Meet the Team Following the Victorio Peak Treasure Trail in Desert Gold: Romantic Suspense in the Southwest

A history professor, a helicopter pilot, a brilliant best friend, and one unforgettable orange cat make this desert adventure anything but ordinary in Desert Gold.

Erin: The scholar who refuses to back down

Erin is not the typical action heroine. She begins the story as a quiet history professor, someone more comfortable with research and evidence than with danger. When she discovers a clue connected to the lost Victorio Peak treasure, curiosity leads her toward adventure. Then a hit-and-run attack makes it clear that the treasure hunt is no academic exercise.

Erin’s greatest strength is her mind. She notices details, understands historical context, and approaches the mystery with intelligence. But courage is not the absence of fear. It is the decision to keep going after fear has made every step harder. Erin may be outmatched by the people hunting her, yet she refuses to surrender an important historical discovery without a fight.

Drew: Hero, suspect, or something in between?

Drew enters Erin’s life after finding her injured in a ditch. As a helicopter pilot, he has the skills and experience to help her navigate the rugged New Mexico wilderness. He is also handsome, capable, and just mysterious enough to make Erin question his motives.

That uncertainty fuels the romantic suspense at the heart of the novel. Their attraction develops alongside danger, which means trust has to grow under pressure. Every rescue, difficult decision, and shared risk becomes part of the question: can Erin rely on Drew when the people pursuing her will stop at nothing?

Camie and Tiger: The unforgettable supporting cast

Erin's best friend Camie brings brains, beauty, ingenuity, and a feisty spirit to the journey. She is the kind of friend who can make a dangerous situation more manageable—and more entertaining. 

Tiger is a huge orange cat with plenty of personality. In a story filled with legends, villains, storms, and hidden treasure, Tiger holds his own and may make you wish you had a friend like him. 

Together, Erin, Drew, Camie, and Tiger create a team readers will want to follow into the desert. By the time Erin cries, “I found it!” the discovery feels like the reward for loyalty, persistence, and the courage to trust.

If you like Indiana Jones-style adventure with a smart heroine, Southwest history, dangerous secrets, and a slow-burn romance, you’ll love Desert Gold. Erin and Drew’s treasure hunt leads deep into the New Mexico wilderness—and straight into danger.

Get six romantic suspense novels in one ebook “box set.” These are exclusive to Amazon for $12.99 (a $25 value) and free in Kindle Unlimited. Get it here! Or see each Romantic Suspense in the Southwest novel.

Readers say: “Fast, fun, romance and adventure.”

“…strong solid female characters in a rip-roaring mystery.”

“Kept me on the edge of my chair.”

“Great balance of history, romance, and adventure. Smart romance with an Indiana Jones feel.”

Kris Bock writes mystery, suspense, and romance, often with smart, snarky heroines finding adventure (sometimes against their will) in the Southwest. She lives in New Mexico where she enjoys hiking with her spouse and playing with their ferrets.

In the Tales of a Reluctant Psychic mysteries, a quirky loner who can read the history of any object with her touch gets drawn into mysteries at the museum of oddities where she works. In the Accidental Detective humorous mystery series, a witty journalist solves mysteries in Arizona and tackles the challenges of turning fifty. 

The Furrever Friends Sweet Romance series stars the employees and customers at a cat café. Watch as they fall in love with each other and shelter cats. In the Accidental Billionaire Cowboys series, a Texas ranching family wins a fortune in the lottery. Who wouldn't want to be a billionaire? Turns out winning the lottery causes as many problems as it solves.

Kris also writes a series with her brother, scriptwriter Douglas J Eboch, who wrote the original screenplay for the movie Sweet Home Alabama. The Felony Melanie series follows the crazy antics of Melanie, Jake, and their friends a decade before the events of the movie.

Kris’s romantic suspense novels include stories of treasure hunting, archaeology, and intrigue. Readers have called these novels “Smart romance with an Indiana Jones feel.”

Learn more at KrisBock.com. Sign up for the Kris Bock newsletter and get short stories from the Accidental Detective and the Reluctantly Psychic series, a cat café novella, a Sweet Home Alabama romantic comedy story, and other freebies. Then every two weeks, you’ll get fun content about pets, announcements of new books, sales, and more.

The Real-World Thrills Behind a New Mexico Treasure Hunt & Southwest Treasure Hunting Romantic Suspense #books

The desert is more than a backdrop in Desert Gold. Its history, scale, and unpredictability help turn a legendary treasure hunt into a suspenseful adventure.

“Oh my wow! 
You’ve heard people say you gotta read this book...
well for this one, it’s true!! The story is worth the read
(not a page turner, but a page burner)
and the characters are awesome!” – Kathia 

Why the desert makes such a powerful setting

The New Mexico desert seems designed for mystery. Its wide-open spaces can make a person feel wonderfully free—or dangerously exposed. Canyons, rocky slopes, lonely dirt roads, and distant horizons create the perfect environment for a story about a hidden treasure and the people who would do anything to find it.
 
In Desert Gold, the setting is an active force in the story as Erin and her companions face the wilderness. The terrain demands attention. Weather can change quickly. Animals can create unexpected danger. Help may be far away when something goes wrong.
 
Legends that refuse to disappear

Stories of lost gold often blend history, rumor, conflicting accounts, and the enduring human belief that something valuable may still be waiting just beyond reach. Whether the Victorio Peak treasure is viewed as a historical puzzle or an irresistible adventure, the legend creates a strong emotional pull.
 
Erin approaches the mystery as a historian. She is interested in learning, not merely in the promise of wealth. But when she discovers a clue to the lost treasure, she becomes the target of ruthless treasure hunters. Her search takes her into the New Mexico wilderness with Drew, a helicopter pilot who rescued her, her brilliant best friend Camie, and a feisty orange cat.
 
Research, imagination, and suspense

This story started with an intriguing legend. Writing the novel meant clues must feel plausible. Characters have to face their fears. The landscape must be vivid enough for readers to picture, yet unpredictable enough to keep them uneasy. The danger has to emerge naturally from the setting and the villains. 

 
These elements helps make romantic suspense so satisfying. A story can offer the excitement of discovery while maintaining the pressure of danger. Erin is trying to solve a historical mystery, but she is also trying to survive. She must decide whom to trust, how far to pursue the truth, and whether the possibility of love is worth the risk of letting someone close.
 
The result is a treasure hunt with several layers: a legendary fortune, a dangerous wilderness, a historical puzzle, and a relationship tested by uncertainty. The desert may conceal the gold, but it also reveals character. Under its vast skies, there is nowhere to hide from fear, ambition, loyalty—or the truth.

If you like Indiana Jones-style adventure with a smart heroine, Southwest history, dangerous secrets, and a slow-burn romance, you’ll love Desert Gold. Erin and Drew’s treasure hunt leads deep into the New Mexico wilderness—and straight into danger.

Get six romantic suspense novels in one ebook “box set.” These are exclusive to Amazon for $12.99 (a $25 value) and free in Kindle Unlimited. Get it here! Or see each Romantic Suspense in the Southwest novel.

Readers say:

“…strong solid female characters in a rip-roaring mystery.”

“Fast, fun, romance and adventure.”

“Kept me on the edge of my chair.”

“Great balance of history, romance, and adventure. Smart romance with an Indiana Jones feel.”

Kris Bock writes mystery, suspense, and romance, often with smart, snarky heroines finding adventure (sometimes against their will) in the Southwest. She lives in New Mexico where she enjoys hiking with her spouse and playing with their ferrets.

In the Tales of a Reluctant Psychic mysteries, a quirky loner who can read the history of any object with her touch gets drawn into mysteries at the museum of oddities where she works. In the Accidental Detective humorous mystery series, a witty journalist solves mysteries in Arizona and tackles the challenges of turning fifty. 

The Furrever Friends Sweet Romance series stars the employees and customers at a cat café. Watch as they fall in love with each other and shelter cats. In the Accidental Billionaire Cowboys series, a Texas ranching family wins a fortune in the lottery. Who wouldn't want to be a billionaire? Turns out winning the lottery causes as many problems as it solves.

Kris also writes a series with her brother, scriptwriter Douglas J Eboch, who wrote the original screenplay for the movie Sweet Home Alabama. The Felony Melanie series follows the crazy antics of Melanie, Jake, and their friends a decade before the events of the movie.

Kris’s romantic suspense novels include stories of treasure hunting, archaeology, and intrigue. Readers have called these novels “Smart romance with an Indiana Jones feel.”

Learn more at KrisBock.com. Sign up for the Kris Bock newsletter and get short stories from the Accidental Detective and the Reluctantly Psychic series, a cat café novella, a Sweet Home Alabama romantic comedy story, and other freebies. Then every two weeks, you’ll get fun content about pets, announcements of new books, sales, and more.

Why the Best Treasure Hunts Are About More Than Gold: Southwest Treasure Hunting Romantic Suspense #books

In Desert Gold, a legendary fortune draws everyone into the New Mexico wilderness—but the real discoveries are found in history, trust, and courage. 

The lure of the unknown

Treasure stories are magical. They promise adventure and a secret waiting to be uncovered. The lost Victorio Peak treasure gives Desert Gold that irresistible pull with a Spanish priest’s gold mine, riches stolen by bandits, and legends of an Apache raider. 

For Erin, the mystery begins as an intellectual challenge. As a history professor, she understands the importance of clues found through careful research. She wants to understand the past and determine whether she can interpret the evidence to find a real location. But history becomes dangerous when someone tries to kill her.

History under pressure

Old stories can inspire scholarship, obsession, greed, or violence, depending on who is listening. Erin’s knowledge gives her an advantage, but it also makes her a target. The closer she comes to finding the treasure, the more dangerous the search becomes.

The New Mexico desert is beautiful, vast, and unforgiving. A wilderness setting isn't simply scenery; it is part of the suspense. Sudden storms, wild animals, difficult terrain, and isolation all force Erin to act without the safety of familiar routines. Every mile deeper into the wilderness brings her closer to the answer—and farther from help.

Trust as its own kind of treasure

Erin’s relationship with Drew adds another layer to the mystery. He helps her when she's injured, but does he want to protect her or does he want the treasure for himself? Romantic suspense thrives on that uncertainty. Attraction may draw two people together, but trust must be earned through action.

Old stories can inspire scholarship, obsession, greed, or violence, depending on who is listening. Erin’s knowledge gives her an advantage, but it also makes her a target. The closer she comes to finding the treasure, the more dangerous the search becomes.

The New Mexico desert is beautiful, vast, and unforgiving. A wilderness setting isn't simply scenery; it is part of the suspense. Sudden storms, wild animals, difficult terrain, and isolation all force Erin to act without the safety of familiar routines. Every mile deeper into the wilderness brings her closer to the answer—and farther from help.

Trust as its own kind of treasure

Erin’s relationship with Drew adds another layer to the mystery. He helps her when she's injured, but does he want to protect her or does he want the treasure for himself? Romantic suspense thrives on that uncertainty. Attraction may draw two people together, but trust must be earned through action.

Erin also relies on Camie, her brainy and fearless best friend, whose presence brings humor, loyalty, and ingenuity to the journey. Then there's the feisty orange cat Tiger, who may be the bravest of them all. They are not simply racing toward gold; they are protecting one another, confronting fear, and discovering what they are willing to risk.

In Desert Gold, the gold may be legendary, but the deeper rewards are courage, friendship, and the possibility of love in the middle of a perilous adventure.

Get six romantic suspense novels in one ebook “box set.” These are exclusive to Amazon for $12.99 (a $25 value) and free in Kindle Unlimited. Get it here! Or see each Romantic Suspense in the Southwest novel.

Kris Bock writes romance and mystery with characters you’d like to know. In the Tales of a Reluctant Psychic mysteries, a quirky loner who can read the history of any object with her touch gets drawn into mysteries at the museum of oddities where she works. 

In the Accidental Detective humorous mystery series, a witty journalist solves mysteries in Arizona and tackles the challenges of turning fifty. Kris’s romantic suspense novels include stories of treasure hunting, archaeology, and intrigue. Readers have called these novels “Smart romance with an Indiana Jones feel.”

In the Accidental Billionaire Cowboys series, a Texas ranching family wins a fortune in the lottery. Who wouldn't want to be a billionaire? Turns out winning the lottery causes as many problems as it solves. Readers say: “Lovely feel good story.”
“I can hardly wait for the next in this series.”
“I highly recommend this book. Kris has a winning series here.” 

 The Furrever Friends Sweet Romance series features the employees and customers at a cat café. Watch as they fall in love with each other and shelter cats. 

Readers say: “I absolutely love this heartfelt series.”
“I loved this book so much and absolutely loved the concept of the café.”

“One of my favorite series of all time."

The Felony Melanie: Sweet Home Alabama romantic comedy novels follow the crazy antics of Melanie, Jake, and their friends a decade before the events of the movie. These are written by scriptwriter Douglas J Eboch, who wrote the original screenplay for the movie Sweet Home Alabama, and his sister (me). 

Readers say: “Fun loving, laugh out loud read!!!!”

“Such a fun book to read! If you enjoyed Sweet Home Alabama this will be a treat.” 

#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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A Spooky Tale from the Wild West for #Halloween

The Old West is full of true stories of bandits, shootouts, and lost treasures. Many people attempt to divide historical figures into heroes and villains, lawman and outlaws. In reality, most people are more complex than that, and few famous people from the Old West led blameless lives.

Wyatt Earp is often regarded as a heroic lawman. However, he spent only six years in law enforcement. He also worked as a gambler, buffalo hunter, stagecoach guard, and Teamster, among other jobs. He was arrested for stealing a horse, but he escaped from jail.

Like many famous Western figures, Wyatt Earp wound up in the famous town of Tombstone, Arizona. Wyatt Earp and Ike Clanton allied to find a group of cowboys who had robbed a stagecoach, but the alliance fell apart – possibly because the Clantons were involved in the robberies. This led to the famous shootout at the OK Corral and the deaths of Billy Clanton and the two McLaury brothers, known cattle rustlers. Soon after, Wyatt’s brother Virgil was seriously wounded in a shooting, and their brother Morgan was killed in a shootout. The attackers were unknown, but Wyatt and his gang killed several suspects. He fled town to avoid prosecution.

Many movies have been made featuring Wyatt Earp, most of them romanticizing his life. The truth is more complex.

A Deadly Killer

Curly Bill Brosius, on the other hand, was pure outlaw and a close friend of the Clantons. He was supposedly a crack shot who could hit running jackrabbits and shoot out candle flames without breaking the candles. His idea of a practical joke was to make a preacher dance during a sermon by shooting at his feet. He forced Mexicans at a community dance to take off their clothes and dance naked. He killed at least one man in a robbery, escaped from prison, and led a gang of rustlers in Arizona Territory.

In 1880, in Tombstone, Curly Bill killed popular Marshal Fred White. The Marshal was trying to take Bill’s gun and it went off, hitting White in the groin. Wyatt Earp then knocked Bill unconscious with his gun. White said he didn’t think Curly Bill was trying to kill him, but he died from his wound the next day. Curly Bill was also implicated in some revenge killings and at least one death during a bar fight. He was implicated in the murder of Morgan Earp, but without proof he wasn’t charged.

Violence in the Desert

Curly Bill also might have been involved in the Skeleton Canyon Massacre. Here history and legend get muddled. Some people claim that Mexican bandits looted Monterrey, Mexico, and escaped across the border with a treasure worth $75,000, or $2 million, or $8 million. Others claim there is no evidence of such a heist in Monterrey, and that it’s doubtful such a treasure ever existed in the first place.

Regardless, violence came to Skeleton Canyon, a shallow canyon in southeastern Arizona, not far from the Mexico border. An American gang ambushed a group of Mexicans – possibly the bandits, or else merely vaqueros (cowboys). One story says Curly Bill’s gang shot the Mexicans out of their saddles, which caused their mules to stampede. The bandits then shot the mules to keep them from running away with the treasure, but with the mules dead, the men had no way to transport the loot. Two men from the gang, Zwing Hunt and Billy Grounds, hid the treasure somewhere in the canyon. When they were killed, the location of the hidden treasure was lost. 

Curly Bill had been wounded six weeks before the Skeleton Canyon Massacre and was supposedly still recovering. Was he involved or not? Was the violence over a treasure that would be worth millions today, or merely over some cattle? The debates continue, and some people still hunt for the treasure.

What is most likely true, but is still challenged by some people, is that Wyatt Earp killed Curly Bill in a shootout in 1882. Bill was in his thirties, which considering his lifestyle was a surprisingly long life.

Unsolved Mysteries took a look at the Skeleton Canyon Treasure.

Tombstone is now a popular place for tourists to visit.

History (and Legend) As Inspiration

My adventure novel, The Skeleton Canyon Treasure, was inspired by the legendary treasure. In the novel, set today, Camie and Ryan are hunting for Ryan’s uncle, who disappeared while hunting for the historical treasure. The clues take Camie, Ryan, and the feisty cat Tiger on a trail through the Southwest. Their quest takes them to historic sites such as Tombstone and eventually into the remote canyon, where danger awaits.

“The Skeleton Canyon Treasure is a light, breezy action/adventure/romance that’s perfect for summer reading.”

If you love suspense and romance, try this gripping adventure!

The Mad Monk’s Treasure is the first of the Southwest Treasure Hunters novels. The Dead Man’s Treasure is book 2 and The Skeleton Canyon Treasure is book 3. Each novel stands alone and is complete, with no cliffhangers. This series mixes action and adventure with light romance. The stories explore the Southwest, especially New Mexico.

A #RomanticSuspense Inspired by a Treasure Hunting Legend

photo by Alan Erickson

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. The Mad Monk’s Treasure – currently free at all e-book retailers – 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

“Smart romance with an 'Indiana Jones' feel.”

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 The Mad Monk’s Treasure, 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....”

The Mad Monk’s Treasure is the first of the Southwest Treasure Hunters novels. The Dead Man’s Treasure is book 2 and The Skeleton Canyon Treasure is book 3. Each novel stands alone and is complete, with no cliffhangers. This series mixes action and adventure with light romance. In The Dead Man’s Treasure, estranged relatives compete to reach a buried treasure by following a series of complex clues. 

In The Skeleton Canyon Treasure, sparks fly when reader favorites Camie and Tiger help a mysterious man track down his missing uncle. 

Kris Bock writes novels of suspense and romance with outdoor adventures and Southwestern landscapes. Read excerpts at www.krisbock.com or visit her Amazon page. Sign up for the Kris Bock newsletter for announcements of new books, sales, and more.

Fans of Mary Stewart, Barbara Michaels, and Terry Odell will want to check out Kris Bock’s romantic adventures. “Counterfeits is the kind of romantic suspense novel I have enjoyed since I first read Mary Stewart’s Moonspinners.” 5 Stars – Roberta at Sensuous Reviews blog. In Counterfeits, stolen Rembrandt paintings bring danger to a small New Mexico town. Whispers in the Dark features archaeology and intrigue among ancient Southwest ruins. What We Found is a mystery with strong romantic elements about a young woman who finds a murder victim in the woods. 

Dinosaur Hunters in the New Mexico Desert

First published in the enchantment magazine by NMRECA.

Fossil Plants

Have you ever imagined traveling back in time and meeting a real, live dinosaur? It’s more possible than you might think – except for the “live” part.

Alan Erickson has been interested in paleontology – the study of fossils – since childhood, because, “I have always enjoyed digging for treasure.” He looked up scientific papers on New Mexico paleontology and visited an area where fossil bones had been found. “After a week of hunting I finally found a vertebra [back bone]. I called the museum and reported the find.” Eventually staffers from the New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science (NMMNHS) came out to see it. It was a phytosaur, a pre-dinosaur that looked like a crocodile.

The museum staffers “brought me into the fold,” Alan says, and he began joining official museum digs. “I enjoy the exposure to new knowledge and places, and the comradery. Each dig is like a whole semester of school packed into a couple of days, but much better.”

On one museum dig, “I spotted a hillside and I just knew I’d find something there. I walked straight to the hill and I saw bones poking out of it.” The bones have not yet been studied in detail but may be a tyrannosaur.

He also continues to hunt on his own. “I love finding bones, but one of the coolest things I’ve found is a piece of sandstone with 10 or 15 different leaves or seeds in different colors. It’s one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever seen.”

For others interested in dinosaur hunting, Alan advises, “It takes a long time to find this stuff. You have to learn how to see them.” If you do find something, “Check the GPS coordinates and call the museum. You’ll have more fun with the museum than without them.”

ammonites at the museum 

Field and Lab

Some volunteers work in the museum as well as in the field, almost turning their hobby into a full-time job. Paul Sealey is a museum research associate, an official but unpaid position. “I was one of the first volunteers here,” he says. “I’ve been collecting fossils for 45 years.”

Paul is best known for his discovery of the “Bisti Beast,” a new species of tyrannosaur. He knew right away he had something special. “There was part of a jaw with a tooth eroding out. Parts of the ribs and legs and femur were exposed too. It turned out to be a partial skeleton.” The skull is now on display at the Smithsonian, while the rest is still in the NMMNHS prep lab. Some of Paul’s other finds are on display in Albuquerque as well. The science comes first, “But it’s good that they are on display so the public can see it too.”

Paul’s specialty is ammonites, an extinct marine animal related to octopus and squid. “I’ve been all over the state. The most fun is always making a discovery, but that’s just the start. Then you have to curate them.” He cleans the fossils, makes labels, photographs them, and catalogs everything. He’s been working on a monograph about ammonites for years. He keeps finding new things, like one known from Texas that had not been found in New Mexico before. “It’s hard to stop.”

Going Pro

Amanda Cantrell took her hobby even farther. “When I met my fiancée, we started going on hikes and finding fossils. I got obsessed with it.” She volunteered at the museum, worked as an intern, and finally got hired as Geoscience Collections Manager. “I’m a librarian of fossils,” she says. Her fiancé is now the prep lab manager, and they’re both still passionate about fossils.

Amanda warns amateurs not to move or collect anything. It’s illegal to collect fossils of vertebrates (animals with a spine) on public lands. Besides, the find is most valuable if the scientists have a chance to study it in place. “Once you pick up a fossil, you take it out of context. It’s important if someone finds a [vertebrate] fossil, don’t touch it,” Amanda says. “Give us a GPS coordinate and call us or send a picture.” It is legal to collect certain fossils, but know the laws and “When in doubt, take pictures and GPS, and ask. There is a legal way to collect, and that’s through us.”

Amanda encourages interested people to join the New Mexico Friends of Paleontology. The museum hosts field trips 2 to 4 times a year, led by a professional paleontologist. Volunteers often find exciting fossils, from giant plants to dinosaur bones. “It’s often the only way they can find vertebrate fossils and touch them,” Amanda says.

On a Dig, photo by Alan Erickson 

A Cool Contribution

Denise Elvrum has been on several museum digs. “I have been interested in paleontology since I was a little girl. When the opportunity came up to go on real digs, I jumped at it. It was one of the coolest things I’ve ever done.”

On one dig, they found an aetosaur, a relative of the crocodile. “I was off scouting with a senior volunteer and we noticed a group of what looked like white rocks in a pattern in the dirt of a small arroyo. After testing it and deciding that it was in fact bone, we started very carefully removing dirt around the pieces. We keep digging, using small scoops and dental picks, and found a right hind-quarter of the critter. At that point our hearts were jumping around! We got the head paleontologist to come look at it and he was super excited; it was the best one of these things he’d ever seen, too.” 

The most complete aetosaur skeleton ever found anywhere, it is now on display at the museum. “I felt that by helping to uncover this creature, I was contributing something to paleontology in New Mexico and maybe to the greater world. It makes you feel special. I’ve gone to visit ‘my’ dino, and taken my picture with it. It’s really, really neat!”

Jurassic Park may be a fantasy, but dinosaur lovers can meet these beasts in the wild – with a little help from museum friends.

For More Information

The Bureau of Land Management has guidelines for collecting on public land. Vertebrate fossils, such as dinosaurs, mammals, reptiles, and fishes, may only be collected by trained researchers with a BLM permit. Trace fossils – footprints and coprolites (poop) – are also protected. Common invertebrate fossils, such as plants and wood, may be collected “for personal use in reasonable quantities, but may not be bartered or sold.” For more information, see this page.

New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science (NMMNHS) 

Read about The BistiBeast

Kris Bock with a fossil shell

Kris Bock writes novels of suspense and romance involving outdoor adventures and Southwestern landscapes. In Counterfeits, stolen Rembrandt paintings bring danger to a small New Mexico town. Whispers in the Dark features archaeology and intrigue among ancient Southwest ruins. What We Found is a mystery with strong romantic elements about a young woman who finds a murder victim in the woods. The Mad Monk’s Treasure follows the hunt for a long-lost treasure in the New Mexico desert. In The Dead Man’s Treasure, estranged relatives compete to reach a buried treasure by following a series of complex clues. Read excerpts at www.krisbock.com or visit her Amazon page. Sign up for Kris Bock newsletter for announcements of new books, sales, and more.

Review: Western Treasure Tales by Choral Pepper

I’ve been researching lost and buried treasures as I plot the next book in my treasure hunting romantic adventure series. The first book in the Southwest Treasure Hunters series is The Mad Monk’s Treasure. The Dead Man’s Treasure is book 2. Each novel stands alone and is complete, with no cliffhangers. This series mixes action and adventure with "closed door" romance. The stories explore the Southwest, especially New Mexico.

Western Treasure Tales

Choral Pepper

Publisher: Univ Pr of Colorado, 1998

Pages: 130

ISBN-13: 978-0870814891

Paperback: under $10 used

The Jameson books I've reviewed have generally had dozens of treasures listed, told in the voice of an outside storyteller. Choral Pepper’s book is more personal. She describes only eight adventures, but she goes into them at length. In most, she recounts some personal experience seeking the treasure.

The eight stories cover seven states: Arizona, Colorado, Utah, Nevada, Oregon, and New Mexico (twice). One tale shares the curious tale of the three men named Pegleg Smith who each found black gold – not oil, but gold with a small amount of copper which oxidizes to turn the nuggets black.

Another story covers the search for an Aztec treasure, known as Montezuma's Treasure. Was the Aztec homeland really in Utah, perhaps on an island in the Great Salt Lake? Historians make a case for that. However, it is less certain that Aztecs carried their treasure back north in order to protect it from Spanish invaders. Still, an entire town joined in the hunt. (Spoiler: They failed to find the treasure.)

The author's imagination adds to the stories. When hunting Montezuma's Treasure, she writes, "I sat on the edge of the rock-strewn ravine below the cave and imagined an endless file of Aztec tamenes clothed in loincloths, stooped under fifty-pound loads of gold in leather bags supported against their backs as they plodded through the valley below. Marsh grass then would have curled against the gentle wind and the guttural commands of Aztec cacique guards, their jeweled and feathered helmets glittering in sunlight, would have echoed up to where I sat."

She also assumes thoughts and feelings for some of the historical subjects, as in, "Tossing restlessly on his palette, Lebreau thanked the good Lord he had secreted most of the gold…. In his mind's eye he reviewed once again his map…." Pierre Lebreau did write about his frustrating and devastating travels – he was the only one of his large French contingent to survive and the treasure remains hidden in Colorado. However, it's likely Pepper took some artistic liberty in recounting the history.

Sometimes Pepper’s more recent personal tales are as fascinating as the old legends. She joined Erle Stanley Gardner, author of the popular Perry Mason mysteries, on a treasure hunt in the Oregon desert. Who wouldn't want to be in on that camping trip?

This is an entertaining book, both for the historical legends and the insight into a mid-20th century treasure hunter. It even includes a translation of Spanish directions to a great treasure possibly hidden in Tumacacori, Arizona, should the reader wish to brave "one of the roughest, most cut-up regions in North America."

Photos from Choral Pepper’s adventures, some with Erle Stanley Gardner

This online issue of Desert Magazine, from when Pepper was the editor, contains the story of her adventure in Baja California on a blimp along with Gardner. And here's another of Pepper’s Baja stories with Gardner. The text is very faint and hard to read online, but I was able to select, copy, and paste it into a text box for easier reading.

Kris Bock writes novels of suspense and romance with outdoor adventures and Southwestern landscapes. The Mad Monk’s Treasure follows the hunt for a long-lost treasure in the New Mexico desert. In The Dead Man’s Treasure, estranged relatives compete to reach a buried treasure by following a series of complex clues. In The Skeleton Canyon Treasure, sparks fly when reader favorites Camie and Tiger help a mysterious man track down his missing uncle. Whispers in the Dark features archaeology and intrigue among ancient Southwest ruins. What We Found is a mystery with strong romantic elements about a young woman who finds a murder victim in the woods. In Counterfeits, stolen Rembrandt paintings bring danger to a small New Mexico town. Read excerpts at www.krisbock.com or visit her Amazon page.