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Jaya Jones Treasure Hunt Mystery #2
Pirate Vishnu
A century-old treasure map of San Francisco's Barbary Coast. Sacred riches from India. Two murders, one hundred years apart. And a love triangle... Historian Jaya Jones has her work cut out for her.
1906. Shortly before the Great San Francisco Earthquake, Pirate Vishnu strikes the San Francisco Bay. An ancestor of Jaya's who came to the U.S. from India draws a treasure map...
Present Day. Over a century later, the cryptic treasure map remains undeciphered. From San Francisco to the southern tip of India, Jaya pieces together her ancestor's secrets, maneuvers a complicated love life she didn't count on, and puts herself in the path of a killer to restore a revered treasure.
1906. Shortly before the Great San Francisco Earthquake, Pirate Vishnu strikes the San Francisco Bay. An ancestor of Jaya's who came to the U.S. from India draws a treasure map...
Present Day. Over a century later, the cryptic treasure map remains undeciphered. From San Francisco to the southern tip of India, Jaya pieces together her ancestor's secrets, maneuvers a complicated love life she didn't count on, and puts herself in the path of a killer to restore a revered treasure.
276 pages, Paperback
First published February 7, 2014
89 people are currently reading
1687 people want to read
About the author
Gigi Pandian
49 books1,596 followersGigi Pandian is a USA Today bestselling and Agatha Award-winning mystery author, breast cancer survivor, and accidental almost-vegan. She's the child of professors from New Mexico and the southern tip of India, and spent her childhood traveling around the world on their research trips. She now lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband and a gargoyle who watches over the garden.
She writes the Jaya Jones Treasure Hunt mystery series, the Accidental Alchemist mysteries, and the Secret Staircase Mysteries.
Her debut novel was awarded a Malice Domestic Grant and named a Best of 2012 Debut by Suspense Magazine, her mysteries have been awarded the Agatha, Rose, Lefty, and Derringer awards, and been short-listed for the Edgar.
She writes the Jaya Jones Treasure Hunt mystery series, the Accidental Alchemist mysteries, and the Secret Staircase Mysteries.
Her debut novel was awarded a Malice Domestic Grant and named a Best of 2012 Debut by Suspense Magazine, her mysteries have been awarded the Agatha, Rose, Lefty, and Derringer awards, and been short-listed for the Edgar.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 124 reviews
September 8, 2019
Pirate Vishnu by Gigi Pandian is a 2014 publication.
A very good mystery with a unique premise!
Historian Jaya Jones is happy to be back at work after having garnered a bit of notoriety for herself after discovering a jeweled artifact. The press coverage puts a bit of a damper on her love life as well.
But, once more Jaya finds herself sucked into a treasure hunt, when a lawyer approaches her asking her to help him locate some papers that belonged to one of her ancestors, a man who died in the San Francisco earthquake trying to save his friend. As it turns out, this legend about her famed relative might not be true after all. To protect her family’s reputation and maybe even her life, Jaya follows a crude treasure map to San Francisco to India searching for a long lost, but very valuable treasure.
A bit of the author’s own personal history serves as a basis for this rich and detailed mystery. The locations, the dialogue, the characterizations are all well- crafted. Adventure, intrigue, a touch of magic and sprinkling of humor, this second installment in the Jaya Jones series capitalized on the momentum from the first book quite well. This is a unique setup for modern cozies, which is always good to see, and I love this author’s vivid imagination.
Anyone who enjoys mysteries will want to check into this series. It is clean, well- written, fun, entertaining and interesting! I’m going to do my version of 'binge reading' for the other books in this series, so I can catch up quick. I'm looking forward to catching up on all the installments and can’t wait to see what Jaya gets up to next.
A very good mystery with a unique premise!
Historian Jaya Jones is happy to be back at work after having garnered a bit of notoriety for herself after discovering a jeweled artifact. The press coverage puts a bit of a damper on her love life as well.
But, once more Jaya finds herself sucked into a treasure hunt, when a lawyer approaches her asking her to help him locate some papers that belonged to one of her ancestors, a man who died in the San Francisco earthquake trying to save his friend. As it turns out, this legend about her famed relative might not be true after all. To protect her family’s reputation and maybe even her life, Jaya follows a crude treasure map to San Francisco to India searching for a long lost, but very valuable treasure.
A bit of the author’s own personal history serves as a basis for this rich and detailed mystery. The locations, the dialogue, the characterizations are all well- crafted. Adventure, intrigue, a touch of magic and sprinkling of humor, this second installment in the Jaya Jones series capitalized on the momentum from the first book quite well. This is a unique setup for modern cozies, which is always good to see, and I love this author’s vivid imagination.
Anyone who enjoys mysteries will want to check into this series. It is clean, well- written, fun, entertaining and interesting! I’m going to do my version of 'binge reading' for the other books in this series, so I can catch up quick. I'm looking forward to catching up on all the installments and can’t wait to see what Jaya gets up to next.
July 17, 2019
4.5 stars ....
One of the things I really enjoy about this series is that I always learn a little bit of history on these adventures and Jaya never stays out of trouble for long so there's plenty of action and never a dull moment.
One of the things I really enjoy about this series is that I always learn a little bit of history on these adventures and Jaya never stays out of trouble for long so there's plenty of action and never a dull moment.
July 24, 2018
Jaya Jones has yet to live down the fame of her first treasure hunt when a man walks into her office with a second treasure map. This one appears to have the location of a treasure in San Francisco, but it’s the connection to Jaya’s family that peaks her interest. The map was drawn by her great-granduncle. A dead body only complicates Jaya’s quest. Can she stay alive long enough to learn what is going on?
I always enjoy finding a twist on the murder mystery theme, and this is a good one. The treasure hunt is as important as figuring out who the killer is, and between the two, the pages fly by. The twists get bigger the further into the book we get. I did think one stretched believability just a bit, but it was a minor deal. The characters are strong, and I’m curious where the complications in Jaya’s love life will go.
Read my full review at Carstairs Considers.
I always enjoy finding a twist on the murder mystery theme, and this is a good one. The treasure hunt is as important as figuring out who the killer is, and between the two, the pages fly by. The twists get bigger the further into the book we get. I did think one stretched believability just a bit, but it was a minor deal. The characters are strong, and I’m curious where the complications in Jaya’s love life will go.
Read my full review at Carstairs Considers.
July 27, 2025
3.25 🌟
Mood/Seasonal Reading: sadly don’t remember as I read this a while ago
For a book with “pirate” in the title it didn’t have anywhere near enough piracy.
Don’t think I’ll continue this series.
Mood/Seasonal Reading: sadly don’t remember as I read this a while ago
For a book with “pirate” in the title it didn’t have anywhere near enough piracy.
Don’t think I’ll continue this series.
September 3, 2018
Jaya Jones, a college history professor has a reputation of making great discoveries and she is still trying to live it down. An older man, shows up at her office to ask for her help. He had a treasure map and wants her help. He leaves the map with her to see what she can find out. It appears the treasure was hidden by an ancestor of Jaya's. The map is of San Francisco and is in Tamil, so Jaya needs to find some help solving the map. It is shortly after this meeting, that the man who owned the map, Steven Healy, is found dead and Jaya's messenger bag, containing the map, her laptop and phone, are stolen by a mugger. Can Jaya find the treasure? Can she stay alive long enough to learn what is going on? Will trip to India will help her solve the riddle?
I am enjoying the Jaya Jones Treasure Hunt series. The murder is part of the mystery, but finding the treasure is just as much, if not more of the story. I love seeing how she goes about putting together the clues with the help of her friends, Sanjay, Nadia and Lane. The twists get bigger the further into the book we get. There are some points where you have to suspend reality, but overall, the happenings are believable. The characters are strong, even the secondary ones. I wonder what is going to happen between Jaya and Sanjay, it seems his feelings for her are more than just friends. I like the way the book was written with alternating chapters between the present and Jaya's search and the past, where Jaya's Great-Uncle Anand is telling his story. I also enjoyed learning some of the history surrounding the San Francisco Earthquake and some information about Indian independence. This was a fast paced story with a spunky and smart protagonist who can't resist a puzzle and treasure hunt. I am looking forward to reading the rest of this series.
I am enjoying the Jaya Jones Treasure Hunt series. The murder is part of the mystery, but finding the treasure is just as much, if not more of the story. I love seeing how she goes about putting together the clues with the help of her friends, Sanjay, Nadia and Lane. The twists get bigger the further into the book we get. There are some points where you have to suspend reality, but overall, the happenings are believable. The characters are strong, even the secondary ones. I wonder what is going to happen between Jaya and Sanjay, it seems his feelings for her are more than just friends. I like the way the book was written with alternating chapters between the present and Jaya's search and the past, where Jaya's Great-Uncle Anand is telling his story. I also enjoyed learning some of the history surrounding the San Francisco Earthquake and some information about Indian independence. This was a fast paced story with a spunky and smart protagonist who can't resist a puzzle and treasure hunt. I am looking forward to reading the rest of this series.
August 13, 2017
This one was even better then book 1 in the series, Jaya is a kickass heroine.
I love the way that the author used real history and her own family's personal legend to craft this book.
I love the way that the author used real history and her own family's personal legend to craft this book.
January 14, 2023
This is the second in the author’s Jaya Jones Treasure Hunt mystery series. I listened to the book in audio and enjoyed both the narration and the story. In the latest adventure Jaya goes through a web of old family letters, murder, mystery, and a treasure map. This adventure finds Jaya going from San Francisco to India.
As the book opens, a stranger comes to Jaya for help with a lost family treasure, related somehow, to her great-granduncle, a hero who died in the Great San Francisco earthquake of 1906. Or was he a hero? The stranger found Jaya through publicity of her last adventure (the recovery of treasure in Scotland), wants Jaya’s help with his family treasure, and shows her a treasure map that supposedly reveals the missing treasure. When someone turns up murdered, the map becomes even more intriguing.
This isn’t the only mystery Jaya deals with. She hasn’t seen Lane Peters, the man she “fell for” since her last adventure. With his shady background, he’s been hiding from the publicity of the Scotland adventure. Jaya decides to reach out to him to talk about the latest mystery, but instead of being happy to see her, he shows no interest in the mystery and tells her their relationship is through. As a result, Jaya ropes in a few more of her colleagues at the University for help with translating the map. Along the way, the map leads Jaya to such historical events as piracy, the Indian independence movement, Chinese fishermen, and of course gold, as well as a lot of modern danger.
While the bulk of the story is told in the present, we also get flashbacks to Jaya’s relative in the early 1900s. I’m not a huge fan of flashbacks in general, but these didn’t dominate the story, and helped let us know what happened in the past from her relative’s perspective.
We get to learn more about Jaya’s backstory in this book, and even meet her father for a brief period. We also see much more of Sanjay, her “best friend” she plays music with twice a week, and who happens to be a magician.
How can a struggling assistant professor afford to drop everything at a moment’s notice and fly to India? How can she afford to hop on domestic flights in India? And wherever she goes, how do others seeking the treasure seem to end up there as well? I’m not sure, and I just didn’t care. I was along for the fun of the adventure. I thoroughly enjoyed this and look forward to more adventures in the next book. I would give this a B, so four stars here.
As the book opens, a stranger comes to Jaya for help with a lost family treasure, related somehow, to her great-granduncle, a hero who died in the Great San Francisco earthquake of 1906. Or was he a hero? The stranger found Jaya through publicity of her last adventure (the recovery of treasure in Scotland), wants Jaya’s help with his family treasure, and shows her a treasure map that supposedly reveals the missing treasure. When someone turns up murdered, the map becomes even more intriguing.
This isn’t the only mystery Jaya deals with. She hasn’t seen Lane Peters, the man she “fell for” since her last adventure. With his shady background, he’s been hiding from the publicity of the Scotland adventure. Jaya decides to reach out to him to talk about the latest mystery, but instead of being happy to see her, he shows no interest in the mystery and tells her their relationship is through. As a result, Jaya ropes in a few more of her colleagues at the University for help with translating the map. Along the way, the map leads Jaya to such historical events as piracy, the Indian independence movement, Chinese fishermen, and of course gold, as well as a lot of modern danger.
While the bulk of the story is told in the present, we also get flashbacks to Jaya’s relative in the early 1900s. I’m not a huge fan of flashbacks in general, but these didn’t dominate the story, and helped let us know what happened in the past from her relative’s perspective.
We get to learn more about Jaya’s backstory in this book, and even meet her father for a brief period. We also see much more of Sanjay, her “best friend” she plays music with twice a week, and who happens to be a magician.
How can a struggling assistant professor afford to drop everything at a moment’s notice and fly to India? How can she afford to hop on domestic flights in India? And wherever she goes, how do others seeking the treasure seem to end up there as well? I’m not sure, and I just didn’t care. I was along for the fun of the adventure. I thoroughly enjoyed this and look forward to more adventures in the next book. I would give this a B, so four stars here.
January 23, 2020
I absolutely loved the second book of the Jaya Jones series! This takes place right after the events of Artifact, Book One of the series. While navigating her complicated relationship with Lane Peters, Jaya gets involved in a deeply personal treasure hunt involving her families hero Anand Paravar. He is Jaya’s great great uncle and her namesake. Unwilling to believe her uncle was involved in theft she travels back home to India with her friend Sanjay to prove Anands innocence and to discover what he was hiding. My only critique is, like the first book, the discovery came about too quickly and seemed rushed. However, I didn’t guess the who or the how until it was revealed. I can’t wait to see what Jaya’s next adventure will be.
March 2, 2014
Review originally posted: Traveling With T
This book was sent to Traveling With T in exchange for an honest review.
Pirate Vishnu
Jaya Jones, treasure hunter, is back! A normal day at the office leads to an exciting treasure hunt. When Steven Healy comes by to Jaya Jones office asking for help about a map and her relation to Anand Paravar- Jaya is intrigued- especially when Steven accuses Jaya’s great uncle Anand of stealing a treasure. All Jaya’s life, she’s heard about this great uncle, her namesake, and all the good he did. But, now… could it all be false?
Jaya agrees to help Steven find some letters, letters that she denied knowledge of knowing their location. Later that night, when Jaya finds out that Steven Healy is dead. Murdered. Who killed him? And does it have anything to do with the treasure map he left behind with Jaya?
As Jaya begins to hunt for clues, she finds out that someone wants this map- wants it desperately enough to mug her. With Sanjay, Jaya’s best friend’s help, she realizes that the map doesn’t just reflect San Francisco- it also references India. A plane ride to India later, Jaya finds that trouble has followed her.
While in India, Jaya discovers she has allies and enemies- it’s just knowing who is who that is the problem. A special tip leads her back to San Francisco- and Jaya is *thisclose* to solving the mystery. Will Jaya find out that a close friend betrayed her? And will Jaya find out that her great uncle is the good guy or the bad guy?
Traveling With T’s Thoughts
This is my first Gigi Pandian book and I have to say that I really enjoyed Jaya Jones. She’s bright, inquisitive, and interesting. Jaya is a breath of fresh air in the mystery world.
Told in current time and flashbacks to Anand’s time- PIRATE VISHNU is a tale that will appeal to many. Armchair travelers will enjoy getting to learn about life in San Francisco and India, treasure hunters will get a thrill putting the pieces of the puzzle together, and fans of mystery will be pleased to see a new voice, a different voice that is strong and independent in the world.
Enjoyable. Put Gigi Pandian on your author to watch list!
*This book was sent to Traveling With T in exchange for a fair and honest review. All above thoughts and opinions are mine alone.
This book was sent to Traveling With T in exchange for an honest review.
Pirate Vishnu
Jaya Jones, treasure hunter, is back! A normal day at the office leads to an exciting treasure hunt. When Steven Healy comes by to Jaya Jones office asking for help about a map and her relation to Anand Paravar- Jaya is intrigued- especially when Steven accuses Jaya’s great uncle Anand of stealing a treasure. All Jaya’s life, she’s heard about this great uncle, her namesake, and all the good he did. But, now… could it all be false?
Jaya agrees to help Steven find some letters, letters that she denied knowledge of knowing their location. Later that night, when Jaya finds out that Steven Healy is dead. Murdered. Who killed him? And does it have anything to do with the treasure map he left behind with Jaya?
As Jaya begins to hunt for clues, she finds out that someone wants this map- wants it desperately enough to mug her. With Sanjay, Jaya’s best friend’s help, she realizes that the map doesn’t just reflect San Francisco- it also references India. A plane ride to India later, Jaya finds that trouble has followed her.
While in India, Jaya discovers she has allies and enemies- it’s just knowing who is who that is the problem. A special tip leads her back to San Francisco- and Jaya is *thisclose* to solving the mystery. Will Jaya find out that a close friend betrayed her? And will Jaya find out that her great uncle is the good guy or the bad guy?
Traveling With T’s Thoughts
This is my first Gigi Pandian book and I have to say that I really enjoyed Jaya Jones. She’s bright, inquisitive, and interesting. Jaya is a breath of fresh air in the mystery world.
Told in current time and flashbacks to Anand’s time- PIRATE VISHNU is a tale that will appeal to many. Armchair travelers will enjoy getting to learn about life in San Francisco and India, treasure hunters will get a thrill putting the pieces of the puzzle together, and fans of mystery will be pleased to see a new voice, a different voice that is strong and independent in the world.
Enjoyable. Put Gigi Pandian on your author to watch list!
*This book was sent to Traveling With T in exchange for a fair and honest review. All above thoughts and opinions are mine alone.
January 16, 2014
I received a review copy of this title from NetGalley. Thank you to NetGalley and Henery Press!
Are you a grad student wanting to unwind from hours devoted to serious academic research? If so, this light and entertaining mystery is tailor-made for you.
Jaya Jones is an associate professor of history, hoping to gain tenure at a San Francisco college. But she gets distracted from work on her latest paper when a stranger arrives, asking her for help researching a century-old treasure map. The document may have been drawn up by her great-granduncle Anand, a character whose revolutionary politics and emigration to America during the Gold Rush have become a family legend.
What historian could resist an offer like that? It's fascinating to find out more about family history, and possibly make a significant historical discovery along the way! But Jaya soon realizes she may have gotten in over her head, when a body is found by the police, and suspicion begins to fall on Jaya herself...
There are a few infodump-y parts where the writing feels a little inexperienced - but overall, the story moves along at a good pace, and I found the characters engaging and entertaining. Jaya's Indian-American heritage (which I believe the author shares) adds flavor to the story in an organic way. As a librarian and archivist myself, Tamarind the punk librarian was simply awesome, and I also loved the depiction of the archivist in India.
This is the second in the Jaya Jones series, but it works perfectly well as a stand-alone.
Are you a grad student wanting to unwind from hours devoted to serious academic research? If so, this light and entertaining mystery is tailor-made for you.
Jaya Jones is an associate professor of history, hoping to gain tenure at a San Francisco college. But she gets distracted from work on her latest paper when a stranger arrives, asking her for help researching a century-old treasure map. The document may have been drawn up by her great-granduncle Anand, a character whose revolutionary politics and emigration to America during the Gold Rush have become a family legend.
What historian could resist an offer like that? It's fascinating to find out more about family history, and possibly make a significant historical discovery along the way! But Jaya soon realizes she may have gotten in over her head, when a body is found by the police, and suspicion begins to fall on Jaya herself...
There are a few infodump-y parts where the writing feels a little inexperienced - but overall, the story moves along at a good pace, and I found the characters engaging and entertaining. Jaya's Indian-American heritage (which I believe the author shares) adds flavor to the story in an organic way. As a librarian and archivist myself, Tamarind the punk librarian was simply awesome, and I also loved the depiction of the archivist in India.
This is the second in the Jaya Jones series, but it works perfectly well as a stand-alone.
November 6, 2017
I'm having so much fun with this series. I want to start reading the next book as soon as I finish the current one but I'm pacing myself. In this second book in the series, I could see her stretching herself as a writer, interpolating the ongoing contemporary mystery, which sends her engaging heroine, Jaya Jones, who is a history professor (I love it!) with an expertise in the British rule in India, after a mysterious treasure associated with her great-uncle who had to leave India because of his involvement in the Indian Independence movement. There's a brief excursion to India though most of the book takes place in San Francisco. There's a suspicious death, a bit of romantic juggling, a treasure map!, a jealous academic colleague and a sexy, spunky librarian.
November 3, 2018
I LOVE these books by Gigi Pandian! This one is a lost treasure mystery with a murder thrown in for good measure. Jaya, her friend Sanjay, and her on-again, off-again boyfriend Lane are a wonderful triangle that keeps the reader guessing and the adventure going!
January 21, 2014
My thanks to Henery Press for proving me with a copy of Pirate Vishnu in exchange for an honest review.
As a book blogger, one of my favorite things is to receive an ARC. It's a privilege - a sneak peek at upcoming releases and the opportunity to tell other readers about fun, interesting, and exciting new releases - like Gigi Pandian's Pirate Vishnu.
The second book in the author's Jaya Jones Treasure Hunt mystery series, Pirate Vishnu takes readers on a journey from India to San Francisco, between modern day and turn-of-the-century history. Retired attorney Steven Healy seeks out historian Jaya Jones with a treasure map and a story involving Jay's ancestor, Anand Paravar. Jaya's initially reluctant to believe the story Steven Healy present, especially since it paints Anand, a family hero, as a thief. Still, she agrees to look into the story and the map. But less than 24 hours later, Steven is dead and Jaya finds herself a suspect without any leads - and a growing list of questions.
Pandian's yarn is spun between Jaya and Anand, clues and plot lines stretching across two narrative voices. I admit I found the plot a little murky and obscured at times, but Pandian is a young author with loads of promise. I have no doubt her writing and her stories will shine up over time. The story is well-paced with wonderfully descriptive scenes in both San Francisco and southern India.
I was slightly in the dark with a few of the character relationships, because I had not had the opportunity to read Artifact, the first in this cozy series. That said, I was able to cotton on quickly and was rather intrigued by the triangle of Lane, Jaya, and Sanjay. I'm looking forward to catching up with Artifact and reading more books by Gigi Pandian in the near future!
As a book blogger, one of my favorite things is to receive an ARC. It's a privilege - a sneak peek at upcoming releases and the opportunity to tell other readers about fun, interesting, and exciting new releases - like Gigi Pandian's Pirate Vishnu.
The second book in the author's Jaya Jones Treasure Hunt mystery series, Pirate Vishnu takes readers on a journey from India to San Francisco, between modern day and turn-of-the-century history. Retired attorney Steven Healy seeks out historian Jaya Jones with a treasure map and a story involving Jay's ancestor, Anand Paravar. Jaya's initially reluctant to believe the story Steven Healy present, especially since it paints Anand, a family hero, as a thief. Still, she agrees to look into the story and the map. But less than 24 hours later, Steven is dead and Jaya finds herself a suspect without any leads - and a growing list of questions.
Pandian's yarn is spun between Jaya and Anand, clues and plot lines stretching across two narrative voices. I admit I found the plot a little murky and obscured at times, but Pandian is a young author with loads of promise. I have no doubt her writing and her stories will shine up over time. The story is well-paced with wonderfully descriptive scenes in both San Francisco and southern India.
I was slightly in the dark with a few of the character relationships, because I had not had the opportunity to read Artifact, the first in this cozy series. That said, I was able to cotton on quickly and was rather intrigued by the triangle of Lane, Jaya, and Sanjay. I'm looking forward to catching up with Artifact and reading more books by Gigi Pandian in the near future!
February 25, 2016
Jaya Jones, historian, is approached by a man who claims to have a treasure map drawn by a past relative of Jones', and he asks for her help in recovering the treasure conveniently marked with an X on the map. Jones' interest is strong anyway, but man's fate interferes with Jones' getting more information. The story goes back and forth from the turn of the 20th century to present, and the San Francisco area and India. Jones is joined once again by romantic interest Lane, best friend, magician Sanjay, and now by librarian friend Tamarind, all enjoyable secondary characters, while Jones' long-ago ancestor, Anand has his own interesting cohort. The story flows nicely, if sometimes frustratingly (by design, I think) when a chapter ends and the reader wants more, only to go to another time or location in the subsequent chapter. Read this for the characters and story more than for the mystery which resolves in a rather unforeseeable way. I will keep reading the series for its counterpoint to heavier simultaneous reading.
April 6, 2015
I enjoyed Pirate Vishnu very much. It had the right amount of fun, suspense and intrigue with a very capable heroine, Jaya Jones. I'm a sucker if there's a magician in the story and Jaya's sidekick and possible love interest, though she doesn't seem to realize it, is of course a magician. Gigi's knowledge of magic and what it takes to be a magician was very realistic. I look forward to reading the rest of the series.
January 6, 2014
3.5 stars rounded up to 4. I received an ARC copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Full review: http://jenn.booklikes.com/post/742124...
Full review: http://jenn.booklikes.com/post/742124...
January 16, 2021
Really fun book; adventures didn’t stop also thoroughly enjoyed it. 4.5/5 Stars
June 10, 2019
Murder plus treasure maps plus historical flashbacks make for an interesting premise. In this book, I was happy to spend most of the time in Jaya's world of San Franscico, which is well developed and a lot of fun. The mystery of this book was intriguing with lots of great suspects and side characters. I even liked the killer, although the motivation was a little . . . confusing.
The reason I've rated this book lower is that Lane, the art historian/reformed their/love interest from the first book is barely in it. Instead, a love triangle seems to be in the works with Jaya's magician friend, Sanjay. In the first book, I thought Sanjay was adorkably amusing and a fun side character. As a main love interest, I didn't like him at all.
Plus I've said it before, I will say it again; I abhor love triangles. They are my least favourite plot device. Things were just heating up with Lane. Give me back my art historian/thief!
The reason I've rated this book lower is that Lane, the art historian/reformed their/love interest from the first book is barely in it. Instead, a love triangle seems to be in the works with Jaya's magician friend, Sanjay. In the first book, I thought Sanjay was adorkably amusing and a fun side character. As a main love interest, I didn't like him at all.
Plus I've said it before, I will say it again; I abhor love triangles. They are my least favourite plot device. Things were just heating up with Lane. Give me back my art historian/thief!
April 13, 2021
The second book in Pandian's Jones series brings us back to San Francisco, and India, and San Francisco. The writing style is great for YA readers who are comfortable with the Percy Jackson level of complexity, with many fewer gods to know about.
In this one, Jaya Jones searches for clues from a treasure map. One must ignore the many plot holes and accept that multiple people can hop around the world with little or no notice and feel no travel effects, despite mentioning them in the text. sheesh.
The Hindu Houdini has a larger role in this story, and, after sucking face with Jaya, is ensured of more face time in future volumes. The magic will be recognizable to magicians, though nothing is described in enough detail to threaten any sacred secrets, Hindu or otherwise.
In this one, Jaya Jones searches for clues from a treasure map. One must ignore the many plot holes and accept that multiple people can hop around the world with little or no notice and feel no travel effects, despite mentioning them in the text. sheesh.
The Hindu Houdini has a larger role in this story, and, after sucking face with Jaya, is ensured of more face time in future volumes. The magic will be recognizable to magicians, though nothing is described in enough detail to threaten any sacred secrets, Hindu or otherwise.
August 5, 2024
I've only read two books from this series so far, but have enjoyed both of them. Jaya, the MC, is an intelligent assistant professor who can't resist the possibility of a treasure hunt. Along the way, she learns a few things that upend what she knew of her own family history.
The mystery here was more of a puzzle than a murder, and there was so much going on, it was hard to figure out who was trustworthy. I eventually gave up trying and just enjoyed following Jaya as she uncovered lead after lead. I guessed the solution to the primary puzzle shortly before it was revealed in the book, but the rest of it took me by surprise.
The next book in this series is in my Audible+ library, and I hope to read it before it is withdrawn from the catalog, perhaps before the end of the year.
The mystery here was more of a puzzle than a murder, and there was so much going on, it was hard to figure out who was trustworthy. I eventually gave up trying and just enjoyed following Jaya as she uncovered lead after lead. I guessed the solution to the primary puzzle shortly before it was revealed in the book, but the rest of it took me by surprise.
The next book in this series is in my Audible+ library, and I hope to read it before it is withdrawn from the catalog, perhaps before the end of the year.
October 25, 2017
When a stranger approaches Jaya with a treasure map supposedly drawn by Jaya’s great-uncertain Anand, she is confused when she is presented a story about him that is nothing like the image from her family’ stories. And then the stranger is killed and Jaya’s bag containing the borrowed map is stolen from her. Jaya feels compelled to solve both the murder and the identity and location of the treasure on the map. The story alternates between the current mystery and Anand’s story in the past. Both stories are compelling and adventure-filled. A good read!
November 6, 2017
Another fun, twisty-turny mystery/adventure/treasure hunt with Jaya Jones!
Once again the characters are great, interesting, and unique. The treasure is unusual, and the search is everything you'd expect from a novel and as possible in the real world as any adventure story could be. There's a great balance of research and on-the-ground searching.
Poor Jaya, though! I see the beginning of a love triangle here, and I hope Gigi Pandian doesn't disappoint me with who Jaya ends up with. The first book promised Jaya ends up with Lane, and I hope the series fulfills that promise!
Once again the characters are great, interesting, and unique. The treasure is unusual, and the search is everything you'd expect from a novel and as possible in the real world as any adventure story could be. There's a great balance of research and on-the-ground searching.
Poor Jaya, though! I see the beginning of a love triangle here, and I hope Gigi Pandian doesn't disappoint me with who Jaya ends up with. The first book promised Jaya ends up with Lane, and I hope the series fulfills that promise!
November 20, 2018
Jaya's pleasant enough for a lead character, definately modeled on Indiana Jones, as her last name suggests. This adventure mystery is the second in the series, but my introduction started here. Raised by a white hippie father (20 years after the era) and a lost mother, Jaya wears black and eschews pot. She hangs out with a goth/punk librarian who reminds me of Abbie on the forensic tv show. Her best friend is a magician, the Hindi Houdini. Her love interest is a hangover from the last novel, and I found him less interesting than I might have, but then he's riding on his former position so to speak.
Jaya is approached by an attorney who wants her help investigating a map that leads to treasure in San Francisco, which turns out to be penned by a long lost uncle of hers. Unsurprisingly he turns out to be the Pirate Vishnu of the title. No real spoiler there, given the title.
What I want to say of the book is that it owes a debt to a real historical event, the original X marks the spot history of Treasure Island, the novel, not the place in the Bay. RLS, that would be Stevenson, lived South of Market long before it became the dot com haven. While he was there he made a map of the city which became the basis of Treasure Island. The map is lost to us because of a postal mishap, or a clerical oversight-I can't recall which, nor can I recall where I read this fascinating bit of trivia. Treasure Island is why we all think treasure maps have an x marking the spot.
The book wobbitts between historical passages from Uncle's journal or letters and the present day. I find jet travel boring compared to long sea journeys and thankfully the author has excluded air time travel. Sadly I have no sense of what India is like beyond a harrowing place for a motorcycle. Goa and Kerakala have fascinating histories just skimmed over. And if not the history there are the sights and smells, sounds that would have made this a better read.
I am giving this author a rest, because I need to read something with a better flow and fewer candy coated easter eggs. I appreciated Dorian the gargoyle much more than I did any of these characters.
Jaya is approached by an attorney who wants her help investigating a map that leads to treasure in San Francisco, which turns out to be penned by a long lost uncle of hers. Unsurprisingly he turns out to be the Pirate Vishnu of the title. No real spoiler there, given the title.
What I want to say of the book is that it owes a debt to a real historical event, the original X marks the spot history of Treasure Island, the novel, not the place in the Bay. RLS, that would be Stevenson, lived South of Market long before it became the dot com haven. While he was there he made a map of the city which became the basis of Treasure Island. The map is lost to us because of a postal mishap, or a clerical oversight-I can't recall which, nor can I recall where I read this fascinating bit of trivia. Treasure Island is why we all think treasure maps have an x marking the spot.
The book wobbitts between historical passages from Uncle's journal or letters and the present day. I find jet travel boring compared to long sea journeys and thankfully the author has excluded air time travel. Sadly I have no sense of what India is like beyond a harrowing place for a motorcycle. Goa and Kerakala have fascinating histories just skimmed over. And if not the history there are the sights and smells, sounds that would have made this a better read.
I am giving this author a rest, because I need to read something with a better flow and fewer candy coated easter eggs. I appreciated Dorian the gargoyle much more than I did any of these characters.
May 4, 2022
Book 2 of the Jaya Jones treasure hunt series was even better than book 1!
With more of the same fantastic historical details, we learnt all about the San Francisco earthquake and fire, minority groups in San Francisco in the early 1900's, and lots about how Indian trade routes impacted the rest of the world.
Gigi Pandian has a knack for creating interesting and highly unusual characters. I love the librarian Tamarind and Jaya's on-again off-again boyfriend Lane.
Great series, definitely keen for more!
With more of the same fantastic historical details, we learnt all about the San Francisco earthquake and fire, minority groups in San Francisco in the early 1900's, and lots about how Indian trade routes impacted the rest of the world.
Gigi Pandian has a knack for creating interesting and highly unusual characters. I love the librarian Tamarind and Jaya's on-again off-again boyfriend Lane.
Great series, definitely keen for more!
August 16, 2022
I was tempted to give it 2.5 stars because I am not a big fan of books that have narratives in the present and in the past, tied together by some historic object. I don't know why there are so many books like that these days, but I find them irritating. I prefer to stick with one narrative instead of jumping back and forth. Anyway, this one wasn't so bad because the episodes in the past were pretty infrequent and pretty brief.
January 20, 2023
As I wait for the next 'Staircase' novel I am working my way through the Jaya Jones mysteries and they are really fun. In this outing, Jaya is trying to finish her paper to publish when approached by a man who wants her to find a treasure that involves a hero ancestor of hers. She tries to put him off but it is too much...when the man is murdered she KNOWS she's in. She travels between San Francisco and India with great descriptions of country and people. These are like candy!!!
April 26, 2023
I did not enjoy this one as much as the last -- the historical bits were fun and interesting, but the modern day events were a little over-dramatic. I'm disappointed in the romance elements, and continue to wish they weren't included. They don't feel genuine and are only sporadically included, but are increasingly tied up into the plot. I'd rather just have the history romp without the angst that just falls flat.
November 20, 2024
I like Jaya Jones as a character, and the plausible (lightly alternate) history that throws her into treasure hunt mysteries. But I didn't find this as captivating as the story in the first book Artifact. The story was a bit more superficial, perhaps by jumping back and forth between Jaya's story and her great-uncle Anand. And I really miss Lane, an interesting character with an mysterious and intriguing backstory that really needs to be explored. Why is he absent from almost the entire book?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 22, 2025
Jaya Jones, Professor in Indian history & culture, specializing in British Indian relations several centuries ago, is approached by a retired lawyer, requesting help with a treasure map made by Jaya’s great grandfather’s brother. Family history from Indian and their families current home of San Francisco are intertwined as Jaya seeks to understand the past. Intrigue, competition, love, and laughter are all here.
July 4, 2022
I have historically stayed away from books that are pegged as "cozy mysteries" but I've gotten hooked on the Jaya Jones series. The main character in this series is far more interesting than the standard Nancy Drew type women of my childhood mystery reading experiences. Please keep these stories coming!
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