The Lost Tomb: and Other Real-life Stories of Bones, Burials, and Murder

This is a collection of essays by Douglas Preston that all deal with actual mysteries he explored as a journalist, and which he later used as the bases for much of his thriller fiction (several written with James Patterson). He writes non-fiction as compellingly as his thrillers, for example the book length story of an expedition that locates a long-lost kingdom in the unexplored jungles of Honduras, The Lost City of the Monkey God. 

Publishers Weekly praises this work and offers brief summaries of some of the selections: "in this gripping compendium of his journalistic work, much of which was previously published in the New Yorker. Selections include the masterful "Monster of Florence," in which Preston and an Italian crime journalist attempt to identify a serial killer who claimed 14 victims in the 1970s and '80s, and Preston himself gets accused of complicity in the murders. "The Skiers at Dead Mountain" is another highlight, and has a more satisfying ending: Preston provides a persuasive explanation for the "apparently inexplicable" mass deaths of skiers in Russia's Ural Mountains in 1959, which some attributed to a murderous yeti. There are also intriguing natural puzzles, such as "The Mystery of Hell Creek," about a graveyard in North Dakota containing animals killed by the asteroid that wiped out the dinosaurs. " Booklist concludes, "Though these are all republished from earlier work, the pieces are so good and the reporting so thorough that The Lost Tomb is a worthy addition to library collections."

An Evil Eye

I quite liked the other books by Jason Goodwin featuring Investigator Yashim: The Janissary Tree, The Snake Stone, and The Bellini Card.  This 4th installment in the series, however, I found to be extremely confusing and convoluted. We still get to deal with our two main characters, the eunuch Investigator Yashim and his friend, Palewski, the Polish ambassador to the Ottoman Empire. And the flavor of Istanbul is still rich although a map would have been tremendously helpful. We get glimpses into Yashim culinary skills once again and his diplomatic skills are on display throughout. We also get a chunk of Yashim's background that is new.  Even having read the 3 previous books, I found it hard to follow and The Historical Novel Society agrees, saying "I quickly discovered the need to have read the previous three novels to fully understand the author’s tale.As it stands, I had limited success. I also found the number of subplots and characters to be far too numerous for even the most ambitious reader to digest. I still wish to stand with Yashim as he searches for truth, but reading the series in sequence may be required."

The Washington Post has this to offer: "In "An Evil Eye," Goodwin's fourth novel, Yashim's world is the decaying Ottoman Empire of the early 19th century. The year is 1839, and a new sultan, Abdulmecid, has replaced the old one in Istanbul. In the novel's most atmospheric, least realized subplot, this change in monarchs occasions a corresponding change in the monarch's harem. In an echo of Goodwin's first book, "The Janissary Tree" (2006), the sultan's harem also contains a mystery that will eventually involve our detective. But in "An Evil Eye," the more immediate puzzle is posed by a dead body found on the island of Chalki in the well of the monastery....The complicated plot that unfolds is deftly controlled throughout, with dangers, chases, intrigues and frequent trips back to the harem. Goodwin’s prose is sharp and surprising..." Publishers Weekly notes in their review that "While Goodwin excels at plotting, the book's main strength lies in the assured depiction of a nation restrained by a corrupt leadership far removed from the old traditions of transparency and justice." Booklist offers a positive review "Goodwin continues to create historical mysteries with A-quality plots, excellent historical detail, and a strong sense of place, conveyed through vivid description of the sights, sounds, and foods of Istanbul. Series newcomers won't have a hard time picking up the backstory here, and established fans will be thrilled to see that Goodwin is still at the top of his game..."