429. The Codex (Douglas Preston)

The ruins of Palenque

Synopsis from Amazon UK:
Greetings from the dead," Maxwell Broadbent declared from the videotape he left behind after his mysterious disappearance. A notorious treasure hunter and tomb robber, Maxwell accumulated a priceless collection of rare art, gems, and artefacts before vanishing completely -- along with all his riches. At first, robbery is suspected, but the truth proves far stranger: as a final challenge to his three sons, Maxwell has buried himself and his treasures somewhere in the world, hidden away like an ancient Egyptian pharaoh. If his sons wish to claim their inheritance, they must find their father's concealed tomb. Furthermore, Maxwell's priceless possessions include a codex-an ancient Mayan manuscript that contains all the lost arts of Mayan herbal medicine, secrets that have the capacity to revolutionize pharmacology. The codex is worth billions, and one pharmaceutical company CEO has sent mercenaries after it with orders to kill anyone in their way, including the beautifully enigmatic woman accompanying one of them. Now the race is on, with more and more people competing for the treasure -- including some who will stop at nothing to succeed.

My rating: 4 stars

405. Brimstone (Douglas Preston, Lincoln Child)

Synopsis from Amazon:
As FBI Special Agent Pendergast immerses himself in the investigation of an art critic's bizarre murder, he conjures up clues pointing to the Devil as the culprit. After several killings in the same ghastly manner, similar clues are found. Pendergast teams up with Police Officer Vincent D'Agosta, with whom he had worked in The Relic (St. Martin's, 1996), and they begin a lengthy, intense, and time-driven search for the murderer. Along the way, D'Agosta becomes romantically and professionally attached to New York Police Captain Laura Hayward (Reliquary [Tor, 1998]). Their story runs parallel to the investigation and adds another layer of plot. The peculiar nature of Agent Pendergast, who always seems to get out of any kind of dire straits, complements and contrasts with down-to-earth, practical D'Agosta, and they act as catalysts for one another. The action moves from New York City to Italy and places in between.

My rating: 2 stars

My review: The murders and storyline are interesting. I liked D'Agosta and Hayward but Pendergast was a pretentious twit; I disliked him so much that, midway through the book, I skipped to the end.