More Archaeological Adventures from Popular Suspense Writer Don Hoesel.
A decade after Serpent of Moses, Jack is married to Espy and back teaching at Evanston University. They have two sons, one of whom has cystic fibrosis. Despite this challenge, life is comfortable. But that all changes when the CIA, while combing through the papers of the late Gordon Reese, uncovers the secret of Elisha’s bones. Jack’s world is then turned upside down by an urgent call from his old friend Duckey, who’s been alerted to the CIA’s probing by one of his former contacts. Jack and his family escape from their home just ahead of the CIA, and he decides to do what he should have done long ago: recover the bones and destroy them. Except the bones aren’t where he left them.
So now Jack is in a race, for the last time, to find the bones. And he’s not the only one. Pitted against both the CIA and an organization that will kill to protect their secrets, Jack and Espy follow hard-to-decipher clues across the globe before arriving in the catacombs of Paris for a final showdown that will either save their family–or tear apart everything they hold dear forever.
Don Hoesel is a Web site designer for a Medicare carrier in Nashville, TN. He has a BA in Mass Communication from Taylor University and has published short fiction in Relief Journal. He lives in Spring Hill, Tennessee, with his wife and two children.
My Impressions:
Blood and Bone is the third book in Don Hoesel’s Jack Hawthorne Mystery series. I read and reviewed book 1, Bones of Elisha (click HERE for review), but have not read book 2 Serpent of Moses. Do you need to read the first 2 books to enjoy Blood and Bone? Perhaps not. But to understand the back story of this novel — the legend surrounding Elisha’s bones, the secret society charged with guarding the relic and the development of Jack and Esperanza’s relationship, you should start at the beginning. I definitely have Serpent of Moses on my TBR list.
Jack and Esperanza are living a quiet life in a small college town with their two young sons. An unexpected call from a former colleague and friend puts them on the run and right back into a dangerous, twisting journey to retrieve a relic long buried and to save the lives of their children. Again Jack and Espy cross the world looking for clues among catacombs, museums and churches all the while dodging bullets and assassins sent from rogue CIA agents, the Israeli Mossad and the Priests of Osiris, an ancient society with their hands in world politics and finances. This novel has it all for those loving history, conspiracies and intrigue.
Blood and Bone is first and foremost an adventure/suspense novel reminiscent of Indiana Jones and The DaVinci Code. But because Hoesel includes a faith message, the story takes on a deeper quality beyond relics and artifacts. It involves the nature of truth and God’s purpose for His people. Even though this novel is mostly plot driven, I enjoyed the naturalness of Jack and Espy’s relationship. Their strengths and weaknesses compliment each other, and I couldn’t help but laugh at the banter between them. Blood and Bone takes the reader on a wild ride across continents, inside the offices of high-placed individuals and into the hearts of parents desperately trying to save their children. The ending is surprising and I would definitely say fitting.
If you like a suspenseful read with breakneck adventure, pick up this series by Don Hoesel
Recommended.
(I received an ebook of Blood and Bone from NetGalley for review purposes. The opinions expressed are mine alone.)
To purchase the books in this series, click on the images below.
Tour Schedule for Blood and Bone
July 15th
Book Blast
July 16th
I Am A Reader, Not A Writer – Interview
Lori’s Reading Corner – Guest Post
Laurie’s Thoughts and Reviews – Review
Vonnie’s Reading Corner – Review
July 17th
Spellbindings – Review
Bunny’s Review – Tens List
Mel’s Shelves – Review
July 18th
MK McClintock Blog – Interview
Christy’s Cozy Corners – Review
Of Thoughts and Words – Review
July 19th
Mythical Books – Review
Laurie Here – Review
Reviews by Martha’s Bookshelf – Review
July 20th
Cuzinlogic – Interview
Recent Reads – Review
July 21st
Seeking With All Yur Heart – Review
Rogue Mission – Review & Interview
July 22nd
Blkosiner’s Book Blog – Interview
Bunny’s Review – Review
Red Reader Reviews – Guest Post
July 23rd
Beck Valley Books – Guest Post
Sweeping Me – Spotlight
Scrap Blog – Guest Post
July 24th
Books, Books, The Magical Fruit – Guest Post
Spellbindings – Tens List
July 25th
A Book Lover’s Library – Review & Guest Post
By the Book – Review
July 26th
THE SELF-TAUGHT COOK – Review
Sarah Ballance – Tens List
Nazish Reads – Review
Here from Semicolon’s. It’s funny, I just had this book in my hands at the book store yesterday. Should have read this review yesterday morning! :v) I’m glad I didn’t get it only for the fact that now after your review I want to start with the first book and read the whole series!
Good choice! I think book 1 is a must to start with. Thanks for stopping by!