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The Magdalene Diggers #1
The Smoke Hunter
THE SMOKE HUNTER by Jacquelyn Benson brings you the thrills of Indiana Jones, the action of Scott Mariani, the conspiracy of Dan Brown and the authenticity of Clive Cussler. Are you ready to join the adventure?
'Intrigue and suspense aplenty. A refreshing and original new voice' Scott Mariani
'The illegitimate love-child of Lara Croft and Indiana Jones... Fast-paced and action-packed' Stephen Leather
Chasing a threat born in smoke...
London, 1898. Archivist Eleanora Mallory discovers a map to a legendary city . But is it the key to unravelling an ancient mystery or a clever hoax?
Compelled to find out, Ellie journeys to Central America - with a merciless enemy hot on her heels.
In a race to uncover the map's secret first, Ellie is forced to partner with maverick archaeologist Adam Bates, a man she's not sure she can trust. Together, they venture into an uncharted wilderness alive with smoke and shadows, where an even greater danger awaits them.
For what lies there whispering to be unearthed has the power to bring the world to its knees.
Join Ellie and Adam as they battle rivers of scorpions, plummeting waterfalls and pre-historic death traps on the journey to uncovering a deadly secret that could shake the fate of the world.
'Intrigue and suspense aplenty. A refreshing and original new voice' Scott Mariani
'The illegitimate love-child of Lara Croft and Indiana Jones... Fast-paced and action-packed' Stephen Leather
Chasing a threat born in smoke...
London, 1898. Archivist Eleanora Mallory discovers a map to a legendary city . But is it the key to unravelling an ancient mystery or a clever hoax?
Compelled to find out, Ellie journeys to Central America - with a merciless enemy hot on her heels.
In a race to uncover the map's secret first, Ellie is forced to partner with maverick archaeologist Adam Bates, a man she's not sure she can trust. Together, they venture into an uncharted wilderness alive with smoke and shadows, where an even greater danger awaits them.
For what lies there whispering to be unearthed has the power to bring the world to its knees.
Join Ellie and Adam as they battle rivers of scorpions, plummeting waterfalls and pre-historic death traps on the journey to uncovering a deadly secret that could shake the fate of the world.
448 pages, Paperback
First published November 3, 2016
94 people are currently reading
2354 people want to read
About the author
Jacquelyn Benson
16 books888 followersJacquelyn Benson writes smart historical thrillers where strong women confront the stranger things that occupy the borders of our world.
She once lived in a museum, wrote a master’s thesis on the cultural anthropology of paranormal investigation, and received a gold medal for being clever. She owes a great deal to her elementary school librarian for sagely choosing to acquire the entire Time-Life Mysteries of the Unknown series.
Her debut novel, The Smoke Hunter, was nominated for Best Historical Fiction by RT Times. When not writing, she enjoys the company of a tall, dark, and handsome English teacher and practices unintentional magic.
If you’d like to be friends, you may find her everywhere @jbensonink or join the email list at jacquelynbenson.com.
She once lived in a museum, wrote a master’s thesis on the cultural anthropology of paranormal investigation, and received a gold medal for being clever. She owes a great deal to her elementary school librarian for sagely choosing to acquire the entire Time-Life Mysteries of the Unknown series.
Her debut novel, The Smoke Hunter, was nominated for Best Historical Fiction by RT Times. When not writing, she enjoys the company of a tall, dark, and handsome English teacher and practices unintentional magic.
If you’d like to be friends, you may find her everywhere @jbensonink or join the email list at jacquelynbenson.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 156 reviews
September 2, 2023
The perfect blend of The Mummy, Indiana Jones and Lara Croft. Absolutely loved it!
September 26, 2016
3.5 stars
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
With a thirst for knowledge and hunger for adventure in her soul, Ellie is severely handicapped by the time period, 1898. Even with a degree and top of her class, when it is found out that she is a suffragette, she is quickly sacked from her job in The Public Record Office but not before she commits one more act of defiance. When Dawson, a claimed archeologist and Jacobs, a man with predatory eyes, shows up at her home looking for a map and disk she took from the Office, she begins to think that maybe the treasure map is real and sees a chance to gain recognition in her field.
As a surveyor for the British Office, Adam has mapped the area around Belize City and knows the land. What he doesn't know is what exactly a woman like Ellie is doing here but when she asks for his help and presents a map that could lead to one of the greatest archeological finds of their time, he can't help but sign on.
Battling real human dangers and myths, Ellie and Adam find themselves on the adventure of a lifetime and might just end up with more than they ever bargained for.
With a feel of Indiana Jones, Romancing the Stone, and especially The Mummy, The Smoke Hunter was a fun adventure read. The prologue starts us off in 1632 New Spain (Central America) with a friar being carried out of dungeons to a city in the throes of a small pox epidemic. The scene takes on a mystical feel as, we the reader, don't know if the friar is really seeing the things he is describing or if sickness has distorted his mind. It was an imaginative start and set-up for the rest of the story as we then jump to 1898 and our heroine.
Jailbird on Saturday, thief on Monday
Ellie was our bluestocking, struggling against the restraints to her sex, and bold heroine. Any women, who have ever been forced to step aside for a mediocre man to shine, will want to cheer her on. I liked her confidence in herself. She didn't sit and wait for Adam to do all the rescuing but showed her courage and knowledge as she shared in the saving duties. However, I did think that she was at times a bit immature and unnecessarily brusque to Adam as an over exaggeration in showing her independence. My biggest problem was Ellie's lying to Adam, it was excessively overdone in attempts to keep the angst and stretch their adventure out together but as the story and their relationship progressed, it became annoying.
He was falling for her. The sworn loner with a pathological fear of settling down---he, Adam Bates---was falling for the maddening woman. Head over ever-loving heels.
Our hero was a wonderful combination of tough and sweet, he gets the job done but with a gentlemanly air. He recognized Ellie's autonomy and intelligence but would never fail to place himself between her and danger. He had enough of a familial disapproval background and adventurous self-made man strength to make him intriguing, sexy, and fun to read about, if not wildly different from other like heroes in the genre.
"There will be plenty of time to finish what we've started once we're safe."
"Finish?" she echoed weakly, her brain still struggling to catch up.
"Oh, yeah," he replied, a dark and hungry note coming into his voice. "We're going to do a whole hell of a lot of finishing."
Ellie and Adam's building relationship was cute and sweet, those looking for bedroom payoffs will not find one here. Our couple found each other physically attractive but, with maybe a nod to the time period this takes place in, we only get kissing and making out. Of course, it could be the adventures that sometimes lead them to be covered in bat guano, too.
Because Death lives there. Death and the rest of the old gods. And he and his servants feast on the flesh of those who trespass in their realm.
The Central American locales which this takes place in, with the myths, legends, and scenery, made for a lively refreshing world, no ballrooms here. The author did a great job with mixing in real places and legends, with artistic license; why my 3.5 star rating rounds up to a 4. On the other hand, I feel that adventure stories should be faster paced than this one was. There didn't feel like much was happening in the beginning middle, the heroine lying to the hero that I talked about causing there to be no real building of their relationship and for them to have no advancement in their journey. The middle really sagged with one or two lies and a chunk of Ellie and Adam's solo adventure needing to be edited out. The last half and end picks up with some Indiana Jones' trials and mystical happenings, giving the story a bottom heavy feel.
Overall, I had fun reading The Smoke Hunter. When I saw this was a debut author, it made me even more excited because, while there is room for improvement in regards to character development and pacing, the bones are there. The ending we get is not a cliffhanger but there could definitely be more adventures on the horizon for our couple and I haven't forgotten about Ellie's bestfriend Constance heading to Egypt or her cousin Neil the adventurer who taught her some martial arts, whose stories I would be interesting in hearing. If you're a fan of the movies I mentioned or something along the lines of Loretta Chase's Mr. Impossible, you'll want to pick up a copy of The Smoke Hunter. This new author has definitely caught my attention.
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
With a thirst for knowledge and hunger for adventure in her soul, Ellie is severely handicapped by the time period, 1898. Even with a degree and top of her class, when it is found out that she is a suffragette, she is quickly sacked from her job in The Public Record Office but not before she commits one more act of defiance. When Dawson, a claimed archeologist and Jacobs, a man with predatory eyes, shows up at her home looking for a map and disk she took from the Office, she begins to think that maybe the treasure map is real and sees a chance to gain recognition in her field.
As a surveyor for the British Office, Adam has mapped the area around Belize City and knows the land. What he doesn't know is what exactly a woman like Ellie is doing here but when she asks for his help and presents a map that could lead to one of the greatest archeological finds of their time, he can't help but sign on.
Battling real human dangers and myths, Ellie and Adam find themselves on the adventure of a lifetime and might just end up with more than they ever bargained for.
With a feel of Indiana Jones, Romancing the Stone, and especially The Mummy, The Smoke Hunter was a fun adventure read. The prologue starts us off in 1632 New Spain (Central America) with a friar being carried out of dungeons to a city in the throes of a small pox epidemic. The scene takes on a mystical feel as, we the reader, don't know if the friar is really seeing the things he is describing or if sickness has distorted his mind. It was an imaginative start and set-up for the rest of the story as we then jump to 1898 and our heroine.
Jailbird on Saturday, thief on Monday
Ellie was our bluestocking, struggling against the restraints to her sex, and bold heroine. Any women, who have ever been forced to step aside for a mediocre man to shine, will want to cheer her on. I liked her confidence in herself. She didn't sit and wait for Adam to do all the rescuing but showed her courage and knowledge as she shared in the saving duties. However, I did think that she was at times a bit immature and unnecessarily brusque to Adam as an over exaggeration in showing her independence. My biggest problem was Ellie's lying to Adam, it was excessively overdone in attempts to keep the angst and stretch their adventure out together but as the story and their relationship progressed, it became annoying.
He was falling for her. The sworn loner with a pathological fear of settling down---he, Adam Bates---was falling for the maddening woman. Head over ever-loving heels.
Our hero was a wonderful combination of tough and sweet, he gets the job done but with a gentlemanly air. He recognized Ellie's autonomy and intelligence but would never fail to place himself between her and danger. He had enough of a familial disapproval background and adventurous self-made man strength to make him intriguing, sexy, and fun to read about, if not wildly different from other like heroes in the genre.
"There will be plenty of time to finish what we've started once we're safe."
"Finish?" she echoed weakly, her brain still struggling to catch up.
"Oh, yeah," he replied, a dark and hungry note coming into his voice. "We're going to do a whole hell of a lot of finishing."
Ellie and Adam's building relationship was cute and sweet, those looking for bedroom payoffs will not find one here. Our couple found each other physically attractive but, with maybe a nod to the time period this takes place in, we only get kissing and making out. Of course, it could be the adventures that sometimes lead them to be covered in bat guano, too.
Because Death lives there. Death and the rest of the old gods. And he and his servants feast on the flesh of those who trespass in their realm.
The Central American locales which this takes place in, with the myths, legends, and scenery, made for a lively refreshing world, no ballrooms here. The author did a great job with mixing in real places and legends, with artistic license; why my 3.5 star rating rounds up to a 4. On the other hand, I feel that adventure stories should be faster paced than this one was. There didn't feel like much was happening in the beginning middle, the heroine lying to the hero that I talked about causing there to be no real building of their relationship and for them to have no advancement in their journey. The middle really sagged with one or two lies and a chunk of Ellie and Adam's solo adventure needing to be edited out. The last half and end picks up with some Indiana Jones' trials and mystical happenings, giving the story a bottom heavy feel.
Overall, I had fun reading The Smoke Hunter. When I saw this was a debut author, it made me even more excited because, while there is room for improvement in regards to character development and pacing, the bones are there. The ending we get is not a cliffhanger but there could definitely be more adventures on the horizon for our couple and I haven't forgotten about Ellie's bestfriend Constance heading to Egypt or her cousin Neil the adventurer who taught her some martial arts, whose stories I would be interesting in hearing. If you're a fan of the movies I mentioned or something along the lines of Loretta Chase's Mr. Impossible, you'll want to pick up a copy of The Smoke Hunter. This new author has definitely caught my attention.
December 8, 2016
Я боялась начинать эту книгу. Боялась, потому что дико хотела чего-то романтического, мистического, полного тайн и приключений, с нераздражающими героями и необычным сюжетом. Запросики, да? Но вот хотела. На этой почве пересмотрела затертую до дыр "Мумию", взгрустнула и поняла, что среди книг так и не нашла истории, которая вызвала бы подобные чувства.
И вот тогда наткнулась на дебютный роман Жаклин Бенсон.
Пафосные зазывалки, если честно, настораживали. Ну правда, на такое еще ведутся?
И все же я рискнула, о чем ни капли не жалею. Вот же она, книжная "Мумия", только совсем не про мумий, а про древних ацтеков и майя, про богов и затерянный город, про героев и злодеев, а главное - про приключения. Яркие, насыщенные, незабываемые.
Время - 1898. Главная героиня - суфражистка, которую внезапно увольняют из архива... но она не теряется и напоследок прихватывает со стола босса древний псалтырь, внутри которого обнаруживаются странный артефакт и карта. Элли далеко не робкого десятка и всю жизнь мечтала доказать, что достойна быть археологом не меньше, чем мужчины, так что она отправляется на поиски отмеченного на карте таинственного города - предположительно, древних майя. Ну как отправляется... сначала на нее начинается охота, и Элли приходится бежать.
Уже в Британском Гондурасе, куда Элли прибывает под чужим именем, она встречается с исследователем-картографом, которого обманом впутывает в поиски города.
А охота меж тем продолжается, да еще и сны всякие странные начинают сниться - уж не артефакт ли виноват, который Элли решила поносить на шее?
А дальше... заплыв по реке, падение с водопада, встреча с ягуаром и змеями, плен, дорога в Тулан Суйва, поиски "дымящегося зеркала" - не бога Тескатлипоки, а некоего артефакта, способного предсказать будущее. Ритуалы и жертвоприношения, история-мифы-легенды, сказания из "Пополь-Вух" (героям даже приходится проходить испытания, как божественным близнецам в Шибальбе) и многое-многое другое. А еще любовь. Немного шаблонная, явно стыренная из какого-то ИЛР, но зато милая и без постельных сцен.
Да, у романа есть недостатки. Перечислять не буду, для каждого они свои. Но то ли виной всему ностальжи, то ли я просто слишком долго искала нечто подобное...
В общем, я счастлив.
А автору есть куда расти, это ж все-таки дебют. И мне не дает покоя мелькнувшая весть об отъезде подруги героини - не менее бойкой дамочки, которая помогла ей бежать - в Египет вместе с братом)) Ну вдруг, вдруг приключения продолжатся))
И вот тогда наткнулась на дебютный роман Жаклин Бенсон.
Пафосные зазывалки, если честно, настораживали. Ну правда, на такое еще ведутся?
THE SMOKE HUNTER by Jacquelyn Benson brings you the thrills of Indiana Jones, the action of Scott Mariani, the conspiracy of Dan Brown and the authenticity of Clive Cussler.
The illegitimate love-child of Lara Croft and Indiana Jones...
И все же я рискнула, о чем ни капли не жалею. Вот же она, книжная "Мумия", только совсем не про мумий, а про древних ацтеков и майя, про богов и затерянный город, про героев и злодеев, а главное - про приключения. Яркие, насыщенные, незабываемые.
Время - 1898. Главная героиня - суфражистка, которую внезапно увольняют из архива... но она не теряется и напоследок прихватывает со стола босса древний псалтырь, внутри которого обнаруживаются странный артефакт и карта. Элли далеко не робкого десятка и всю жизнь мечтала доказать, что достойна быть археологом не меньше, чем мужчины, так что она отправляется на поиски отмеченного на карте таинственного города - предположительно, древних майя. Ну как отправляется... сначала на нее начинается охота, и Элли приходится бежать.
Уже в Британском Гондурасе, куда Элли прибывает под чужим именем, она встречается с исследователем-картографом, которого обманом впутывает в поиски города.
А охота меж тем продолжается, да еще и сны всякие странные начинают сниться - уж не артефакт ли виноват, который Элли решила поносить на шее?
А дальше... заплыв по реке, падение с водопада, встреча с ягуаром и змеями, плен, дорога в Тулан Суйва, поиски "дымящегося зеркала" - не бога Тескатлипоки, а некоего артефакта, способного предсказать будущее. Ритуалы и жертвоприношения, история-мифы-легенды, сказания из "Пополь-Вух" (героям даже приходится проходить испытания, как божественным близнецам в Шибальбе) и многое-многое другое. А еще любовь. Немного шаблонная, явно стыренная из какого-то ИЛР, но зато милая и без постельных сцен.
Да, у романа есть недостатки. Перечислять не буду, для каждого они свои. Но то ли виной всему ностальжи, то ли я просто слишком долго искала нечто подобное...
В общем, я счастлив.
А автору есть куда расти, это ж все-таки дебют. И мне не дает покоя мелькнувшая весть об отъезде подруги героини - не менее бойкой дамочки, которая помогла ей бежать - в Египет вместе с братом)) Ну вдруг, вдруг приключения продолжатся))
August 28, 2023
Review:
5 out of 5, 10 out of 10 and a new all time favorite book for me!
I wasn't very far into this at all (maybe 20 pages?) and I knew that (a) I was going to love it; and (b) it would become a new favorite. 20 pages was literally all it took for me. I also signed up for the author's newsletter to get notifications from her as well as a free novella AND I ordered the first book in her other series as well.
The cover of the book cried out to me as something I would love. I actually bought a second copy of the book just to have an edition with this beautiful cover:
This was all within the first 20 pages.
Can you tell I was invested?!?!?
Anyway...
Everything about this book was 100% completely up my alley.
This GEM of a book follows Ellie, a young woman living in 19th century England who works as an archivist but who wants a life of adventure. She comes across a map leading the way to mysterious ancient city and becomes determined to find the ruins. She needs a guide through the jungle and is paired with the SWOONWORTHY Adam (who I basically pictured to be Nathan Drake but with a machete).
The two battle the jungle and each other (there's a slight enemies to lovers vibe) while trying to stay one step ahead of their adversaries.
I loved watching Ellie and Adam put the clues together. It reminded me of puzzles in Uncharted or Tomb Raider.
The romance was fantastic! I loved seeing Ellie and Adam somewhat reluctantly work together. Adam was always there with a wiseass comment and I found him to be quite funny. Ellie was very much a strong and opinionated woman who knew her mind and didn't want to be restricted by society. I loved that about her. She was the perfect blend of an independent woman without being unrealistic or over the top.
I loved the story. So much. I read this in about a month, but that has nothing to do with the book and everything to do with me. Since I knew I was going to love it so much, I wanted to make it last as long as possible. I don't want to say too much because of spoilers, but I loved the overall adventurous vibe of the book.
The writing was excellent. I believe this was the author's first book, but it did not read like a first novel at all. I was really impressed with how well written the book was.
Of course, I adored the characters.
My only complaint was that the book ended. I WANT MORE!!!!!
Anyway, I loved this so so so so much!
___________________________
Pre Review:
Totally putting this on my TBR because this is giving me ALL the Indiana Jones vibes....
5 out of 5, 10 out of 10 and a new all time favorite book for me!
I wasn't very far into this at all (maybe 20 pages?) and I knew that (a) I was going to love it; and (b) it would become a new favorite. 20 pages was literally all it took for me. I also signed up for the author's newsletter to get notifications from her as well as a free novella AND I ordered the first book in her other series as well.
The cover of the book cried out to me as something I would love. I actually bought a second copy of the book just to have an edition with this beautiful cover:
This was all within the first 20 pages.
Can you tell I was invested?!?!?
Anyway...
Everything about this book was 100% completely up my alley.
This GEM of a book follows Ellie, a young woman living in 19th century England who works as an archivist but who wants a life of adventure. She comes across a map leading the way to mysterious ancient city and becomes determined to find the ruins. She needs a guide through the jungle and is paired with the SWOONWORTHY Adam (who I basically pictured to be Nathan Drake but with a machete).
The two battle the jungle and each other (there's a slight enemies to lovers vibe) while trying to stay one step ahead of their adversaries.
I loved watching Ellie and Adam put the clues together. It reminded me of puzzles in Uncharted or Tomb Raider.
The romance was fantastic! I loved seeing Ellie and Adam somewhat reluctantly work together. Adam was always there with a wiseass comment and I found him to be quite funny. Ellie was very much a strong and opinionated woman who knew her mind and didn't want to be restricted by society. I loved that about her. She was the perfect blend of an independent woman without being unrealistic or over the top.
I loved the story. So much. I read this in about a month, but that has nothing to do with the book and everything to do with me. Since I knew I was going to love it so much, I wanted to make it last as long as possible. I don't want to say too much because of spoilers, but I loved the overall adventurous vibe of the book.
The writing was excellent. I believe this was the author's first book, but it did not read like a first novel at all. I was really impressed with how well written the book was.
Of course, I adored the characters.
My only complaint was that the book ended. I WANT MORE!!!!!
Anyway, I loved this so so so so much!
___________________________
Pre Review:
Totally putting this on my TBR because this is giving me ALL the Indiana Jones vibes....
April 10, 2017
Dear Ms. Benson, I'm sorry but there must be a misunderstanding. I'm not ready to get to the end, yet there are no more pages! Please explain yourself.
Eleanora "Ellie" Mallory works as an archivist in a small London office, even though she has a degree in Natural Sciences and Anthropology from the University of London. What she really wants to do is explore the world and all its secrets, but being an unmarried and ambitious woman in the 19th century meant getting the middle finger from society every time you dared to dream about being more than a stay-at-home mum.
Luckily, our plucky heroine doesn't give a flying fuck about what society thinks and afterstealing borrowing an unusual artifact from her boss' office, she sets off to South America to find a long forgotten ancient civilization. With two dangerously shady guys - sent by someone even shadier - in pursuit, she has to rely on the help of Adam Bates: the map drawing, snake snatching, tour guiding American with an in-depth knowledge of ancient South American civilizations to help her get there in one piece.
The story is pretty romance-y (mainly the second half) but there is no insta-love anywhere in sight , plenty of adventure and cool ancient mythology on top of the "will-they-won't-they" thing to keep you entertained.
I really loved Ellie, she is definitely one of my favourite heroines! She's headstrong and a little stubborn but she's also smart as hell. Her passion for archaeology really comes through - she's willing to do anything to feed her curiosity: from cutting her hair short for a disguise to crawling across caves covered in the poop of killer bats. You can't help but admire her :)
There were a couple of things that seemed unfinished but luckily the ending was written in a way that could open a door to a sequel. And I really want a second book with Ellie and Adam seeing as AND, of course, I need more adventures and interactions between the two!
I'm going to have to read The Smoke Hunters again right now because the book hangover might actually kill me.
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC
Eleanora "Ellie" Mallory works as an archivist in a small London office, even though she has a degree in Natural Sciences and Anthropology from the University of London. What she really wants to do is explore the world and all its secrets, but being an unmarried and ambitious woman in the 19th century meant getting the middle finger from society every time you dared to dream about being more than a stay-at-home mum.
Luckily, our plucky heroine doesn't give a flying fuck about what society thinks and after
The story is pretty romance-y (mainly the second half) but there is no insta-love anywhere in sight , plenty of adventure and cool ancient mythology on top of the "will-they-won't-they" thing to keep you entertained.
I really loved Ellie, she is definitely one of my favourite heroines! She's headstrong and a little stubborn but she's also smart as hell. Her passion for archaeology really comes through - she's willing to do anything to feed her curiosity: from cutting her hair short for a disguise to crawling across caves covered in the poop of killer bats. You can't help but admire her :)
There were a couple of things that seemed unfinished but luckily the ending was written in a way that could open a door to a sequel. And I really want a second book with Ellie and Adam seeing as AND, of course, I need more adventures and interactions between the two!
I'm going to have to read The Smoke Hunters again right now because the book hangover might actually kill me.
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC
March 6, 2019
It’s 1898 and Eleanora Mallory is an educated woman burning with (justifiable) outrage at the limitations and condescension inflicted on her gender. Sitting in her boss’s office, waiting to be dismissed from her beloved job, she finds an old book that turns out to be hollow, containing a map and an artefact, which she decides to steal, setting out on a bold adventure, sailing to British Honduras in search of a lost Mayan city, pursued by relentless, ruthless men determined to get the map and artefact back.
So far so good: a premise thrilling with promise I thought, anticipating an involved and detailed, high-concept, Dan-Brownish brick of a book. Sadly, it was nothing of the sort. The Smoke Hunters is a very light, throwaway, silly sort of a tale – nothing wrong with that, of course, but it was so much less than I was expecting I couldn’t help but be disappointed. My mistake entirely, I fully accept, but the tale is so improbable (not in a good way) and so depressingly chick-litty (I began to fear that if I had to read one more line about handsome, capable Adam’s tanned and rippling torso, wet shirt and bulging biceps, I would go insane) I began to skip an awful lot. The Americanisms are annoying too (English girls don’t talk like this now, they certainly didn’t in the 1890s). I won’t say they spoiled the fun for me, because I wasn’t actually having any fun, but they do jarr and were really getting on my nerves by the time I laboured through to the end.
It was all so very silly. Thoroughly foolish nonsense. An airport book - something daft to read on the beach and leave behind when you go. I’m sure most readers will absolutely love it, it was just not my thing at all.
So far so good: a premise thrilling with promise I thought, anticipating an involved and detailed, high-concept, Dan-Brownish brick of a book. Sadly, it was nothing of the sort. The Smoke Hunters is a very light, throwaway, silly sort of a tale – nothing wrong with that, of course, but it was so much less than I was expecting I couldn’t help but be disappointed. My mistake entirely, I fully accept, but the tale is so improbable (not in a good way) and so depressingly chick-litty (I began to fear that if I had to read one more line about handsome, capable Adam’s tanned and rippling torso, wet shirt and bulging biceps, I would go insane) I began to skip an awful lot. The Americanisms are annoying too (English girls don’t talk like this now, they certainly didn’t in the 1890s). I won’t say they spoiled the fun for me, because I wasn’t actually having any fun, but they do jarr and were really getting on my nerves by the time I laboured through to the end.
It was all so very silly. Thoroughly foolish nonsense. An airport book - something daft to read on the beach and leave behind when you go. I’m sure most readers will absolutely love it, it was just not my thing at all.
November 27, 2021
4.5 stars - Historical Mystery/Action Adventure/Thriller/Romance
I really enjoyed this thrilling archaeological adventure mystery romance! It’s sort of a mix of Indiana Jones, Jungle Cruise, The Mummy, and Lara Croft, but it’s more authentic and not at all silly or cheesy. The Mayan and Aztec cultural references, mythologies, and mysteries were intriguing.
Ellie is a bold, brave, clever, and determined heroine, and I liked her, even though she was stubborn and frustrating at times. Adam is a swoon-worthy, perfect hero. He’s sexy, strong, smart, resourceful, skilled, brave, modest, and gallant.
My only issue with the book is that the ending is abrupt, and I really wanted an epilogue. I’m hoping she writes more adventures for Ellie and Adam and maybe for some of Adam’s friends from his archaeology club.
I’m so glad I’ve discovered author Jacquelyn Benson. The Charismatics series (The Fire in the Glass and The Shadow of Water) are two of my favorite reads this year. And this is another really great read! I’m looking forward to more books from this talented author.
I really enjoyed this thrilling archaeological adventure mystery romance! It’s sort of a mix of Indiana Jones, Jungle Cruise, The Mummy, and Lara Croft, but it’s more authentic and not at all silly or cheesy. The Mayan and Aztec cultural references, mythologies, and mysteries were intriguing.
Ellie is a bold, brave, clever, and determined heroine, and I liked her, even though she was stubborn and frustrating at times. Adam is a swoon-worthy, perfect hero. He’s sexy, strong, smart, resourceful, skilled, brave, modest, and gallant.
My only issue with the book is that the ending is abrupt, and I really wanted an epilogue. I’m hoping she writes more adventures for Ellie and Adam and maybe for some of Adam’s friends from his archaeology club.
I’m so glad I’ve discovered author Jacquelyn Benson. The Charismatics series (The Fire in the Glass and The Shadow of Water) are two of my favorite reads this year. And this is another really great read! I’m looking forward to more books from this talented author.
October 11, 2022
Wer wie ich ein Faible für Geschichten hat, die so in Richtung Indiana Jones oder auch Relic Hunter- Die Schatzjägerin geht, der sollte sich ... mal näher anschauen. Es ist wie ich finde eine erfrischende Mischung aus diesem Genres, nur das ich mich nicht die ganze Zeit fremdschämen musste, weil die weibliche Hautpfigur weder ihr Gehirn verliert, noch der männliche Protagonist abfällige Äußerungen über Frauen macht und sich als Held aufspielen möchte.
Stattdessen hatte ich einfach richtig Viel Spaß! Klar, einiges ist ziemlich an den Haaren herbei gezogen, auch deshalb erinnert es schon sehr an Indie und Co. Aber genau das ist es auch, was ich hier lesen wollte. Ich mag exakt diese Mischung aus historischem Hintergrund, abgestaubt und mit feministischen Themen aufgehübscht, der Frage ob es so etwas wie El Dorado wirklich gab und dann eben diesem kleinen Fantasytwist, der das Ganze dann auch mit einem Augenzwinkern erzählt.
Und auch wenn das Buch eigentlich schon etwas älter ist, es wird noch weitere Bände geben. die werde ich dann auch mit Sicherheit lesen. Eine Übersetzung gibt es bisher nicht, eventuell kann sich das ändern, wenn die Reihe fortgesetzt wird.
Fazit: Es hat mich einfach richtig gut unterhalten und ich hatte sehr viel Spaß beim Lesen!
Stattdessen hatte ich einfach richtig Viel Spaß! Klar, einiges ist ziemlich an den Haaren herbei gezogen, auch deshalb erinnert es schon sehr an Indie und Co. Aber genau das ist es auch, was ich hier lesen wollte. Ich mag exakt diese Mischung aus historischem Hintergrund, abgestaubt und mit feministischen Themen aufgehübscht, der Frage ob es so etwas wie El Dorado wirklich gab und dann eben diesem kleinen Fantasytwist, der das Ganze dann auch mit einem Augenzwinkern erzählt.
Und auch wenn das Buch eigentlich schon etwas älter ist, es wird noch weitere Bände geben. die werde ich dann auch mit Sicherheit lesen. Eine Übersetzung gibt es bisher nicht, eventuell kann sich das ändern, wenn die Reihe fortgesetzt wird.
Fazit: Es hat mich einfach richtig gut unterhalten und ich hatte sehr viel Spaß beim Lesen!
June 2, 2023
26/4
4.5
thank you Rahil, my new mutual and friend, for introducing me to this underrated gem. it had everything i liked and more. had me giggling and kicking my feet nk now where is the damn sequel
2/6
my new comfort book. im here smiling like a freak, rereading it. that's the hallmark of a comfort book for me. adamellie have me byyy the neck. girl oblivious to guy falling first and HARD. ohhh adam is my favourite mmc of 2023 actually. he's so funny. it has the best confession scene as well. in the middle of a giant bad ambush? slay. the gag is it isn't even a rom- centered book, but it's one of the reasons why i love it so much. the atmosphere is lush and i can Feel the eery wet jungle around me. i mean its true to its inspirations. nothing more or less. a dream in written form. im being wholly subjective
4.5
thank you Rahil, my new mutual and friend, for introducing me to this underrated gem. it had everything i liked and more. had me giggling and kicking my feet nk now where is the damn sequel
2/6
my new comfort book. im here smiling like a freak, rereading it. that's the hallmark of a comfort book for me. adamellie have me byyy the neck. girl oblivious to guy falling first and HARD. ohhh adam is my favourite mmc of 2023 actually. he's so funny. it has the best confession scene as well. in the middle of a giant bad ambush? slay. the gag is it isn't even a rom- centered book, but it's one of the reasons why i love it so much. the atmosphere is lush and i can Feel the eery wet jungle around me. i mean its true to its inspirations. nothing more or less. a dream in written form. im being wholly subjective
July 11, 2023
Definitely very Indiana Jones like and I loved it! The first pre-chapter was hard for me to understand at first but all the other chapters were so addicting. I want more in the series!
September 3, 2016
Jaquelyn Benson's 'The Smoke Hunter' has to be one of the more diversely derivative books I have read, stealing as it does from a wide variety of sources.
The greatest unacknowledged debt that it owes is to the first modern cinematic reworking of 'The Mummy' released in back in 1999 and starring Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz. Benson's heroine, the prim but independently minded and resourceful Elleanora Mallory is almost a carbon copy of Weisz's character from the film, Evelyn Carnahan, right down to their Englishness and shared lack of parents. Similarly the book's hero, Adam Bates is physically and in terms of personality pretty much indistinguishable from Fraser's Rick O'Connell, with both men also filling the role of token American in the respective stories. Even Ellie's and Adam's relationship develops in the same highly predictable fashion to that of Evie's & Rick's in the movie.
The similarities don't stop at the romantic leads either. Just as with 'The Mummy' the Smoke Hunter features underground burial chambers filled with deadly creepy crawlies (albeit scorpions rather than man eating scarab beetles) and deadly man-made traps. The book even manages to rip off the movie's inferior cinematic sequel, The Mummy Returns (2001) with its hidden pyramids and incidents featuring hot air balloons. Almost certainly unintentionally, the book even comes very close to replicating the denouement of that second film, albeit without a computer generated version of Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson or any reincarnated Mummies.
Not that The Mummy franchise is the only work The Smoke Hunter 'pays homage to', to put it politely. This book has elements of Romancing the Stone (1984) with its Central American setting, and mismatched leads who bicker their way through a treasure hunt to romance. There are also hints of H. Rider Haggard, with the book's late Victorian colonial setting, and more recent novels by the likes of James Rollins, with the hunts for lost civilisations, chases through underground chambers, rediscovered, ancient, possibly supernatural technologies and sinister conspiracies.
At no point whilst reading The Smoke Hunter did I feel I came across anything that I hadn't seen or read somewhere before. In every respect, from characters, to plot, to set pieces to period to geographical setting it is a hybrid of other, earlier works. Its also written in what could best be described as a pedestrian style. Locations are given functional descriptions but fail to leap off the page. Characters, especially the supporting cast, are given next to no depth and are less than memorable. The various plot twists are entirely predictable. Action, when it occurs, is hurried and perfunctory, lacking a sense of genuine jeopardy. For a book featuring fantastical and supernatural elements there is distinct absence of magic or wonder emanating from the page.
However, despite all these manifest failings, The Smoke Hunter does has one critical thing in its favour. Its FUN, and in a way that you don't find very often these days. There's no edge to the book; no post-modern cynicism or need for knowing winks at the ridiculousness of what occurs on the page. It is what it set's out to be; a good, old fashioned, pulp-fiction adventure full of brave resourceful heroines, laconic but honourable heroes, hidden mysteries, derring-do, romance, cold-eyed bad-guys and far-off-lands. I raced through it and enjoyed the experience immensely. The memory of it is quickly fading, but that's not the point of this sort of book. Its meant to deliver a quick dose of excitement and adventure and it manages to do just that.
And yes, it steals blatantly from earlier works, but then so did they. For all I have criticised The Smoke Hunter for ripping off The Mummy, that movie owed a huge debt to the Indiana Jones series, which in turn was a reworking of movie-serials and pulp-stories from the 1930's, which themselves had owed a clear debt to the likes of H. Rider Haggard and the Victorian Penny Dreadfuls. Whilst its perfectly fair to point out that The Smoke Hunter tells a far from original tale, in its defense it is merely adopting a tradition followed by many other works in this particular genre.
The greatest unacknowledged debt that it owes is to the first modern cinematic reworking of 'The Mummy' released in back in 1999 and starring Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz. Benson's heroine, the prim but independently minded and resourceful Elleanora Mallory is almost a carbon copy of Weisz's character from the film, Evelyn Carnahan, right down to their Englishness and shared lack of parents. Similarly the book's hero, Adam Bates is physically and in terms of personality pretty much indistinguishable from Fraser's Rick O'Connell, with both men also filling the role of token American in the respective stories. Even Ellie's and Adam's relationship develops in the same highly predictable fashion to that of Evie's & Rick's in the movie.
The similarities don't stop at the romantic leads either. Just as with 'The Mummy' the Smoke Hunter features underground burial chambers filled with deadly creepy crawlies (albeit scorpions rather than man eating scarab beetles) and deadly man-made traps. The book even manages to rip off the movie's inferior cinematic sequel, The Mummy Returns (2001) with its hidden pyramids and incidents featuring hot air balloons. Almost certainly unintentionally, the book even comes very close to replicating the denouement of that second film, albeit without a computer generated version of Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson or any reincarnated Mummies.
Not that The Mummy franchise is the only work The Smoke Hunter 'pays homage to', to put it politely. This book has elements of Romancing the Stone (1984) with its Central American setting, and mismatched leads who bicker their way through a treasure hunt to romance. There are also hints of H. Rider Haggard, with the book's late Victorian colonial setting, and more recent novels by the likes of James Rollins, with the hunts for lost civilisations, chases through underground chambers, rediscovered, ancient, possibly supernatural technologies and sinister conspiracies.
At no point whilst reading The Smoke Hunter did I feel I came across anything that I hadn't seen or read somewhere before. In every respect, from characters, to plot, to set pieces to period to geographical setting it is a hybrid of other, earlier works. Its also written in what could best be described as a pedestrian style. Locations are given functional descriptions but fail to leap off the page. Characters, especially the supporting cast, are given next to no depth and are less than memorable. The various plot twists are entirely predictable. Action, when it occurs, is hurried and perfunctory, lacking a sense of genuine jeopardy. For a book featuring fantastical and supernatural elements there is distinct absence of magic or wonder emanating from the page.
However, despite all these manifest failings, The Smoke Hunter does has one critical thing in its favour. Its FUN, and in a way that you don't find very often these days. There's no edge to the book; no post-modern cynicism or need for knowing winks at the ridiculousness of what occurs on the page. It is what it set's out to be; a good, old fashioned, pulp-fiction adventure full of brave resourceful heroines, laconic but honourable heroes, hidden mysteries, derring-do, romance, cold-eyed bad-guys and far-off-lands. I raced through it and enjoyed the experience immensely. The memory of it is quickly fading, but that's not the point of this sort of book. Its meant to deliver a quick dose of excitement and adventure and it manages to do just that.
And yes, it steals blatantly from earlier works, but then so did they. For all I have criticised The Smoke Hunter for ripping off The Mummy, that movie owed a huge debt to the Indiana Jones series, which in turn was a reworking of movie-serials and pulp-stories from the 1930's, which themselves had owed a clear debt to the likes of H. Rider Haggard and the Victorian Penny Dreadfuls. Whilst its perfectly fair to point out that The Smoke Hunter tells a far from original tale, in its defense it is merely adopting a tradition followed by many other works in this particular genre.
November 25, 2016
If you spent your childhood in love with Harrison Ford and watching Romancing the Stone on a loop, Jacquelyn Benson has just the book for you.
The Smoke Hunters takes place in 1898, when archivist Eleonora Mallory loses her position for a spot of suffragette-ism. On her way out the door, she liberates a map and an artifact she suspects may lead to a long-lost city in Central or South America, little knowing that by doing so she's placed herself in peril from a group that will stop at nothing to uncover that city's secrets. Determined to make her name as scholar, she sets off for Belize, where circumstance and her own inexperience force her to take on maverick archaeologist Adam Bates as a guide. Together, they brave the jungle and terrors both natural and supernatural in the search for the secrets of The White City.
Benson's novel has a lot going for it. There's action, and a spot of romance, and a wonderful setting in Belize, a colorful country which frankly deserves more love from writers (the crystallized skeleton the protagonists come across in their travels? I swam into Actun Tunichil Muknal Cave to see that). I also give her full props for wiring a heroine who gets shit done and can pretty much take care of herself. Unfortunately, the way we find out she can take care of herself is through clunky exposition sentences like "It was rather handy for that college chum of your cousin's to have boarded with the Shaolin monks, and being amenable to sharing a few of those clever maneuvers they taught him with a lady."
If you can survive the eye-roll-inducing exposition, there's still the problem of character. Bates is clearly one part Indiana Jones, one part Han Solo (for the love of god, he calls Eleonora "Princess"!), and one part Jack T. Colton, neatly amalgamated and rendered as a cardboard cutout Hot Adventure Guy. Eleonora has her good points, but the further we go into the novel the more they're overshadowed by her involvement in a ridiculous and unnecessary supernatural subplot. And their budding relationship? Basically a recap of The African Queen.
The Smoke Hunter is Benson's first novel, and as such it shows a lot of promise. Here's hoping she bones up a bit on the mechanics of pulps (see: James Rollins) and, having now worked through her Harrison Ford fixation, moves onto bigger and better things in her next novel.
The Smoke Hunters takes place in 1898, when archivist Eleonora Mallory loses her position for a spot of suffragette-ism. On her way out the door, she liberates a map and an artifact she suspects may lead to a long-lost city in Central or South America, little knowing that by doing so she's placed herself in peril from a group that will stop at nothing to uncover that city's secrets. Determined to make her name as scholar, she sets off for Belize, where circumstance and her own inexperience force her to take on maverick archaeologist Adam Bates as a guide. Together, they brave the jungle and terrors both natural and supernatural in the search for the secrets of The White City.
Benson's novel has a lot going for it. There's action, and a spot of romance, and a wonderful setting in Belize, a colorful country which frankly deserves more love from writers (the crystallized skeleton the protagonists come across in their travels? I swam into Actun Tunichil Muknal Cave to see that). I also give her full props for wiring a heroine who gets shit done and can pretty much take care of herself. Unfortunately, the way we find out she can take care of herself is through clunky exposition sentences like "It was rather handy for that college chum of your cousin's to have boarded with the Shaolin monks, and being amenable to sharing a few of those clever maneuvers they taught him with a lady."
If you can survive the eye-roll-inducing exposition, there's still the problem of character. Bates is clearly one part Indiana Jones, one part Han Solo (for the love of god, he calls Eleonora "Princess"!), and one part Jack T. Colton, neatly amalgamated and rendered as a cardboard cutout Hot Adventure Guy. Eleonora has her good points, but the further we go into the novel the more they're overshadowed by her involvement in a ridiculous and unnecessary supernatural subplot. And their budding relationship? Basically a recap of The African Queen.
The Smoke Hunter is Benson's first novel, and as such it shows a lot of promise. Here's hoping she bones up a bit on the mechanics of pulps (see: James Rollins) and, having now worked through her Harrison Ford fixation, moves onto bigger and better things in her next novel.
October 8, 2016
The book delivered exactly what has been promised.
If you like Indiana Jones adventures then you will like "The Smoke Hunter"
If you like Indiana Jones adventures then you will like "The Smoke Hunter"
November 3, 2019
rather 3.5/5 - i really enjoyed this book, full of twists and adventure, with a little romance - ellie is quite a character, you have your hands full with her, but i liked her a lot
November 18, 2020
I was entertained by this book -it provided a welcome distraction as I waited for election results. But otherwise, I fear I have little good to say about it. Cliched writing. Predictable plot. Completely insipid characters.
February 4, 2017
This review was originally posted at Dual Reads
Uncorrected proof copy received from publisher for honest review
It took me a while to compose my thoughts enough to write a review that wasn't just "I love it, I love it, I love it". Because I feel like this is a book I've been waiting for most of my life. It's a sort of Romancing the Stone/Indiana Jones/The Mummy mix set in the Victorian era with a heroine who is smart and brilliant and with a romance that was engaging but never took over the plot - which was so exciting!
Since Ellie was kind of the stand-out amazing thing about this book for me (or at least my absolute favourite) it makes sense to start with her. She is a suffragette, a University graduate (in a time when women generally weren't supposed to be) and just an all around kick-ass lady. She is incredibly smart obviously but I really liked the way in which we were shown this. Too often in books, especially historical ones, I find that the heroines intelligence is pushed at the author until it becomes frustrating. But here Ellie was intelligent and knew it and never ever had to prove it. To other characters or to the reader. She had her flaws - I wish she had trusted Adam sooner for example - but these just serve to make her more real and human.
The other characters were also great although I didn't love them quite as much as Ellie. Adam was an engaging and likable hero. I really liked the development of their relationship, which felt realistic. And I loved that they were a team - they worked together so well that I didn't really even notice it until I was reflecting on the book afterwards. They had disagreements but ultimately they understood each other and co-operated when it was needed. The villains - Jacobs and Dawson were also very well created and quite different from each other. Jacobs, despite seeming the bigger threat, was actually less disturbing to me. He was very cold and unfeeling and ruthless - all things that make a good villain. But it was Dawson who knew that what they were doing was wrong but went along with it out of cowardice. Who had qualms but stifled them in order to save his own life - he was the one who really bothered me.
I was concerned initially that, with such a relatively long book, the pacing would feel off or slow in places but it never did. There are scenes with plenty of action and scenes with less action but there was never a dull moment and I was kept turning the pages long beyond the "one more chapter" point! This does read like a complete novel but the ending leaves it potentially open for more books and I would definitely be interested in that. With mentions of some other characters, such as Ellie's cousin Neil, I think there is also the possibility of some companion novels rather than straight sequels. Which I would be fine with - so long as Ellie and Adam make an appearance.
Overall I loved The Smoke Hunter. If you are a fan of adventure movies then I think this is definitely a book you would be interested in or if you just love historical fiction with amazing characters - then this is it! I will definitely be wanting a finished copy of this so that I can re-read it! I know that I can't wait for more from Jacquelyn Benson!
Uncorrected proof copy received from publisher for honest review
It took me a while to compose my thoughts enough to write a review that wasn't just "I love it, I love it, I love it". Because I feel like this is a book I've been waiting for most of my life. It's a sort of Romancing the Stone/Indiana Jones/The Mummy mix set in the Victorian era with a heroine who is smart and brilliant and with a romance that was engaging but never took over the plot - which was so exciting!
Since Ellie was kind of the stand-out amazing thing about this book for me (or at least my absolute favourite) it makes sense to start with her. She is a suffragette, a University graduate (in a time when women generally weren't supposed to be) and just an all around kick-ass lady. She is incredibly smart obviously but I really liked the way in which we were shown this. Too often in books, especially historical ones, I find that the heroines intelligence is pushed at the author until it becomes frustrating. But here Ellie was intelligent and knew it and never ever had to prove it. To other characters or to the reader. She had her flaws - I wish she had trusted Adam sooner for example - but these just serve to make her more real and human.
The other characters were also great although I didn't love them quite as much as Ellie. Adam was an engaging and likable hero. I really liked the development of their relationship, which felt realistic. And I loved that they were a team - they worked together so well that I didn't really even notice it until I was reflecting on the book afterwards. They had disagreements but ultimately they understood each other and co-operated when it was needed. The villains - Jacobs and Dawson were also very well created and quite different from each other. Jacobs, despite seeming the bigger threat, was actually less disturbing to me. He was very cold and unfeeling and ruthless - all things that make a good villain. But it was Dawson who knew that what they were doing was wrong but went along with it out of cowardice. Who had qualms but stifled them in order to save his own life - he was the one who really bothered me.
I was concerned initially that, with such a relatively long book, the pacing would feel off or slow in places but it never did. There are scenes with plenty of action and scenes with less action but there was never a dull moment and I was kept turning the pages long beyond the "one more chapter" point! This does read like a complete novel but the ending leaves it potentially open for more books and I would definitely be interested in that. With mentions of some other characters, such as Ellie's cousin Neil, I think there is also the possibility of some companion novels rather than straight sequels. Which I would be fine with - so long as Ellie and Adam make an appearance.
Overall I loved The Smoke Hunter. If you are a fan of adventure movies then I think this is definitely a book you would be interested in or if you just love historical fiction with amazing characters - then this is it! I will definitely be wanting a finished copy of this so that I can re-read it! I know that I can't wait for more from Jacquelyn Benson!
August 29, 2016
What a book!
The book was so long I don't even know where to start.
Ellie is a modern woman for her day. Not only does she work as an archivist, but she's also an activist for women's rights. She's so passionate about equality and women's right to vote that she finds herself chained to Parliament. Her little protest costs her her job. Right before she gets fired she slips in her pocket a mysterious map and a pendant. She swears she's only borrowing it and will return it, but soon finds out her curiosity may get her murdered. Still. She keeps it because even if she gives it back, chances are her and her family will be killed. So, she does what only she can and runs away with it. Ellie figures running away will keep her family safe. Plus, it's her chance to discover something that so grand that she'll gain the respect of the archeology community. She wants to be seen as an equal and this will give it to her. With the help of her friend, she travels to British Honduras to unearth El Dorado.
The moment Adam stumbles upon Ellie he knows she's trouble and that she's hiding something. He goes about his business and tries to ignore her, but it all changes one night when she lands in his room's balcony as she's being followed by some men. Against his better judgment he accepts to lead her into the uncharted territory of the jungle, if it means they'll discover what she swears it's there. A lost kingdom, the White City. It doesn't take long for the men who are after her, catch up to them. They're taken prisoners and Adam discovers Ellie has been impersonating her best friend. He's angry and pretends he doesn't care whatever happens to her, but he knows better. The moment they're of no value to the men that captured them, they'll be dead. Still, he goes along and pretends his alliance is with the men.
Not long after they discover what everyone's been looking for: the lost city, and the infamous smoking mirror. Adam and Ellie run for their lives and end up trapped in caves that are right below the city. Each tunnel is a trap and they have to find clues to make it out of each trap alive. Though they think they're running away from their captors, they end up right back in the main room that contains the smoking mirror. They discover why it's called that and do all they can to prevent the others from packing it and shipping it to England.
This is a great read. This is a historical mixed with mystery, magic, and lots of action. It's not a romance though there are bits and pieces of Ellie and Adam developing feelings for each other, and sharing a couple of kisses. The whole story reminds me of The Mummy. Just when they think they're saved, something else happens. For people who like to read about Mayan myths, this is a good book as it makes several references to Mayan legends and myths that reminded me of when I was in school (I studied abroad and Mayan history was part of class).
I'll repeat myself again and say this is a great book. It's long, but for everything the author worked in it I don't see how it could be cut. It also seems their story will continue.
The book was so long I don't even know where to start.
Ellie is a modern woman for her day. Not only does she work as an archivist, but she's also an activist for women's rights. She's so passionate about equality and women's right to vote that she finds herself chained to Parliament. Her little protest costs her her job. Right before she gets fired she slips in her pocket a mysterious map and a pendant. She swears she's only borrowing it and will return it, but soon finds out her curiosity may get her murdered. Still. She keeps it because even if she gives it back, chances are her and her family will be killed. So, she does what only she can and runs away with it. Ellie figures running away will keep her family safe. Plus, it's her chance to discover something that so grand that she'll gain the respect of the archeology community. She wants to be seen as an equal and this will give it to her. With the help of her friend, she travels to British Honduras to unearth El Dorado.
The moment Adam stumbles upon Ellie he knows she's trouble and that she's hiding something. He goes about his business and tries to ignore her, but it all changes one night when she lands in his room's balcony as she's being followed by some men. Against his better judgment he accepts to lead her into the uncharted territory of the jungle, if it means they'll discover what she swears it's there. A lost kingdom, the White City. It doesn't take long for the men who are after her, catch up to them. They're taken prisoners and Adam discovers Ellie has been impersonating her best friend. He's angry and pretends he doesn't care whatever happens to her, but he knows better. The moment they're of no value to the men that captured them, they'll be dead. Still, he goes along and pretends his alliance is with the men.
Not long after they discover what everyone's been looking for: the lost city, and the infamous smoking mirror. Adam and Ellie run for their lives and end up trapped in caves that are right below the city. Each tunnel is a trap and they have to find clues to make it out of each trap alive. Though they think they're running away from their captors, they end up right back in the main room that contains the smoking mirror. They discover why it's called that and do all they can to prevent the others from packing it and shipping it to England.
This is a great read. This is a historical mixed with mystery, magic, and lots of action. It's not a romance though there are bits and pieces of Ellie and Adam developing feelings for each other, and sharing a couple of kisses. The whole story reminds me of The Mummy. Just when they think they're saved, something else happens. For people who like to read about Mayan myths, this is a good book as it makes several references to Mayan legends and myths that reminded me of when I was in school (I studied abroad and Mayan history was part of class).
I'll repeat myself again and say this is a great book. It's long, but for everything the author worked in it I don't see how it could be cut. It also seems their story will continue.
March 24, 2021
My first Jacquelyn Benson novel and all I can think is 'What have I been missing out on?'. Its been a while since a novel has grasped my full attention and kept it like this one has. At a time before women's rights, you follow intelligent and quick witted English woman into Central America after an ancient city that shouldn't exist and if it does could change the very fabric of scientific theories our world was built on. In a race between good and evil she is joined by Mr. Adam Bates, a straightforward survey general from America, who frustrates and amazes her. Its an great story with all the right amount of everything- mystery, science, psychology, history, future, morals and of course romance. My first Benson novel but definitely not my last.
December 27, 2021
3 stars
The tagline "Indiana Jones meet Lara Croft" for this book, and being a fan of Indiana Jones myself (heck, I want to go to Archaelogy course at college back then. But alas, going into Civil Engineering instead, lol), I admit I'm intrigued. The Smoke Hunter also Benson's first novel and while the premise is interesting, I found that the first part is very dragging. I almost asleep while read it. While the second part, have a quick pace and engaging plot also some actions. Alas, the ending very abrupt and I just found that The Smoke Hunter is supposedly published as part of series. With Benson now self-published The Smoke Hunter, maybe we will get more of Ellie and Adam's adventure.
I got quite annoyed with Ellie. Her rage, her frustration about her being a woman in the end of 19th century London that apparently still treat women as second-class citizen are justified. Only, Benson seems to write her as shallow character at first. I don't think that Ellie come into Mary Sue, I just got tired with she think that she is the best at what she does but the circumstances around her didn't support her. I just feel Benson's writing about Ellie's issue is not that smooth. I also got irritated with her lies to Adam, about her identity, her purpose to search the smoking mirror, and constantly irritated when Adam try to protect her (and he did a good job about that!), think that the man underestimated her, which is...not really. I don't think Adam try to mansplaining to Ellie, beside he's know more about the jungle rather than Ellie. It's just Ellie try to be a smartass, but end up failed. Adam in the other side, very much have this Harrison Ford's vibe of him, lol. Like a mixture of Indiana Jones and Han Solo. I guess, this is where I prefer the hero than the heroine, because Ellie just annoyed the hell out of me
Actually, The Smoke Hunter have potential, and I want to read more of Ellie and Adam's adventure. I just hope for their next novel, the writing is not that dragging, the action come fast and the myth also the conclusion from the expedition writing clearly than this book.
The tagline "Indiana Jones meet Lara Croft" for this book, and being a fan of Indiana Jones myself (heck, I want to go to Archaelogy course at college back then. But alas, going into Civil Engineering instead, lol), I admit I'm intrigued. The Smoke Hunter also Benson's first novel and while the premise is interesting, I found that the first part is very dragging. I almost asleep while read it. While the second part, have a quick pace and engaging plot also some actions. Alas, the ending very abrupt and I just found that The Smoke Hunter is supposedly published as part of series. With Benson now self-published The Smoke Hunter, maybe we will get more of Ellie and Adam's adventure.
I got quite annoyed with Ellie. Her rage, her frustration about her being a woman in the end of 19th century London that apparently still treat women as second-class citizen are justified. Only, Benson seems to write her as shallow character at first. I don't think that Ellie come into Mary Sue, I just got tired with she think that she is the best at what she does but the circumstances around her didn't support her. I just feel Benson's writing about Ellie's issue is not that smooth. I also got irritated with her lies to Adam, about her identity, her purpose to search the smoking mirror, and constantly irritated when Adam try to protect her (and he did a good job about that!), think that the man underestimated her, which is...not really. I don't think Adam try to mansplaining to Ellie, beside he's know more about the jungle rather than Ellie. It's just Ellie try to be a smartass, but end up failed. Adam in the other side, very much have this Harrison Ford's vibe of him, lol. Like a mixture of Indiana Jones and Han Solo. I guess, this is where I prefer the hero than the heroine, because Ellie just annoyed the hell out of me
Actually, The Smoke Hunter have potential, and I want to read more of Ellie and Adam's adventure. I just hope for their next novel, the writing is not that dragging, the action come fast and the myth also the conclusion from the expedition writing clearly than this book.
February 5, 2017
What a fun book! I try to avoid comparisons but it's hard to say this isn't a bit like Indiana Jones, but with a suffragette in the staring role (OK, maybe she meets an Indiana type figure too). The tone also reminds me a little of Gail Carriger, so don't expect some serious historical fiction and you'll be on the right track.
Ellie is just as clever and educated, if not more so, than her male peers but she is stuck doing a menial task in the public records office. That's until she's arrested for chaining herself to the gates of parliament. Determined that marriage is not the only option left, Ellie "borrows" a book, hiding within it a map and artifact, that she sure won't be missed. Perhaps it is just a very old hoax but there's a glimmer of hope that it could be the location of a lost city, maybe the legend of El Dorado. Turns out the book was missed and there's some rather unsavoury people wanting it back.
Archaeology is her dream and she ends off half way round the world, by herself, heading off into the jungle, over rapids, chased by boar and a host of other dangers. All in the company of an insufferable man. Yet a man with vast knowledge of, and enthusiasm for, Mayan and Aztec civilisations.
If you like to try a sample of a book before you commit, I would make sure you read more than the first chapter because it's not very representative of the overall tone. I was a bit skeptical at first but once I met Ellie I was hooked.
Victorian treasure hunters were notorious for lack of respect to the indigenous people and it's good to see this covered in a book that otherwise isn't too concerned with being serious. Adam chooses not to return and excavate a site because it is clear to him it is still being used. Ellie is used to being dismissed because of her gender, so she is keen not to do the same to people because of their race. She has a thirst for knowledge but not if it mean trampling over the lives of innocent people. However many people around them are racist and sexist, in keeping with the era.
Review copy provided by publisher.
Ellie is just as clever and educated, if not more so, than her male peers but she is stuck doing a menial task in the public records office. That's until she's arrested for chaining herself to the gates of parliament. Determined that marriage is not the only option left, Ellie "borrows" a book, hiding within it a map and artifact, that she sure won't be missed. Perhaps it is just a very old hoax but there's a glimmer of hope that it could be the location of a lost city, maybe the legend of El Dorado. Turns out the book was missed and there's some rather unsavoury people wanting it back.
Archaeology is her dream and she ends off half way round the world, by herself, heading off into the jungle, over rapids, chased by boar and a host of other dangers. All in the company of an insufferable man. Yet a man with vast knowledge of, and enthusiasm for, Mayan and Aztec civilisations.
If you like to try a sample of a book before you commit, I would make sure you read more than the first chapter because it's not very representative of the overall tone. I was a bit skeptical at first but once I met Ellie I was hooked.
Victorian treasure hunters were notorious for lack of respect to the indigenous people and it's good to see this covered in a book that otherwise isn't too concerned with being serious. Adam chooses not to return and excavate a site because it is clear to him it is still being used. Ellie is used to being dismissed because of her gender, so she is keen not to do the same to people because of their race. She has a thirst for knowledge but not if it mean trampling over the lives of innocent people. However many people around them are racist and sexist, in keeping with the era.
Review copy provided by publisher.
October 21, 2016
An absolute swashbuckler of a book. After discovering a potential treasure map Eleanora sets off under the fake name of her best friend to begin the adventure of a lifetime - full of Victorian bad guys, danger at every turn and some ancient South American mysteries.
This is a looooong book but it's a fats paced and enjoyable one. The story doesn't let up for a minute swiftly moving from London to South America. Eleanora is a modern Victorian woman who would rather work than, as she feels, lose her identity through marriage and motherhood. I seem to be on a roll reading about women joining the suffrage movement and wanting more out of life. It's been quite enjoyable and yet again shows we should never underestimate a woman.
The story gives us a mixture of adventure and romance once Ellie meets Adam Bates and they set off to find the lost settlement. The romance is quite reasonable but there were a few too coincidences to me. Go to the other side of the world and accidentally fall for your cousins great friend??? I suppose stranger things have happened
It reminded me a little bit of Jewel of the Nile and Indiana Jones but with a female protagonist. You can almost see how the film would pan out; it's very rich in detail with full rounded characters; the good guys are well described and the bad guys suitable bad.
It was a bit long but there's so much action I can't see how anything could be left out and indeed if cuts were made it would spoil the flow of the story. Despite the length I thoroughly enjoyed it and can't wait to read about the next adventure
I received this book for free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
This is a looooong book but it's a fats paced and enjoyable one. The story doesn't let up for a minute swiftly moving from London to South America. Eleanora is a modern Victorian woman who would rather work than, as she feels, lose her identity through marriage and motherhood. I seem to be on a roll reading about women joining the suffrage movement and wanting more out of life. It's been quite enjoyable and yet again shows we should never underestimate a woman.
The story gives us a mixture of adventure and romance once Ellie meets Adam Bates and they set off to find the lost settlement. The romance is quite reasonable but there were a few too coincidences to me. Go to the other side of the world and accidentally fall for your cousins great friend??? I suppose stranger things have happened
It reminded me a little bit of Jewel of the Nile and Indiana Jones but with a female protagonist. You can almost see how the film would pan out; it's very rich in detail with full rounded characters; the good guys are well described and the bad guys suitable bad.
It was a bit long but there's so much action I can't see how anything could be left out and indeed if cuts were made it would spoil the flow of the story. Despite the length I thoroughly enjoyed it and can't wait to read about the next adventure
I received this book for free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
March 7, 2017
The Smoke Hunter by Jacquelyn Benson
3 stars
From The Book:
Frustrated suffragette and would-be archaeologist Ellie Mallory stumbles across a map to a city that shouldn't exist, a jungle metropolis alive and flourishing centuries after the Mayan civilization mysteriously collapsed. Discovering it would make her career, but Ellie isn't the only one after the prize. A disgraced professor and his ruthless handler are hot on her heels, willing to go any extreme to acquire the map for themselves.
To race them through the uncharted jungle, Ellie needs a guide. The only one with the expertise is maverick surveyor Adam Bates. But with his determination to nose his way into Ellie's many secrets, Bates is a dangerous partner.
As Ellie gets closer to her goal, she realizes it's not just her ambitions at stake. A powerful secret lies hidden in the heart of the city - and if it falls into the wrong hands, it could shake the very fate of the world.
My Thoughts:
Historical novels are not really what I would normally pursue as those that know me well can verify but this one wasn't bad. There was lots of action, a touch of romance, and a wonderful setting in Belize, a very interesting and colorful country. This is Jacquelyn Benson's first novel and I will have to say that it showed a lot of promise. Her heroine was well ahead of her times as she didn't take any crap off of anyone and was very capable of standing up for herself and for 1898 that says a lot in itself. Who knows? I just might try book #2.
3 stars
From The Book:
Frustrated suffragette and would-be archaeologist Ellie Mallory stumbles across a map to a city that shouldn't exist, a jungle metropolis alive and flourishing centuries after the Mayan civilization mysteriously collapsed. Discovering it would make her career, but Ellie isn't the only one after the prize. A disgraced professor and his ruthless handler are hot on her heels, willing to go any extreme to acquire the map for themselves.
To race them through the uncharted jungle, Ellie needs a guide. The only one with the expertise is maverick surveyor Adam Bates. But with his determination to nose his way into Ellie's many secrets, Bates is a dangerous partner.
As Ellie gets closer to her goal, she realizes it's not just her ambitions at stake. A powerful secret lies hidden in the heart of the city - and if it falls into the wrong hands, it could shake the very fate of the world.
My Thoughts:
Historical novels are not really what I would normally pursue as those that know me well can verify but this one wasn't bad. There was lots of action, a touch of romance, and a wonderful setting in Belize, a very interesting and colorful country. This is Jacquelyn Benson's first novel and I will have to say that it showed a lot of promise. Her heroine was well ahead of her times as she didn't take any crap off of anyone and was very capable of standing up for herself and for 1898 that says a lot in itself. Who knows? I just might try book #2.
May 29, 2016
I love a good adventure mixed in with strong characters and a bit of mystery and I really enjoyed this one. I could easily imagine Rick and Evie from "The Mummy" being Eleanor Mallory and Adam Bates. There was humour, adventure, puzzles to solve and bad guys to defeat along with a dash of romance.
Eleanor "Ellie" works in the Public Records Office but dreams of being much more. Held back in Victorian Britain because of her gender she has to do what work she can find although she wants to work as an archaeologist. In a male-dominated field, there is little chance of what she wants, coming true. On the verge of being fired from her job she finds a map and pendant in a pile of books in her incompetent boss's mess of an office and takes a chance for adventure. Little does she know at the time that it will be a mad dash with some unpleasant characters to get to the destination first.
She meets archeologist and map maker Adam Bates. She tells him only half truths to get him to agree to be her guide to the place on the map. Although she is a bit economical with the truth at times, you can't help but like her resourcefulness. Adam is honorable and clever as well and through both of their actions they avoid many a sticky situation, it is an equal partnership.
Mostly fast paced action with some quieter moments, but even through those I would be pretty much flying through the pages
Eleanor "Ellie" works in the Public Records Office but dreams of being much more. Held back in Victorian Britain because of her gender she has to do what work she can find although she wants to work as an archaeologist. In a male-dominated field, there is little chance of what she wants, coming true. On the verge of being fired from her job she finds a map and pendant in a pile of books in her incompetent boss's mess of an office and takes a chance for adventure. Little does she know at the time that it will be a mad dash with some unpleasant characters to get to the destination first.
She meets archeologist and map maker Adam Bates. She tells him only half truths to get him to agree to be her guide to the place on the map. Although she is a bit economical with the truth at times, you can't help but like her resourcefulness. Adam is honorable and clever as well and through both of their actions they avoid many a sticky situation, it is an equal partnership.
Mostly fast paced action with some quieter moments, but even through those I would be pretty much flying through the pages
December 17, 2016
This is a cute, silly, predictable and occasionally moralising story that is still fun if you want to indulge in an old-fashioned adventure. Setting the adventure in the late 19th century somehow made the clichés less painful, even though clichés abounded, what with the rugged hero who just happens to be nobility falling for the independent and strong-minded heroine with pre-Mayan civilisation as a backdrop. I started reading expecting light entertainment, and that is exactly what the book delivered.
Teaching—the last resort of all women unfortunate enough to be educated.
Teaching—the last resort of all women unfortunate enough to be educated.
January 3, 2018
A fun and light-hearted historical romp and archaeological mystery set in the jungles of central America in 1898.
February 12, 2022
This was okay. It was a bit repetetive at times, and a lot of time I couldn't connect with the plot due to awkward dialogue, and a lot of times both plot and dialogue just wasn't believeable.
I am not a big romance reader, but I do still appreciate a good love story from time to time. The romance part of this book didn't work for me though, and I think that is because the guy was so obviously modeled after Harrison Ford (some Indiana Jones and some Han Solo), and it just didn't read very well.
The setting was awesome, I love me a jungle mystery! I think jungles and archeology might just be two of my very favourite story features. The MC was not bad either, finally a feminist with some spunk to her.
Not a bad book! It was an easy and entertaining read, perfect if you're in need of something light and action packed with a beautiful setting.
I am not a big romance reader, but I do still appreciate a good love story from time to time. The romance part of this book didn't work for me though, and I think that is because the guy was so obviously modeled after Harrison Ford (some Indiana Jones and some Han Solo), and it just didn't read very well.
The setting was awesome, I love me a jungle mystery! I think jungles and archeology might just be two of my very favourite story features. The MC was not bad either, finally a feminist with some spunk to her.
Not a bad book! It was an easy and entertaining read, perfect if you're in need of something light and action packed with a beautiful setting.
April 2, 2023
He raised an eyebrow.
“Do you even realize it when you’re glaring like that?”
She frowned, then caught her reaction and forcibly cleared her expression.
Imagine this, but a whole lot of hundreds of pages more.
****
Every single moment following up Ellie and Adam was a freaking bliss. A freaking bliss i say. I missed the adrenalin this genre gives me and it's just so easy to get lost in it's stories. Really, some people are missing out on this.
The world building, the adventure, the characters, descriptions and informations, twists and turns, the sentiments and the horror and the head smacks, the "oh for the love of God- JUST KISS"... just so much about this... 😩
And God, the amount of puzzlement that came with trying to figure out the answers, the ticks and tells each new information brought. It's one of my favorite things when reading this genre, it gives you lots of fun ways to spend your energy on while keeping you hooked.
I'm a big Mummy fan, and honestly, anything with treasure hunt in it, please recommend me because iNEED.
Not joking, my life depends on it! There aren't ENOUGH of these books out there!
Oh my god and the romance! How have i not talked about the flipping sweet slow burn and the man Adam is keeping up with Ellie's messed up shenanigans!
Seeing it all unfold between Adam and Ellie, or just getting to know these two characters separately and then together... it was interesting to live, and admirable and to be cherished! My children.
I hate myself for devouring it so fast.
I chose to read this book purely to give myself a slow rest but then, the book challenge every aspect of my life and said "why not just have at it consciousnesses be dammed" So i did, i guiltly read this when I'm not supposed to, i didn't take it slow, i ate it up, devoured it when i didn't have the time.
I'm sorry but it was just SO. GOOD. I abandoned my studies for this so... that should tell you.
Why not a sequel author? 🤧
October 26, 2017
This hit the spot for me. I've been in a romance-reading slump lately and this "Indiana Jones meets Romancing the Stone" plot was fast, fun and a bit fantastical. Great escape reading. And it has received this praise from author Deanna Raybourn: "Fans of spirited heroines, dashing heroes, and perilous mysteries will love this rollicking adventure. A thoroughly engaging debut."
In 1898 London heroine Ellie Mallory, University of London graduate, feminist, suffragette, and employee of the Public Record Office, is about to be unemployed. She has ruffled the feathers of her masculine co-workers, especially her supervisor, too many times and now, after a suffrage-for-women protest that ended in an overnight jail stint, she has handed her boss the perfect excuse to let her go.
And, well, she didn't exactly mean to but somehow she ends up walking out of the office with an old psalter concealing what looks to be a Mayan artifact and a map to the legendary White City. And this leads to Ellie's Adventure in Central America. It's a perilous one and there are some Bad Guys hot on her trail who want what she has stolen. Fortunately, in British Honduras, she meets hunky explorer/mapmaker/archaeologist Adam Bates and they set off into the jungles of Central America.
I enjoyed this a lot. Non-stop action in a well-written story that describes the scenery, characters and action so well that it's like watching an exciting escapist movie. This is part thriller, part history, part raucous adventure, part romance, with mythology and mysticism and the supernatural mixed in.
The author studied anthropology in Northern Ireland, wrote a thesis on paranormal investigators, and describes herself at her Twitter account as "author, playwright, mystic and explorer." This debut novel of hers ends satisfactorily enough, but with just enough loose ends that a reader can hope there will be more books of Ellie's and Adam's adventures.
In 1898 London heroine Ellie Mallory, University of London graduate, feminist, suffragette, and employee of the Public Record Office, is about to be unemployed. She has ruffled the feathers of her masculine co-workers, especially her supervisor, too many times and now, after a suffrage-for-women protest that ended in an overnight jail stint, she has handed her boss the perfect excuse to let her go.
And, well, she didn't exactly mean to but somehow she ends up walking out of the office with an old psalter concealing what looks to be a Mayan artifact and a map to the legendary White City. And this leads to Ellie's Adventure in Central America. It's a perilous one and there are some Bad Guys hot on her trail who want what she has stolen. Fortunately, in British Honduras, she meets hunky explorer/mapmaker/archaeologist Adam Bates and they set off into the jungles of Central America.
I enjoyed this a lot. Non-stop action in a well-written story that describes the scenery, characters and action so well that it's like watching an exciting escapist movie. This is part thriller, part history, part raucous adventure, part romance, with mythology and mysticism and the supernatural mixed in.
The author studied anthropology in Northern Ireland, wrote a thesis on paranormal investigators, and describes herself at her Twitter account as "author, playwright, mystic and explorer." This debut novel of hers ends satisfactorily enough, but with just enough loose ends that a reader can hope there will be more books of Ellie's and Adam's adventures.
October 8, 2016
Shades of ROMANCING THE STONE
This was a fun, yet perilous adventure through the jungles of British Honduras (now known as Belize) in 1898.
Ellie Mallory lived in London, graduated at the top of her class from the University of London wanting to be a field archaeologist and ended up being a dreary archivist for the Public Record Office.
She let her feelings for the women's suffrage movement get her arrested and ended up being fired. Now, this was a blessing in some ways but she's not sure what she's going to do now to support herself. And because she's angry, she slipped a map and an artefact in her valise as she's being fired.
And the whole direction of her life changed. She's got thugs chasing her. She ended up on a ship to British Honduras to check out the map she stole. She meets infuriating, yet intriguing archaeologist Adam Bates, who reluctantly lets himself be talked into following the map into an uncharted area of the jungle.
I liked the story, the characters, the fast-paced action, and the many adventures Ellie and Adam end up in.
The one thing I didn't like was the abrupt ending of the story. It leaves room to have this be the first book in a new series but I would have liked a bit more closure.
I received this book from Hatchette Books in exchange for my unbiased review.
This was a fun, yet perilous adventure through the jungles of British Honduras (now known as Belize) in 1898.
Ellie Mallory lived in London, graduated at the top of her class from the University of London wanting to be a field archaeologist and ended up being a dreary archivist for the Public Record Office.
She let her feelings for the women's suffrage movement get her arrested and ended up being fired. Now, this was a blessing in some ways but she's not sure what she's going to do now to support herself. And because she's angry, she slipped a map and an artefact in her valise as she's being fired.
And the whole direction of her life changed. She's got thugs chasing her. She ended up on a ship to British Honduras to check out the map she stole. She meets infuriating, yet intriguing archaeologist Adam Bates, who reluctantly lets himself be talked into following the map into an uncharted area of the jungle.
I liked the story, the characters, the fast-paced action, and the many adventures Ellie and Adam end up in.
The one thing I didn't like was the abrupt ending of the story. It leaves room to have this be the first book in a new series but I would have liked a bit more closure.
I received this book from Hatchette Books in exchange for my unbiased review.
September 26, 2016
The prologue (1632) is long and bloody, setting the stage for the adventure that follows in 1898. Eleanora Mallory must deal with the restrictions of her time--not an easy task, especially since she wants to be an archeologist. She's an archivist, but that gives her the opportunity to find a map and an artifact that will send her on a long and dangerous trek to Central America and a lost city. She, uh, borrows them, not knowing that they were about to be sold by her boss to a dedicated and dangerous villain. She joins forces with a lone wolf type but doesn't trust him. Of course, when he finds out about her complicated lies, it's hard for him to trust her. It's a hazardous quest they're on with unknown terrors behind, around, and ahead, including traps for unwary trespassers... There's a lot of running and hiding...
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