The Pandora Room

If you enjoyed Christopher Golden's Ararat then you should enjoy this one as well. While not a direct sequel (you need not have read Ararat) it does include two of the characters.

Here is the book's synopsis:

From the New York Times bestselling and Bram Stoker Award-winning author comes the sensational new novel that turns ancient lore into a modern-day horror.

In one variation on the myth of Pandora’s Box, there were two jars, one for Pandora and one for her sister. One contained blessings of the gods, the other all the world’s curses…

Archaeologist Sophie Durand has spent her life studying ancient mythology and languages. Years of work have led her to the greatest discovery of her career, a subterranean city deep in the heart of Northern Iraq. When Sophie’s team uncovers a secret chamber whose walls are covered in cuneiform, along with a warning from Alexander the Great, history and mythology begin to merge. The writings confirm the Pandora tale of two jars, but the chamber guards only one. It’s a find that could make history, or start a war.

Weird-science expert Ben Walker is called in as the mystery grows ugly. Those who believe the myth want to know which jar was found, the one containing blessings or the one full of curses. Governments rush to lay claim, but jihadi forces aren’t waiting for the dust to settle. Whatever the jars contain, they want it, no matter the cost. For Sophie, Walker, and the others, the Pandora Room may soon become their tomb.

In a novel that breathes new life into the supernatural thriller, Christopher Golden's pulse-pounding tale is not to be missed.

3/5 Skulls

Rough Trade

Rough Trade is the sequel to one of my favorite books that I read last year - The Hard Bounce.

The below synopsis will tell you all that you need to know. I will just say that Rough Trade is already a contender for my favorite book of the year. I enjoyed it even more than The Hard Bounce, which is saying something! This one takes the craziness of Boo & Junior to a whole new level as things continually go from bad to worse! A must read.

Here is the book's synopsis:

When a waitress at The Cellar asks Boo and Junior to scare her roommate Dana’s harassing ex-boyfriend, Byron, Boo’s white knight impulses kick in and they perform the job with gusto, leaving Byron bloodied but very much alive. So when Byron is found dead, they’re shocked. They’re even more shocked when they learn that nothing is what they originally thought, and they’re being held accountable in the man's death. 

With Junior called in for questioning, Boo is determined to clear their names by finding Byron’s true killer. It’s a quest in which Boo will have to face down crooked cops, crazed guard dogs, a rival security crew, the Irish mob and—worst of all—his own ingrained prejudices. 

Action-packed, outrageously funny, and brutally honest, Rough Trade brings back crime fiction’s favorite bouncers and takes them well out of their comfort zone in a novel that’s whip-smart, hilarious, gritty and above all human, proving that Todd Robinson is one of the most important voices in crime fiction.

5/5 Skulls

mewe.com/i/jasonberry6