Glitter and Gold

by Jill Beissel

After her mother's death, Delaney Byrne faces escalating debts and a sister to support. Their home is burglarized, hinting at her mother’s obsession with a hidden treasure in Arizona's mountains. When her estranged best friend, Joss, proposes one final treasure hunt, Delaney is skeptical but desperate.

As they delve into the wilderness, Delaney and Joss navigate a maze of old betrayals and hidden dangers. Each clue they uncover draws them closer to the treasure but deeper into risk. Delaney vows not to repeat her mother’s mistakes, but the mountain’s perils are relentless, and trust is scarce.

Blending the gripping suspense of Erica Ferencik's The River at Night with the psychological depth of Andrea Bartz's We Were Never Here, Glitter & Gold is a tale of survival, secrets, and the lengths we go to for family and fortune.

Genres: Fiction

368 pages, Paperback

Published October 7, 2025

Reviews

[Laur · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really was excited to get into this book (loving a good treasure hunt), but unfortunately my expectations for enjoying it were soon diminished. Also the profanity was a turn off for me.

A bit too long … pace was a challenge. Somewhat predictable.

Giving it 2 stars ⭐️ ⭐️ for the narrator.

[Court · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book and hated it at the same time. I don't think I've ever wanted to reach threw the pages and punch a couple characters in the face so much as I did while listening!

5 🌟 to the narrator!! The voice for Jocelyn was perfect!!

The premise and being set in Arizona is what intrigued me about this book and the story was great, the characters were the kind that you love, the kind you hate and the kind you love/hate. It took me through all of the emotions, but towards the end, I was over it and just wanted to skip to the ending. Just a little too long and felt like one of the last scenes was thrown in as an after thought that made it even longer.

At the end of the day, I don't think I would recommend this to any of the people I normally recommend books to and I don't think I'd pick it for book club either.

[Amanda Alviz · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounded up. If The Goonies and National Treasure had a baby- this would be it! This cover + treasure hunt in the desert, sign me up! As soon as I read the premise I envisioned "The Lost Dutchman's Mine". For those that don't know- it's a supposed hidden gold mine in Arizona surrounded by tales of curses, treasure, and mysterious disappearances.

The desert can be an unforgiving place and I was hoping that the author would delve more into the scenery of the desert landscape. Because I live in the desert, I was able to envision it rather easily. But I can imagine if you are not familiar with the landscape here, you would be missing out on being able to place yourself in the scene. The strongpoint of this author is the character relationships and development. I enjoyed and appreciated the exploration between mother-daughter relationships as well as friendships. I would say while there is some mystery and suspense, the main underlying theme is attributed to the characters and their relationships.

Thanks to NetGalley and Rising Action Publishing Co. | Rising Action for a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Noelle Kranz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jill Beissel expertly weaves dual timelines throughout her story to vividly enhance the lives and details of the characters. With robust vocabulary rivaling Moira Rose (IYKYK), she truly takes you deep into the entire atmosphere of this story. The rag-tag team of The Goonies mixed with the adventure and suspense of Indiana Jones; this novel really keeps enticing you along.

I was thrilled with the sweet touches of young adulthood romance thrown in as well. The female lead is met with such strong obstacles; you can’t help but keep reading and cheering her on as you follow along her journey. The millennial nods to pop culture of the past were such an unexpected gem — those little references made me smile every time. Glitter and Gold is an excellent debut novel, I cannot wait to see what Beissel writes next!

[Suzanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

A heart-pounding adventure with complex characters you can’t help but root for. Delaney and Joss—former best friends, but estranged for years—decide they must try one last time to unearth the treasure that Delaney’s mother, recently deceased, spent her entire life searching for. Hidden deep in the Arizona desert, the treasure will demand everything they have to give, and more. The landscape felt like a character in and of itself, equally demanding and often cruel. This story had me spellbound with its fast-paced action, a complex mother/daughter relationship, the slow rebuilding of a close friendship gone awry, and a tender romance with the one that got away. Well-crafted, psychologically astute, and beautifully written. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

[Melissa (Alaska Bound) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this treasure hunting story more than I did.

I love movies like National Treasure and The Goonies. Any storyline featuring a hidden treasure and people looking for it captures my attention. This one just didn't deliver for a few reasons.

Delaney's mother spent her entire life and most of the family's money on searching for the treasure rumored to be hidden in The Lost Dutchman's mine in Arizona. Now her mother is gone and Delaney finds a journal that she is certain will lead to the treasure. Joined by a group of people who don't trust each other, Delaney heads off to see if she can find the treasure and put everything to rest. But many people and dangers stand in her way. Who will come out alive, much less find the treasure?

This book is divided into two timelines, one in the past and one in the present, both groups searching for the treasure. This is what made the book not flow so well for me, because just as I was getting invested into what was happening in the present, we get pulled back to the past and have to learn what happened then to understand now.

There is a lot of character discovery--Delaney discovering things about her mom, her friends, and other people around her. Some of the "twists" were so laughably obvious, I honestly could not understand how Delaney didn't question some things rather than get caught up in the emotional drama of it all. I found the entire treasure hunting story and the fact that so many people had been meticulously searching for so many years and no one had found anything to be really puzzling. I mean, the person who hid the treasure actually left markers to follow! There's zero probability with all of the technology and money in treasure hunting shows and podcasts that this treasure would not have been found before this ragtag group stumbles their way through the clues.

Overall, I was entertained, and I know other reviewers have liked this more than I did. Maybe give it a try for yourself if you like a good treasure hunt.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own.

[Allison · Rating 5 out of 5]

This caught me by surprise! I don't always love stories about hiking, the outdoors - the descriptions of the surroundings can get long and boring. Not in this book though! The author really focused on the characters in the setting versus the other way around.

I fell in love with the relationships that the characters had with each other, and the end of every chapter had me freaking out and wanting to find out what happens next. While I could figure out most of the twists before they happened, I was so very captivated and loved the devotion that the main character had to her family. Even when things got life or death kind of hard, she did the right thing and never changed who she really is.

[Jennifer Leos · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ll start by saying that Glitter and Gold isn’t typically the kind of book I gravitate toward. However, with so many references to Arizona woven throughout the story, I was genuinely excited to give it a try and I’m so glad I did.

After getting into the book it became a total page-turner. I found myself unable to put it down, eager to see how each twist and turn would unfold. Just when I thought I had things figured out, the story surprised me again.

Jill did a fantastic job crafting a narrative that builds into something gripping and memorable. Well done, Jill!!!

[Emily Novakovich · Rating 4 out of 5]

Glitter and Gold is a gripping, well-written read that kept me fully engaged from start to finish. The pacing is strong, the tension never lets up, and I found myself constantly visualizing what was happening — the setting and emotions felt incredibly vivid throughout. It’s the kind of book that pulls you in quickly and keeps you turning pages without effort. A really impressive and immersive read — highly recommend.

[Amanda Bryant · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a good book. It’s worth the read. It’s kind of mystery mixed into a treasure hunt. It is the author‘s first book. She lives in Phoenix, Arizona and I live in Arizona so that part drew me to it. I got it at our local bookstore Stacks, and it was an autographed copy, and my daughter got it for me for Christmas. It’s definitely a book about perseverance and understanding and coming to grips with who your parents are.

[Lauren · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a 2.5, rounded up mostly because I’m a sucker for the concept. I began this as an ebook and had trouble getting into it. I’m glad they released the audiobook later, but in the end it was just okay.

Sometimes the writing style was good; sometimes it just didn’t work. I think maybe the characters were the weakest element. None of them felt very well-realized. I don’t want to overuse the term “Mary Sue,” but it was on my mind the entire time.

[Kristyn Dayton · Rating 4 out of 5]

A tense, twisty treasure hunt with two gloriously flawed women at the center. I devoured the drama between estranged friends Delaney and Joss, and the Arizona wilderness was basically a third character: beautiful, stressful, and trying to kill everyone. Deliciously chaotic, fast-paced, atmospheric, and super bingeable. 4 stars!

[Maggie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fast paced mystery that combined buried treasure, tense landscapes, and rival exhibition crews against one another. With twists to keep you guessing, complicated relationships, and secrets that won’t stay buried, Glitter and Gold delivers the perfect mix of tension, adventure, romance, and friendship. Grab your copy today!

[Inga Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book takes the readers on a journey of friendship and wilderness. If you like treasure hunts, complicated female friendships, second-chance romance, and gorgeous prose, Glitter and Gold will be one of your favorites.

[Ashley Detweiler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jill Beissel is such a talent! I couldn’t love her writing or characters more. Glitter and Gold captivated me from the beginning and I couldn’t put it down.