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The Uncensored Memoirs of a Book Hunter #2
Bloodlines and Birthright
Lovers and loyalties are tested when scandals come to light.
Memoirist Professor Gavin Nash and his friend Oscar Barratt travel to the picturesque shores of Italy’s Lake Como in search of a rare book said to contain the spell for a magical tattoo. It’s been hidden for centuries in the scriptorium of an ancient abbey, so it’s dreadfully bad luck that they arrive just after it was given away. Worse still, their rivals turn up in the same idyllic village.
Perhaps luck has nothing to do with it.
The book’s new owner has no intention of parting with it easily. In exchange, he demands they recover a magic spell stolen by the local artless boatbuilder. But when Gavin and Oscar search the boatshed, the only thing they find is a dead body and signs of magic.
With the mysterious Miss Wheeler following them on orders from her ruthless employer, the trio becomes entangled in a deadly web of murder, espionage, and long-buried secrets that others will stop at nothing to protect.
Memoirist Professor Gavin Nash and his friend Oscar Barratt travel to the picturesque shores of Italy’s Lake Como in search of a rare book said to contain the spell for a magical tattoo. It’s been hidden for centuries in the scriptorium of an ancient abbey, so it’s dreadfully bad luck that they arrive just after it was given away. Worse still, their rivals turn up in the same idyllic village.
Perhaps luck has nothing to do with it.
The book’s new owner has no intention of parting with it easily. In exchange, he demands they recover a magic spell stolen by the local artless boatbuilder. But when Gavin and Oscar search the boatshed, the only thing they find is a dead body and signs of magic.
With the mysterious Miss Wheeler following them on orders from her ruthless employer, the trio becomes entangled in a deadly web of murder, espionage, and long-buried secrets that others will stop at nothing to protect.
226 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 1, 2026
About the author
C.J. Archer
132 books5,949 followersC.J. Archer is the USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of historical mystery and historical fantasy novels including the GLASS AND STEELE series, the CLEOPATRA FOX MYSTERIES, the MINISTRY OF CURIOSITIES and THE GLASS LIBRARY series.
She has loved history and books for as long as she can remember and feels fortunate that she found a way to combine the two. She has at various times worked as a librarian, IT support person and technical writer but in her heart has always been a fiction writer. She lives in Melbourne, Australia, with her husband, 2 children and Coco the black and white cat.
Subscribe to C.J.'s newsletter to be notified when she releases a new book. Join via her website: www.cjarcher.com
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She has loved history and books for as long as she can remember and feels fortunate that she found a way to combine the two. She has at various times worked as a librarian, IT support person and technical writer but in her heart has always been a fiction writer. She lives in Melbourne, Australia, with her husband, 2 children and Coco the black and white cat.
Subscribe to C.J.'s newsletter to be notified when she releases a new book. Join via her website: www.cjarcher.com
You can follow her on social media to get the latest updates on her books:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/CJArcherAuthorPage
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorcjarc...
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