Reading New Mexico Review of "Lost in the Gila"

GILBERT, LOIS
Lost in the Gila
Five Star, 978-1-59414-732-6
$25.95 Amazon

Kate Donovan has an unusual gift – she can relive past events by examining the bones of the dead. Quite a boon for a forensic anthropologist who works on archaeological digs, well, except for the fact that she cannot find a job due to a tarnished reputation from a prior, impulsive mishap.

With only a month of savings to spare, Kate is unexpectedly asked to join a secret excavation in the Gila wilderness run by Dr. Adam Richter, the world’s foremost archaeologist. Arriving at the site, she is stunned to find a pyramid built in the same talud-tablero architectural style of Teotihuacan. It appears that the king of the fallen city and the remnants of his people lived out their final days in southern New Mexico, news that will entirely rewrite the region’s historical record. Of course, there’s also the promise of treasure – lots of it!

Even so, the king, his burial chamber, and the bones of his entourage remain hidden, refusing to be found, the pyramid simply a monument to his elusive presence. Complicating matters further, Dr. Richter has been missing for days, and an underlying tension amongst the crew threatens to derail any prospects of finding the tomb at all.

Kate, once again disregarding protocol, surveys the surrounding mesa on her own, and experiencing another vision, stumbles upon the king’s burial chamber. The descriptions of the cavern and its marvelous contents (including a rare codex) are thrilling and completely involve the reader, moment by moment, in the exciting find.

Her discovery is met with hostility back at camp, particularly by Dr. Richter who has returned. He confiscates her notebook and map, intending to take full credit for the find, but the issue becomes insignificant when a murderer in their midst suddenly strikes. The complex interactions between characters leave everyone suspect, including Sam Gallagher, the crew’s lithics specialist - and the man Kate finds herself drawn to. The sense of unease at being isolated in the woods with a killer, as well as the twists up to the final revelation, make for fast, edge-of-your-seat reading.

The very possibility of finding a pyramid in the wilds of New Mexico bespeaks an alternate reality. However, in this case, Gilbert’s portrayal of the discovery is so convincing that one would expect to see a feature article about the find in tomorrow’s newspapers.

Gilbert’s fourth novel is an enthralling mixture of archaeology, dark family secrets, and suspense, balanced with a touch of humor and romance, which makes it a worthy contribution to the Southwestern mystery/thriller genre. And while it could be said that mystery series themselves are rapidly becoming clichéd, Kate and Sam are fascinating enough characters that they merit some extended adventures.

Reviewed by David J. Corwell, author of “Legacy of the Quedana” (see Cloaked in Shadow)
GISH, ROBERT FRANKLIN