Title: The Alb
Author: Luis Rousset
Publisher: AuthorHouse
ISBN: 978-1665503297
Pages: 220
Genre: International Mystery & Crime / Suspense Thrillers
Reviewed by: Tony Espinoza

Read Book Review

There is nothing quite like a good mystery to get one’s brain working. The promise of secrets being revealed, answers finally being given to questions asked long ago, and uncovering the truth behind some ancient legend has always been a staple of a good mystery. Add to this the growing interest in murder mysteries and true crime in our popular culture these days, and mysteries have become a staple for the average person. As David Maraniss once said, “I believe that life is chaotic, a jumble of accidents, ambitions, misconceptions, bold intentions, lazy happenstances, and unintended consequences, yet I also believe that there are connections that illuminate our world, revealing its endless mystery and wonder.”

In author Luis Rousset’s The Alb, the author explores a vast mystery surrounding uncovered Incan artifacts, a missing CEO, and an expedition team’s grisly murders. After uncovering a finely woven cloth at an Incan Tomb in South America, John Engelhard, CEO of the expedition’s mining company, decides to travel to the site to see what has been found. However, after his first night there, the entire team is found murdered, and he has gone missing. While some suspect he was involved, his company’s chief attorney hires a New York detective to investigate the CEO’s disappearance and the events which led to the team’s death. The mystery surrounding the cloth artifact and its connection to the Incan god Viracocha come into play, as the mystery makes its way from the streets of New York to the heart of the Andes and even to Italy.

A finely woven mystery to rival that of the cloth artifact the story centers on, author Luis Rousset does a remarkable job of setting the tone of the mystery in the book’s prologue, highlighting the savage nature of the crime that draws the reader into the narrative. The alternating viewpoints between action and mystery and the in-depth character development was great to see here, as was the attention to detail surrounding the culture, history and mythology of the Inca people. What really drove me into this narrative however was the twists that turned this novel from an Indiana Jones style mystery into a chilling and haunting murder mystery with a supernatural twist. As a fan of books that manage to throw the reader off and surprise them with the big reveal, I loved the detective’s final discovery and unraveling of the mystery. It did a masterful job of holding the atmospheric nature of the narrative and the mysterious tone the genre required.

This is the perfect read for those who enjoy mysteries, especially mysteries that fall into the suspense and thriller genres, and incorporate elements of supernatural, historical, and mythological story elements into the narrative and character development. As a fan of all these genres, I was driven throughout this evenly-paced narrative to discover the fate of the CEO, which if I said any more would be a spoiler.

A masterful, expertly-woven, and thought-provoking mystery thriller, author Luis Rousset’s The Alb is a must-read suspense novel. Perfectly capturing the heart and passion of a good mystery, the culture and intrigue that comes from a history-based mystery, as well as balancing the mystery with realistic character relationships and globe-trotting adventure, made this story shine brightly.