Ancient Mystery Fiction

The old salt farmers have always said that the violet scent of the Fleur de Sel at harvest time on the salt marshes of the Guerande Peninsula has been known to cause hallucinations. Commissaire Dupin also starts to believe this when he's attacked out of the blue in the salt works. He had actually been looking forward to escaping his endless paperwork and taking a trip to the "white country" between the raging Atlantic Ocean and idyllic rivers.

The murder of an esteemed archaeologist is fueling an already heated war between natives and the academics who excavate their land. And when the coroner confirms that the victim was cannibalized, the story takes a twisted turn. Private eye Howard Moon Deer and ex-police chief Jack Wilder are on the case. The killing appears to be a modern mimicry of the Anasazi's rumored past - one the tribe thinks would be best left buried. But Howard and Jack must search for clues even if it means digging up sacred land. As they struggle to fight tribal politics, the killer strikes again.

1296 AD: the whole of Western Europe trembles on the brink of war. South of the Pyrenees, the Christian and Moorish kingdoms fight and scheme against each for control of Hispania. To the north, the rival kings of England and France feverishly enlist allies as they battle for supremacy on the Continent. Even as the armies clash, spies and double agents fight their own bloody war in the shadows. From the safety of old age, En Pascal of Valencia recalls his own exploits in this brutal and treacherous era.

In the depths of the desert on the empire's Eastern Frontier, the Roman army lays siege to the city of Nicopolis. Estranged from his beloved Enica to keep her safe, centurion Flavius Ferox has secured his freedom after being framed once again. His next quest: to uncover traitors within the Roman ranks. As the siege builds, widespread corruption seethes and soldiers are murdered in cold blood. Meanwhile, Ferox's investigation brings him closer and closer to the imperial court, and uncovers connections to Hadrian himself...

Set in the years before the Battle of Hastings, the story follows the trials and tribulations of Aelfraed, a young boy who aspires to be a warrior. When his uncle, Aethelward, takes him to join the warriors of Harold Godwinson, his life is irrevocably changed. Fighting the Welsh brings him great honour and when he saves the life of Edward the Confessor, he becomes a man of great reputation. The novel culminates in the battle of Stamford Bridge when the Housecarls defeated the last of the Vikings, Harald Hadrada.

376 AD: The Eastern Roman Empire is alone against the tide of barbarians swelling on her borders. Emperor Valens juggles the paltry border defenses to stave off invasion from the Goths north of the Danube. Meanwhile, in Constantinople, a pact between faith and politics spawns a lethal plot that will bring the dark and massive hordes from the east crashing down on these struggling borders. The fates conspire to see Numerius Vitellius Pavo thrust into the limitanei, the border legions, just before they are sent to recapture the long-lost eastern Kingdom of Bosporus.

Assyria, in the reign of Ashurbanipal. For Aurya and her daydreaming brother, Sharo, every day is a struggle for survival, as they dodge the beatings of their drunken father and scrabble for scraps of food. One violent evening, everything changes. Soon, they are on the barge of King Ashurbanipal, bound for the beautiful, near-mythical city of Nineveh.

Don't miss this race-against-the-clock story of suspense and intrigue from a USA Today bestselling author. One obscure Babylonian artifact in the hands of terrorists could bring down an entire city… When antiquities professor Bryan Wright is tasked with discovering why a band of terrorists might target a museum in Munich, he teams up with the museum’s attractive exhibit designer to study their ancient artifacts. Something in this collection holds special value to the terrorists, and Bryan must figure out which item and why—before enemies get their hands on it. An American living in ...

It's AD 123, and the sun is shining on southern Gaul. Ex-military medic Ruso and his British wife, Tilla, are back after a long absence - but it's not the reunion anyone had hoped for. Ruso's brother has left him in charge of a farm he has no idea how to manage, a chronic debt problem, and a gaggle of accident-prone small children. Meanwhile his sister Flora has run away to rescue her boyfriend, who's accused of murdering a wealthy guest at a party.

One part Dashiell Hammett, one part Dan Brown... When Theophilus, a Roman merchant, is tasked by King Herod to find the body of Christ and prove he didn’t rise from the dead, Theophilus goes down a road that will change everything he ever believed in. From the author of The Mouse that Roared. Also previously published under the titles Testament of Theophilus, The Seven Hills, and Merchant of Rome. “Mr. Wibberley has woven several important and widely neglected truths about nascent Christianity into an absorbing story.”—New York Times Book Review

When Tiro, the confidential secretary (and slave) of a Roman senator, opens the door to a terrified stranger on a cold November morning, he sets in motion a chain of events that will eventually propel his master into one of the most suspenseful courtroom dramas in history.

Ra the Mighty is Pharaoh's Cat, Lord of the Powerful Paw. He is not Ra the Royal Babysitter. How's a cat supposed to fit in all his snacks and naps when his charges keep getting into mischief? Ra's new job only gets harder on a voyage up the Nile, leading to a fearsome palace where crocodiles swarm the waters. Then Pharaoh's son disappears. Has he run away? Has he been eaten by crocodiles? Has he been kidnapped, or worse? Ra and his fellow Great Detectives, Khepri and Miu, set out to discover the truth, but the palace is home to many secrets.

Rome 174 AD. As the war continues in the north, Marcus Aurelius orders Gaius Maximus and Rufus Atticus to return to Rome. Enemies lurk in the shadows in the capital, spreading propaganda and sowing dissent. The praetorian guards must lure their enemies out - and defeat them. Yet Maximus is returning home for something, or rather someone, else: Aurelia. The soldier will be caught between his duty and his happiness. Rufus Atticus will also be forced to make a choice, between duty and family.

A body in a ditch; a love unrequited; a rift between families: there’s been a murder in Ancient Rome. Immerse yourself in the city of Rome 400 years before the birth of Caesar at a time when there were no rules, no law beyond the voice of the richest man, and at a time when the gods ruled the lives of every citizen of the newly formed Roman Republic! For Secundus, son of the high priest of the temple of Jupiter, his life was a mess. Until he found her - and then it got WORSE!!! Forced into investigating the death of a woman he stumbles into following a night of drinking, Secundus clashes ...

MYSTERY, FORBIDDEN LOVE, AND GRAND ADVENTURE. The legendary Hall of Records waits, undiscovered since ancient Egypt... Young Gavin's afflicted life has never involved deciphering illusions concealed in shadow and light, unearthing the dead, or exhuming sunken tombs in crocodile-infested waters. Yet Gavin often dreams of what could have been–if only a consuming disease didn't restrict his aspirations. Instead, fear caused him to pursue what others deemed appropriate, and he committed an unforgivable mistake. But after receiving a letter from his deceased father, Gavin needs to escape. ...

The darkness has found her again. Daria’s new position, as a language tutor to the wealthy and charming merchant Lucas, takes her to the dazzling city of Ephesus on the Aegean coast. As their connection deepens, Daria finds herself drawn to Lucas, despite the evil and violence that churn beneath the city's beauty. A collision is coming, between the high priests of Artemis, the sorcerers who pursue arcane knowledge, and a new movement called The Way, centered around the Jewish martyr, Jesus. Daria longs to remain apart, safe from the evil she barely escaped in the past, but her growing ...

Welcome back to the world of Zet, where a kid can be a hero and fight for the good of all.When Zet learns that an Egyptian princess has vanished into thin air, he's determined to investigate. When Pharaoh himself asks him to help, he's ready. The only problem? Zet must travel far from home and family, down the Nile River to an ancient pyramid construction site. With his best friend tagging along, things are bound to turn messy. Hui always manages to find trouble. The two boys set sail on an exciting adventure. But with a suspicious boat captain on their tail and temple pillars mysteriously ...

She is omnivorous. No matter age or appearance, physical frailty or imperfection. It is not their flesh that feeds her appetites, but their souls. She devours young and old, men and women. She leaves only a desiccated husk. An unspeakable evil. An impossible gift. Renowned magus Taita is now over 100 years old and has ascended to a new level of wisdom and understanding about his world. But he must prepare himself for the biggest threat Egypt has ever faced: the great plagues and the failure of the Nile, brought about by the fire witch Eos, an ancient force of sheer evil.

An epic quest across the sands of ArabiaIn the exotic lands of the east, a secret sect of Persian magicians study the night sky for generations. When the stars announce a strange royal birth, Misha, a first-level mage, is ready to prove himself by chasing down this new world leader. But then an ancient document surfaces, whispering of an artifact of immense power. The temptation to seize power is too great to resist. And Misha is not alone in his quest. The king’s general Reza seeks power to fulfill his mysterious destiny, and both he and Misha have their eye set on the Egyptian princess ...

Newspaper reporter Jason Salmon is lured into the world of Bernadine D'Anna. The mysterious woman wants the young man to write a book. A book she claims will change the history of mankind. The elderly female begins relating the story of a secret sect of women who have been influencing human history for twenty-eight thousand years. The reporter is genuinely skeptical until strange events begin happening and his life is threatened by an ancient group seeking the woman's hidden secrets. As the woman tells her story, it becomes clear that she has knowledge and abilities beyond imagination. The ...