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Zelda Richardson Mystery #2
Rituals of the Dead
A museum researcher must solve a decades-old murder before she becomes the killer’s next victim in this riveting dual timeline thriller set in Papua and the Netherlands.
Agats, Dutch New Guinea (Papua), 1961: While collecting Asmat artifacts for a New York museum, American anthropologist Nick Mayfield stumbles upon a smuggling ring organized by high-ranking members of the Dutch colonial government and the Catholic Church. Before he can alert the authorities, he vanishes in a mangrove swamp, never to be seen again.
Amsterdam, the Netherlands, 2018: While preparing for an exhibition of Asmat artifacts in a Dutch ethnographic museum, researcher Zelda Richardson finds Nick Mayfield’s journal in a long-forgotten crate. Before Zelda can finish reading the journal, her housemate is brutally murdered and ‘Give back what is not yours’ is scrawled on their living room wall.
Someone wants ancient history to stay that way—and believes murder is the surest way to keep the past buried.
Can she solve a sixty-year-old mystery before decades of deceit, greed, and retribution cost Zelda her life?
Art, religion and history collide in this edge-of-your-seat museum thriller, Book Two of the Zelda Richardson Mystery Series. The novels in this series can be read in any order.
Agats, Dutch New Guinea (Papua), 1961: While collecting Asmat artifacts for a New York museum, American anthropologist Nick Mayfield stumbles upon a smuggling ring organized by high-ranking members of the Dutch colonial government and the Catholic Church. Before he can alert the authorities, he vanishes in a mangrove swamp, never to be seen again.
Amsterdam, the Netherlands, 2018: While preparing for an exhibition of Asmat artifacts in a Dutch ethnographic museum, researcher Zelda Richardson finds Nick Mayfield’s journal in a long-forgotten crate. Before Zelda can finish reading the journal, her housemate is brutally murdered and ‘Give back what is not yours’ is scrawled on their living room wall.
Someone wants ancient history to stay that way—and believes murder is the surest way to keep the past buried.
Can she solve a sixty-year-old mystery before decades of deceit, greed, and retribution cost Zelda her life?
Art, religion and history collide in this edge-of-your-seat museum thriller, Book Two of the Zelda Richardson Mystery Series. The novels in this series can be read in any order.
260 pages, ebook
Published April 15, 2018
827 people are currently reading
1577 people want to read
About the author
Jennifer S. Alderson
41 books759 followersHi! I am an American expat currently living in Amsterdam. After traveling extensively around Asia, Oceania, and Central America, I moved to Darwin, Australia, before finally settling in the Netherlands. When not writing, you can find me in a museum, biking around Amsterdam, or enjoying a coffee along the canal while planning my next research trip.
My love of travel, art, and culture inspires my award-winning Zelda Richardson Art Mystery series, Travel Can Be Murder Cozy Mysteries, and Carmen De Luca Art Sleuth Mysteries.
Connect with me here on Goodreads, Facebook, Instagram, or my website.
Thanks for stopping by!
My love of travel, art, and culture inspires my award-winning Zelda Richardson Art Mystery series, Travel Can Be Murder Cozy Mysteries, and Carmen De Luca Art Sleuth Mysteries.
Connect with me here on Goodreads, Facebook, Instagram, or my website.
Thanks for stopping by!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 83 reviews
October 26, 2018
The third entry in the museum and artifact-themed Zelda Richardson quasi-cozy mystery series has much to offer those fascinated with other cultures, especially primitive ones. Like Lover’s Portrait, the second in the series, there are intermittent flashbacks woven throughout the present day narrative which have a direct correlation to what’s happening now. The author has done a good job in making the flashbacks to Nicholas Mayfield’s expedition in 1962 as interesting as the present day narrative of Zelda’s involvement with an exhibition about the Asmat culture. Because Mayfield disappeared mysteriously, the reader already has one mystery, and more are added when crates stored for decades create more mysteries than they solve.
Bis Poles, old bones that shouldn’t be there, a belt buckle and a discovered journal Zelda is charged with transcribing for the Tropenmuseum of Amsterdam are only a few elements of this mystery. The author does a good job of bringing the reader into this world, showing the conflicts between governments and museums in regard to exhibits and ownership of artifacts. She does an even better job of making it all interesting, and flow well. While there is no breathtaking pace, a likable protagonist, and the developing mystery — amidst the museum setting, and in the past — is all entertaining enough and interesting enough to keep the reader turning pages.
Zelda photographs and catalogs items while transcribing a journal they hope will help answer some of the questions surrounding Mayfield’s expedition, and his mysterious disappearance. It turns out that someone close to home was part of that expedition, but their reaction to the discoveries are unexpected, creating another mystery. Up to this point, this is definitely cozy mystery country, but then there is a brutal murder, and the journal is gone. The sudden violence, though committed offscreen as befits a cerebral cozy, is very well done, and has an impact for the reader. This is where I had a minor caveat, however.
It’s done so well, you expect it to take the story — Zelda — in that direction. Yet, we quickly get back into the day-to-day work on the exhibit, alternating between flashbacks of the ill-fated expedition of young and wealthy Nicholas Mayfield. While that isn’t a bad thing, as it’s all interesting, the impact of the murder was muted somewhat, the opportunity to ratchet up the tension smothered a bit in the day-to-day goings on for this reader. By the time there is a second murder, it was difficult to recall the first, and recapture the impact. It’s a minor caveat, however, since this is an entertaining and interesting read in this genre. It did make the finale a bit flat for me, however, but I suspect those who love the cozy genre will be very pleased.
My only other caveat, has to do with the romantic side of the Zelda Richardson mysteries. In the previous entry, Lover’s Portrait, the reader got to know and like Zelda’s friend, Friedrich. The narrative very much appeared to be building toward a romance between them. The author went another direction, however, which is fine, and the Friedrich character was relegated to “friend” status. I assumed at the time — and believe I commented about it in my review of Lover’s Portrait — that this was probably to keep Zelda free for future books. And that’s exactly what I got here with the Jacob character. But…
My first issue was that Friedrich here didn’t figure in much, and a few times came off as sort of immature. My second was the blandness of Zelda’s relationship with Jacob. When it came up, I actually had to go back to remember who he was in the story. The relationship of Friedrich and Zelda in Lover’s Portrait was engaging — even if inevitably disappointing. I felt at the time that it was an opportunity missed, because there was such charm there. Here, I neither liked nor disliked Jacob, and it didn’t have the same charm or backstory as the one in Lover’s Portrait. Like the climax, it seemed a tad artificial, just a tiny bit perfunctory.
I have to stress these are ticky-tack caveats, and not ones I’d allow to affect my rating. The audience for this will most likely find it extremely enjoyable. I did as well. I guess what I’m saying, is while I really liked Rituals of the Dead, I liked Lover’s Portrait a tad more. Rituals of the Dead is a fine read in the cozy mystery genre. But while it is perhaps more technically polished than the previous entry, I thought Lover’s Portrait had a bit more heart. Still, I’m giving this four stars (probably 4.2 for me) because it succeeds as an entertaining read in this genre, and I enjoyed it.
Bis Poles, old bones that shouldn’t be there, a belt buckle and a discovered journal Zelda is charged with transcribing for the Tropenmuseum of Amsterdam are only a few elements of this mystery. The author does a good job of bringing the reader into this world, showing the conflicts between governments and museums in regard to exhibits and ownership of artifacts. She does an even better job of making it all interesting, and flow well. While there is no breathtaking pace, a likable protagonist, and the developing mystery — amidst the museum setting, and in the past — is all entertaining enough and interesting enough to keep the reader turning pages.
Zelda photographs and catalogs items while transcribing a journal they hope will help answer some of the questions surrounding Mayfield’s expedition, and his mysterious disappearance. It turns out that someone close to home was part of that expedition, but their reaction to the discoveries are unexpected, creating another mystery. Up to this point, this is definitely cozy mystery country, but then there is a brutal murder, and the journal is gone. The sudden violence, though committed offscreen as befits a cerebral cozy, is very well done, and has an impact for the reader. This is where I had a minor caveat, however.
It’s done so well, you expect it to take the story — Zelda — in that direction. Yet, we quickly get back into the day-to-day work on the exhibit, alternating between flashbacks of the ill-fated expedition of young and wealthy Nicholas Mayfield. While that isn’t a bad thing, as it’s all interesting, the impact of the murder was muted somewhat, the opportunity to ratchet up the tension smothered a bit in the day-to-day goings on for this reader. By the time there is a second murder, it was difficult to recall the first, and recapture the impact. It’s a minor caveat, however, since this is an entertaining and interesting read in this genre. It did make the finale a bit flat for me, however, but I suspect those who love the cozy genre will be very pleased.
My only other caveat, has to do with the romantic side of the Zelda Richardson mysteries. In the previous entry, Lover’s Portrait, the reader got to know and like Zelda’s friend, Friedrich. The narrative very much appeared to be building toward a romance between them. The author went another direction, however, which is fine, and the Friedrich character was relegated to “friend” status. I assumed at the time — and believe I commented about it in my review of Lover’s Portrait — that this was probably to keep Zelda free for future books. And that’s exactly what I got here with the Jacob character. But…
My first issue was that Friedrich here didn’t figure in much, and a few times came off as sort of immature. My second was the blandness of Zelda’s relationship with Jacob. When it came up, I actually had to go back to remember who he was in the story. The relationship of Friedrich and Zelda in Lover’s Portrait was engaging — even if inevitably disappointing. I felt at the time that it was an opportunity missed, because there was such charm there. Here, I neither liked nor disliked Jacob, and it didn’t have the same charm or backstory as the one in Lover’s Portrait. Like the climax, it seemed a tad artificial, just a tiny bit perfunctory.
I have to stress these are ticky-tack caveats, and not ones I’d allow to affect my rating. The audience for this will most likely find it extremely enjoyable. I did as well. I guess what I’m saying, is while I really liked Rituals of the Dead, I liked Lover’s Portrait a tad more. Rituals of the Dead is a fine read in the cozy mystery genre. But while it is perhaps more technically polished than the previous entry, I thought Lover’s Portrait had a bit more heart. Still, I’m giving this four stars (probably 4.2 for me) because it succeeds as an entertaining read in this genre, and I enjoyed it.
December 11, 2018
Jennifer Alderson’s first-hand experience and meticulous research make this well-written novel a fascinating read. Her attention to detail is bound to captivate anthropology fans. It also poses the moral question as to who owns the rights to ancient artifacts and how they should be treated. The protagonist, Zelda Richardson, is an engaging, ethical researcher that readers will easily applaud. My compliments to Jennifer Alderson for another enjoyable read.
May 6, 2018
If you’re looking for a mystery jam-packed with art and history, look no further. History comes alive as Alderson interweaves the past (the disappearance of an archeologist in 1962) with art student Zelda Richardson’s present assignment (a museum exhibition of bis poles). Being a lover of history, I enjoyed learning about past and present Dutch history while trying to solve two mysteries. Zelda is a fun and inquisitive sleuth! I look forward to going on more adventures with her.
March 12, 2018
“Rituals of the Dead” was given to me for an advance review and it just blew me away. I’ve read other books by Jennifer S. Alderson and am quite familiar with the quirky naivete of Zelda Richardson, the main character in Jennifer’s thrillers. This book sees Zelda in the centre of an anthropological mystery where her trusting, yet inquisitive nature, which makes her so endearing to the reader, could potentially spell the end of her life. The pace is fast without being hectic; the intrigue unfolds steadily, sustaining the reader’s interest to the very end.
I enjoyed every single line of the book, but my favourite parts were the flashbacks where the author offers a glimpse of a culture that I know very little about. The chapters set in Papua and New Guinea, the insights into the life and rituals of the Asmat people are, in my opinion, priceless.
I recommend the book to everybody who is interested not just in thrillers, but in cultural exploration as well. And if you want to witness the growth of the main character, I recommend that you read “Down and Out in Kathmandu” and “The Lover’s Portrait”.
I enjoyed every single line of the book, but my favourite parts were the flashbacks where the author offers a glimpse of a culture that I know very little about. The chapters set in Papua and New Guinea, the insights into the life and rituals of the Asmat people are, in my opinion, priceless.
I recommend the book to everybody who is interested not just in thrillers, but in cultural exploration as well. And if you want to witness the growth of the main character, I recommend that you read “Down and Out in Kathmandu” and “The Lover’s Portrait”.
May 21, 2018
This is the third instalment of the Zelda Richardson novel by Jennifer Alderson. Honestly, they just keep getting better! I was so happy to continue with Zelda's story. She is completely relatable and just wanting to graduate her masters program and then work in museum research...clearly that is too much to ask...
Zelda has once again, through no particular fault of her own, become embroiled in another mystery. This time as she is taking notes for the Troppenmuseum's Bis Pole exhibition, a journal belonging to none other than Nick Mayfield, an anthropologist of sorts that went missing decades earlier, is found. As the people around Zelda begin to die and her life is threatened, she must race to solve the mystery before anyone else gets hurt.
I have continued with this series from the very beginning, and it just keeps getting better. Zelda keeps getting stronger as a character. I still feel that she is incredibly relatable in that she isn't infallible. She continuously makes mistakes that she must fix, and I think that this is completely human. She has really done some growing up from her first adventure, she has found her niche. With that said there is still room for her to grow as well, and it is great following along on her journey!
The plot in this one, I have to say isn't my favorite. I enjoyed the mystery in The Lover's Portrait much more. I had a little trouble with the 'bad guys' in the end. I was confused by a few incidents that didn't make sense to their characters, but it was also such a minor thing that it was easy to move past it for me. However, the story itself was intriguing. I had never even heard of Bis Poles or the Asmat, so score of Alderson in teaching me something new!
I highly recommend the series starting with 'Down and Out in Kathmandu'. I will be continuing with Zelda's stories until there isn't any more left. I'm in for long haul. :)
I received this novel from the author in exchange for an honest review. My thoughts are completely my own.
Zelda has once again, through no particular fault of her own, become embroiled in another mystery. This time as she is taking notes for the Troppenmuseum's Bis Pole exhibition, a journal belonging to none other than Nick Mayfield, an anthropologist of sorts that went missing decades earlier, is found. As the people around Zelda begin to die and her life is threatened, she must race to solve the mystery before anyone else gets hurt.
I have continued with this series from the very beginning, and it just keeps getting better. Zelda keeps getting stronger as a character. I still feel that she is incredibly relatable in that she isn't infallible. She continuously makes mistakes that she must fix, and I think that this is completely human. She has really done some growing up from her first adventure, she has found her niche. With that said there is still room for her to grow as well, and it is great following along on her journey!
The plot in this one, I have to say isn't my favorite. I enjoyed the mystery in The Lover's Portrait much more. I had a little trouble with the 'bad guys' in the end. I was confused by a few incidents that didn't make sense to their characters, but it was also such a minor thing that it was easy to move past it for me. However, the story itself was intriguing. I had never even heard of Bis Poles or the Asmat, so score of Alderson in teaching me something new!
I highly recommend the series starting with 'Down and Out in Kathmandu'. I will be continuing with Zelda's stories until there isn't any more left. I'm in for long haul. :)
I received this novel from the author in exchange for an honest review. My thoughts are completely my own.
September 29, 2018
Rituals of the Dead is a tense mystery thriller that combines the sedate world of Dutch museums with a decades-old murder on the far side of the world. Zelda Richardson is an American expatriate, working as an intern to support her Master’s thesis in Amsterdam, when her research starts dragging up details that don't quite mesh with the official version of events. Her off-books work almost costs her her internship, and that's only the beginning of the trouble. Can Zelda figure out how the facts tie together before the consequences catch up with her?
Author Jennifer S. Alderson has a unique gift for taking a setting that should be incredibly tranquil, and smoothly weaving in the oddities that make her case until the calm of the academic atmosphere is well and truly overturned. Zelda isn't a hardboiled and capable detective; in fact, she's the opposite; timid and willing to allow people to treat her badly in case standing up for herself causes her to lose her position, but driven by curiosity to investigate the threads that don't quite tie in. The world-building in this series is also outstanding, built on detail but without beating the reader over the head with a litany of research. Fans of mystery and crime will definitely enjoy this book.
Reviewed for By Rite of Word.
Author Jennifer S. Alderson has a unique gift for taking a setting that should be incredibly tranquil, and smoothly weaving in the oddities that make her case until the calm of the academic atmosphere is well and truly overturned. Zelda isn't a hardboiled and capable detective; in fact, she's the opposite; timid and willing to allow people to treat her badly in case standing up for herself causes her to lose her position, but driven by curiosity to investigate the threads that don't quite tie in. The world-building in this series is also outstanding, built on detail but without beating the reader over the head with a litany of research. Fans of mystery and crime will definitely enjoy this book.
Reviewed for By Rite of Word.
April 5, 2018
Zelda Richardson is an adventurous heroine who loves to solve mysteries. She needs to succeed in her placement as an intern at the Tropenmuseum in Amsterdam but the work involves Asmat Bis poles from Papua New Guinea, totems made for the spirits of the dead, whose evil looking faces seem to be leading her into danger.
Seven crates have been discovered unopened for 50 years in the archive depot of Rotterdam’s Wereldmuseum. As Zelda and the more important staff from the museums observe, the crates are unpacked, revealing not just Bis poles, but also human remains of the head-hunting Asmat culture of what was then Dutch New Guinea. But the most intriguing discovery is the leather-bound journal of Nicholas Mayfield, a wealthy American anthropologist who went missing in 1962.
Interspersed with Zelda’s transcription of the journal and her investigations, are passages from 1962, where we discover the frustrations and difficulties Nicholas had experienced while trading in Dutch New Guinea, hindered rather than helped by experienced Dutch anthropologist, Albert Schenk. Albert is now Director of the Wereldmuseum and he seems to be a thoroughly unpleasant, arrogant individual.
Soon, Zelda is alarmed when two people close to her are murdered. She continues with her task of transcribing the journal and researching the background of the Bis poles for an imminent exhibition, but she keeps information close to her chest and, at times, is unwise in those she chooses to trust.
This exciting story is also an education about a culture of which I knew very little. The actions of colonial powers, the church and collectors of artefacts is called into questions but there is also our moral dilemma of whether to exhibit treasures from the past or return them to their source. But don’t let this put you off; you will be on the edge of your seat wondering if Zelda will take one risk too many as well as wishing to discover what actually happened to Nicholas Mayfield. A thoroughly good read.
Seven crates have been discovered unopened for 50 years in the archive depot of Rotterdam’s Wereldmuseum. As Zelda and the more important staff from the museums observe, the crates are unpacked, revealing not just Bis poles, but also human remains of the head-hunting Asmat culture of what was then Dutch New Guinea. But the most intriguing discovery is the leather-bound journal of Nicholas Mayfield, a wealthy American anthropologist who went missing in 1962.
Interspersed with Zelda’s transcription of the journal and her investigations, are passages from 1962, where we discover the frustrations and difficulties Nicholas had experienced while trading in Dutch New Guinea, hindered rather than helped by experienced Dutch anthropologist, Albert Schenk. Albert is now Director of the Wereldmuseum and he seems to be a thoroughly unpleasant, arrogant individual.
Soon, Zelda is alarmed when two people close to her are murdered. She continues with her task of transcribing the journal and researching the background of the Bis poles for an imminent exhibition, but she keeps information close to her chest and, at times, is unwise in those she chooses to trust.
This exciting story is also an education about a culture of which I knew very little. The actions of colonial powers, the church and collectors of artefacts is called into questions but there is also our moral dilemma of whether to exhibit treasures from the past or return them to their source. But don’t let this put you off; you will be on the edge of your seat wondering if Zelda will take one risk too many as well as wishing to discover what actually happened to Nicholas Mayfield. A thoroughly good read.
March 28, 2019
I do enjoy reading this author's work as her knowledge is extensive and results in me researching the subject even further. This time, a proposed exhibition of native artifacts in an Amsterdam museum collides with the disappearance of a young American man bartering for the same items in 1961 in New Guinea. Murder and intrigue combine as Zelda Richardson, an art history student, sets about solving a mystery that's over 50 years old.
April 15, 2018
Everything I like in a mystery: Compelling characters, international settings, a mystery steeped in culture and history. Immersed in the debate currently taking place in the international art world, the theft of artifacts and demands by indigenous people for their return, the novel presents various sides of these issues for the reader to consider. All in all, this is a very satisfying mystery that left me with much to ruminate on.
I have not read the other books in the series yet. This worked well as a standalone mystery, but I will definitely seek out and read the first two novels in the series.
I have not read the other books in the series yet. This worked well as a standalone mystery, but I will definitely seek out and read the first two novels in the series.
May 19, 2018
Great read! I loved learning about the Asmat culture—the art—and how life was in Papua in the sixties. This time, Zelda gets drawn into the mystery concerning the fate of a young American explorer, who disappeared in that area at that time. Zelda still works in Amsterdam, a city dear to my heart, which for me gave it that little extra. Very enjoyable and recommended!
April 6, 2018
Magnificent
First, I'm a big fan of Alderson's, and I've read her other books, The Lover’s Portrait: An Art Mystery, Down and Out in Kathmandu: Adventures in Backpacking, and Notes of a Naive Traveler: Nepal and Thailand. I was impressed by the first book and continued to love her work. When I heard about this one, Rituals of the Dead, I was already excited to read it. Now, with all that said, I need to dive right into this story. Even when I like or love an author's work, I never have any preconceived notions about whether or not I will like the book or not. From chapter one, I was drawn in, very curious about Nick and wondering where he or his life would fall in to the life of Zelda. Alderson is a grand writer, and I like her writing style. Her research and knowledge are shown within the story, and her characters. I like Zelda, and always have, and this book brings more depth to her character, and sets her on a new mystery. I love that she's human, and has to prevent herself from getting sick in the most presence of the most gruesome scenes of death and decay. Look forward to more. Simply magnificent, filled with intrigue and suspense, and a lot of wonder!
First, I'm a big fan of Alderson's, and I've read her other books, The Lover’s Portrait: An Art Mystery, Down and Out in Kathmandu: Adventures in Backpacking, and Notes of a Naive Traveler: Nepal and Thailand. I was impressed by the first book and continued to love her work. When I heard about this one, Rituals of the Dead, I was already excited to read it. Now, with all that said, I need to dive right into this story. Even when I like or love an author's work, I never have any preconceived notions about whether or not I will like the book or not. From chapter one, I was drawn in, very curious about Nick and wondering where he or his life would fall in to the life of Zelda. Alderson is a grand writer, and I like her writing style. Her research and knowledge are shown within the story, and her characters. I like Zelda, and always have, and this book brings more depth to her character, and sets her on a new mystery. I love that she's human, and has to prevent herself from getting sick in the most presence of the most gruesome scenes of death and decay. Look forward to more. Simply magnificent, filled with intrigue and suspense, and a lot of wonder!
March 5, 2018
It isn't often one holds their breath while reading. As I finished the last chapter of Rituals of the Dead, all I could think was wow. Just wow.
In Book 3 of the Adventures of Zelda Richardson, Zelda is serving her internship at the Tropenmuseum. An upcoming display of artifacts from New Guinea leads to the discovery of skeletal remains and a diary from a wealthy explorer/collector who disappeared in the 1960's.
History comes alive in this story as Zelda photographs the diary, unearthing a story of murder, greed, missionaries and artifacts. It is not a book one puts down easily. The characters are carefully crafted, engaging you from page one. Alderson takes you from past to present and back again seamlessly as you follow events Zelda has yet to unravel.
Book 2 in the series, The Lover's Portrait, an award winning work, was my favourite read of 2017. Rituals of the Dead will undoubtedly be my favourite of 2018. It too is destined for well-deserved awards. Alderson's work is entertaining, engaging, and educational, all that a reader could ask and more. Zelda matures and grows with each volume in the series.
It was a privilege to be a beta reader for Rituals of the Dead, to be one of the first to read this exciting work.
In Book 3 of the Adventures of Zelda Richardson, Zelda is serving her internship at the Tropenmuseum. An upcoming display of artifacts from New Guinea leads to the discovery of skeletal remains and a diary from a wealthy explorer/collector who disappeared in the 1960's.
History comes alive in this story as Zelda photographs the diary, unearthing a story of murder, greed, missionaries and artifacts. It is not a book one puts down easily. The characters are carefully crafted, engaging you from page one. Alderson takes you from past to present and back again seamlessly as you follow events Zelda has yet to unravel.
Book 2 in the series, The Lover's Portrait, an award winning work, was my favourite read of 2017. Rituals of the Dead will undoubtedly be my favourite of 2018. It too is destined for well-deserved awards. Alderson's work is entertaining, engaging, and educational, all that a reader could ask and more. Zelda matures and grows with each volume in the series.
It was a privilege to be a beta reader for Rituals of the Dead, to be one of the first to read this exciting work.
April 26, 2018
Another cracking novel by author Jennifer Alderson. I adored her previous art mystery, The Lover's Portrait, and was once again quickly drawn into the adventures of her naive and slightly off-beat protagonist, Zelda. Again, Alderson has researched her subject thoroughly and the technical descriptions of what actually happens at the Tropenmuseum were quite intriguing. I especially enjoyed the flashbacks to the wilds of Papua in the 60's and learned so much about the Asmat culture - I hadn't even heard of Bis Poles until now! And my macabre side loved the explanations of how exactly to clean flesh off human bones ... something every gal needs to know ;) An excellent read.
July 12, 2018
Time taken to read - 1.5 days
Pages - 280
Publisher - Travelling Life Press
Source - Review Copy
Blurb from Goodreads
Art, religion, and anthropology collide in Alderson’s latest art mystery thriller, Rituals of the Dead, Book three of the Adventures of Zelda Richardson series.
Art history student Zelda Richardson is working at the Tropenmuseum in Amsterdam on an exhibition of bis poles from the Asmat region of Papua – the same area where a famous American anthropologist disappeared in 1962. When his journal is found inside one of the bis poles, Zelda is tasked with finding out more about the man’s last days and his connection to these ritual objects.
Zelda is pulled into a world of shady anthropologists, headhunters, missionaries, art collectors, and smugglers – where the only certainty is that sins of the past are never fully erased.
Join Zelda as she grapples with the anthropologist’s mysterious disappearance fifty years earlier, and a present-day murderer who will do anything to prevent her from discovering the truth.
My Review
Zelda (what a brilliant character name eh) is a student at Tropenmuseum in Amsterdam and gets to work on some Bis poles and cataloguing bones that are mixed, need sorted and returned. The pressure is on, when a diary of missing archaeologist millionaire Nicholas Mayfield shows up in the crate a new mystery needs solved. Nicholas disappeared in 1962 and now his diary has appeared will light finally be shone on what happened? Some people prefer the past to stay in the past and a little thing like murder can help with that, Zelda has no idea what she has stumbled upon.
So, this is book three in a series, I don't think I missed anything by starting here and I liked the book so much I will be checking out the previous ones. There are references to things that have happened in the other books but nothing I would say that screams spoiler.
The book splits in two timelines, present day with the bis poles and museum business, the other is in 1962 with Nicholas and the lead up to his disappearance. I never really thought I was into museum or archaeology type stories and if I pick them up in a shop I am more likely to put them back down than buy them. I am so glad I read this, I actually love reading about other cultures, things people believe, rituals and the lengths people will go to when money is involved.
There are a fair few characters but not so many you get lost or can't keep track. The duo timeline is very well marked so you know exactly what time period you are in and it is really easy to follow. A bit of travel for book location, learning about cultures, bis poles (which I don't even think I knew existed before this book) and then just to kick it up a notch we have a murder!
Really good pace, if I hadn't had a lot on I think I could have read it in one sitting, I love book that spark an interest in something long after you put the book down. I actually want to watch a wee documentary on Dutch New Guinea now, who says you don't learn or get inspired from fiction books! This was my first dance with this author, it won't be my last, action, informative and pulls you into the story quite quickly, 4.5/5 for me this time!
Pages - 280
Publisher - Travelling Life Press
Source - Review Copy
Blurb from Goodreads
Art, religion, and anthropology collide in Alderson’s latest art mystery thriller, Rituals of the Dead, Book three of the Adventures of Zelda Richardson series.
Art history student Zelda Richardson is working at the Tropenmuseum in Amsterdam on an exhibition of bis poles from the Asmat region of Papua – the same area where a famous American anthropologist disappeared in 1962. When his journal is found inside one of the bis poles, Zelda is tasked with finding out more about the man’s last days and his connection to these ritual objects.
Zelda is pulled into a world of shady anthropologists, headhunters, missionaries, art collectors, and smugglers – where the only certainty is that sins of the past are never fully erased.
Join Zelda as she grapples with the anthropologist’s mysterious disappearance fifty years earlier, and a present-day murderer who will do anything to prevent her from discovering the truth.
My Review
Zelda (what a brilliant character name eh) is a student at Tropenmuseum in Amsterdam and gets to work on some Bis poles and cataloguing bones that are mixed, need sorted and returned. The pressure is on, when a diary of missing archaeologist millionaire Nicholas Mayfield shows up in the crate a new mystery needs solved. Nicholas disappeared in 1962 and now his diary has appeared will light finally be shone on what happened? Some people prefer the past to stay in the past and a little thing like murder can help with that, Zelda has no idea what she has stumbled upon.
So, this is book three in a series, I don't think I missed anything by starting here and I liked the book so much I will be checking out the previous ones. There are references to things that have happened in the other books but nothing I would say that screams spoiler.
The book splits in two timelines, present day with the bis poles and museum business, the other is in 1962 with Nicholas and the lead up to his disappearance. I never really thought I was into museum or archaeology type stories and if I pick them up in a shop I am more likely to put them back down than buy them. I am so glad I read this, I actually love reading about other cultures, things people believe, rituals and the lengths people will go to when money is involved.
There are a fair few characters but not so many you get lost or can't keep track. The duo timeline is very well marked so you know exactly what time period you are in and it is really easy to follow. A bit of travel for book location, learning about cultures, bis poles (which I don't even think I knew existed before this book) and then just to kick it up a notch we have a murder!
Really good pace, if I hadn't had a lot on I think I could have read it in one sitting, I love book that spark an interest in something long after you put the book down. I actually want to watch a wee documentary on Dutch New Guinea now, who says you don't learn or get inspired from fiction books! This was my first dance with this author, it won't be my last, action, informative and pulls you into the story quite quickly, 4.5/5 for me this time!
May 8, 2019
I have listen to other books by this author and have really enjoyed them, and this one did not disappoint. She does a wonderful job keeping the mystery alive and also the story unique. The narrator does a wonderful job as well which only adds to the overall fun of this book. I would definitely recommend to anyone who enjoys a good mystery.
I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
July 15, 2018
Interesting mystery crafted well within the plot, with culture and themes running throughout the narrative (and just on the right side of preachy).
Zelda decides to relocate, but she becomes embroiled with a mystery surrounding some artefacts seems to spill into the present, with a team member being murdered. The questions mount and so does the tension…
The pace was good, the writing tight. The dual timeline, too, was handled well. The art, history, and suspense all blended well within the story, with no single element overcrowding the plot at the heart of the novel. The tension built well, and the ending … well, I’ll take a leaf out of the author’s book and build up the suspense… and let you find out for yourself. Recommended
*Thank you to the author for my free review copy via #RBRT.
Zelda decides to relocate, but she becomes embroiled with a mystery surrounding some artefacts seems to spill into the present, with a team member being murdered. The questions mount and so does the tension…
The pace was good, the writing tight. The dual timeline, too, was handled well. The art, history, and suspense all blended well within the story, with no single element overcrowding the plot at the heart of the novel. The tension built well, and the ending … well, I’ll take a leaf out of the author’s book and build up the suspense… and let you find out for yourself. Recommended
*Thank you to the author for my free review copy via #RBRT.
June 4, 2018
Rituals of the Dead by Jennifer S Alderson has received a Chill with a Book Readers' Award.
www.chillwithabook.com
"Very interesting and thought provoking, the author clearly researched as well as using her knowledge of the Asmats and this was evident throughout the book."
Pauline Barclay
Founder of Chill with a Book Awards
www.chillwithabook.com
"Very interesting and thought provoking, the author clearly researched as well as using her knowledge of the Asmats and this was evident throughout the book."
Pauline Barclay
Founder of Chill with a Book Awards
August 27, 2019
Even if I wasn’t interested in anthropology, this book would have had me at the Papua New Guinea setting. Plus it was a freebie, so I checked it out. Normally I wouldn’t read this (lite) sort of thing and book 2 in a series, but the description assured it can easily be read as a standalone and it did. The major thing here is that the author actually knows what she’s talking about having worked as a special consultant to the very museum the story takes place in on a much similar collection of Asmat art. The story features a split time narrative, I was primarily interested in the 1962 one, wherein a young scion travels to the region to collect artifacts and comes to interact with another artifact collector and a local missionary. The descriptions of the natives, their rituals and traditions were very interesting. Actually, the descriptions of the innerworkings of the museum and anthropologists in it was the most interest aspect of the modern day narration. The rest of the book…not so interesting. It’s meant to be a murder mystery with young Zelda (the museum’s intern) at its center, but it is just so…well, the author referred to it as oversimplified to maintain the fast pace, so read…dumbed down. Very dumbed down, with every surprise telegraphed prior, very basic, really. Probably because it’s meant to be a sort of cozy (and I don’t even want to get started on cozy in fiction) read, all of the violence and sex occur offscreen. This is as mild and inoffensive as to appease the most delicate of readers, so much so that it ends up a milquetoast facsimile of what it might have been. It also, interestingly enough, claims that the young scion character story isn’t based on the disappearance of 1961 Michael Rockefeller in Papua New Guinea. Seriously? Cause it certainly walks and quacks like it. Same region, nearly the same time, similar circumstances, etc. Well, I suppose the reader can choose how they read it. It certainly provided a credible scenario. Or maybe admitting the resemblance would have been too edgy for a cozy format. Who knows. But what you have here essentially is a fascinating well researched story severely dumbed down for lite reading. It’s quick, mildly entertaining, but mostly disappointing for refusing to live up to its potential. Unless you’re extremely interested in Papua New Guinea’s art and artifacts.
September 18, 2018
In Rituals of the Dead, Zelda Richardson, an American art history student living and working in Amsterdam, is again drawn into a strange mystery. Her accidental involvement in the mystery has the potential to threaten her life and the lives of selected people around her.
Zelda is working as an interim at the Tropenmuseum in Amsterdam on an exhibition of bis poles from the Asmat region of Papua. When a number of sealed crates from the early 1960’s are discovered and opened in a public forum, the personal diary of Nick Mayfield, a well-known American anthropologist who disappeared at that time, is discovered in one of the crates. The Tropenmuseum decides to photograph the diary before returning it to the Mayfield family. Zelda is tasked with assisting with the photography and also with translating the diary into Dutch.
The reader embarks on an exciting journey with Zelda as she slowly translates the diary and learns Nick’s story in the months running up to his disappearance. She becomes embroiled in a ring of criminality from the 1960’s that reached between Papua and the Netherlands. Zelda’s discoveries are most unexpected and could shake the Amsterdam art world to its core.
I enjoy Jennifer S. Alderson’s writing and have read the previous novel in this series. The author has a very good working knowledge of the art world and the value and appeal of various art works. I enjoyed learning about Papua during the 1960’s and finding out about the art works created by the Asmat people. The author weaves this interesting information into her story without making it cumbersome and the reader is drawn into Zelda’s world in a very realistic and natural way.
I enjoyed learning more about Zelda and seeing how her character developed in this third book in the series. I felt that the author did a good job of showing some growth in her maturity and ability to cope with adverse circumstances.
Zelda is working as an interim at the Tropenmuseum in Amsterdam on an exhibition of bis poles from the Asmat region of Papua. When a number of sealed crates from the early 1960’s are discovered and opened in a public forum, the personal diary of Nick Mayfield, a well-known American anthropologist who disappeared at that time, is discovered in one of the crates. The Tropenmuseum decides to photograph the diary before returning it to the Mayfield family. Zelda is tasked with assisting with the photography and also with translating the diary into Dutch.
The reader embarks on an exciting journey with Zelda as she slowly translates the diary and learns Nick’s story in the months running up to his disappearance. She becomes embroiled in a ring of criminality from the 1960’s that reached between Papua and the Netherlands. Zelda’s discoveries are most unexpected and could shake the Amsterdam art world to its core.
I enjoy Jennifer S. Alderson’s writing and have read the previous novel in this series. The author has a very good working knowledge of the art world and the value and appeal of various art works. I enjoyed learning about Papua during the 1960’s and finding out about the art works created by the Asmat people. The author weaves this interesting information into her story without making it cumbersome and the reader is drawn into Zelda’s world in a very realistic and natural way.
I enjoyed learning more about Zelda and seeing how her character developed in this third book in the series. I felt that the author did a good job of showing some growth in her maturity and ability to cope with adverse circumstances.
July 9, 2018
**This review is for the audiobook on Audible.**
Jennifer S. Alderson proves to us all in her latest, Rituals of the Dead: An Artifact Mystery: Adventures of Zelda Richardson, Book 3, what I had suspected all along - she is the author to keep an eye on! No joke...she IS the one your mama warned you about! Alderson is on fire, and I have a feeling, this is just the beginning. After reading and listening to another of her books, The Lover's Portrait: An Art Mystery, I immediately recognized that her writing abilities greatly exceeded other authors of the same genre. Being that it was the first book I ever read by Alderson, I had nothing to compare it to. So, when I saw a couple days ago that Rituals of the Dead was released on audio, I was overjoyed and couldn't wait to give it a listen! I can say with complete confidence that I was correct - Jennifer S. Alderson is an amazingly talented author! Taking a look at the charts on Amazon, I see that I am definitely not the only one who feels this way. Rituals of the Dead is a top seller in 3 separate categories right now, as I type this review, and one of them has the Kindle version teetering between the #1 and #2 spot for Literature and Fiction, focusing in on Foreign Language Fiction. So, Ms. Alderson, just in case you read these reviews, I want to say congratulations! :-)
Chelsea Stephens' performance as narrator was excellent! She did a phenomenal job bringing the characters to life as she flawlessly switched between the early 1960s and 2017. Her consistency made for easy listening, and her voice was pleasing to the ear. I feel she made my overall experience that much more enjoyable and well worth the credit! This is my first time hearing Chelsea Stephens narrate, and, based on her performance here, I definitely plan to check out more of her work! :-)
Rituals of the Dead: An Artifact Mystery: Adventures of Zelda Richardson, Book 3 by Jennifer S. Alderson, narrated by Chelsea Stephens is very deserving of 5/5 stars across the board. Not only will you be kept in suspense and wonder, but you will also stay thoroughly entertained from start to finish. If you love historical fiction, mysteries, and culture, you are definitely going to love this audiobook. It is thought-provoking and very-well researched! In fact, it is so well-researched that I had to check if it was actually fiction. I love audiobooks, so, natually, when I find a good one, I can't help but recommend it to others. I have to also say, if you are looking to read a book, yourself, or if you are deciding on your next group or book club read, this one would be a wonderful choice. It can be read as a stand-alone or as part of a series. The content allows for a variety of thoughts and opinions on situations that are real and relevant, which provides wide opportunity for discussion. The characters are relatable and likable, especially Zelda, and it is highly enjoyable! I cannot wait for the next audiobook to be released!
Thank you for reading my review. I hope it was helpful. :-)
Jennifer S. Alderson proves to us all in her latest, Rituals of the Dead: An Artifact Mystery: Adventures of Zelda Richardson, Book 3, what I had suspected all along - she is the author to keep an eye on! No joke...she IS the one your mama warned you about! Alderson is on fire, and I have a feeling, this is just the beginning. After reading and listening to another of her books, The Lover's Portrait: An Art Mystery, I immediately recognized that her writing abilities greatly exceeded other authors of the same genre. Being that it was the first book I ever read by Alderson, I had nothing to compare it to. So, when I saw a couple days ago that Rituals of the Dead was released on audio, I was overjoyed and couldn't wait to give it a listen! I can say with complete confidence that I was correct - Jennifer S. Alderson is an amazingly talented author! Taking a look at the charts on Amazon, I see that I am definitely not the only one who feels this way. Rituals of the Dead is a top seller in 3 separate categories right now, as I type this review, and one of them has the Kindle version teetering between the #1 and #2 spot for Literature and Fiction, focusing in on Foreign Language Fiction. So, Ms. Alderson, just in case you read these reviews, I want to say congratulations! :-)
Chelsea Stephens' performance as narrator was excellent! She did a phenomenal job bringing the characters to life as she flawlessly switched between the early 1960s and 2017. Her consistency made for easy listening, and her voice was pleasing to the ear. I feel she made my overall experience that much more enjoyable and well worth the credit! This is my first time hearing Chelsea Stephens narrate, and, based on her performance here, I definitely plan to check out more of her work! :-)
Rituals of the Dead: An Artifact Mystery: Adventures of Zelda Richardson, Book 3 by Jennifer S. Alderson, narrated by Chelsea Stephens is very deserving of 5/5 stars across the board. Not only will you be kept in suspense and wonder, but you will also stay thoroughly entertained from start to finish. If you love historical fiction, mysteries, and culture, you are definitely going to love this audiobook. It is thought-provoking and very-well researched! In fact, it is so well-researched that I had to check if it was actually fiction. I love audiobooks, so, natually, when I find a good one, I can't help but recommend it to others. I have to also say, if you are looking to read a book, yourself, or if you are deciding on your next group or book club read, this one would be a wonderful choice. It can be read as a stand-alone or as part of a series. The content allows for a variety of thoughts and opinions on situations that are real and relevant, which provides wide opportunity for discussion. The characters are relatable and likable, especially Zelda, and it is highly enjoyable! I cannot wait for the next audiobook to be released!
Thank you for reading my review. I hope it was helpful. :-)
August 16, 2019
I love museums and I love anthropology/archaeology, so a novel with ethnographic museum relics was delicious. The relics in this instance were New Guinea bis poles,which I had never heard of so it gave me an opportunity to look them up. Fascinating art. The museums mentioned in the book were real places, so I got to look those up as well. The book switched back and forth between 1962 New Guinea when the items were being collected and modern day Amsterdam when an exhibit was being arranged. Despite the author's adamant denials, the collector back in the day was VERY similar to the real Michael Rockefeller. The fictional Nick Mayfield came from a wealthy east coast family, disappeared in 1962 (Rockefeller in '61), both were collectors in the Asmat cultural region of the island, both swam to shore from capsized catamarans before vanishing, and both were murdered, albeit in different circumstances. By changing the name, though, the author could be freer with fictional story construction. Fun reading.
December 11, 2018
Jennifer Alderson’s first-hand experience and meticulous research make this well-written novel a fascinating read. Her attention to detail is bound to captivate anthropology fans. It also poses the moral question as to who owns the rights to ancient artifacts and how they should be treated. The protagonist, Zelda Richardson, is an engaging, ethical researcher that readers will easily applaud. My compliments to Jennifer Alderson for another enjoyable read.
January 8, 2022
Plotting is decent. Asmat artifacts/art brought to the Netherlands in 1962 contain a diary and maybe the skeleton of a man missing since then.
The main character, Zelda Richardson, seems clueless and way too weepy, but maybe that's a prejudice of mine.
The main character, Zelda Richardson, seems clueless and way too weepy, but maybe that's a prejudice of mine.
August 10, 2023
A very enjoyable read, great story telling and I learnt a bit about history as well.
March 13, 2018
Rituals of the Dead is an entertaining and fast paced thriller and I did read the entire novel in one sitting. What made the book even more interesting was the flashbacks to Papua and New Guinea in the sixties. The book is not "only" a thriller, it's also about cultural exploration (and exploitation).
July 5, 2018
In Rituals of the Dead by Jennifer S. Alderson, Zelda Richardson is doing an internship at the Tropenmuseum in Netherlands, where researchers have discovered bones and other artifacts sent to Netherlands by anthropologists from the Asmat region of Papua 50 years earlier. As the researchers open the last two boxes at a public press conference, they pull out two bis poles, Asmat versions of Native American totem poles. But in one of the boxes, they discover the journal from Nick Mayfield, the American son of a millionaire mogul who disappeared during an expedition 50 years earlier. Zelda is given the tiresome chore of photographing the delicate book and is relieved to have finished a day before her deadline. But then the department photographer finds that she can’t log into the computer system or use the phones. Janna sends Zelda to the IT department, where Zelda finds all the employees frantically trying to fight off a cyber attack that has infiltrated their entire system. When she returns to the photography department, Zelda is shocked to discover Janna brutally murdered, with the journal and all her equipment stolen.
Read the rest of this review and other fun, geeky articles at Fangirl Nation
Read the rest of this review and other fun, geeky articles at Fangirl Nation
June 28, 2018
Another excellent adventure for Zelda Richardson. She is working for Amsterdam's Tropenmuseum as an intern in the Ethnology department and is assisting in the preparation of a large Asmat bis pole exhibition. The bis poles were discovered warehoused in another museum's building and had remained unopened since they were shipped from Dutch New Guinea in 1963. The Asmat region of Papua is where a famous American anthropologist disappeared in 1962. When Nicholas Mayfield's journal is found inside one of the bis poles, the museum is eager to transcribe it and discover what possibly happened to him. Someone doesn't want that to happen. In addition Victor Nalong, the official representative for the government of Papua, has been breathing down the necks of the staff at the museum for repatriation of the artifacts. Murder and intrigue make this an exciting peek into the world of museums and the artifacts they contain.
May 26, 2018
Artefact mystery set in NETHERLANDS and PAPUA NEW GUINEA - discover the exquisite artistry of Bis Poles!
Once again we join Zelda Richardson, who gave up her job as a multimedia developer at Microsoft, to relocate to Amsterdam and study art history. She currently has an internship at the Tropenmuseum where she is assisting in setting up a forthcoming exhibition of Bis Poles.
Bis Poles are artefacts that have been made on Papua New Guinea for generations by the Asmat people, carved during a bis ceremony, a party of many days honouring the life of the dead. The Asmat people believed that an adult couldn’t simply pass away, they put the blame on neighbouring communities and such a festival would end in a headhunting expedition (you can’t say you don’t learn anything!).
There are two timelines, 1962 and 2017. In the early 1960s the area was still under Dutch colonial rule. Many of the items collected and shipped to the Netherlands back then are hopefully to be included in the upcoming exhibition, showcasing the beauty and artistry of the carvings. As the assembled curatorial staff, including Zelda, unpacks crates of artefacts from the period, including human bones – supposedly all Asmat – a notebook falls out. It transpires that it belonged to Nick Mayfield, who was adventuring and collecting artefacts out in what was then Dutch New Guinea. His disappearance then becomes all the more sinister when a member of the present day team, Janna, the photographer, is murdered.
Father Terpstra was on missionary work in the area in the 1960s and it becomes apparent through photographic evidence that he and Nick were certainly acquainted. He too was a collector of some of the most astounding examples of the art. But it soon becomes apparent that he has something to hide… and he is not the only one.
The Anti-Colonial Brigade also make their views known, after all, the cultural history of the country had largely been stolen – sometimes by devious means. this is clearly a theme close to the author’s heart.
This is an enjoyable and easy to read story of artefact collectors, with mystery and culture playing an important part.
Once again we join Zelda Richardson, who gave up her job as a multimedia developer at Microsoft, to relocate to Amsterdam and study art history. She currently has an internship at the Tropenmuseum where she is assisting in setting up a forthcoming exhibition of Bis Poles.
Bis Poles are artefacts that have been made on Papua New Guinea for generations by the Asmat people, carved during a bis ceremony, a party of many days honouring the life of the dead. The Asmat people believed that an adult couldn’t simply pass away, they put the blame on neighbouring communities and such a festival would end in a headhunting expedition (you can’t say you don’t learn anything!).
There are two timelines, 1962 and 2017. In the early 1960s the area was still under Dutch colonial rule. Many of the items collected and shipped to the Netherlands back then are hopefully to be included in the upcoming exhibition, showcasing the beauty and artistry of the carvings. As the assembled curatorial staff, including Zelda, unpacks crates of artefacts from the period, including human bones – supposedly all Asmat – a notebook falls out. It transpires that it belonged to Nick Mayfield, who was adventuring and collecting artefacts out in what was then Dutch New Guinea. His disappearance then becomes all the more sinister when a member of the present day team, Janna, the photographer, is murdered.
Father Terpstra was on missionary work in the area in the 1960s and it becomes apparent through photographic evidence that he and Nick were certainly acquainted. He too was a collector of some of the most astounding examples of the art. But it soon becomes apparent that he has something to hide… and he is not the only one.
The Anti-Colonial Brigade also make their views known, after all, the cultural history of the country had largely been stolen – sometimes by devious means. this is clearly a theme close to the author’s heart.
This is an enjoyable and easy to read story of artefact collectors, with mystery and culture playing an important part.
August 26, 2018
( Format : Audiobook )
"Property of Nicholas Mayfield."
Zelda Richardson had secured an internship at the Tropenmuseum in the Netherlands and was present at the press worthy arrival of crates of artefacts collected years before from the head hunting, ancestor worshiping Asmat tribes of Papua before Christian missionaries put an end to their belief system, activities and, consequently, their art. The boxes had been in storage for decades and had been delivered to the museum for a forthcoming exhibition. But the opening of one of the huge boxes held a surprise, the journal of a collector who disappeared without trace some 50 years before.
The story artfully moves between the present day preparations for the exhibition and Zelda's investigation, and the story of Nicholas Mayfield, the man who's journal that had been found. And along the way, much fascinating information about the Asmat and the political situation extant at the time. All is well written and with nice characterisation. Narrator Chelsea Stevens has a clear voice, her intonation good, if a little stilted at times. Young sounding, she is an excellent voice for the youthful main protagonist, Zeke, and she delivers distinctive seperate character dialogue.
My thanks to the rights holder of Rituals of the Dead, who, at my request, freely gifted me with a complimentary copy, via Audiobook Boom. At times the pace was a little slow but overall this was a fascinating glimpse into a world now long gone and, as such, highly recommended for anyone interested in art history and the time of the great artifact collectors.
N
"Property of Nicholas Mayfield."
Zelda Richardson had secured an internship at the Tropenmuseum in the Netherlands and was present at the press worthy arrival of crates of artefacts collected years before from the head hunting, ancestor worshiping Asmat tribes of Papua before Christian missionaries put an end to their belief system, activities and, consequently, their art. The boxes had been in storage for decades and had been delivered to the museum for a forthcoming exhibition. But the opening of one of the huge boxes held a surprise, the journal of a collector who disappeared without trace some 50 years before.
The story artfully moves between the present day preparations for the exhibition and Zelda's investigation, and the story of Nicholas Mayfield, the man who's journal that had been found. And along the way, much fascinating information about the Asmat and the political situation extant at the time. All is well written and with nice characterisation. Narrator Chelsea Stevens has a clear voice, her intonation good, if a little stilted at times. Young sounding, she is an excellent voice for the youthful main protagonist, Zeke, and she delivers distinctive seperate character dialogue.
My thanks to the rights holder of Rituals of the Dead, who, at my request, freely gifted me with a complimentary copy, via Audiobook Boom. At times the pace was a little slow but overall this was a fascinating glimpse into a world now long gone and, as such, highly recommended for anyone interested in art history and the time of the great artifact collectors.
N
June 21, 2018
What could have been difficult to manage, worked extremely well, not only dealing with an ancient historical culture, a recent historical disappearance and then a present day murder could have gotten tied up in complicated knots. Some aspects of description got a little tiring but in general the book's pace was comfortable. It threw up some interesting questions about how 'explorers' treated sections of the world/society upon discovering them, highlighting that the white west had something of an arrogant attitude to ethnicity and alternate cultures.
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