Book picks similar to
Blood Relics by J. Robert Kennedy


fiction
thriller
u_anthropologist-archaeologist-etc
james-acton

Chronicle of the Mound Builders: An Angela Hunter Mystery


Elle Marie - 2012
     Archaeologist Angela Hunter unearths an ancient codex from a Native American burial mound. But how could an illiterate society have produced such complex writing? Seven hundred years ago, a thriving civilization suddenly vanished. As Angela deciphers the mysterious codex symbols, she unravels one of archaeology's greatest mysteries. Despite forces trying to stop her from learning the chronicle's secrets, Angela discovers the horrifying truth. Can she prevent the tragedies of the past from happening again today? If you enjoy action packed archaeology mysteries and thrillers about ancient civilizations, you'll like this archaeology adventure that takes you on a journey in two timelines: the era of the Aztecs & Cahokia Mound Builders and the present with archaeologist Angela Hunter. Fans of Kathy Reichs and Elizabeth Peters will enjoy the strong female characters in Chronicle of the Mound Builders. Interview with the Author Q: Where did you come up with the idea for your novel? A: Living near the mysterious Cahokia Mounds, I always wondered what happened to the Mound Builders who lived there long ago. When I read an article about a newly discovered Mound Builders village right in my hometown, I couldn't wait to explore it. That sparked my idea to write a novel about how the civilization vanished, and center the story around the Aztex codex, a fictitious relic. Q: Have you always been a fan of archaeology? What intrigues you most? A: I love both fiction and nonfiction books about archaeology. It's fascinating how archaeologists solve mysteries through the clues they find and interpret from digs. The Native American cultures in particular interest me. I love learning what their lives were really like. Q: Without giving too much away, can you describe the book's element of mystery? A: The basic mystery is what happened to the Cahokia Mound Builders. Their civilization vanished overnight and no one knows why or how. Chronicle follows the people living in that time period as they move toward their destiny, while archaeologist Angela Hunter tries to solve the mystery in modern times by uncovering clues from a relic: the codex. Q: What do you hope readers take away from your novel? A: I hope readers enjoy the action and adventure while learning about the ancient Aztecs and their culture, such as Aztec sacrifice and the Mexican pyramids, as well as the culture of Cahokia City of the Sun. I hope I've kindled an interest in archaeology, ancient artifacts, and ancient civilizations. Q: How did you learn about archaeology? A: Dr. Meredith Hawkins of Archaeological Research Center of St. Louis graciously showed me around the Dampier Dig site and provided basic instruction on archaeology. Q: If you could be one of your characters, who would you choose? A: Definitely Angela Hunter. She's a strong female protagonist: smart, funny, and courageous, but not perfect. I'd love to be more like her. Q: What are your favorite genres to read? A: I enjoy archaeology mysteries and thrillers, of course. I also read historical fiction, chick lit, and science fiction. Very eclectic! Q: What genre is Chronicle? A: It's mostly archaeology fiction adventure, with elements of mystery and historical fiction.

Fury in the Gulf


Peter Nealen - 2020
    But the Saudis are leaning on the Americans to prevent an overt response. Meanwhile, the clock is ticking for the hostages.Enter the mercenaries.John Brannigan retired from the Marine Corps, and isn’t all that happy about it. Now, with American lives in the balance, he’ll come back to the action, recruiting a small crew of men ready to stare death in the face.They’re alone, outnumbered, and outgunned.There’s no backup coming.Have they signed up for a mission, or a suicide run?

Sudden Threat


Anthony J. Tata - 2008
    But as he sifts through the wreckage of a downed C-130 in the tangled jungle, he finds a dead U.S. Special Forces paratrooper who is not supposed to be there and is thrown into a contest of wits and resiliency in the uncharted rainforests of Mindanao. Manipulated by the secret plans of a powerful quartet of upper-echelon Rolling Stones groupies in Washington, DC, Garrett and U.S. Armed Forces establish their bona fides as true patriots on the cutting edge of freedom as they struggle for survival against the rising tide of Islamic extremism and the reemergence of the Empire of the Sun in the ever-expanding Global War on Terror. In the stunning prequel to his award-winning novel Rogue Threat, A.J. Tata creates an uncanny sense of presence on and off the battlefiel

Temple of the Snake


Nick Thacker - 2018
     A shadowy organization that will kill anyone to find it. A woman who will do whatever it takes to get there first. Josephine Bennett — Jo to everyone but her family and closest friends — is Harvey Bennett's (of the Harvey Bennett Mysteries series) youngest cousin. An archeologist with an attitude, she wants to find what G.E. Kinkaid's diary is pointing to. "A cross between Indiana Jones and Lara Croft." Kinkaid's diary chronicles his incredible expedition into the Temple of the Snake, deep in a cave in Arizona. ...A temple that has Egyptian hieroglyphics and artifacts that could change the history of not only the United States... but of the entire human race. The journal is the key to finding the cave and the temple, but Axel LaFitte and a shadowy organization are willing to kill to get into the temple first. Why? No one knows. Follow Jo's quest to find the temple, figure out what's inside that is worth killing for and stay alive! If you love Raiders of the Lost Ark and National Treasure, you're going to LOVE Jo Bennett!

Matador


Stewart Matthews - 2018
     Experience the gripping first entry in the action-packed Barrett Mason Thriller series! Barrett Mason’s mission was simple: help an Iranian biochemist defect. Extract him to the States then learn the darkest secrets of the Ayatollah’s weapons programs. Iran's deadliest spies would try to kill them along the way, but Barrett never shied away from a fight. Everything was going fine until Barrett was caught in a spy’s worst nightmare: his own side tried to kill him. Trapped between two sides full of expertly trained, cold-blooded killers means standing his ground is suicide. And running will only get him so far. But Barrett Mason never lays down. Not when failure means unleashing the deadliest weapons known to man. He'll fight to get his revenge, or he’ll die trying. Fans of Clancy's Jack Ryan, Child's Jack Reacher, Ludlum's Jason Bourne, and LT Ryan's Jack Noble will be hooked by the heart-pounding, life-or-death adventures of Barrett Mason. Other books in the Barrett Mason Thriller series Book 0: The Lost Son Book 1: Matador Book 2: Tyrant

The Lost Spear


N.J. Croft - 2019
    Eve Blakeley has dedicated her life's work to finding Genghis Khan's final resting place. But first she'll have to find the Spirit Banner, Khan's lost spear, an eight-hundred-year-old weapon shrouded in as much mystery and lore as his lost tomb. The two are intertwined by centuries of secrets.During her search through the mountains of Mongolia, she's joined by MI6 agent Zachary Martin, who is convinced that recent, seemingly random acts of terror around the globe are somehow connected to her. But as they follow the clues to the spear, the line between her historical research and present-day terrorism blurs even more... Someone doesn't want her team to find the spear, and they'll do anything to keep the secrets of Genghis Khan buried forever.

MAC WALKER'S BENGHAZI: The Complete Collection


D.W. Ulsterman - 2013
    Ulsterman's bestselling political thrillers DOMINATUS and TUMULTUS are already familiar with the charismatically hard nosed get it done character of former Navy SEAL Mackenzie Walker.MAC WALKER'S BENGHAZI takes readers on a thrilling ride of action and intrigue and allows them a glimpse into a younger version of this much loved character as he and his guns for hire team take an assignment into the dangerous world that is Benghazi, Libya days before the now infamous Benghazi Massacre."I'm hooked on Mr. Walker. Once you start there's no stopping!" -Patricia Tadlock"WOW! A fascinating, believable concept of history as we saw it unfold." -Blakey

Hatteras Blue


David Poyer - 1989
    But their chilling reappearance has unleashed a tide of powerful forces--Nazis with a ruthless plan to corner the South American drug market, and a shadowy figure with his own dangerous agenda.We ex-Navy SEAL salvage diver Tiller Galloway probes beneath the surface, he finds himself face-to-face with a killer in a gut-wrenching firefight that cilmaxes hundreds of feet below sea level.Spilling with underwater adventure that will leave you gasping for air, bestselling author David Poyer writes gripping undersea thrillers in the spellbinding tradition of Clive Cussler and John D. MacDonald.

Narrow Escape


Stephen Leather - 2014
    Mid-way through the exercise Shepherd realises that all is not as it seems - and his life is on the line. Narrow Escape is about 12,000 words, about thirty pages, perfect if you have half an hour to spare. Stephen Leather is one of the UK's most successful thriller writers. He was a journalist for more than ten years on newspapers such as The Times, the Daily Mail and the South China Morning Post in Hong Kong. Before that, he was employed as a biochemist for ICI, shovelled limestone in a quarry, worked as a baker, a petrol pump attendant, a barman, and worked for the Inland Revenue. He began writing full time in 1992. His bestsellers have been translated into more than ten languages. He has also written for television shows such as London's Burning, The Knock and the BBC's Murder in Mind series. Two of his books, The Stretch and The Bombmaker, were made into movies. You can find out more from his website, www.stephenleather.com.

Out of the Fire


Ernest Dempsey - 2019
    Betrayal always comes from a circle of trust.When a Delta Force team takes out a terrorist cell in the northeastern mountains of Iraq, they stumble onto something that changes their lives forever.Betrayed, lost, and alone, Dak Harper must find a way to survive, and formulate a plan to set things right...

Aztec Gold


David Leadbeater - 2014
    . .The legendary Aztec Gold, a nation’s greatest prize and possession, spirited away from under the noses of the conquering Spaniards, finally comes within reach when an old mystery is solved and new clues arise.An all-action mission against deadly enemies. . .With the treasure map in their possession and the mysterious clues to the legendary Wheel of Gold – the inspiration for the fabled Pieces of Eight – waiting to be solved, soldiers, friends and enemies set out on a thrilling quest to find the hidden tombs and a fortune in gold and jewels. From Mexico to Arizona and Nevada, and in style of the Matt Drake series, the action comes fast and furious as Alicia’s new team chases one of the most sought-after prizes in history.

Rogue Ghost


Mike Ryan - 2015
    Recruited as a 17 year old, she has over 100 kills to her credit. But ten years of blending in, disappearing, and assassinating targets has taken a toll on her and she'd like to get out. Now, she has a new problem....her partner's gone rogue. After stealing government secrets, he intends to sell them to the highest bidder. It's up to Parker, and her new partner, to find him and bring him in...dead or alive.

Divide & Conquer


Murray McDonald - 2012
    As far as everyone who knew him is concerned, he's already dead.And as far as the Mexican drug cartel and the Russians are concerned, dead is what he should be.Within hours of what should have been a relaxing homecoming, Sean is fighting the greatest battle of his life and trying desperately to save the wife and child of a man he never knew.Divide & Conquer is the action packed opener to a scintillating new series...

The Secret Gospel


Dan Eaton - 2015
    This multi-faceted work of history, conspiracy and religion will gain favour among fans of Dan Brown and Steve Berry."-Publishers WeeklyIn 1958, a young Bible scholar stumbles upon a version of the Gospel of Mark far older than that recorded in the New Testament. Unfortunately, his discovery brings him nothing but vilification and accusations of forgery. Eventually, the Secret Gospel simply disappears.Fifty-one years later, the scholar is dead, the victim of an apparent heart attack. However, evidence found in his room, coupled with a letter to Cairo-based journalist Alex Fisher, suggests murder-and hints that the missing gospel harbors deep secrets.Alex, his girlfriend Sadie, and British diplomat Aubrey Bairstow's attempts to locate the gospel quickly turn deadly. An Islamic terrorist group, an Israeli intelligence agent, and the head of a scandalous Christian sect also want the gospel. In Egypt's Western Desert, in the midst of a massive sandstorm, the fate of the Secret Gospel will be decided in blood.As the hunt grows increasingly dangerous, it becomes apparent the lost manuscript has ties to both Nazi Germany and the Vatican's refusal to condemn the Holocaust. More is at stake than a lost text: the Secret Gospel could spell disaster for the Catholic Church-and change the balance of power in the Middle East.A rousing religious conspiracy thriller, The Secret Gospel ties religion, politics, and history into a tangled skein of intrigue. It has at its heart a true story - the discovery in 1958 of fragments of a previously unknown account of the life of Jesus by Morton Smith. The rest is pure fiction.It was shortlisted in the Rethink Press New Novels competition in 2014 and a quarterfinalist in the 2013 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award."A well-written and engaging plot keeps readers going...""Thoroughly researched, this novel is steeped in history..."-Publishers Weekly

SEAL Team Seven


Keith Douglass - 1994
    Their cargo includes two tons of weapons-grade plutonium. And now, with enough nuke fuel to arm a superpower, an alliance of fanatics threatens to poison a continent. In a daring mission of high-seas heroism, Lt. Blake Murdock leads his seven-man unit from Team Seven's Red Squad into bulkhead-to-bulkhead battle -- with high-tech buccaneers who've got nothing left to lose...