So: what do holy relics, Neanderthals, UFO researchers and secret societies all have in frequent? They’re all within the newest ebook by Douglas Preston!
Does the title sound acquainted? Douglas has been a constant best-seller author for the reason that mid-1990’s, maybe finest recognized for writing practically 30 crime fiction novels with Lincoln Little one, though he has written many books on his personal. Extinction, the primary ebook on this explicit sequence, for instance, was a solo mission written by Douglas and was reviewed HERE. This second novel is co-written by Douglas’s daughter Aletheia, and continues the story a couple of years after the occasions of Extinction.
When a reclusive man is discovered useless beneath grisly circumstances within the Colorado wilderness, CBI Agent Frankie Money and Eagle County Sheriff Jim Colcord, whom we met within the New York Occasions bestseller, Extinction, group up once more on their most enigmatic and harmful case but. Their investigation uncovers a path of weird killings, baffling cash transfers, and a fanatical secret society.
When a beloved writer brings a brand new author to their present sequence or work as a co-author, long-time readers may be involved. There are worries about whether or not the writing, the plot, the characters could be pretty much as good, whether or not it could have all the weather that readers preferred earlier than, or flip off into one thing new however unreadable. It doesn’t assist that generally the gamble doesn’t work, though writers reminiscent of James Patterson and Wilbur Smith (in addition to many others) have managed it for years. As Douglas has written with many others earlier than, this ought to be much less of a problem.
The excellent news is that right here it appears to even have labored, because the ebook feels just about the identical when it comes to tone and setting as did Extinction, and subsequently it’s just about what you may count on. It’s strong writing, in plenty of quick chapters that preserve the pages turning.
There’s a sure Michael Crichton (Jurassic Park, Andromeda Pressure) really feel about these books to me, with a good bit of grounding in science, firmly set within the now (or close to future) however with components that really feel slightly bit out-there, because it did with the primary ebook, with the genetic regeneration of Neanderthals.
In truth, as the primary ebook centred on the return of the Neanderthals to Colorado, I used to be anticipating to see them right here. It was slightly stunning to find that aside from occasional transient mentions they don’t seem to be actually a part of the plot. This ebook focusses upon a special story.* It does imply that you could learn this ebook with out having learn Extinction.
As you may count on in a police detective drama, the homicide scenes are appropriately each grotesque and ingenious, and because of this there’s a variety of element about autopsy exams. There’s additionally a good bit of historical past to make the story appear believable, and for individuals who have learn the earlier ebook there’s the dying of a personality that has far-reaching penalties.
What was attention-grabbing to me was that this ebook felt a lot much less about Money and Harmony this time round. Though there are undoubted moments the place the 2 present their magic, notably on the finish, for lots of the ebook they’re separate and at odds with one another, even after they don’t present that to others. Harmony particularly appears to spent a variety of trip of the way in which or within the background on this one.
The initially seeming disparate elements (see above) all join in the long run, though for me elements of the ending have been slightly too handy – one character appeared to have an virtually miraculous change of opinion and so save the day, while the answer to a serious plot level downside felt unrealistic. After all, others might imagine in a different way.)
Maybe the most important difficulty, and the place I believe the ebook will both succeed or fail, is within the BIG central premise of the ebook – which I’m not going to say right here. However I’m undecided whether or not conventional crime readers will purchase it. I believe it could be a step too far. Nevertheless, in the event you can go along with it, there’s loads to get pleasure from on this ebook.
In abstract then, Paradox is a solidly entertaining learn that appears to have on the entire managed the duty of two writers writing collectively for the primary time nicely. Its mixture of crime thriller with X-Recordsdata vibes, and with a contact of Dan Brown added for good measure** is uncommon, however I believe that for me that’s what made it readable, though I did have points with the ending and others might too. Nonetheless, I completely count on to see this one as the vacation reader’s beach-read this 12 months.
*If the extract on the finish of the ebook is right, Neanderthals would be the centre of the plot within the subsequent ebook, entitled Resurrection.
**He’s even talked about by one of many folks on this ebook, too!
© 2026 Mark Yon
Hardback | Head of Zeus Books
PARADOX by Douglas and Aletheia Preston
April 2026 | 352 pages
ISBN: 978 103 5926 329
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