Law professor Murray continues her Red Lion series (following The Queen Jade
) with a death-defying treasure hunt that transforms her “sedentary, word-mad bibliophile†heroine into “a genuine biblio-adventurer
.†When a stranger approaches Lola Sanchez, a Long Beach, Calif., bookshop owner and the daughter of legendary archeologist and old-fashioned pulp hero Tomas de la Rosa, with a centuries-old letter offering clues to the location of Montezuma's lost gold, she can't resist the lure—especially when told that her father died while searching for the treasure. Assisted by her half-sister, fiancé, mother and stepfather, Lola follows the clues in “a suicidal treasure hunt†that leads across Italy and to some of history's most iconic sites. The characters are unique and memorable, the action fast-paced, the plot serpentine and the riddles challenging in this entertaining adventure. In heroine Sanchez, Murray has created a perfect counterweight to the traditional macho hero. (Apr.)
