Saturday, January 22, 2022

#WinterRead - a Treasure Hunting Legend Inspires #Romance & #Suspense #BookBuzz #AmReading

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 has it all – a heretic Spanish priest, bandits, an Apache raider, and of course lots of gold. Desert Gold was inspired by this tale.

Treasure Hunting Law

Many people are fascinated by tales of lost treasures. Some people even devote their lives to tracking down one or more historical mysteries, while others dabble in treasure hunting as a hobby. But who actually owns the treasure if someone does find it?

The Archaeological Resources Protection Act of 1979 states that on public land (BLM lands, national parks, etc.), archaeological finds belong to the government. Qualified archaeologists can put in permits for excavation, and the finds can go to universities or museums, but the objects still belong to the government. On private land, a treasure would typically belong to the finder, if they are excavating with the land owner’s permission. However, state rules vary. Also, “treasure trove,” paper money or objects of gold or silver, must have been lost for at least a few decades, so it is unlikely that the original owner would come to reclaim it.

Of course, not everyone follows the law. I did some volunteer training with the BLM for people interested in monitoring archaeological sites. We were warned to never approach strangers digging in the desert, as they might be illegal treasure hunters and might be violent. Life can be just as exciting as fiction!

Inspired by Legend

In writing fiction, I took liberties with the Victorio Peak Treasure, which is still considered an unsolved mystery. According to the stories, the most likely location for the treasure is now within the restricted area of the White Sands Missile Range. I moved the treasure to public land, so my characters could actually find it. Not that the adventure is easy!

In Desert Gold, 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. Is Drew, the handsome helicopter pilot who found her bleeding in a ditch, really a hero, or one of the enemy?
Erin won’t give up an important historical find without a fight. She and her 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. Just how far will Erin go to find the treasure and discover what she’s really made of?

“The story has it all—action, romance, danger, intrigue, lost treasure, not to mention a sizzling relationship....”

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.

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?

Kris Bock lives in New Mexico, where she enjoys hiking, watching the sunset from her patio, and hanging out with her husband and their ferrets. Her home office looks out on nature, complete with distracting wildlife such as roadrunners and foxes.

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