The Tombmakers Village is the first book in The Secret of Immortality series by CJ McKivvik - an incredibly paced action/adventure tale that will take you on a mind-bending journey. Tom Carrott was part of revolutionary research that came to a crashing halt when the director research dies under very strange circumstances. Desperate and out of his mind, Tom has no idea what he will do now. However, help came in the strangest way possible to his doorstep. He received an ancient chest that had treasures beyond his imagination. He might have the secret to immortality in his hands if he can only figure out the mystery. It is not going to be easy and he knows there aren’t many people he can trust. Does Tom have what it takes to solve the mystery and learn the secret to immortality?

The Tombmakers Village has everything you will need to enjoy it to the fullest. You have nail-biting mystery, a hero that is determined to bring his life back on track, some bad guys (or not) on his tail to stop him and a pace that will have your heart racing. Tom is the perfect protagonist for the story. He is vulnerable, a little unsure but capable enough to get the job done. He isn’t some overachiever, but he isn’t a dummy as well. Eshe was the perfect companion. She is smart, understanding, and equipped to solve a mystery. Together, they are a force to be reckoned with. The chemistry between the two was brilliant. I enjoyed the subplots and the narrative style of the author a lot. The narrative was lively enough to keep me interested while the atmosphere had my heart racing. I am glad the author has planned more novels in the series because I really what to know what happens next.

The Secret of Immortality: The Tombmakers Village by CJ McKivvik is a story that begins with a crisis. A professor who is supposed to deliver a keynote speech, and who apparently has a very important announcement to make, dies on stage. He takes a secret with him to the grave, leaving the audience dumbfounded. But one person who is present on the first day of the International Conference on Life Research in Kingston, Ontario, and who gets hardest hit is Tom Carrott, the Associate Director of Life Research group. Professor John Wainright, his boss, has left him stranded; that is until an ancient Egyptian chest is delivered to his door, accompanied by a disturbing note. He sets out on an adventure to uncover the truth about immortality, an adventure fraught with danger and companions he can’t fully trust.

I was pulled in from the beginning of the story by the strong and clear writing as well as the impasse in which the protagonist finds himself: losing a boss at a very important event and the fact that he had a secret that no one knows. But things get even more interesting from the moment the chest arrives and Tom starts looking for answers. The journey that takes the characters to Egypt is wonderful and CJ McKivvik throws some villains into the plot and puts characters in situations of extreme danger. The CIA and Mossad agents, as well as a powerful rich man who wants the secret to immortality, are characters with roles that are indispensable in moving the plot forward and heightening the tension. The setting features beautifully described locales and places that excite the imagination of readers. Overall, The Secret of Immortality: The Tombmakers Village is an engaging story.

“This narrative is clearly plot-driven, an intersection between the adventures of Indiana Jones and the mysteries of a Dan Brown novel … Author McKivvik keeps the action rolling from Cairo to San Francisco, where even the most minor slip up ensures certain death”

"I myself am made entirely of flaws, stitched together with good intentions."

When esteemed professor John Wainwright collapses on the opening night of the International Conference on Life Research, a whirlwind of revelations leaves the Life Research Group four months away from zero funding. It also leaves Professor Tom Carrott perplexed. What initially seems like an untimely demise quickly turns into a wild chase featuring the CIA, Mossad, biotechnology firms, and international professors as they chase the ultimate elusive elixir: immortality.

Prior to the chaos, Carrott is coasting along and in love with Eloise, his fellow academic. At the same time, Eloise’s upbringing, marred by a lack of stability, leads to fears of losing her only element of consistency—her research position. This fear tends to outweigh her genuine affection for Tom. Among many critical characters throughout the novel, Eshe Hayes and her dynamic compatibility with Carrott is unquestionable, particularly when Doctor Prendergast’s disdain for Carrot results in Tom falling into Hayes’ lap as she is spying on Carrott behind a newspaper on a park bench.

Though characters like CIA agent Dirk Dandy are given rather limited responsibilities, primarily conducting surveillance in the majority of his scenes, this narrative is clearly plot-driven, an intersection between the adventures of Indiana Jones and the mysteries of a Dan Brown novel. Finally, Tom answers the call-to-action by pulling out the tubes from the Egyptian chest housing ancient scrolls with hieroglyphics, bracelets, and cryptic riddles. With Mossad agent Eshe Hayes, translator Marty McReason, and Arun, his tech-friend and confidante, Tom tries to decipher what is real and who to trust with a world-altering responsibility as deceit and danger lie around every corner. Author McKivvik keeps the action rolling from Cairo to San Francisco, where even the most minor slip up ensures certain death.

“A handful of artfully crafted plot lines converge in this tightly wound tale that make it difficult to put down. Reminiscent of ‘National Treasure,’ ‘The Mummy’ franchise, and the adventure fiction of Clive Cussler, there is no denying that this is an invigorating and unpredictable read. The character relationships are engaging, the landscapes are painted beautifully, and the ancient air of mystery makes this first installment in The Secret of Immortality series a gleefully guilty pleasure.”