Author Description

A millennia-spanning mystery with all the thrills of a classic treasure hunt, <i>Dr. Kaili Worthy Series, Buried Alive</i> by Kay Oliver is the fourth jaw-dropping installment of the <i>Dr. Kaili Worthy Series</i>. <i>Buried Together</i> continues as Dr. Kaili Worthy's clandestine discovery helps her husband, Police Chief Derek Worthy solve a horrendous brutal crime of a mother and her child before it becomes a cold case.<br> <br> On a historic mummy hunt for the legendary Cleopatra, Dr. Kaili Worthy has no idea that she's stepping into the path of a mysterious curse that stretches back nearly 4,000 years. Though the remains they find end up being from Cleopatra's daughter, Selene, the doctor is soon back to her sleuthing ways when she discovers that she can converse with the trapped spirit of Cleopatra Selene - and Seti I - through ancient bones and a table of sand.<br> <br> Summoning images of paranormal communication techniques from "Arrival," the intrepid investigator is pulled into an ancient cold case, the inexplicable disappearance of these royal figures, and their subsequent spiritual captivity, in this modern-day ancient mystery. Kaili isn't the only one working a case either - her husband, the San Jose police chief, is buried in his own deadly mess, and while the connection between these two plot lines isn't immediately apparent, Oliver does a wonderful job of weaving these two core characters into a compelling narrative nexus.<br> <br> Once Kaili enlists the help of Doris, another academic sleuth, the novel truly begins to spiral into thriller territory. Kaili's mystery of the mummies is a more dynamic story than her husband's murder investigation, but Derek's procedural scenes provide variety, as well as necessary peaks and valleys in the flow of the story. The unusual nature of the plot - science mixing with spirituality - lends itself to plenty of interesting philosophical themes, such as the nature of the soul, ghosts, and life after death, but it nev