Glenn Cooper has squeezed a third book out in his Library of the Dead trilogy by bringing the readers a bit forward in time. Why not? Much of his over-arcing storyline depends on flashbacks to the distant past grounded by his all-too-fallible hero and his family as they encounter the pitfalls of government bureaucracy and the evil heritage of the villain from the previous book.

Cooper's background in archaeology adds a level of interest and the menacingly grim English countryside provides lots of eerie atmosphere, especially when contrasted with the slightly futuristic elements in the rest of the world. I would not attempt reading the third without tackling the first two, even though the author provides a bit of backstory. A large amount of the ratcheting tension comes from being invested in the main characters, and the more background you hold going into book three, the better.

If you are more interested in straight mystery without the chills another series might suit you better, but for those who love the goosebumps and shortness of breath a really great thriller provides I highly recommend THE KEEPERS OF THE LIBRARY and the rest of the series.