King's Gold
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Overview
One look at the centuries-old document she receives from a mysterious stranger is all it takes to plunge Lola Sanchez—a brilliant bibliophile and owner of the Red Lion bookshop—into the adventure of an already adventurous lifetime. The ancient writings tell of a stolen fortune in Montezuma's gold—and of the thief's transformation from conquistatore to alchemist . . . to werewolf.
Riches beyond imagining possibly await the stalwart globe-trotter who can solve the intricate riddles hidden in the artifact's crumbling pages. But a deadly curse is buried there as well. On a dangerous quest through the dark shadows of history, Lola and her dashing companion, Eric, will have to unravel the twisted strands of her own family's fantastical past—and stay a step ahead of the villainous treasure hunters who would eagerly kill for the secrets she possesses and the Aztec gold she seeks.
Synopsis
One look at the centuries-old document she receives from a mysterious stranger is all it takes to plunge Lola Sanchez—a brilliant bibliophile and owner of the Red Lion bookshop—into the adventure of an already adventurous lifetime. The ancient writings tell of a stolen fortune in Montezuma's gold—and of the thief's transformation from conquistatore to alchemist . . . to werewolf.
Riches beyond imagining possibly await the stalwart globe-trotter who can solve the intricate riddles hidden in the artifact's crumbling pages. But a deadly curse is buried there as well. On a dangerous quest through the dark shadows of history, Lola and her dashing companion, Eric, will have to unravel the twisted strands of her own family's fantastical past—and stay a step ahead of the villainous treasure hunters who would eagerly kill for the secrets she possesses and the Aztec gold she seeks.
The Washington Post - Clare Clark
The King's Gold is an exuberant confection of exploits, as thrilling as they are far-fetched, a page-turner of serpentine plot twists and tongue-in-cheek wit. Lola Sanchez is a female Indiana Jones, a thoroughly 21st-century heroine who combines boldness and brilliance with a wry awareness of the cliches of the adventure genre and a nice, self-deprecating humor…an irresistible blend of crime caper, 16th-century legend and the traumas of wedding planning set against the backdrop of Italy's most famous antiquities. But, while the plot moves at a cracking pace, it's the sparkling interplay between these larger-than-life characters that lends the novel such verve and originality.
Editorials
Los Angeles Times
“A romp like this, of course, is only as good as its characters and Murray draws heavily on the lively cast she introduced in The Queen Jade...Murray does a pretty nifty job of pulling it all together at the end....”Clare Clark
The King's Gold is an exuberant confection of exploits, as thrilling as they are far-fetched, a page-turner of serpentine plot twists and tongue-in-cheek wit. Lola Sanchez is a female Indiana Jones, a thoroughly 21st-century heroine who combines boldness and brilliance with a wry awareness of the cliches of the adventure genre and a nice, self-deprecating humor…an irresistible blend of crime caper, 16th-century legend and the traumas of wedding planning set against the backdrop of Italy's most famous antiquities. But, while the plot moves at a cracking pace, it's the sparkling interplay between these larger-than-life characters that lends the novel such verve and originality.—The Washington Post
Publishers Weekly
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.)
Copyright 2007Reed Business InformationSchool Library Journal
Murray (The Conquest) delivers an exceptional sequel to The Queen Jadethat offers not only the hope of many future adventures in her "Red Lion" series but also a cast of impassioned, scholarly, and culturally proud Latinos. Bookstore owner and inadvertent adventurer Lola Sanchez is less than two weeks from her wedding to archaeologist Erik Gomara when a stranger approaches her with a Medici document that he claims reveals an Italian cache of Montezuma's gold. The stranger "abducts" Lola to Florence to solve the Medici riddle and to guide him to the booty. Racing after them, Gomara joins a treasure hunt 400 years in the making. Murray's novel is exquisitely researched and entices the reader to book a literary tour of the regions covered, but at the same time, she never loosens her grip on the adventure. Family dynamics play heavily here as a host of characters from the first novel return. The big reveal is unexpected and clever. We should eagerly await the next book in the series. Recommended for most popular fiction collections.
—Laura A.B. Cifelli Copyright 2007 Reed Business Information