The Witch of Babylon by D.J. McIntosh is an exhaustively researched page-turner about ancient myths, precious artifacts, alchemy and hidden treasures. The originality of the plot, amazingly accurate research, and ability to catch the reader's interest from the get-go and hold it until the last word in the last sentence of the last page, make D.J McIntosh an exceptional author. I'm truly grateful for the chance to read and review her book!
John Madison is a 32-year-old Turkish-American art dealer from New York. He lost his parents in a mining accident at the age of 3 and was raised by his much older brother, Samuel, who helped John get started in the art business. When we meet Madison for the first time he is recovering from a car accident in which he lost his brother. Before his tragic death, Samuel made a sensational discovery. During his stay in Iraq he found an ancient artifact of great significance. This stone tablet is one of the greatest finds in all of Iraqi history. Protecting it became an obsession for Samuel. To save it from looters he smuggled it out of Iraq into the US. After Samuel's death the artifact was stolen by his childhood friend, Hall Vanderlin. Before Hall managed to sell it, he was murdered. Now, John Madison finds himself caught in a deadly game staged by Hall. To save his life, he must solve the puzzle and find the tablet. With members of Alchemy Archives, a deadly secret society, pursuing him, John Madison is about to set out on a dangerous, yet fascinating journey through time and space.
The Witch of Babylon is a great book for a number of reasons. It's a very engaging and entertaining yet essentially light read. It's also filled with fascinating bits of information about the history of Iraq and a myriad of other related topics including art, Mesopotamian mythology and religious symbols and ideas.
D.J. McIntosh mastered the art of suspense and action thriller. Thanks to her extensive and impressive knowledge, this action-packed story has a fabulous historical and mythological background. What I liked the most, though, was the way McIntosh managed to skillfully intertwine all the myths and historical facts into the plot, creating a perfectly balanced novel. Thanks to her smooth writing style the information we were given throughout the novel did not come across as boring or overwhelming.
In the end, The Witch of Babylon became an obsession, a book I couldn't put down because it intrigued me so. It is a brain teaser, a book that engages the mind in a quest to figure out the codes and solve the puzzles before the characters do. It fueled my curiosity to know more about both the ancient civilization of Mesopotamia and the modern-day Iraq. I found myself absolutely engrossed in the plot, after all, who doesn't like solid mystery novels involving a treasure hunt? I admit, in the beginning I wasn't very fond of the main protagonist, but overtime, as I learned more about him and his past, he kind of grew on me and I now can't wait to get my hands on the next book in the Mesopotamian Trilogy.
The bottom-line is, anyone with an interest in ancient history and mythology will enjoy this book. It's a fantastic mystery novel comparable to Dan Brown's bestsellers. Go get yourself a copy, you won't regret it!
