Hosted by That’s A Novel Idea

1 Book you read and/or reviewed: The Xibalba Murders by Lyn Hamilton

2 Words that describe the book: Archaeological Mystery

3 Settings where it took place or characters you met:

1. Setting: In and about Mayan ruins in Meridia, Mexico
   
2. Lara McClintoch—former antiques shop owner and student of Mayan history
   
3. Dr. Hernan Castillo—Lara’s friend whose mysterious phone call and request for help leads her to travel to Meridia
   

4 Things you liked and/or disliked about it:

1. I liked that the book satisfied the X requirement of my A to Z Title Challenge. The fact that I’m starting with that should tell you what I think of the book.
2. I liked how the author wove in bits and pieces of Mayan history and mythology.
   
3. I disliked that the characters were one-dimensional and forgettable and that the mystery was weak and predictable. There wasn’t much to Lara or any of the other characters. It seems like the author knew a lot about Mayan history and wanted a way to work it into a novel in some way. There is a whole series of these books (of which this was the first) so I’m not sure if the plotting and characterization gets any better.
   
4. I liked that I was able to read the book quickly and put it behind me.
   

5 Stars or less for your rating?

I’m giving the book 2.5 stars. It wasn’t awful, but it wasn’t very good either.Honestly, I see no reason to read this book other than if you need a title that starts with X. However, if you have an interest in archeology and mysteries, these books may be of more interest to you than the casual reader.