Disturbing the Bones

Global peace struggles collide with intimate family drama in this thrillingly cinematic collaboration between The Fugitive director Davis and journalist Biggers (In Sardinia). During an archaeological dig in Alexander County, Ill., in which ambitious young scientist Molly Moore uncovers ancient villages dating back to 6,000 BCE, her drones and remote sensing equipment also unearth the bones of Florence Jenkins, a civil rights reporter who went missing in 1978. The discovery catches the attention of Florence’s son, Chicago homicide detective Randall Jenkins, who’s long wondered what happened to his mother. Ignoring warnings from federal officials, Molly and Randall try to piece together Florence’s fate. Meanwhile, a breakthrough defense program operates out of nearby Fort Defiance with hopes of giving the U.S. clear dominance over Russia. A misstep in that program causes a nuclear disaster in Siberia, further heating up the impending U.S. presidential election and increasing pressure on an upcoming peace summit in Chicago. Eventually, Molly and Randall’s investigation intersects with the ever-worsening political mess, ratcheting up the stakes until the fate of the planet hangs in the balance. Intense, vivid action and the intricate interweaving of the two main plot threads elevate this above standard-issue disaster thrillers. By the time the breathless denouement rolls around, readers may find they’ve been up all night. Agent: Murray Weiss, Catalyst Literary. (Oct.)