Badlands by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child is a chilling thriller that follows archaeologist Nora Kelly and FBI Agent Corrie Swanson as they uncover a disturbing mystery in the heart of the New Mexico desert.
The story begins when the skeleton of a woman is found in the badlands. She appears to have wandered into the desert, shedding her clothes and dying a slow, painful death from heatstroke and thirst. In her hands are two strange artifacts known as lightning stones, once used by the ancient Chaco people in spiritual rituals.
Corrie Swanson is assigned to the case and quickly realizes it may not be a simple matter of suicide. To understand the strange relics found with the body, she calls in Nora Kelly for help. Their investigation takes a dark turn when a second body is discovered in the same condition. The patterns are too precise to be a coincidence.
As the two women dig deeper, they find themselves drawn into a world of haunted ruins, ancient rites, and forgotten powers. Something old and malevolent seems to be stirring, and the closer they get to the truth, the more dangerous their path becomes.
Badlands is a suspenseful journey through history, myth, and mystery. Preston and Child expertly blend real-world archaeology with a growing sense of unease, creating a story that feels both grounded and otherworldly. This is a thriller that doesn’t just raise questions about the past but suggests it may not be done with us yet.
