Skaar: A Novel of Archaeology, Revolution and Betrayal

by Rowland B. Reeve

The year is 1903 and Miss Cyrilia Hathaway has traveled across half the globe from the narrow lanes of Oxfordshire, England to the shores of the Caribbean Sea. She has come to Central America to learn the secret her late grandfather discovered in the remote Mayan ruins of Copán, a secret he kept hidden even from her.

But her grandfather was not the only one with secrets, and Lia Hathaway soon finds her expedition haunted by an unseen adversary determined that she will never reach the ruined city.

Accompanied by a trio of unlikely adventurers; a former Pinkerton detective, a disgraced cavalry officer, and a local guide of obscure origins and questionable loyalties, Lia embarks from Belize Town in a battered coasting schooner with a disreputable captain and an unsavory crew. Their destination is the mouth of a jungle river that will lead them deep into the heart of an ancient mystery.

Guided only by the words of Grandfather's journal, Lia leaves behind all that she has known to enter a world of startling beauty and unsuspected danger.

“It was a damn good thing that he‘d come along on this little picnic, Haskel told himself. Miss H. was pretty capable for a young lady but most of what she had was book smarts and that didn’t always keep you alive in a place like this. If they got into a scrape out in the jungle, Haskel wasn’t betting they’d come out of it in one piece.”

With the publication of Skaar, author Lee Brownell introduces us to a most remarkable young lady—the intelligent, obstinate and resourceful Cyrilia Hathaway. Its memorable heroine and richly drawn cast of characters make Skaar a delightful discovery for lovers of mystery, travel, adventure and archaeology.

Genres: Mystery, Historical Fiction

528 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 31, 2016

About the author

Rowland B. Reeve is a writer and professional archaeologist who has traveled and worked in remote corners of the globe. Born and raised in the Hawaiian Islands, Rowland left home to wander the world, pursuing a career in archaeology that led from southern France to the Solomon Islands and beyond. He gained sailing experience crewing on a two hundred and fifty year old schooner plying the coast of New England.

Rowland holds a masters degree from the British Institute of Archaeology in London and has been on expedition to the jungles of the Moskito Coast of Honduras, explored first century trading settlements in the mangrove swamps of the Malay Peninsula, recorded ancient Hawaiian sites on the restricted island of Kahoolawe, and excavated evidence of 20,000 years of human occupation at a cave site in the Australian outback.

With the publication of Skaar: A Novel of Archaeology, Revolution and Betrayal, Rowland Reeve masterfully brings to life a cast of characters who will take the reader on a perilous journey into a world of mystery and adventure.

Reviews

[Fishy Mama · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great book for just about everyone. The story is pretty fast-paced when it needs to be but takes its time when you want to slow down and get to know a character better. The plot is not predictable (I'm so bored by books when I can figure out the whole story in the second chapter) and there are lots of surprises and unexpected turns. I love books that throw in some history and the author here is obviously very knowledgeable about the places and events. The characters are well developed but not perfect, and you will care about what happens to them as they head into the jungle. A real joy to read -- I hope there will be a sequel so I can find out what Skaar and Lia do next!

[Sam Crawley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Extremely well written novel about the overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy.

[SL]

Did not finish. The story is very good in this, but many typos in the kindle form, tense shifts, and occasional switches between POV within a few paragraphs has eventually worn thin. That, paired with overly educational text. I am LOVING how much I am learning in this book, but I wish it was sprinkled in maybe a little more engagingly? Sometimes the narration will shift to telling historical details about a place, but when it does that, the tone also changes to one that might be used for a nonfiction or lecture. This had the effect of pulling me out of the action, unfortunately. It's also not really necessary. Some facts are helpful to paint a picture, too many and it gets weighed down.

I love the idea of this book a lot. Maybe sometime I will try again to read it. For now, we part ways.

[Robert Edwards · Rating 5 out of 5]

A grand adventure and a fun read. Skaar serves up a wonderful mix of mystery, adventure and archaeology reminiscent of Elizabeth Peters. Its author is an archaeologist, and it shows. The book is rich in detail with vivid descriptions of jungle villages and ruined cities. It opens a fascinating window on the early years of Mayan archaeology, both its promise and its perils. But it is the characters that truly make the novel a joy to read. They are the kind of companions you want to have with you on an expedition into the jungles of Central America or on a lazy Sunday afternoon at the beach. Highly recommended.