The Paleontologist Review

Hello, all!

One of my favorite movies is Jurassic Park, and I love museums, so when I heard about The Paleontologist by Luke Dumas, I knew I needed to read it.

Pub Date: 10-31-23
Adult - Thriller

Two things Dr. Simon Nealy never expected to do were to move back to his hometown in Pennsylvania or step foot inside the Hawthorne Museum of Natural History. When he was a young boy, Simon's six-year-old sister was abducted from the museum under his watch, and Simon has never recovered from the guilt. The memory of his sister is always present, so Simon takes a position as the new curator of paleontology at the Hawthorne, hoping to uncover the truth of what happened.

When he arrives, the museum isn't what he remembers. It's outdated and in desperate need of repairs and funding. Simon also starts hearing and seeing things he can't explain. There are strange animal sounds and bloody footprints on the ground. Is Simon losing his grasp on reality like his predecessor, or is there a prehistoric killer on the loose? As Simon digs into the museum's history, he discovers a conspiracy years in the making.

I was drawn in by the cover but stayed for the story. The idea of dinosaur ghosts wreaking havoc at a museum was so cool. Dumas's writing was engaging, and I couldn't turn the pages fast enough. I was just as invested as Simon in the mystery of what happened to his sister and how it tied into the museum. You can tell everything that goes on takes a toll on him, and you almost don't know whether he's mad or if there is something supernatural at play. I loved all the dinosaur/paleontology talk and appreciated how much research must've gone into it. I thought the ending wrapped up nicely, but some bits in the middle dragged a smidge. If you like slightly paranormal horror/thrillers, I would recommend checking it out.

Rating: 3/5