The Lost Goddess by Tom Knox, Viking Adult, February 2012This thriller has two plot lines that come together in the end. In the first, an archeologist, Julia Kerrigan working in a French cave discovers ancient skulls that have had crude brain surgery performed prior to death. She shares the discovery with the group leader and soon enough he is dead at the hand of a mysterious Asian woman. Her mentor is also killed soon after in a particularly violent manner. Kerrigan makes the connection with a similar discovery in Cambodia and for inexplicable reasons (other than to advance the plot) follows the mystery to Cambodia with a scary stop in one of the Russian republics. In Southeast Asia a photojournalist, Jake Thurby takes an assignment to uncover the mysteries of the Plain of Jars in Cambodia. He accompanies a beautiful Cambodian lawyer trying to uncover truths about the origins of the genocide of the Pol Pot era in Cambodia. Thurby and the lawyer find living evidence of Cambodians who had brain surgery performed in an attempt to produce an evil race of warriors without conscience. Let me stop right now with the plot summary because it will only sound more farfetched. Suffice to say that the two storylines come together, the principals make some poor choices, both government officials and bad guys end up in pursuit and a unique ending is provided.
First off let me say that fantasy thriller is not a genre I read much of so I am probably not the best person to review this. It is a well written story with some unique parts. The storyline deals with two famous archeological finds – the Plain of Jars in Cambodia and the Hands of Gargas in France – that are far from well trod ground in thriller land. The characters are forever deciding to linger somewhere just a moment too long and have about six close escapes from the pursuers; to me it got to be quite annoying. The end of the story was a way too long with dumps of sociology and religious radicalism that went on for pages. I think this book could have been quite good with better editing - the plot line was unique, the writing quite competent, but the character development was lacking and the denouement way too long. Don’t think I’ll read another by this author.
I read a copy of this book provided by the publisher.
left off - Thursday, a Literary Detective Special Ops agent, is married to Landen and expecting their first child. Sounds normal right – not a chance!! Things immediately go wrong for Thursday; she runs afoul of the Goliath Corporation, her fame from the Eyre Affair haunts her, her husband is eradicated from the time line to force her to work for Goliath Corporation, an unknown villain is trying to kill her by coincidence, and oh by the way the world is scheduled to end in five days! 
When he kills a minor character in the novel, a deed that erases this character from the work forever, the plot is on! Before you know it, not only are minor characters in danger but 
herself is threatened! I will not even make an attempt to summarize this plot as it will sound ridiculous in an abridged form but each page holds its own delights. This novel will charm English majors with the satire aimed at English lit. Characters argue over the true authorship of Shakespeare’s plays, join societies dedicated to John Milton and in my favorite chapter, audience participation in the presentation of Richard III that harkens back to The Rocky Horror Picture Show. I think even if you do not have a detailed knowledge of English literature you’ll enjoy this book, but it is certainly enhanced if you know the story line of Jane Eyre. Thursday Next is a fully developed character with a quirky family, appealing work colleagues and a love interest. A veteran of the Crimean War (Tennyson’s Charge of the Light Brigade is a sub plot) Next is human and sympathetic enough to carry this series – I understand there are a total of 5 books.