Book Review: Dead Mountain by Preston and Child
A good mystery must be fair to the reader. It's the difference between "Oh! That’s what happened!" and "Wait...that’s how it happened?"
Dead Mountain by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child. Narrated by Cynthia Farrell. Hachette Audio, 2023. 12 hours (approx.).
Not too long ago I invited a friend to team up on a YA sci-fi noir novel. As yet, it hasn’t come to fruition. Nevertheless, C. A. recommended Preston and Child as an example of dual authorship. The first book I read - something about a museum exhibit driving visitors mad - failed to impress, but it was good enough that I would give the duo a second chance.
Dead Mountain is their newest book available. The cover declares it “A Nora Kelly Novel” although the protagonist seems to be Corrie Swanson. A Google search uncovered that the two characters have appeared together in four novels and maybe some short stories. Although Kelly is listed as the main character, I’d say it is Sawson. Anyway, this reiteration of characters begs a serious question: must a newcomer start at the beginning? In this case, thankfully, no. The authors knew not to alienate potential new readers.
In 2008 nine hikers went missing on the snow-covered New Mexico mountains. Rescuers found six bodies. The case went cold until 2023 when two more victims were discovered. The case and the search for the ninth hiker is reopened under veteran FBI Agent Clay Sharp, rookie Corrie Sawson and civilian archaeologist Dr. Nora Kelly.
The skeletonic plot summary I offered makes the mystery sound straightforward: hikers got lost in a blizzard and died. Ah! But the devil is in the details. Their tent was slashed open, their boots and jackets left behind. Some victims were burnt on hands, feet and heads. Two others were crushed to death and missing eyes and tongues. Radiation was found on their clothing. Preston and Child use these details - some of which are red hearings - to keep the reader guessing.
To be sure, Dead Mountain is a mystery at heart, even though it could also be called a suspense/thriller. To make a good mystery the authors need to be fair to the reader. That is, the reader should solve the puzzle alongside the protagonist. If information is withheld the reader may feel cheated. It’s the difference between, Oh! That’s what happened! and Wait. That’s what happened? Preston and Child dance around that line and occasionally put a toe over it, like an NFL player running down the sideline and stepping out of bounds but isn’t caught by the ref. I would say more, but in this case, I’ll dispense with the spoilers because the book is worth reading and spoilers would ruin it.
There are only a few minor problems. The biggest (of the smallest, as it were) is the dueling plots. While Agent Swanson investigates the missing hikers, Dr. Kelly’s brother is on trial for assaulting a sheriff. The charges are bogus, the sheriff corrupt and the outcome satisfying. However, outside of the inciting incident, this substory has nothing to do with the “dead mountain” case. So why include it? Well, because this is a Nora Kelly novel, and we have to give her something to do.
The other minor problems I alluded to come in the form of cliches and genre tropes. The aforementioned corrupt sheriff is one example. This kind of thing can kill a novel like death by a thousand paper cuts. Here, it’s more like a couple paper cuts: oh, you’ll live but damn do they hurt!
In conclusion, I enjoyed this book and think you will, too. The mystery is solid, the characters well drawn. The dueling plots, albeit unnecessary, are engaging. The cliches are painful at times but ultimately only a minor irritant.