterizations, and a willingness not to pull any plot punches. Agent: Howard Morhaim, Howard Morhaim Literary Agency.