Thirty Feet Under: A Mystery

by William Wodhams

For readers of Dan Brown comes a thrilling tale of lost kings, mad emperors, international smugglers, and an FBI Art Crimes Team that will stop at nothing to track down a stolen marble sphinx.

When a museum in Italy is robbed and the guard murdered, the Carabinieri Art Squad ask for Kate Taylor’s help searching for the thieves. After working in the FBI Art Crimes Team for years, doing little but updating files and computer work, she is thrilled to work on a real case.

Yet there’s something unusual about their request. It’s a small, unremarkable marble sphinx that was stolen — why would the Carabinieri care? Still, she’s looking forward to some excitement and adventure. Besides, Luca, the Carabinieri’s agent, has big, beautiful eyes.

Kate finds out the sphinx is the key to unraveling one of the greatest mysteries in archeology: the lost tomb of a legendary king. Before long, she’s searching for suspects in an international smuggling ring. People are dying. She doesn’t know who she can trust, including Luca. And time is running out: Kate has two weeks to solve a 3,000-year-old mystery before its treasures are looted and vanish forever.

Back in New York, Paul Klugman is about to give up his dream of becoming an art dealer. Then he gets a call from an eccentric art dealer that will change his life forever. He soon finds the success and wealth he’s always wanted, but the price is higher than he ever expected.

Thirty Feet Under is a tale of lost kings, mad emperors, international smugglers, and the search for the perfect Manhattan.

Genres: Mystery

280 pages, Paperback

Published March 3, 2026

Reviews

[Willy Williams · Rating 3 out of 5]

When an ancient marble sphinx is stolen from a small museum in Italy, the Carabinieri enlist the assistance of the FBI Art Squad in recovering the piece, which may have been smuggled into the United States. Lowly agent Kate Taylor, who has spent the last three years doing dull computer and filing work, is thrilled to be finally assigned to a real case, especially since she’ll be partnering (although via Zoom) with her Italian counterpart, the gorgeous Luca. Meanwhile, failed New York art dealer Paul Klugman has resigned himself to working for his dollar-store-tycoon father until he receives an intriguing call from his British dealer friend, Harry, that will change his life. Both Kate and Paul gradually find themselves involved with an international art-smuggling ring and the lost tomb of Alexander the Great. Ignore the publisher’s blurb; this debut mystery, which was a finalist for the 2024 Crime Writers of Canada Best Unpublished Crime Manuscript, is not the next Dan Brown thriller, and that is a good thing. Wodhams writes with more style and humor than the plodding Brown, and his characters, despite their sometimes irritating and foolish actions, have more appeal than the preachy Robert Langdon. Although the ending feels rushed and a few geographical errors raised this New Yorker’s eyebrows (the 9 subway train was discontinued in 2005), this promising thriller offers an entertaining and insightful look at morally ambiguous art-world trading in looted artifacts. (The book’s title refers to the depth at which significant archaeological findings have often been uncovered),

[Jannelies · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this funny and entertaining book in two short sittings. Luckily, the story has nothing to do with Dan Brown. Yes, the whole plot revolves around an ancient tomb full of wonderful treasures, and yes, there is an international complot to keep these treasures away from where they belong: in a museum in the country where the tomb was found. But that’s it.

Thirty feet under is fast-paced in places and a little slow in others; the main characters are a bit flat. Kate, a junior FBI agent, moved to New York from her small hometown but she has a boring desk job and no social life at all. In three years? Luca is a carabinieri of which we learn nothing except he has beautiful eyelashes. Harry is a thief and a smuggler and Paul is just – well, nothing much can be said about him actually. And still, they worked for me. We read the story from different POV’s and so we learn in an early stage that things obviously must go wrong for some of the characters – and that the ‘good guys’ win, of course.

I enjoyed reading it; I liked the writing style and the fact that the author tells us lots of things about ancient kings and tombs and wars and whatnot, without sounding like a Wikepedia entry.

Thanks to Atria and Netgalley for this review copy.

[Hilary · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and ECW Press for an advanced copy!
I went into this book with a lot of curiosity and excitement, but I am ultimately giving it 2 stars.
The premise had a lot of promise, but the execution didn’t land. I found myself getting oddly annoyed at various points, I think it was mostly due to the characters feeling flat and one-dimensional. There were moments where it felt like meaningful character development was happening, but it never quite got there. The one character that did get some development I found so unlikable that it was hard for me to care by the end.
I also struggled with the portrayal of the FBI agents. It felt like both of the agents in the book were dumbed down purely to move the plot along, rather than behave like an actual FBI agent. It was difficult for me to take seriously.
Overall, the book has some really intriguing elements to it (I love ancient Roman and Greek history), but I don’t think it came together in a satisfying way. I can see some readers really enjoying parts of it, but it didn’t quite hit for me.

[kasey · Rating 3 out of 5]

In Thirty Feet Under, FBI Art Crimes Team member Kate, is pulled into an investigation after a small marble sphinx is stolen from an Italian museum during a robbery that leaves a guard dead. What seems like a minor theft quickly spirals into a much larger mystery involving international smugglers, hidden treasures, and the possible discovery of a lost tomb. As the stakes rise and people begin to die, Kate must race against time to uncover the truth before the artifact, and the secrets tied to it, disappear forever.

I had mixed feelings about this book. The first half was really fast-paced and pulled me in right away, but as the story went on the plot started to drag for me. I also found some elements a bit unrealistic, which made it harder to stay fully invested. The concept itself is interesting and I think it had a lot of potential, but the execution didn’t quite land for me. Overall, I think this might work better for a YA audience than it did for me.

Thank you ECW press for the ARC!

[Carolyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an advance copy of this book. Thank you.

This book has a lot of potential but fell short. I love the premise of the story. Lost ancient art, art theft, art discoveries, international connections; it should have been great. For me that wasn't the case, it is no Dan Brown story. First, two of the main characters are just shallow and self-centered people, which makes it hard to rally around them. Kate is a FBI agent, but also borderline bimbo, any success she achieves is just dumb luck. Paul is the son of a self-made dollar store millionaire, and he too is an epic fail, and not just because his father said he was.
There is intrigue, and Kate goes off to Italy chasing leads, but none of the action is terribly gripping.
Overall it was a pleasant read, but could and should have been much more.

[Claudete Takahashi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kate is an FBI agent working in the Art Theft Dept, she wants to work a big case that'll make her name and the opportunity arises when she talks with Luca from the Carabinieri in Italy. A Sphinx has been stolen and is being sent to the US and he needs help to find it. Paul wants to be recognized as a 1st class art dealer but after 8 years he has not succeed until he's approached by Harry, a British art collector. Both Kate and Paul will be immersed in a deep conspiracy where millenial art items are stolen from countries and sold at high prices to museums and private art collectors. An intriguing story written with humor and beautiful detailed descriptions of places and artifacts. Looking forward to reading the next book in the series.
I thank the author, his publisher, and NetGalley for this ARC.

[melissareadshorror · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks so much to ECW for an e-ARC of Thirty Feet Under in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: 5/5

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I was pulled into this book immediately ! As someone who has worked in museums before, I found it to be a compelling journey. The narrative is rich and immersive, making every page a treasure hunt. So much to love about Italy, London and Greece.

It had me hooked from the very first chapter, and the ending was perfect.

This is a story I’ll definitely reread whenever I crave a little European adventure from the comfort of home. It’s the perfect escape!

[Calvin Daniels · Rating 3 out of 5]

a 2.5

The FBI agent is too naive or inexperienced or dreamer or .... well not believable or likeable.

The antiquities dealer is completely unlikeable.

The tension action was lacking.

I had hoped for better.

[JXR · Rating 4 out of 5]

fun and effective mystery with some great writing and good vibes. would recommend this one. 4 stars. tysm for the arc.