What do you think?
Rate this book
The Paleontologist
A haunted paleontologist returns to the museum where his sister was abducted years earlier and is faced with a terrifying and murderous spirit in this chilling novel from the author of A History of Fear—perfect for fans of Simone St. James and Katy Hays.
Curator of paleontology Dr. Simon Nealy never expected to return to his Pennsylvania hometown, let alone the Hawthorne Museum of Natural History. He was just a boy when his six-year-old sister, Morgan, was abducted from the museum under his watch, and the guilt has haunted Simon ever since. After a recent break-up and the death of the aunt who raised him, Simon feels drawn back to the place where Morgan vanished, in search of the bones they never found.
But from the moment he arrives, things aren’t what he expected. The Hawthorne is a crumbling ruin, still closed amid the ongoing pandemic, and plummeting toward financial catastrophe. Worse, Simon begins seeing and hearing things he can’t explain. Strange animal sounds. Bloody footprints that no living creature could have left. A prehistoric killer looming in the shadows of the museum. Terrified he’s losing his grasp on reality, Simon turns to the handwritten research diaries of his predecessor and uncovers a blood-soaked mystery 150 million years in the making that could be the answer to everything.
Are these the ravings of a madman? Or is there something supernatural at play? And what does this have to do with Morgan’s disappearance?
Another atmospheric mystery from Luke Dumas, The Paleontologist is a ghost story unlike any other that will haunt you long after you turn the final page.
Curator of paleontology Dr. Simon Nealy never expected to return to his Pennsylvania hometown, let alone the Hawthorne Museum of Natural History. He was just a boy when his six-year-old sister, Morgan, was abducted from the museum under his watch, and the guilt has haunted Simon ever since. After a recent break-up and the death of the aunt who raised him, Simon feels drawn back to the place where Morgan vanished, in search of the bones they never found.
But from the moment he arrives, things aren’t what he expected. The Hawthorne is a crumbling ruin, still closed amid the ongoing pandemic, and plummeting toward financial catastrophe. Worse, Simon begins seeing and hearing things he can’t explain. Strange animal sounds. Bloody footprints that no living creature could have left. A prehistoric killer looming in the shadows of the museum. Terrified he’s losing his grasp on reality, Simon turns to the handwritten research diaries of his predecessor and uncovers a blood-soaked mystery 150 million years in the making that could be the answer to everything.
Are these the ravings of a madman? Or is there something supernatural at play? And what does this have to do with Morgan’s disappearance?
Another atmospheric mystery from Luke Dumas, The Paleontologist is a ghost story unlike any other that will haunt you long after you turn the final page.
368 pages, Paperback
First published October 31, 2023
796 people are currently reading
19051 people want to read
About the author
Luke Dumas
5 books361 followersLuke Dumas is the USA Today bestselling author of Nothing Tastes as Good, The Paleontologist, and A History of Fear.
He is the winner of a 2024 ITW Thriller Award for Best Paperback Original, was nominated for the Silver Falchion Award for Best Supernatural, and his work has been optioned for film and TV.
He received his master’s degree in creative writing from the University of Edinburgh, and has worked in nonprofit philanthropy for more than a decade with organizations including San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance and the American Red Cross.
Luke was born and raised in San Diego, California, where he lives with his husband and dogs and works for a biomedical research institute.
He is the winner of a 2024 ITW Thriller Award for Best Paperback Original, was nominated for the Silver Falchion Award for Best Supernatural, and his work has been optioned for film and TV.
He received his master’s degree in creative writing from the University of Edinburgh, and has worked in nonprofit philanthropy for more than a decade with organizations including San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance and the American Red Cross.
Luke was born and raised in San Diego, California, where he lives with his husband and dogs and works for a biomedical research institute.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,772 reviews
December 4, 2025
I was sold on The Paleontologist after the publisher's synopsis noted it to be about a haunted paleontologist...
The full synopsis sounded gripping. There's also a fabulous cover, plus, a short, simple, yet effective, title.
As a one-time Anthropology major, who focused in Physical Anthropology, I felt like this was the Horror novel I'd been waiting for. Sadly, it absolutely wasn't.
In this story we follow Curator of Paleontology, Dr. Simon Nealy, who has returned to his hometown in Pennsylvania during the Covid pandemic to begin work at the Hawthorne Museum of Natural History, a museum he remembers well from his childhood.
It's actually the last place he ever saw his little sister. Morgan was just 6-years old when she was abducted from the museum, at a time when she was purportedly to be under the supervision of Simon, who wasn't much older.
Their mother was a real piece of work, and she's the one who put them both in that position on that fated day. Simon has been haunted severely by the event ever since, whilst Mom seemingly feels zero responsibility.
As he returns now, the past is brought to the surface once again and poor Simon is left wondering if his sister's spirit is still trapped at the Hawthorne somehow. He is seeing and hearing things he can't explain. The museum is a cage of wonder and terrors.
I am not going to go on about this too much. It absolutely wasn't for me and frankly, I'm super disappointed about it. IMO, this book is just one more thing that Covid ruined. The concept itself is great. The execution, not so much.
I was so anxious for this to end. I even switched from an ebook to the audio to try to make it go by quicker.
I don't know, perhaps if you enjoy being reminded of Covid every third paragraph or so, you might enjoy it more than I did. An example would be, if you've ever wondered about the masking status of each and every character you meet, than this one may be for you.
It wasn't just the pandemic chat that ruined this for me though, the MC, Simon, was also as dull as dirt, IMO. He was giving me nothing. But in fairness, neither was anyone else.
I wasn't drawn in, compelled, or intrigued. Big meh energy.
I'm happy to move on. I'm not giving on this author. I will give them another shot. I'm just hoping this is a one-off.
Thank you to the publisher, Atria Books, for providing me with a copy to read and review. Even though this wasn't my cup of tea, I definitely appreciate it.
The full synopsis sounded gripping. There's also a fabulous cover, plus, a short, simple, yet effective, title.
As a one-time Anthropology major, who focused in Physical Anthropology, I felt like this was the Horror novel I'd been waiting for. Sadly, it absolutely wasn't.
In this story we follow Curator of Paleontology, Dr. Simon Nealy, who has returned to his hometown in Pennsylvania during the Covid pandemic to begin work at the Hawthorne Museum of Natural History, a museum he remembers well from his childhood.
It's actually the last place he ever saw his little sister. Morgan was just 6-years old when she was abducted from the museum, at a time when she was purportedly to be under the supervision of Simon, who wasn't much older.
Their mother was a real piece of work, and she's the one who put them both in that position on that fated day. Simon has been haunted severely by the event ever since, whilst Mom seemingly feels zero responsibility.
As he returns now, the past is brought to the surface once again and poor Simon is left wondering if his sister's spirit is still trapped at the Hawthorne somehow. He is seeing and hearing things he can't explain. The museum is a cage of wonder and terrors.
I am not going to go on about this too much. It absolutely wasn't for me and frankly, I'm super disappointed about it. IMO, this book is just one more thing that Covid ruined. The concept itself is great. The execution, not so much.
I was so anxious for this to end. I even switched from an ebook to the audio to try to make it go by quicker.
I don't know, perhaps if you enjoy being reminded of Covid every third paragraph or so, you might enjoy it more than I did. An example would be, if you've ever wondered about the masking status of each and every character you meet, than this one may be for you.
It wasn't just the pandemic chat that ruined this for me though, the MC, Simon, was also as dull as dirt, IMO. He was giving me nothing. But in fairness, neither was anyone else.
I wasn't drawn in, compelled, or intrigued. Big meh energy.
I'm happy to move on. I'm not giving on this author. I will give them another shot. I'm just hoping this is a one-off.
Thank you to the publisher, Atria Books, for providing me with a copy to read and review. Even though this wasn't my cup of tea, I definitely appreciate it.
November 6, 2023
The first third of this book, maybe even as much as the first half, is superb. Luke Dumas is just incredibly good at writing atmosphere, and this story drips with it: protagonist Simon’s return to the small town he grew up in; the decrepit museum where he takes up a new job; the local eccentrics he meets along the way. I thought The Paleontologist was on track to be an instant five-star favourite, just like the author’s brilliant debut A History of Fear. Ultimately, however, the supernatural elements just became too much for me – my suspension of disbelief collapsed and I simply couldn’t buy the characters’ swift acceptance of some deeply bizarre, out-there hauntings. The dialogue stumbles at points too: its heart is in the right place, but a book built around outlandish horrors and the protagonist’s traumatic childhood perhaps shouldn’t also be a pandemic novel and a dissection of white male privilege. It feels like this book was a passion project for the author, which perhaps explains why it seems overly packed with themes that don’t quite slot together. It still has a lot of charm and I’ll still read future work from Dumas, but I missed the subtler, more ambiguous approach taken in A History of Fear.
I received an advance review copy of The Paleontologist from the publisher through Edelweiss.
I received an advance review copy of The Paleontologist from the publisher through Edelweiss.
September 22, 2023
4.0 Stars
As someone obsessed with dinosaurs, this premise was right up my alley. I loved those aspects, especially the illustrates research papers. I do recommend the physical version because the pictures really added to the experience.
I have read this author before and really enjoyed their previous one, the History of Fear. This one had a similar serious tone with polished writing. While it would be easy to compare this to something like Jurassic Park, I feel this one reads quite differently without the creature feature vibes.
Readers may want to be aware that this book is set in Covid times as this time period has come to be rather polarizing among readers. I thought the author provided a balance representation of this time without getting too far into the weeds of it.
I would recommend this horror thriller to readers looking for a smart horror narrative.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
As someone obsessed with dinosaurs, this premise was right up my alley. I loved those aspects, especially the illustrates research papers. I do recommend the physical version because the pictures really added to the experience.
I have read this author before and really enjoyed their previous one, the History of Fear. This one had a similar serious tone with polished writing. While it would be easy to compare this to something like Jurassic Park, I feel this one reads quite differently without the creature feature vibes.
Readers may want to be aware that this book is set in Covid times as this time period has come to be rather polarizing among readers. I thought the author provided a balance representation of this time without getting too far into the weeds of it.
I would recommend this horror thriller to readers looking for a smart horror narrative.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
Read
December 1, 2023ross geller's worst nightmare
November 1, 2023
When Dr. Simon Nealy was a boy, his six-year-old sister Morgan was abducted at the Hawthorne Museum of Natural History while he was supposed to be watching her. After suffering a lifetime of guilt, Simon vowed to never return to his hometown or the museum. But after a recent breakup and the death of his aunt, Simon feels pulled back to the place where the tragedy happened.
Simon takes on a job at the museum and soon discovers that The Hawthorne is in ruins and is closed due to the pandemic so the museum is headed towards financial ruin. What’s worse is Simon begins seeing and hearing things at the museum that he can't explain- strange animal sounds and bloody footprints that no living creature could have left. Terrified he's losing his grasp on reality, Simon turns to the handwritten research diaries of his predecessor and uncovers a blood-soaked mystery 150 million years in the making that could be the answer to everything.
This is my second read by Dumas. I liked his prior work A History of Fear so I have been looking forward to starting The Paleontologist. The Paleontologist is another unique and completely original supernatural horror story. Just like in A History Of Fear, Dumas did a fantastic job crafting a bone-chilling atmosphere. The writing is just superb and the ending wrapped up perfectly.
Without giving anything away, I will say that I did like A History of Fear more than this one. My only issue is I felt as if this book had too much going on at times. If the story had focused primarily on either the missing sister or just the supernatural horror aspect, it would have made for a much more compelling read. But overall I liked The Paleontologist and would recommend it to fans of supernatural horror.
The Paleontologist by Luke Dumas will be available on October 31. Many thanks to Atria Books for the gifted copy!!
Simon takes on a job at the museum and soon discovers that The Hawthorne is in ruins and is closed due to the pandemic so the museum is headed towards financial ruin. What’s worse is Simon begins seeing and hearing things at the museum that he can't explain- strange animal sounds and bloody footprints that no living creature could have left. Terrified he's losing his grasp on reality, Simon turns to the handwritten research diaries of his predecessor and uncovers a blood-soaked mystery 150 million years in the making that could be the answer to everything.
This is my second read by Dumas. I liked his prior work A History of Fear so I have been looking forward to starting The Paleontologist. The Paleontologist is another unique and completely original supernatural horror story. Just like in A History Of Fear, Dumas did a fantastic job crafting a bone-chilling atmosphere. The writing is just superb and the ending wrapped up perfectly.
Without giving anything away, I will say that I did like A History of Fear more than this one. My only issue is I felt as if this book had too much going on at times. If the story had focused primarily on either the missing sister or just the supernatural horror aspect, it would have made for a much more compelling read. But overall I liked The Paleontologist and would recommend it to fans of supernatural horror.
The Paleontologist by Luke Dumas will be available on October 31. Many thanks to Atria Books for the gifted copy!!
June 3, 2024
How on EARTH can somebody who clearly did their dinosaur and paleontology research write that Brontosaurus was a real dinosaur? It makes sense for the museum in this novel to have a skeleton labeled Brontosaurus because it is an older museum and back in the day Brontosaurus was an accurate label, but the protagonist, the paleontologist, never brings that up and treats it as accurate. As a dino nerd, that drives me nuts!
But, okay, there are a lot of great ideas is this novel. Conceptually, it should be a banger. It has all the pieces. Gimmick? Ghost dinosaurs. Check. Setting? A haunted museum abandoned by the 2020 pandemic. Check. Emotional core? The main character’s sister went missing in the museum and has childhood trauma. Check. Boom, you’ve got something. There are all these parts that should make this baby purr, but the mechanic messed something up and instead it runs clunky. With minor adjustments such as changing the focus of certain aspects of the story, to rearranging some scenes, changing the way revelations unfold, and adjusting the tone a little better, this would have been a really fun read. It was still fun, mind you, but only mildly.
The biggest problem I’d like to specify is that it just isn’t really scary. The ghost element is more of that sad tragic kind of ghost story, which is not at all a problem, but it does feature ‘scary’ ghost dino scenes that just don’t work (and I am a supporter of the idea that dinosaurs CAN be scary). Those scenes feel forced in as well, as the real plot is actually a crime mystery and, while is was a little fun seeing everything come together, it was only as fun as watching an episode of CSI or Bones. I didn’t buy the big twist either, it doesn’t feel set up enough to be clever. So it doesn’t work as a scary story or crime mystery, and it isn’t focused enough on the sad ghost parts to be a good ghost story.
But, okay, there are a lot of great ideas is this novel. Conceptually, it should be a banger. It has all the pieces. Gimmick? Ghost dinosaurs. Check. Setting? A haunted museum abandoned by the 2020 pandemic. Check. Emotional core? The main character’s sister went missing in the museum and has childhood trauma. Check. Boom, you’ve got something. There are all these parts that should make this baby purr, but the mechanic messed something up and instead it runs clunky. With minor adjustments such as changing the focus of certain aspects of the story, to rearranging some scenes, changing the way revelations unfold, and adjusting the tone a little better, this would have been a really fun read. It was still fun, mind you, but only mildly.
The biggest problem I’d like to specify is that it just isn’t really scary. The ghost element is more of that sad tragic kind of ghost story, which is not at all a problem, but it does feature ‘scary’ ghost dino scenes that just don’t work (and I am a supporter of the idea that dinosaurs CAN be scary). Those scenes feel forced in as well, as the real plot is actually a crime mystery and, while is was a little fun seeing everything come together, it was only as fun as watching an episode of CSI or Bones. I didn’t buy the big twist either, it doesn’t feel set up enough to be clever. So it doesn’t work as a scary story or crime mystery, and it isn’t focused enough on the sad ghost parts to be a good ghost story.
Read
October 30, 2023I tried. I really did. I loved Dumas' debut, A History of Fear, and I was very much looking forward to this even though this is based on dinosaurs, which admittedly aren't my thing. I was banking on Dumas' phenomenal writing skills to exceed my need for a realistic plot.
This book didn't fail, I failed this book. I was expecting this author to work a miracle knowing full well that I would never be able to suspend my disbelief enough.
Between ghost dinosaurs, a boring protagonist, and the constant mentions of Covid I have decided to set this one aside at 45%. (DNF, no rating)
So many other reviewers are loving this so do not let my review sway your decision to pick this one up.
Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for my complimentary copy.
This book didn't fail, I failed this book. I was expecting this author to work a miracle knowing full well that I would never be able to suspend my disbelief enough.
Between ghost dinosaurs, a boring protagonist, and the constant mentions of Covid I have decided to set this one aside at 45%. (DNF, no rating)
So many other reviewers are loving this so do not let my review sway your decision to pick this one up.
Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for my complimentary copy.
December 19, 2024
I need to read more books that includes dinosaurs as its something I've realised I love in books. It was very engaging and I just wanted to learn more. I didn't expect the ending at all with how everything was resolved or the why and how.
August 8, 2023
This book will wreck you.
By the end of the book you’ll be horrified and incredibly sad. You’ll want to pet a puppy and surround yourself with Lisa Frank holographic rainbows or something.
It’s a tiny bit of a slower, more methodical read, but it’s not brain candy and that time is spent building up an incredible story and it’s well worth the journey.
I hadn’t read the author before, but I’m now going to read his first book.
An excellent read.
• ARC via Publisher
By the end of the book you’ll be horrified and incredibly sad. You’ll want to pet a puppy and surround yourself with Lisa Frank holographic rainbows or something.
It’s a tiny bit of a slower, more methodical read, but it’s not brain candy and that time is spent building up an incredible story and it’s well worth the journey.
I hadn’t read the author before, but I’m now going to read his first book.
An excellent read.
• ARC via Publisher
December 3, 2023
Idk this is just kind of meh! I like the originality of ghost dinosaurs but I wasn't hugely impressed
A little hard to follow
The mc reassuring himself he isn't actually "THAT" privileged LOL
I'm bored 10%
15% WTF UMMMMM.
This is so depressing. Child abuse TW
"She was worse than a bad parent. She was a bad mother. He couldn't think of anything worse". I get his pain but that's incredibly sexist.
OKAY 80% and this is reacknowleged and debunked in the narrative so I will get off my soap box 😅
Villain monolouge 😅 telling not showing. Reminds me of the kit mayquist book at the end lol.
This ending is so so weak. Another whole telling not showing monolouge.
Also there's then another several chapters that feel like they will never end. Pacing us very off.
The bro sis dinosaurs is sweet but could've been the ending could've been tightened up.
The thing is, this had a really good concept. And the last line was really, really good as well. But in execution, I think that this needed a lot of editing. It's just too long for no reason in the pacing is off.
A little hard to follow
The mc reassuring himself he isn't actually "THAT" privileged LOL
I'm bored 10%
15% WTF UMMMMM.
This is so depressing. Child abuse TW
"She was worse than a bad parent. She was a bad mother. He couldn't think of anything worse". I get his pain but that's incredibly sexist.
OKAY 80% and this is reacknowleged and debunked in the narrative so I will get off my soap box 😅
Villain monolouge 😅 telling not showing. Reminds me of the kit mayquist book at the end lol.
This ending is so so weak. Another whole telling not showing monolouge.
Also there's then another several chapters that feel like they will never end. Pacing us very off.
The bro sis dinosaurs is sweet but could've been the ending could've been tightened up.
The thing is, this had a really good concept. And the last line was really, really good as well. But in execution, I think that this needed a lot of editing. It's just too long for no reason in the pacing is off.
January 15, 2024
[1.5 Stars]
Marketing this as '"Night at the Museum" meets The Shining with a heavy Jurassic Park influence' was a bold move. And very very inaccurate.
Marketing this as '"Night at the Museum" meets The Shining with a heavy Jurassic Park influence' was a bold move. And very very inaccurate.
November 27, 2023
*yawn*
The paleontology is interesting, but the paleontologist is not. And unfortunately, the science takes a back seat to a mystery that is never engaging, supernatural elements that are neither scary nor exciting, themes that are undeveloped, and personal backgrounds and relationships that fail to incite any emotion.
The paleontology is interesting, but the paleontologist is not. And unfortunately, the science takes a back seat to a mystery that is never engaging, supernatural elements that are neither scary nor exciting, themes that are undeveloped, and personal backgrounds and relationships that fail to incite any emotion.
December 27, 2023
The Paleontologist is a thriller about Simon, a paleontologist, working at a mysterious museum while trying to solve his sister's disappearance. This could be a really cool novel, but the author attempts to straddle too many genres which results in the mastery of none, leaving a tangled, discordant mess.
This book deals, quite seriously, with the concept of dinosaur ghosts. There's a lot of talk about dinosaurs, dino comparisons, dino facts dropped. We read a journal in the book that includes sketches of dinos. I was a kid who was obsessed with dinosaurs, so this really appealed to me. But it also gives a real YA/Juvenile feel to the story. So there's one genre.
Simon deals with a lot of COVID problems and institutional bureaucracy. The Museum is forever delaying its re-opening to the public. The administration is kooky and out of touch. There's a weird kinda-creepy custodian. It's giving Lemony-Snicket-meets-Finlay-Donovan and it's telling me this is a somewhat satirical story about workplaces. So.. then it's not YA?
Simon is going through a lot in this book. He blames himself for his sister's disappearance when they were kids, leaving him alone with his drug-addict mother who often turned to sex work and abused her children. He constantly worries about his missing sister's last moments and the idea of her being assaulted (at the age of 6) is brought up multiple times. Simon develops a little bit of a cough syrup dependency. He calls his ex, sobbing and trying to guilt him into getting back together. Simon is unlikable and puts a lot of blame on his mom for being a bad MOM, not just a bad PARENT. Okay so this is a.. gritty adult thriller?
None of these genres mash together. I felt like I was a kid watching Jurassic Park one minute, then listening to a grown man's memories of hiding from the men his mother would bring home to make money, when he wasn't having nightmares about what was done to his six-year-old sister when she was abducted. Oops, then here comes a silly coworker with frizzy orange hair and a potty mouth!
This book took me a lot longer to read than I think it would normally, but I felt like I couldn't settle into it. Simon is, again, an unlikeable character. He only really thinks about himself critically and works on himself in an exposition dump at the end of the novel. When our villain is revealed we're treated to a similar text dump while Simon acts like the stupidest man alive.
If you're really into ghost dinosaurs.. yeah you should check this book out I guess. I was taken in by the awesome cover, but unfortunately it really doesn't match the uneven tone of the book. Don't say I didn't warn you.
This book deals, quite seriously, with the concept of dinosaur ghosts. There's a lot of talk about dinosaurs, dino comparisons, dino facts dropped. We read a journal in the book that includes sketches of dinos. I was a kid who was obsessed with dinosaurs, so this really appealed to me. But it also gives a real YA/Juvenile feel to the story. So there's one genre.
Simon deals with a lot of COVID problems and institutional bureaucracy. The Museum is forever delaying its re-opening to the public. The administration is kooky and out of touch. There's a weird kinda-creepy custodian. It's giving Lemony-Snicket-meets-Finlay-Donovan and it's telling me this is a somewhat satirical story about workplaces. So.. then it's not YA?
Simon is going through a lot in this book. He blames himself for his sister's disappearance when they were kids, leaving him alone with his drug-addict mother who often turned to sex work and abused her children. He constantly worries about his missing sister's last moments and the idea of her being assaulted (at the age of 6) is brought up multiple times. Simon develops a little bit of a cough syrup dependency. He calls his ex, sobbing and trying to guilt him into getting back together. Simon is unlikable and puts a lot of blame on his mom for being a bad MOM, not just a bad PARENT. Okay so this is a.. gritty adult thriller?
None of these genres mash together. I felt like I was a kid watching Jurassic Park one minute, then listening to a grown man's memories of hiding from the men his mother would bring home to make money, when he wasn't having nightmares about what was done to his six-year-old sister when she was abducted. Oops, then here comes a silly coworker with frizzy orange hair and a potty mouth!
This book took me a lot longer to read than I think it would normally, but I felt like I couldn't settle into it. Simon is, again, an unlikeable character. He only really thinks about himself critically and works on himself in an exposition dump at the end of the novel. When our villain is revealed we're treated to a similar text dump while Simon acts like the stupidest man alive.
If you're really into ghost dinosaurs.. yeah you should check this book out I guess. I was taken in by the awesome cover, but unfortunately it really doesn't match the uneven tone of the book. Don't say I didn't warn you.
July 8, 2024
An okay story with some interesting info about paleontology, but ultimately disappointing.
Simon has returned to his hometown to take a job at the Hawthorne Museum - the same place his little sister went missing from when they were kids. He's determined to figure out what happened to her, but he's also being haunted by the dinosaur ghosts of the museum.
I am always here for dinosaurs, but I think this one tried too hard to be for real. I mean, dino ghosts?? I'd have been fully on board if this had just embraced the supernatural but instead it introduces South African spiritual beliefs (among other strange excuses) to justify the bizarre occurrences. As such, the happenings and explanations were a massive stretch and I couldn't get involved as much as I wanted to.
Simon is a deplorable character who I never warmed up to. He's whiny and makes a lot of dumb decisions. I found myself constantly frustrated by his behaviour. He also jumps to conclusions constantly which is one of my pet hates. Just stop and THINK for a second!
This is set in peak Covid era, so there's plenty of talk of masks, social distancing, isolation, and of course the museum is closed as a consequence. That works for the eerie hauntings, but wasn't entirely necessary. That said, I kind of appreciated that it was part of the story. It's officially part of our world, now, so it makes sense that more recent stories set in our world should mention it.
Still, the hauntings were dismal. It was more jumping at shadows than any decent scares or horror.
I wanted to like this so much more than I did. I wish the dino-ghosts were given more time and respect, and I wish this book had just run full throttle with the idea.
I'd have a hard time recommending this for the horror, but there is still plenty of info on dinosaurs and paleontology. The story is kind of sad and pathetic, but it's still curious enough to hold the interest.
Simon has returned to his hometown to take a job at the Hawthorne Museum - the same place his little sister went missing from when they were kids. He's determined to figure out what happened to her, but he's also being haunted by the dinosaur ghosts of the museum.
I am always here for dinosaurs, but I think this one tried too hard to be for real. I mean, dino ghosts?? I'd have been fully on board if this had just embraced the supernatural but instead it introduces South African spiritual beliefs (among other strange excuses) to justify the bizarre occurrences. As such, the happenings and explanations were a massive stretch and I couldn't get involved as much as I wanted to.
Simon is a deplorable character who I never warmed up to. He's whiny and makes a lot of dumb decisions. I found myself constantly frustrated by his behaviour. He also jumps to conclusions constantly which is one of my pet hates. Just stop and THINK for a second!
This is set in peak Covid era, so there's plenty of talk of masks, social distancing, isolation, and of course the museum is closed as a consequence. That works for the eerie hauntings, but wasn't entirely necessary. That said, I kind of appreciated that it was part of the story. It's officially part of our world, now, so it makes sense that more recent stories set in our world should mention it.
Still, the hauntings were dismal. It was more jumping at shadows than any decent scares or horror.
I wanted to like this so much more than I did. I wish the dino-ghosts were given more time and respect, and I wish this book had just run full throttle with the idea.
I'd have a hard time recommending this for the horror, but there is still plenty of info on dinosaurs and paleontology. The story is kind of sad and pathetic, but it's still curious enough to hold the interest.
September 15, 2023
3.5 stars
Luke Dumas is an amazing storyteller. I loved his writing ever since he horror debut, A History of Fear, that made my top reads of 2022. One thing you know about this author is that he will fully invest time and research into coming up with a story and THE PALEONTOLOGIST is no exception. The story is centered around Paleontologist Dr. Simon Nealy (and Covid-19) and his journey after accepting a position at natural history museum in his Pennsylvania hometown. The same museum where his six-year old sister Morgan went missing. Simon is adamant that she was abducted, but the case went cold years ago with no further developments. Simon begins his work at the museum during the heat of Covid and while he is preparing for the museum's reemergence post-lockdowns, Simon begins to notice very peculiar occurrences in the museum that he cannot explain. When he finds his predecessor's diary, he begins to see that these strange occurrences are not just a coincidence.
THE PALEONTOLOGIST is a heavy book filled with paleontology technical speak—you can tell the author did his research! If I didn't know, I'd say that Luke Dumas was a paleontologist himself! It's more of a Simone St. James read than his last book, but this book provides the slow burn horror that fans should expect. I'm excited for the author's next venture into horror and I hope that he continues to tell stories that are unique and unlike anything I've ever read before.
Luke Dumas is an amazing storyteller. I loved his writing ever since he horror debut, A History of Fear, that made my top reads of 2022. One thing you know about this author is that he will fully invest time and research into coming up with a story and THE PALEONTOLOGIST is no exception. The story is centered around Paleontologist Dr. Simon Nealy (and Covid-19) and his journey after accepting a position at natural history museum in his Pennsylvania hometown. The same museum where his six-year old sister Morgan went missing. Simon is adamant that she was abducted, but the case went cold years ago with no further developments. Simon begins his work at the museum during the heat of Covid and while he is preparing for the museum's reemergence post-lockdowns, Simon begins to notice very peculiar occurrences in the museum that he cannot explain. When he finds his predecessor's diary, he begins to see that these strange occurrences are not just a coincidence.
THE PALEONTOLOGIST is a heavy book filled with paleontology technical speak—you can tell the author did his research! If I didn't know, I'd say that Luke Dumas was a paleontologist himself! It's more of a Simone St. James read than his last book, but this book provides the slow burn horror that fans should expect. I'm excited for the author's next venture into horror and I hope that he continues to tell stories that are unique and unlike anything I've ever read before.
Read
September 13, 2023I loved Luke Dumas’ The History of Fear and had high hopes for his sophomore book. In some ways, it’s as good. It’s eerie and gripping, and I liked the first chapters. And then COVID made an appearance, and I sighed. I know COVID has been a part of our lives for years, but I still don’t want to read about it. Somehow, I want to bury it far, far away. Maybe I’m pressing the lid of the COVID box closed too hard, and it will haunt me in the future even more, but I just don’t want to read about COVID (yet). Maybe in ten years or so. I read a little more and the pandemic stayed so I checked the number of times the word COVID was mentioned in this story. 16 times. I sighed again. And after reading another few pages, at 30% where a sentence began with ‘despite the worsening pandemic, I decided to DNF. I just couldn’t enjoy the story. Be aware that this is a me-thing, so please check out other reviews.
Sorry, Luke, I promise I’ll pick up your next book again. Please, could there be no COVID references?
I received an ARC from Atria Books and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Follow me on Instagram
Sorry, Luke, I promise I’ll pick up your next book again. Please, could there be no COVID references?
I received an ARC from Atria Books and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Follow me on Instagram
December 14, 2024
I thought this was a very clever novel. On the surface it's a murder mystery/ghost story. But in another more important way, this is a trauma narrative about loss and recovery. It's quite original--the premise involves a paleontologist who lost his sister in natural museum when he was a child. She was never recovered. Now as an adult Simon has returned to the scene of the crime only this time as it's head of paleontology. He feels his childhood trauma compels him to take the job. As the story progresses, he meets a wonderful array of colorful characters, some who are deeply eccentric, some who even claim the museum is haunted. Most of the tale involves his piecing together the clues of his sister's disappearance as he simultaneously pieces together a large dino-carnivore which is to be the newest attraction and heal the museum from its financial woes in the same way reconciling his sister's loss would heal him of his lifelong trauma. If read on this secondary level as a trauma narrative, the work of piecing together bones takes on multiple meanings, and it's this work which is it's own cure.
I've seen several readers who have asserted that some of the ghostly occurrences stretched their suspension of disbelief a bit too much, and I admit that I was having a similar reaction for 40-50 pages in the middle. But as I neared the end of the denouement, it became so obvious that the protagonist's deeply troubled past was a constant threat to both his waking psyche and his sleep cycle. Simon was still in fact suffering from night frights, something usually only experienced in childhood. In many ways, he is frozen in his development as child at the moment of the initial crisis. So it seems fair and reasonable that his imagination would be frozen in childlike acquiescence as well. Whatever he hears about the museum's haunted history, he then manifests and believes as a child would.
I read this novel very quickly--the prose is smooth and palatable and the story held my interest. I think it was incorrectly categorized, perhaps by advertising campaigns, as a horror/thriller novel. And it's reviews suffered from that expectation. It's a shame because the loss, survival and catharsis this novel expounds upon is really quite more profound. The whole storyline from start to finish is fantastically original, and I never saw the ending coming until all details began to add up, slide into place and form the body that death left it's traces of buried in the earth.
I've seen several readers who have asserted that some of the ghostly occurrences stretched their suspension of disbelief a bit too much, and I admit that I was having a similar reaction for 40-50 pages in the middle. But as I neared the end of the denouement, it became so obvious that the protagonist's deeply troubled past was a constant threat to both his waking psyche and his sleep cycle. Simon was still in fact suffering from night frights, something usually only experienced in childhood. In many ways, he is frozen in his development as child at the moment of the initial crisis. So it seems fair and reasonable that his imagination would be frozen in childlike acquiescence as well. Whatever he hears about the museum's haunted history, he then manifests and believes as a child would.
I read this novel very quickly--the prose is smooth and palatable and the story held my interest. I think it was incorrectly categorized, perhaps by advertising campaigns, as a horror/thriller novel. And it's reviews suffered from that expectation. It's a shame because the loss, survival and catharsis this novel expounds upon is really quite more profound. The whole storyline from start to finish is fantastically original, and I never saw the ending coming until all details began to add up, slide into place and form the body that death left it's traces of buried in the earth.
September 11, 2023
I might be in the minority here but I found the plot kind of dumb. It was a bit too goofy for me. It also started off quite slow. I do like the idea of incorporating dinosaurs because it’s rare to see dinosaurs in horror lately, but I felt the execution was lacking. There were also times I wanted to shake our main character because he was making some incredibly stupid decisions. The book somewhat reminded me of the movie Night at the Museum, so if you liked that movie then you might like this book.
In terms of the mystery of his sister’s disappearance it wasn’t hard to figure out who the perpetrator was. I did like some of the side characters we met such as Evie, Maurice, and Fran. Even though I wasn’t crazy with the overall story I did like how the book ended. It’s certainly a unique plot, I’ll give it that.
In terms of the mystery of his sister’s disappearance it wasn’t hard to figure out who the perpetrator was. I did like some of the side characters we met such as Evie, Maurice, and Fran. Even though I wasn’t crazy with the overall story I did like how the book ended. It’s certainly a unique plot, I’ll give it that.
November 18, 2023
Dinosaur ghosts! That is all. Read this book. 🦖 👻
January 14, 2024
4,0 ✨✨✨
( Audiobook)
( Audiobook)
March 2, 2025
Part of the reason I log so few books online is because I usually stop reading when a book is too uninteresting. But The Paleontologist struck a nerve in me. It was so disappointing I had to finish it to write this, because it actually helped solidify in my mind some of the things I crave in a good book. This book lacked pretty much all of them! Skip it, or get it from the library if you're still curious.
This review is a bit of a mess, and someday maybe I'll clean it up more and write something cohesive. I do tend to write reviews for my fellows who only read these things after they've read the book and are looking for someone to either rant or rave in the same way they did. So for now, if you also disliked this book, you've come to the right place. Let's walk through the many things wrong with The Paleontologist.
1) The book's prose is dull.
The beginning paragraph is pretty and intriguing. It sets a cool fall atmosphere and an attention to detail that are both immediately abandoned by the author. The rest of the book doesn't live up to the beauty of those first sentences. It's cardboard. It will occasionally give you an interesting moment of character interaction only to explain why that interaction was significant, or make some comment like "Simon thought there might be more to that story" when, duh, that character is lying and the readers aren't stupid so we did pick up on that. It's seriously basic stuff. There is no artistry here.
2) The characters lack passion.
I'm deeply moved by nature and dinosaurs. I wanted a story that appreciates the beauty and mystery of the natural world, and how dangerous it can be. This book makes dinosaurs (and the ghosts of dinosaurs!) about as interesting as bathroom wallpaper. Nobody is excited about them. Only one character ever mentions the awe-inspiring, emotional tidal wave of seeing a dinosaur in the flesh and blood (can you imagine?!). And all it gets is a mention. Practically everyone in this book is driven by the mundanity of daily life more than anything else. Hello! The protagonist is a paleontologist for crying out loud. His life's work, the creatures who we are separated from by billions of years, the creatures people have dedicated their lives to try and learn even an iota of what the world was like back then- he sees them in the flesh, and feels nothing! No awe, love, wonder, curiosity. Even the characters who are created to be weird don't do anything odd. One gal thinks she can talk to ghosts, and we get more words about her and Simon emptying a storage unit than her communing with the dead.
2) The book is slow.
Simon's hunt for the truth and his final confrontations lack any momentum or urgency. The character spends weeks, months even, doing nothing. Twilight (yes, the Stephanie Meyer book!) pulled off the depression months better, with the use of blank pages. At least that was creative, symbolic, and didn't waste our time making us read about weeks of nothing happening. In The Paleontologist we get no such artistry. And the cherry on top: As if the author thought, Simon's general inaction through this whole book wasn't enough, can we get it down to a cool 0%?
3) The main character is astoundingly dull.
The author describes nothing of interest about Simon for practically the entire book. Simon is a boring guy with anxiety and depression for a good 95% of The Paleontologist. That could have been perfectly fine; a dysfunctional character can really drive a plot forward. Unfortunately, the book lurches on almost despite the mediocrity of the main character. According to the author, based on what he chose to dedicate words to, there are no significant aspects of Simon's personality except small, gay, and doesn't-think-he's-priveledged. Nothing else gets "screen time" and that is the major, major issue of this book. The stuff that's interesting doesn't get screen time. It's not on the page. Simon becomes interesting at the VERY end of the book when he makes a couple VERY weird decisions (see spoilery section below). They touch on potential details that COULD have made for a creative story. This was not a creative story. It was by-the-numbers and lacked personality.
(Big spoilers here!)
I will go ahead and say a big "what the hell?" to the character's ending decision to dedicate his museum work to one of the two men who child-murdered his sister, and then covered it up and stayed silent for decades. This is straight-up presented as something that brings peace to a man who is on the mend from his mental burdens. I credit this decision to the author's complete lack of understanding of how to write an interesting character. A man who is willing to forgive and sympathize with a child murderer, entirely because he wasn't (in theory???) a child rapist, is fucking weird. This same man puts the tea set made of his murdered sister's bones, crafted by the man who killed her (for satanic ritual purposes that DID actually work! Magic is real in this world!) on display in his front foyer. Now THERE is an intersting story! We just had to read the very boring first 95% of the book to get here. Imagine THAT version of Simon, simultaneously working at the museum and pretending to be a private detective, his alias the name of a DIFFERENT person's dead kid. Now there's a frickin book! Imagine him seeing the ghosts of his life's work and being both terrified and awestruck... they hurt him, yet he cannot resist being close. He risks danger again and again for answers, and for their ability to make him feel something. Some kind of real internal turmoil. The potential was massive, but what we end up with is a nothingburger of mediocrity.
(End spoilers)
This book was mediocre. It helped me understand my own interests and dislikes, and it made me think more about writing as an art form, so I'll give it two stars.
This review is a bit of a mess, and someday maybe I'll clean it up more and write something cohesive. I do tend to write reviews for my fellows who only read these things after they've read the book and are looking for someone to either rant or rave in the same way they did. So for now, if you also disliked this book, you've come to the right place. Let's walk through the many things wrong with The Paleontologist.
1) The book's prose is dull.
The beginning paragraph is pretty and intriguing. It sets a cool fall atmosphere and an attention to detail that are both immediately abandoned by the author. The rest of the book doesn't live up to the beauty of those first sentences. It's cardboard. It will occasionally give you an interesting moment of character interaction only to explain why that interaction was significant, or make some comment like "Simon thought there might be more to that story" when, duh, that character is lying and the readers aren't stupid so we did pick up on that. It's seriously basic stuff. There is no artistry here.
2) The characters lack passion.
I'm deeply moved by nature and dinosaurs. I wanted a story that appreciates the beauty and mystery of the natural world, and how dangerous it can be. This book makes dinosaurs (and the ghosts of dinosaurs!) about as interesting as bathroom wallpaper. Nobody is excited about them. Only one character ever mentions the awe-inspiring, emotional tidal wave of seeing a dinosaur in the flesh and blood (can you imagine?!). And all it gets is a mention. Practically everyone in this book is driven by the mundanity of daily life more than anything else. Hello! The protagonist is a paleontologist for crying out loud. His life's work, the creatures who we are separated from by billions of years, the creatures people have dedicated their lives to try and learn even an iota of what the world was like back then- he sees them in the flesh, and feels nothing! No awe, love, wonder, curiosity. Even the characters who are created to be weird don't do anything odd. One gal thinks she can talk to ghosts, and we get more words about her and Simon emptying a storage unit than her communing with the dead.
2) The book is slow.
Simon's hunt for the truth and his final confrontations lack any momentum or urgency. The character spends weeks, months even, doing nothing. Twilight (yes, the Stephanie Meyer book!) pulled off the depression months better, with the use of blank pages. At least that was creative, symbolic, and didn't waste our time making us read about weeks of nothing happening. In The Paleontologist we get no such artistry. And the cherry on top: As if the author thought, Simon's general inaction through this whole book wasn't enough, can we get it down to a cool 0%?
3) The main character is astoundingly dull.
The author describes nothing of interest about Simon for practically the entire book. Simon is a boring guy with anxiety and depression for a good 95% of The Paleontologist. That could have been perfectly fine; a dysfunctional character can really drive a plot forward. Unfortunately, the book lurches on almost despite the mediocrity of the main character. According to the author, based on what he chose to dedicate words to, there are no significant aspects of Simon's personality except small, gay, and doesn't-think-he's-priveledged. Nothing else gets "screen time" and that is the major, major issue of this book. The stuff that's interesting doesn't get screen time. It's not on the page. Simon becomes interesting at the VERY end of the book when he makes a couple VERY weird decisions (see spoilery section below). They touch on potential details that COULD have made for a creative story. This was not a creative story. It was by-the-numbers and lacked personality.
(Big spoilers here!)
I will go ahead and say a big "what the hell?" to the character's ending decision to dedicate his museum work to one of the two men who child-murdered his sister, and then covered it up and stayed silent for decades. This is straight-up presented as something that brings peace to a man who is on the mend from his mental burdens. I credit this decision to the author's complete lack of understanding of how to write an interesting character. A man who is willing to forgive and sympathize with a child murderer, entirely because he wasn't (in theory???) a child rapist, is fucking weird. This same man puts the tea set made of his murdered sister's bones, crafted by the man who killed her (for satanic ritual purposes that DID actually work! Magic is real in this world!) on display in his front foyer. Now THERE is an intersting story! We just had to read the very boring first 95% of the book to get here. Imagine THAT version of Simon, simultaneously working at the museum and pretending to be a private detective, his alias the name of a DIFFERENT person's dead kid. Now there's a frickin book! Imagine him seeing the ghosts of his life's work and being both terrified and awestruck... they hurt him, yet he cannot resist being close. He risks danger again and again for answers, and for their ability to make him feel something. Some kind of real internal turmoil. The potential was massive, but what we end up with is a nothingburger of mediocrity.
(End spoilers)
This book was mediocre. It helped me understand my own interests and dislikes, and it made me think more about writing as an art form, so I'll give it two stars.
December 16, 2023
despite the cover, not a single t-rex to be found
December 31, 2023
4.25⭐️
This was such a unique and interesting book! I really had no idea where it was going but went along for the ride and was pleasantly surprised by the ending. Certainly has Night at the Museum vibes in book form which I found really fun!
This was such a unique and interesting book! I really had no idea where it was going but went along for the ride and was pleasantly surprised by the ending. Certainly has Night at the Museum vibes in book form which I found really fun!
February 25, 2024
“For anyone who has sought refuge in the prehistoric past in order to escape their present.”
Because of the dinosaur ghosts, I’ll forgive a multitude of problems here. I took issue with the writing style, the pacing, the scientific anachronisms, and the plot holes. Still, the dinosaur hauntings were remarkably well done; the descriptions of dinosaur sounds were immersive and even emotional, and the warm and muggy atmosphere that preceded dinosaur appearances was a nice touch. While there were moments where the writing had opportunities to shine, particularly during ominous metaphorical comparisons between the protagonist’s past and earth’s prehistoric past (see quotes below), this book was unfortunately lacking in many ways:
Writing Style
• I have never seen so many similes. In the first 1.5 pages, the reader is already presented with seven similes: “… like a giant’s fist … like opposing flows of silver lava … like a desert butte … like a once mighty Edmontosaurus caught in a peat bog … like paper that had met with a spill … like snakes attempting to scale the façade … like the trees they’d been made from.” The similes are so frequent that they start to stand out like a sore thumb and ruin the immersion of reading.
Tired Tropes
• The ‘haunted house’ vibes of the Hawthorne Museum of Natural History were so overwritten and cliched. It felt like Luke Dumas wasn’t sure which details would effectively communicate the creepy vibe he hoped to achieve, so he just threw everything at the wall to see what stuck. This museum has got an isolated location with mists of fog, a crumbling façade, climbing weeds, broken clock, grimy broken windows, ominous latin phrase etched above main doorway, dust, cobwebs, skittering cockroaches, dank smell, mold, creaky doors, inadequate illumination, shuddering elevator, flickering lights, rattling pipes, dark hallways, creepy caretaker, questionable past, crusty painted portraits, spotty wifi/cell service… It all piles up to something that’s so campy and ridiculous that the actual dinosaur ghosts suffer from the lack of a serious setting.
• We’ve got yet another protagonist who uncovers a secret manuscript/diary that might solve the entire mystery or even contain an outright confession but refuses to read the whole thing with any sense of urgency because they are tired/upset/insert-lame-excuse-here. (See Colleen Hoover’s Verity). I can quickly think of several much more plausible reasons for the protagonist to be prevented from reading the manuscript faster than would be convenient for the plot: manuscript is confiscated by museum leadership (instead, the protagonist literally confiscates the manuscript from himself and throws it back into an area of the museum with restricted access, for … reasons?), work/family emergency (which do exist in the plot, but are not used as an excuse for not reading the manuscript), only part of the manuscript is initially found, or even a literal dinosaur ghost interruption!?
Pacing
• The protagonist has a descent into a mental health spiral that is presented via an incredibly brief and poorly developed montage. The overall effect was that of the author hastily attempting to bridge between two pre-determined plot points. Clearly, there was some intent for a darkening of the emotional tone of the novel as a turning point or raising-of-the-stakes, but the attempt was so rushed that the stated emotions were unsupported and felt unearned.
• The protagonist is unconscious during the climax of the novel and the action occurs ‘off-screen.’ Another character later tells the protagonist what happened, which is probably the most boring way for the reader to experience the conclusion.
Scientific anachronisms
• In this book, a document written by a paleontologist in 1999 states that the “K-T boundary was formed 66 million years ago” (pg. 150), even though scientific consensus in 1999 instead supported an age of 65 Ma for that boundary.
Plot holes
There are huge discrepancies in the plot that need to be explained. First, there is no internal consistency regarding the supernatural elements of the plot:
[moderate spoilers]:
Second, when the mystery is finally solved, the revelations uncover some seriously baffling decisions that certain characters had to have made to enable the plot to be so neatly wrapped up. There are not any good explanations here, and it makes the plot feel very contrived and unlikely (and I’m not even talking about dinosaur ghosts).
[HUGE spoilers]:
Quotes:
“IN OSSIBUS TERRAE VERITAS INVENIETUR . . . In the bones of the Earth shall the truth be found.” (pg. 2)
“these fossils had been the ultimate escape. Had transported him to another time and place, a lush and wild frontier of strange lands and fantastic creatures, a world apart from the bitter, gnashing one to which he’d been born.” (pg. 11)
“With enormous effort, the animal lifted its head. Simon jumped back and Theo’s deep tremulous cry echoed through the darkness, filling the hall up to the rafters, vibrating down to the core of Simon’s soul. He knew this sound all too well. It nested in the marrow of his bones. Not a cry of pain, but a wail of mourning. A keen of depraved eviscerating loss, howling across the emptiness of time as if the animal had been saving it for Simon’s ears only.” (pg. 177)
November 13, 2023
Described as Night at the Museum as reimagined by Michael Crichton and Stephen King??? Uhhh HELL YES I loved A History of Fear by Luke l so I just knew (in my bones 👀 !) I would adore this book as soon as I seen the premise, ghost dinosaurs? Gimme! I loved this so damn much it is most definitely another favourite book I've read so far this year, it was a whole lot of nerdy scary fun with heart, this was a slow burn but I enjoyed the journey, I appreciated all the dino facts and I honestly think I have a diploma in paleontology now??, it was a lot of information but it never felt like it over saturated the plot, I thought the theme of archeology/paleontology dug deeper (LOL sorry) into the theme of trauma, grief and loss, serving as a metaphor for Simon unnearthing his own past.
As well as death this touches upon some topics such as nepotism, white male privilege and has references throughout to covid, I thought it was really well done and not over bearing, I loved the supernatural horror in this and I am just in love with this charming book, the writing was witty and Dumas has crafted an unforgettable protagonist in Simon who I was just as much invested in as I was the mystery surrounding his sister, this is horror with heart and I highly recommend! also did I mention GHOST DINOSAURS?!?!?
As well as death this touches upon some topics such as nepotism, white male privilege and has references throughout to covid, I thought it was really well done and not over bearing, I loved the supernatural horror in this and I am just in love with this charming book, the writing was witty and Dumas has crafted an unforgettable protagonist in Simon who I was just as much invested in as I was the mystery surrounding his sister, this is horror with heart and I highly recommend! also did I mention GHOST DINOSAURS?!?!?
January 18, 2024
I had such high hopes for this book based on the synopsis and cover. Sadly, it just wasn't for me. Our main character, Simon, begins working (during the COVID days) at a museum that he remembers from his childhood.
This museum is the place where he last saw his little sister, before she disappeared.
To be fair, this book had a good idea at it's core, but I felt it was bogged down too much by the constant mention of COVID and masks (by the 20th time, I didn't care how someone was wearing their mask)--these details just took me right out of the "thriller" aspect, and into "skim reading". I tried to connect to the main character, but just didn't find him (or anyone, save one elderly woman) very interesting or memorable.
The book had a few good moments where I thought things were going to go further in those areas, but then Simon (or another) would go home and the next day act as if nothing had happened. Repeat.
This was only my personal opinion, and I've seen some very good reviews for this one. As always, I urge you to check it out for yourself if it sounds like something you'd be interested in.
This museum is the place where he last saw his little sister, before she disappeared.
To be fair, this book had a good idea at it's core, but I felt it was bogged down too much by the constant mention of COVID and masks (by the 20th time, I didn't care how someone was wearing their mask)--these details just took me right out of the "thriller" aspect, and into "skim reading". I tried to connect to the main character, but just didn't find him (or anyone, save one elderly woman) very interesting or memorable.
The book had a few good moments where I thought things were going to go further in those areas, but then Simon (or another) would go home and the next day act as if nothing had happened. Repeat.
This was only my personal opinion, and I've seen some very good reviews for this one. As always, I urge you to check it out for yourself if it sounds like something you'd be interested in.
March 20, 2024
Oh ? My god ? This was excellent ! This was story telling at its finest and true horror ! I had so much fun with these dinosaur ghosts but what really got to me was its emotional mystery. There are themes of gay loneliness , existential dread, all sorts of very thematic fears ON TOP of a bonkers sci-fi Dino horror. It also gave extreme first-person horror video game vibes. I know that’s specific , but every time I returned to this museum with Simon our protagonist, I got the same feeling of walking down the claustrophobic dark hallways of a scary video game. This was such a good book.
January 24, 2024
DNF . Worst book I have picked up in awhile. This book irritated me so much. If u love reading about covid and masks and how people are not wearing masks and this person had a booster and blah blah then u will love this book. As for me… I want to burn the book. And don’t even get me started on all the woke shit. DNF
March 16, 2025
There aren't too many books that hook me just from a single sentence description of the plot, but "museum haunted by dinosaur ghosts" is a wild enough premise to get me on board. A haunted paleontologist returns to the museum where his sister was abducted years earlier and is faced with his past.
2/5 It was…fine. The pacing was a bit slow, had me thinking of "'Jurassic Park' meets 'Night at the Museum".
Most of the loose ends are tied up by the end, but one thing that was odd to me was why didn't anybody else question the weird stuff that happened at the museum (bloody letters, living shadows etc)?
Just assuming a bear did it or vandals... Because teen vandals don't normally eviscerate an entire deer and leave it in the foyer. Instead the characters don't investigating further, and just kind of going "oh well" and shrug.
My biggest problem was the tone shifts during the last part of the novel, and the ending. It felt like it was trying to be a supernatural thriller and a straight hunt-the-killer procedural at the same time. Also, the main character is irritating enough for my to start voting for the serial-killer/supernatural dino ghosts.
...What's more, the entire thing felt like COVID porn. The author seemed so interested in assuring people that he had followed each and every regulation put in place during the height of the pandemic, it's an excellent opportunity for a setting. Giving how covid is (hopefully) a unique point in history, if that was the goal. However it randomly and so forcefully manifested it felt more like they wanted a pat on the head/were worried about being canceled for it?
2/5 It was…fine. The pacing was a bit slow, had me thinking of "'Jurassic Park' meets 'Night at the Museum".
Most of the loose ends are tied up by the end, but one thing that was odd to me was why didn't anybody else question the weird stuff that happened at the museum (bloody letters, living shadows etc)?
Just assuming a bear did it or vandals... Because teen vandals don't normally eviscerate an entire deer and leave it in the foyer. Instead the characters don't investigating further, and just kind of going "oh well" and shrug.
My biggest problem was the tone shifts during the last part of the novel, and the ending. It felt like it was trying to be a supernatural thriller and a straight hunt-the-killer procedural at the same time. Also, the main character is irritating enough for my to start voting for the serial-killer/supernatural dino ghosts.
...What's more, the entire thing felt like COVID porn. The author seemed so interested in assuring people that he had followed each and every regulation put in place during the height of the pandemic, it's an excellent opportunity for a setting. Giving how covid is (hopefully) a unique point in history, if that was the goal. However it randomly and so forcefully manifested it felt more like they wanted a pat on the head/were worried about being canceled for it?
November 3, 2023
I really thought I was going to like this more. Think I just expected to much.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,772 reviews