The Last Conquistador

The debut novel from veteran screenwriter Elias (The Jerk) spins the improbable premise of the Inca Empire surviving into modern-day Peru into a surprisingly believable, if not particularly surprising, tale. Archeologist Nina Ramirez is leading a research trip in the Andes when she discovers, near an ancient Incan mummy, a young boy's freshly deposited corpse. Her old flame, Adam Palma, a fearless FBI hostage retrieval specialist, comes to Lima to investigate the abduction of a U.S. State Department employee's child, which follows a pattern of disappearances of other young people, including cartel chieftain Olivero Contrero's son. Adam%E2%80%94a possible descendant of Francisco Pizarro%E2%80%94enlists Nina to help determine if someone is trying to revive the ancient Inca tradition of human sacrifice. This neo-pulp adventure story succeeds, despite a far-fetched and potentially xenophobic premise, through sure-footed storytelling and an evident respect and affection for Peru's history. Agent: Ed Victor, Ed Victor Literary Agency. (June)