some artifacts found near the body, Nora recognizes a pair of extremely rare quartz stones, only found in prehistoric Indigenous dwellings, so she joins Corrie’s investigation.

A few days later, another woman’s body is found near another black rock monolith some distance away, with another pair of quartz stones near the body. Both women had removed their clothes and walked out into the desert to die. Corrie later discovers that both women had been graduate students at the University of New Mexico about 15 years earlier, and both were part of the same summer field research group. As Corrie investigates, she learns that this research group may have been a cult whose charismatic leader disappeared years earlier.

Badlands is a novel that combines 21st-century forensics and 12th-century archaeology. The authors are familiar with state-of-the-art investigative techniques, such as the computer-assisted facial recognition that enables Corrie to identify the first victim based on a few bones. They are also familiar with ancient Indigenous history. (Preston has spent much of his life in or near the area of New Mexico described in the book. Child’s grandmother was an archaeologist and the inspiration for the character of Nora Kelly.) Nora determines that the rock formations were constructed by the ancient Gallina tribe almost one thousand years ago, and that the area contains several similar formations. The research group was apparently studying the Gallinas, trying to learn the reason for their disappearance centuries ago.

The novel contains many descriptions of early Indigenous history, culture, and religion. However, the authors don’t overwhelm readers with jargon-filled information dumps. Instead, Nora and others present this information in readily understandable periodic chunks. The end result is fascinating for anyone with an interest in early American history or Indigenous culture. The authors present their own theory of what happened to the Gallinas, and it’s not dry scholarly speculation. Meanwhile, Corrie and Nora investigate a much more recent disappearance, that of the group leader, and what his activities had to do with the deaths of the two victims.

The second half of Badlands takes place primarily in the wilderness areas of both New Mexico and Mexico, as most of the novel’s primary characters wind up there. They include Nora’s brother, Skip, an administrator at an archaeological museum. His function in the Kelly books seems to be doing foolish things and getting himself into big trouble, which requires others to risk their lives to save him. That’s the case here, but Skip’s misadventures lead to some of the most memorable sequences in the book.

Readers will find much traditional action excitement in Badlands as the characters traverse through treacherous mountain and desert terrain. However, this would not be a Preston and Child book without a dose of the supernatural. The authors deliver what Pendergast fans expect: a bizarre ritual in the final few chapters, which would make for a spectacular effects sequence in a movie or TV adaptation. Traditional mystery fans will also be pleased that the authors tie up the various plot threads by the book’s end.

I have not read any previous Kelly novels, so I wasn’t aware of Corrie’s and her backstories (although I found out more through subsequent research before writing this review). Corrie is still a probationary FBI agent as the story begins, and Nora has a boyfriend who is rarely mentioned. Corrie starts a relationship with a local sheriff as well. Although readers who are new to the series may be a bit puzzled by the characters’ personal backstories, that lack of knowledge won’t affect their understanding and enjoyment of the central plot.

I really enjoyed Badlands, and the Nora Kelly series is a worthy companion to the authors’ Pendergast novels. They mix real-world investigative techniques with ancient Indigenous history and some bizarre supernatural elements. The result is a highly entertaining action adventure that resulted in a very late night as I stayed up way too late finishing the book. Badlands is good reading for fans of Preston and Child.

NOTE: The publisher graciously provided me with a copy of this book through NetGalley. However, the decision to review the book and the contents of this review are entirely my own.