Why we’re excited
Builders in the Santa Fe foothills dig up a row of skeletons buried head down, the work of the Inquisition, which hanged six women as witches in 1676. Then Nora Kelly finds a fresh body buried the same way, only two months old.
This is the sixth Nora Kelly book from the Preston and Child partnership behind the Pendergast novels, though only Preston is named on this listing. The cases are self-contained, so newcomers will cope, but Old Bones sets up Nora's partnership with FBI agent Corrie Swanson.
On our most-anticipated list since 22 October 2026. See all the most anticipated books →
What to know about Dead Man’s Journey
Dead Man’s Journey is Book 6 in the Nora Kelly series. New readers should begin with Book 1, Old Bones. The book just before this one is Badlands.
Douglas Preston is new to The Bookish Elf: none of their books has a review here yet.
At 384 pages it is about the usual length for a thriller release this month.
From the publisher
Renowned archaeologist Nora Kelly and FBI Agent Corrie Swanson return in this thrilling installment of the #1
New York Times
bestselling Preston & Child series. Nora Kelly is called to a construction site in the foothills of Santa Fe, New Mexico, where workers have uncovered a row of ancient skeletons―buried upside down. All work comes to a grinding halt at the site of an exclusive resort, backed by one of Hollywood’s hottest actresses―incurring her anger and retaliation. Nora discovers the bizarre burials were the work of the Spanish Inquisition, who in 1676 condemned six women as witches, executed them, and buried them head downwards to speed their way to hell. And then she makes a further shocking a fresh burial in the same place, also inverted ... and only two months old. Special Agent Corrie Swanson is called in to investigate. As more new murders and bizarre burials start mounting up, Nora and Corrie find themselves in pursuit of a mass killer―who possesses a terrifying, ancient power defying human understanding.
Description supplied by the publisher.
We haven’t read Dead Man’s Journey yet. When our review goes up, it will replace this page.
