The Curse of Oak Island: The Story of the World’s Longest Treasure Hunt by Randall Sullivan

First off, I will admit to never having watched the show on the History Channel, but I love a good treasure hunt. And that is what I wanted to find in this one.

Oak Island is a small island off the coast of Nova Scotia, which has been home to a mystery for several centuries. When a braced chute is found on the island in the late 1700s, the search started for its origins and possible treasures. The mystery continues to present day in popular media and some regions of academia. The same questions remain: What was the pit made to hold? Who dug it? What is the best way to access its possible riches? Digging and digging and more digging… or research?

It took me several weeks to read this one in many twenty-thirty minute increments. It’s one that a history buff would definitely enjoy, but at times the writing seemed more like a research paper than an amusing story of a treasure hunt. Don’t get me wrong, there’s some great stuff in the book: namely, the conflicts of the current hunt, the conspiracy theories, and the different angles groups have taken over the years to excavate the pit’s secrets. Dive into the pit for a deep look into the Oak Island hunt.

3 out of 5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley, Grove Atlantic, Atlantic Monthly Press, and Randall Sullivan for an advanced copy for review.