Whispers of Fortune

A decades-long quest for a stash of gold buried in the Sierra Nevada sets the stage for this heart-pounding historical from Connealy (Into the Sunset). It’s 1874 when handsome Brody MacKenzie shows up at the Two Harts ranch looking for his younger brothers, Lock and Thayne. The pair has run away from New York to the California ranch, from which they plan to venture into the Sierra Nevada on a fabled treasure hunt first undertaken by their grandfather. Though the search has already caused their family considerable heartache (their father’s “gold fever” compelled him to abandon the family for long stretches and ultimately descend into alcoholism), Brody grudgingly agrees to help—as does Ellie Hunt, who runs the Two Harts ranch with her siblings, and who becomes increasingly close to Brody as the two bond over their faith. The closer they get to the treasure, however, the greater the obstacles that stand in their way—not least of which is the growing number of rival treasure hunters, including Ellie’s shifty ex-fiancé. Connealy heightens the stakes as the trek grows more treacherous, culminating in a tense climax in which the group must determine where their loyalties lie and what they’re willing to sacrifice for the gold. Atmospheric and action-packed, this will keep readers on tenterhooks. (Feb.)