The Mad Monk’s Treasure is FREE, Friday 2/2 - Sunday 2/5
I love the Southwest, and I love the romance and mystery
behind tales of buried treasure. When researching lost treasures of the
American Southwest, I came across the story of the Victorio Peak treasure,
which had a heretic Spanish priest, bandits, an Apache raider, and of
course lots of gold. The Mad Monk’s
Treasure was inspired by this tale.
In my book, quiet history professor Erin uncovers a clue to
a lost treasure cave, but minutes after her discovery, a hit and run driver
leaves her for dead. Drew, a handsome helicopter pilot, finds her bleeding in a
ditch. Attracted to her rescuer, Erin wants to open up about the treasure
and more, but can she trust him? The “accident” seems an unlikely coincidence,
especially when followed by a series of break-ins and attacks. She’s certain
she’s not the only one after the treasure. Is Drew a hero, or her enemy?
Erin won’t give up an important historical find without a fight. She and her gorgeous and brainy best friend Camie head into the New Mexico wilderness to track the treasure. The wilderness holds its own dangers, from wild animals to even wilder weather. The pair races to find the treasure as sinister men hunt them. Erin must go forward no matter where the twisted trail leads, even if it means asking Drew for help and endangering her heart.
Erin won’t give up an important historical find without a fight. She and her gorgeous and brainy best friend Camie head into the New Mexico wilderness to track the treasure. The wilderness holds its own dangers, from wild animals to even wilder weather. The pair races to find the treasure as sinister men hunt them. Erin must go forward no matter where the twisted trail leads, even if it means asking Drew for help and endangering her heart.
Excerpt
Among all
the legends, all the fact and fiction, one story stood out. The Victorio Peak
legend had it all. A Franciscan priest and a swindler. Torture, murder, a
government cover-up. Where was the truth, among all the stories? Erin wanted to
find out. Over time, and with Camie’s encouragement, she’d started to take the
treasure hunt more seriously. It wasn’t so much for the treasure itself—that
would most likely belong to the government or the landowners. But it would make
her reputation, open up new job opportunities—change her life in ways she
hardly dared dream.
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| New Mexico petroglyphs |
She
touched the book gently. The pages were falling out; she didn’t want to risk
carrying it around. Instead, Erin snapped a picture of the petroglyphs with her
phone. That would be enough to show Camie for now.
The timing
was perfect; she just had to turn in grades and field a few tearful last-minute
requests for extensions, and she’d be done for the semester. What better way to
spend the summer, than hunting for buried treasure?
Erin shook
her head. Who would’ve thought that she, the quiet, studious girl who’d spent
her entire adult life in academia in one way or another, would be planning such
an adventure?
Erin wheeled the bike around the front of her
house and mounted. At the corner, she paused and looked both ways. The long
frontage road was dangerously narrow, with a cement wall on one side and a
ditch on the other. Fortunately, traffic was normally light, and at this time
of day the road lay empty. Erin pushed off, still grinning from her find. She
rode on the right side, by the ditch, instead of facing traffic, because it was
just too frightening to ride alongside the wall when a car passed.
She’d gone
a block when she heard the hum of a car engine as it pulled out from a side
street behind her. She rode along the very edge of the pavement, even though
the car would have plenty of room to pass her without oncoming traffic.
Erin
glanced over her shoulder. The black SUV 20 feet behind her hadn’t bothered to
pull out into the road at all. Jerk. When would drivers learn to share the road
with bicyclists? Erin pulled onto the two-foot wide gravel strip between the
pavement and the ditch. She couldn’t stop without risking a skid, but she
slowed so the SUV could pass.
The engine
roared. Erin glanced back again.
Black
metal bore down on her. Her heart lurched and the bike wobbled. This guy was
crazy! She whipped her gaze forward, rose up in the seat, and pumped the pedals
with all her power, skimming along inches from the ditch. He was just trying to
scare her. She’d get his license plate and—
She felt
the bumper hit her back tire. The bike seemed to leap into the air, and she
went flying. The dried mud and weeds of the ditch seemed to rise up to meet
her.
She didn’t even have time to scream.
Reader Feedback
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| All free with Kindle Unlimited |
“Great balance of history, romance, and adventure. Smart romance with an “Indiana Jones” feel.” – Jules
“Fast, fun, romance and adventure, What more can you ask for” – Niki
“Kept me on the edge of my chair. It’s one of those
books I couldn’t put down.” – Barb
“Oh my wow! The story is worth the read (not a page
turner, but a page burner) and the characters are awesome! Can’t wait to read
more from this author!” – Kathia
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