Relic

There are so many long-running mystery series that I have missed. It’s tough because I only have so much room in my reading life, and I want to fill a good portion of it with romance novels. I was listening to a podcast a couple of months ago, and one of the podcasters mentioned that she had just read, Relic, the first in a mystery series that has at least 15 books (and maybe 20 books). After hearing her description of the book, I was sold on trying it for myself. Here’s my description. Maybe you’ll want to try it for yourself.

Days before the opening of the newest exhibition of the New York Museum of Natural History, two young boys are murdered inside the museum.

A day or two goes by and a security guard is murdered. Given the slashing of the bodies, there is evidence that the killer may not be human. 

Many museums would cancel their gala opening of their new exhibition, but not this museum.

Researcher Margo Green finds herself becoming extremely interested in the case. She begins to poke around in an attempt to find the answers.

FBI agent Pendergast, noting the similarities between these murders and some he investigated years before, comes up from New Orleans to head up the police side of the investigation. Local investigators really don’t seem to appreciate his assistance.

I noticed . . .

I noticed that this book is full of forays into science and archaeological details. The pseudo-science on this one gets detailed.

I also noticed that they’re working with such old computers that it’s hard to get too excited about it because the tech is so old-timey. When they talk about their databases, etc., and make it sound technological, I’m like, “Aww. That’s so cute!”

I wondered . . .

I wondered how the museum was going to come back after these events and the way the directors tried to cover things up. It would take a lot to gain back public trust.

I also wondered by the government was so interested in the animal remains and other organic matter from the crates. That seems X-Files suspicious.

I also wondered if Dr. Frock’s theories about evolution are contained in modern evolutionary biology. I don’t know enough about the field to know if Frock’s theories were plausible. As a layman, I found his science plausible, but that doesn’t mean that it is.

It reminded me of . . .

It reminded me of Jurassic Park. There’s a bunch of pseudo-science, attempted cover-ups, and out of control killings. There’s panic when the truth is realized. It’s a book and a movie (like Relic).