Valley of Dry Bones by J. F. Penn (ARKANE #10)
Read in January 2025
The ARKANE series by J.F. Penn follows Dr. Morgan Sierra and Jake Timber as they confront supernatural threats rooted in religious artifacts and historical mysteries.
Summary:
A mysterious discovery in the Mexican desert sets off a chain of events that leads Morgan and Jake into the heart of a deadly conspiracy. As they investigate, they uncover connections to ancient rituals and a plot that could resurrect a long-forgotten evil.
Main Characters:
Morgan Sierra is an Oxford psychologist with a background in religion, and ARKANE agent. She's an ex-Israeli military officer who has experienced severe loss in her life.
Jake Timber is a seasoned ARKANE agent and Morgan's partner. He's South African and an ex-military officer who has experienced the loss of his entire family.
Naomi Locasto: a New York ARKANE agent. She was Jake's partner in the novella: One Day in New York. She's a linguist, not a field agent with a diverse background.
Luis Rey: a well-connected and wealthy man with a dark lineage. He'll do anything to save his daughter's life.
There are many others.
World-Building:
Since this is a thriller set in the modern world, there isn't much world-building. However, J. F. Penn does a fantastic job of describing the locations and setting the scene. She includes many historical details and information that make the world, and places come alive on the page.
Themes/Tropes:
- Religious Artifacts
- Exotic Locations
- Ancient Secrets
- Religious Themes
- High Stakes
- Secret Agency
- Bringing the Dead Back to Life
- Secret Brotherhood
- Ticking Clock
- Dark Rituals
- Voodoo
- Supernatural
Entertainment Value:
The book is fast-paced and full of historical facts. Although the pace sometimes slows down a bit, I quite enjoyed the information in this book. This book, again was a bit more telling than showing.
I loved the locations and the fact that we got to learn about more places outside of Europe and North America.
I loved the suspense! And the secondary characters were compelling and deep. As much as I didn't like Luis Rey's methods, I could understand his motivation.
As a fan of Dan Brown, I was happy to find an indie author with a similar writing style and plot. I devoured this book in less than a day!
Cover Art:
I think the cover is fine. It fits the genre, but isn't that eye-catching.
Would I read this book again?
Yes, I would. I'm already working my way through this series!
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