The Antiquities Hunter

A Gina Miyoko Mystery #1

by Maya Kaathryn Bohnhoff

Gina “Tinkerbell” Miyoko is not your typical private eye. Armed with a baby blue Magnum, a Harley blessed with Holy Water by her dramatically disposed mother, and a Japanese mingei tucked in her pocket (a good luck charm from her Sherlock Holmes-obsessed father) Tink spends her time sniffing out delinquent dads in the San Francisco Bay area and honing her detective skills.  

But when her best friend Rose, an undercover agent, discovers there’s a stalker on her tail, she hires Tink as a bodyguard. Someone must be trying to intimidate Rose and scare her out of testifying in an upcoming case on looted Anasazi artifacts.  But when Tink tries to flush-out the stalker, things take a far more dangerous turn.

Now, with a dead black-market dealer and an injured Rose on her hands, Tink must take her best friend’s place and follow the looters’ trail towards a powerful and lucrative antiquities collector in Cancun, Mexico. Equipped with an ingenious disguise and a teasingly coy persona to match, Tink is determined to find out who is behind the attack on Rose and the illegal trafficking of these priceless artifacts. Along the way, she will find help in the most unlikely of partners…

Deep in the jungle and far from civilization, Tink must decide who she can trust as she tries to unearth the ones responsible behind the pilfering and bloodshed—and still make it out alive. 

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Thriller, Adventure, Mystery Thriller, Audiobook, Action

288 pages, Hardcover

First published October 2, 2018

About the author

Maya’s addicted to speculative fiction. For this, she blames her dad and Ray Bradbury.  She’s authored eight novels of speculative fiction, short fiction that’s appeared in Analog, Amazing Stories, Interzone, and others, and has been short-listed for the Nebula, Sidewise, and British SF awards. She and writing partner Michael Reaves are responsible for the 2013 New York Times Bestseller STAR WARS LEGENDS: THE LAST JEDI.

Her newest novel is THE ANTIQUITIES HUNTER, a Gina Miyoko Mystery

Maya is half of Maya & Jeff, a Pegasus Award-winning musical duo. They’ve collaborated on three amazing children and live in San Jose. You can read/listen to Maya’s work at www.bookviewcafe,com or www.mayabohnhoff.com and buy her books at Book View Café, Amazon, Barnes&Noble, CD Baby and iTunes.

Reviews

[Magdalena · Rating 4 out of 5]

PI Gina "Tinkerbell" Miyoko is alarmed when her best friend Rose, an undercover agent, reveals she has a stalker. Together they decided to catch Rose's stalker, but it turns out not everything is as it seems. However, this is just the start and they soon realize that someone is out to scare Rose from testifying in an upcoming case about looted Anasazi artifacts. Who better to protect Rose than Gina?

READ THE REST OF THE REVIEW OVER AT FRESH FICTION!

[Jeanne Adamek · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Different & impressive...

[Ariel · Rating 4 out of 5]

There was a lot to like about this series! Nearly all the characters were people of color, the main character was a kick-butt female who both showed emotions and also took no shit, the locations frolicked nicely between the US and South America, which was a treat for the mind. All in all, I'd say this was a great start to a new mystery series I will really enjoy.

Note: this was given to me by NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. I can honestly say it rocked.

[Joe · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book jacket blurbs mention Sam Spade, Indiana Jones, and Lara Craft but this first entry in a new series fails to deliver on the hype. Main character Gina Miyoko is a generic female private investigator who isn't as interesting as some of the underdeveloped secondary characters. The exotic Mexican jungle locale doesn't jump from the page, Mayan history and culture are glossed over, and the narrative feels like a young adult book. A lightweight entry in a crowded field.

[Cynthia · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Antiquities Hunter is the first in what I assume is going to be a series. It’s classified as a mystery, but it felt more like a thriller to me.

Gina Myoko is a San Francisco P.I. whose best friend, Rose, is a National Park Agent (in case you’re confused about the difference because an NPS agent and an NPS Ranger, don’t worry, you’ll find out in the info dump at the beginning). Rose thinks she is being followed and is being threatened, possibly to scare her off one of her cases, and so Rose's boss decides to go ahead and hire Gina as a body guard for Rose (this seemed really ridiculous to me).

Then, when Rose is shot in the middle of an investigation involving stolen Mexican artifacts, Gina goes undercover in her place. This also seemed really ridiculous to me. The National Park Service really had no other agent that could go in Rose's place? Really? I also don't see the Federal government being like "yeah, no problem we'll pay for a body guard" and "money and lawsuits and contracts are no concern, we'll hire a P.I. to go undercover, why not". So the premise is interesting, but not really believable.

This is a fast paced book that jumps right into the action (...after the info dump that is). I think Gina (aka Tink) is supposed to be intriguing and quirky, but the most interesting thing about this book is the NPS angle, and since Gina isn’t herself involved with NPS I’m not sure what tack the series is going to take.

The "mystery" itself isn't really much of a mystery - I won't spoil it, but there aren't really any clues to follow to solve it, and given the limited cast of characters, as long as you assume the author is playing fair and it's one of them rather than someone we haven't met, it's really easy to figure out.

If you like light thrillers and are interested in pyramids/ruins and the black market for stolen antiquities you may like this book.

Thanks to Netgalley for the free ARC.

[Edwin Hill · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you like your heroine's tough, her family quirk, and her adventures inspired by Indiana Jones, then you'll love this book. Gina Myoko packs a powder-blue pistol, rides a motorcycle, and fends off her mother's good luck charms, all before fighting antiquity smuggling deep in the Mexican rain forest. Worth the read!

@kaath09

[Cole · Rating 1 out of 5]

thanks to netgalley & pegasus books for a copy of the ebook in exchange for a review.

I've been trying to improve my NetGalley ratio which has been reading some requests from several years ago including a few which I otherwise would move quickly my DNF shelf. But I'm committed to sticking it through and not jump ship (like how Gina does at one point when she pirouettes off a boat to escape a bad guy's advances).

Gina Miyoko, also known as Tinkerbell, also known as Tink, has a lot going on. She's also quirks, but no substance. For the first two thirds, it felt like constant examples of Tink telling us ways in which she (either via her own quirks or her parents') is very, very interesting and unique. It was annoying to read and dragged the story down. The lack of substance really comes through when it comes to Gina's profession. She's a former cop and current private investigator who is eventually hired by officials to be her friend's bodyguard. She then goes undercover agent with another main character as her backup. But she seems completely unqualified to be a private investigator, bodyguard, or undercover agent, and none of those qualities meaningfully affect the story or it's resolution. Gina's professions and background just become another example of how she's supposed to be unique and special, but with the same amount of impact as her living in a houseboat (no impact, none).

The mystery and adventure elements are barely there so I honestly don't have a lot to say. It's predictable but I don't know if it is intended to be much of a mystery or more of an adventure story?

[Linda Smatzny · Rating 4 out of 5]

A private eye, Gina, gets involved with the National Park Service when her best friend is being stalked. The case takes Gina and other operatives to the Mayan jungle to locate where stolen antiquities are coming from and to stop the flow. The story and characters were interesting. The book was an easy read.

[Janna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely adored this book. Gina Miyoko is the Stephanie Plum of the PI industry and I can't wait to read more of her adventures.

[Maria Logan-Montgomery · Rating 5 out of 5]

New York Times bestselling author, Maya Bohnhoff, has written her first mystery, The Antiquities Hunter, due out October 2, 2018. I thoroughly enjoyed this enthralling mystery, in fact, I was hooked on page one, and quickly found myself engrossed in the search for bad guys and ancient artifacts. Who knew there was a black market for pre-Columbian and Mayan artifacts? Just as stolen art being used to raise money for terrorism, Bohnhoff shows us that historical artifacts are used in this way as well.

Gina Miyoko, often called Tink because of the childhood nickname “Tinkerbell”, is a police officer turned private detective who tracks deadbeat dads. Gina’s friend, Rose, is National Park Service agent. Who knew the National Park Service had its own undercover agents for people who steal artifacts from the parks?

When it becomes clear that Rose is being stalked and threatened, Gina jumps in to help. Enter Cruz Veras, Ph.D., professor and director of the Instituto Nacional de Aantropoligia e Historia in Mexico. After Rose and Gina are convinced that Cruz is not out to hurt them, and after Cruz is convinced that Rose is not a “crooked agent”, the three team up to find the source of the thefts and damage to historical sites.

The book is full of action and suspense that kept me turning digital pages far into the night. I highly recommend The Antiquities Hunter, and I am anxious to read the next book in the series.

[Russell Atkinson · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book kept me occupied while waiting as my optometrist’s as it was slightly more interesting than the eye chart. It began behind the eight ball with the choice of the protagonist’s name, Gina Miyoko. Miyoko is a girl’s given name, not a surname. Nowhere in my year in Japan, or on Google, Bing, Wikipedia, or Facebook was I ever able to find a person with that surname. So right off I knew the author was writing about stuff she didn’t know. The main character was also given a ridiculous heritage, wacky family, and implausible abilities (tiny woman with a black belt in kung fu, knowledge of guns, former SFPD cop). I know some former SFPD cops and I guarantee you, she wouldn’t have made the cut.

The story centers around a ring of crooks who deal in stolen, i.e. looted, antiquities, especially from Mexico. Gina, our heroine, who was hired as a bodyguard for a National Park Service agent, is turned into a vamp to seduce the big crook (or is he?) The NPS agent gets shot while under Gina’s stellar protection. Later Gina answers that she isn’t sure she would be able to shoot the gun-toting bad guy who is coming to kill her (an answer that would have caused her to fail the first interview for SFPD cop). She’s constantly being rescued by the big, brave man. Her kung fu is nowhere to be seen when needed. Some bodyguard. Some former cop. The whole thing seemed like total fantasy that belonged in a comic book or maybe romance section.

Then there were the grammar and vocabulary errors, e.g. “I” vs. “me” (hint: for the object of a preposition use “me”) and “staunch” vs. “stanch.” The bottom line is that it filled some time and wasn’t offensive.

[Cory · Rating 2 out of 5]

It wasn't terrible, it just plodded along. As other reviews have stated, the NPS hiring a bodyguard instead of using another agent seems far-fetched.

It was also annoying how quickly Gina went to pieces when a guy tried to force himself on her. I get that's traumatic for women but Gina is characterized as a tough-as-nails PI with police academy training, someone you can count on to keep a cool head in a bad situation.

SJWs will love this book because most of the main characters are POCs and the one white guy ends up being the villain.

I liked Gina and gained a bunch of sympathy for her at the end. She was done really, really wronged by her ex-fiance (another white guy, of course!). She's quirky and sassy and can kick ass despite being so tiny.

My biggest problem is not the White Guys are the Enemy routine or the High-flying Feminist Flag. I'm actually for diversity in entertainment, though my review probably didn't read that way. My biggest problem would be how the book ran so slow during the final third and seemed to have less and less action as the story came to a close. Most of the exciting scenes were early on, up to the midpoint. Then... Nothing. Even the chase through the Mayan pyramids in the third act was meh.

You might note my reading dates for this book show starting in February and ending in April. I am, I confess, a slow reader. But not THAT slow! I took a haitus to read 2 other books before returning to this one. It moves that slow. Several reviews would rather class this as an action book instead of a mystery. And I think those reviewers should go rent an Arnold movie or a Sly Stallone or a Bruce Willis movie because they must have a different concept of "action" than I do. There isn't much here.

All that said, if there is another Gina Miyoko book coming soon, I'll read it. Again, I liked Gina. I liked her world (her parents, Rose and Dave, the romantic subplot with Cruz). Gina would be cool to hang out with, I would love to have neighbors like Rose and Dave, and I'd join Gina's dad at the Sherlock Holmes discussion group each week. The story could have been better.

[Gabrielle · Rating 3 out of 5]

When PI Gina learns her best friend Rose has a stalker, she's hired as Rose's bodyguard. The stalker is most likely trying to deter Rose, an undercover agent, from testifying about stolen artifacts. Gina tries to flush out the stalker, but Rose is critically injured in the process and Gina must take Rose's place as an undercover agent. She travels to Cancun with a mysterious Mexican agent, Cruz, whom she's not sure she can trust. The two must find out if a wealthy collector has anything to do with Rose's stalker and the theft of Mayan antiquities.

There is a lot to like about this book, particularly Gina's background--her mom is a Russian immigrant who might be a witch. Her Japanese dad is a retired cop. They both give Gina religious talismans to protect her and Gina has her own sense of superstition. What a refreshing backstory! A multiracial, short, tough woman who cares deeply about her friends and family. The male lead, Cruz, however, leaves a lot to be desired. Stunningly attractive, mysterious, possibly a double agent?, an archaeologist, published author, AND undercover agent... he is everything at once and way too good to be true. I have a pretty strong ability to suspend disbelief, but that was too much for me. Gina's phenomenal acting abilities while she's undercover aren't quite out of the realm of belief, but her interactions with the lecherous collector are generally unsettling and a near-sexual assault that doesn't serve (at all) to move the plot forward put me off. In the end, the plot felt needlessly complicated when the villain was ultimately revealed.

I was drawn to this book by the promise of a Mayan storyline and got a pretty superficial glance of Mayan culture, myth, and modern archaeology. Though this was not the book for me, I did enjoy parts of it and I feel like Gina could be developed into a really compelling character in future installments.

[Annie (is so far behind 😬) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this was terrific! Okay, yes, some belief has to be suspended in that a PI would be put undercover with the National Park service so quickly and easily, but Gina is such a terrific character that I happily suspended that belief. Gina's funny, smart, and both physically and mentally capable of holding her own, although there's a point where all that fails her temporarily and she winds up vulnerable and scared.

The characters who surround her are also well done and well rounded. Her parents are unusual but entirely supportive of her; her best friend, Rose, and her family are a big part of Gina's life and also very close to her. Gina lives on a houseboat in San Francisco, close to her parents' boat, and I enjoyed this unusual, unique detail.

In this first installment, Gina gets hired by the National Park Service to assist them with watching Rose, who is being stalked by someone. She assumes it has something to do with one of her undercover cases, exposing antiquities theft and blackmarketing. When she is shot, causing her serious injury, Gina and Cruz Verdes, a man of many talents who'd been tailing Rose for a journalistic interview, team up to unravel the latest mystery of where some new Mayan artifacts have been unearthed.

This is definitely not a cosy mystery. I would consider it more hard-boiled, verging on being a thriller. Although there was quite an information dump at the beginning and I struggled to get into it, it came together quite nicely and I was hooked about three or four chapters in. I read most of it in one afternoon.

I'm very much looking forward to the next in the series.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC to read and review. All opinions are my own.

[Gia · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Antiquities Hunter was my introduction to both Gina Miyoko and author Maya Kaathryn Bohnhoff and I am intrigued as to what the rest of this series will be like.

This book follows petite but fierce PI Gina "Tink" onto an accidental case when her close friend and secret agent Rose reveals she's being stalked. Not one to take such big news lightly, Gina suggests the two of them flush out the creep and deal with them themselves. However, the stalking quickly escalates into a murder and attempted murder entanglement. Forcing Gina to take the place of her BFF on an undercover mission to locate precious, ancient artifacts from the clutches of black market dealers and those who will kill to keep their whereabouts hidden. To make matters worse, Gina is paired up with a quadruple-hat wearing archeologist, agent, doctor and journalist all wrapped up in one that she doesn't trust as far as she can throw him.

I really loved the banter and quit-witted dialogue the writer delivers in this book. Gina's character is likeable immediately and the love and care she has for her best friend, Rose is very palpable. The narrative's pacing held my attention and the mystery of the case kept me invested. High marks to the writer for incorporating cultural relaveance for the stolen artifacts to the society that they've been stolen from; I am aware of this detail but for readers who may not be, it was compelling. I have not read relic or "treasure hunters" books before either, which made this that much more exciting.

I believe readers will enjoy getting swept up in the case along with Gina.

[Sandra Lopez · Rating 2 out of 5]

All her life, Gina Miyoko has been surrounded by charms and talismans. She has also gotten the not-so-subtle badgering to settle into marriage by friends and family, particularly her mother. Never one to listen to others, Gina has always chosen to forger her own path, which was why she became a P.I.

“Kipling had it that he kept ‘six honest serving-men’ who taught him all he knew. Their names were, “What and Why and When and How and Where and Who.” (17)

Ever the methodical investigator, Gina has always employed the "stickie" method, in which she uses sticky notes to write down clues and sticks them to a white board. A traditionalist―I like it. She’s almost like an Indiana Jones character.

Gina is witty, smart, and wields a mean gun―qualities that were undoubtedly needed for this rather complex case. In fact, it was so complex that you don't completely understand it. Gina was working with a team of field agents in a theft case, which had something to do with ancient artifacts and international spies. The mystery was definitely a puzzling web of intricacy, which was punctuated by strong writing and a tough protagonist; however, the case was so explicitly detailed that you almost lose track. I thought the investigation moved pretty slow, too.

I am all for strong female sleuths and interesting mysteries, but I just felt that this story was much too complex and I would've preferred a simpler approach.

[Shauna · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was almost there for me. I do not give many books a 4 star rating and only my favorites rate a 5. So I will give this book a detailed review.

What I liked:

1) The Characters and their Occupations. They were fleshed out well and not all at once. You learn more and more about them as the story progresses.

2) The Setting. Previously undiscovered ancient ruins in Mexico which is the main site of the climatic, suspenseful conclusion.

3) The Plot. This novel never really has a lull to it. Each moment in the book set up the next moment or twist. I am not sure why I didn’t see it or if I was so caught up in the story and not paying attention but the climax of the mystery caught me by surprise.

What could be improved in my opinion:

There is only one thing that kept me from a higher rating. There are references to religious and/or cultural icons and objects that could have clearer details or descriptions. While the Hispanic culture is fairly well known throughout the United States, the Japanese and Russian cultures are not, especially in rural America. I don’t mind using context clues to figure something out but I don’t like going further when I’m reading for pleasure.

After saying all of that, this was a very exciting new series and author for me. I’m anxiously awaiting the next Gina Miyoko mystery.

[Carl · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was intrigued by the title “The Antiquities Hunter” and the Mayan cover art. I enjoyed the book and especially some of the characters. Gina Miyoka is the protagonist who is so unique (so is her mom). Gina is a fascinating character. Her father is a retired cop, and Japanese. Her mother is a Russian immigrant. Gina carries good luck charms from both cultures, and adds a few personal touches. She's 5'2, about 94 pounds, and she worked as a cop for 3 years for the San Francisco Police Dept. before she became a private investigator. Thus sets the tone for the first of what I hope is a good action, mystery series.

The story begins with Gina's best friend Rose Delgado, an agent for the National Park Service investigating stolen art. Thinking she has a stalker, Gina agrees to check it out. Later, Rose is shot at and ends up in the hospital. “The Antiquities Hunter” now unfolds with new characters entering the story and Mayan treasures and sites are revealed.

Overall, I did enjoy parts of the “The Antiquities Hunter.” Although I greatly enjoyed the character of Gina, I feel like she could be developed into a really compelling character in future installments. The plot was good, but some additional detail may help. The pace is good and the pages just kept turning. I debated on a 3 or 4; however, I did give it a three in my belief that it will improve with time.

[Deborah Ross · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m a long time fan of Maya Kaathryn Bohnhoff’s work, especially her “alien anthropology” stories, so I was delighted with this mystery that combines suspense, action, a bit of romance, a powerful yet flawed heroine, and a peek into the fascinating world of archaeology and those who either preserve or loot it. The author hits all the right emotional notes, from Gina Miyoko’s mother, a Russian Orthodox witch, to the Society for the Appreciation of Sherlock Holmes, to the sensitive portrayal of the vulnerability of Native artifacts and the black market for stolen treasures, to the skillfully controlled arc of tension.

This isn’t an “easy” book in the sense of spoon-feeding the reader or marching from one blandly familiar cliche to the next. Instead, Bohnhoff invites us to engage on many levels with a hugely entertaining story. The result is a tale filled with fresh twists and turns, characters that are original and complicated and very much themselves, not to mention fascinating setting and background material. I was left hungry for more — more Gina Miyoko, but also more archaeology!

The usual disclaimer: I received a review copy of this book but no one bribed me to say anything about it.

[Kristen · Rating 4 out of 5]

In Maya Kaathryn Bohnhoff's The Antiquities Hunter, the first installment of the Gina Myoko Mystery series, this would send you on a swagbuckling adventurous journey that's a cross between Lara Croft and Indiana Jones. Gina Myoko is a private detective and decided to help her best friend Rose, an agent for the National Park Service, look for clues on who's been stalking her. But when her best friend ends up in a coma from a car accident, it's up to Gina to head to Mexico to track down a powerful antiquities hunter. But for Gina, who's petite, half-Russian and half-Japanese, she comes across Dr. Cruz Veras, an archeologist and a journalist at the same time, who's after the same goal. And when they first found a black market dealer dead, they would have to pull off an undercover stint to get the goods on the ring leader and his ring, even if she has to ward off his advances from him. The closer they get to the truth and learn more about Mexican gods and goddesses of the past in a temple, they ended up trapped in a lethal serpentine labyrinth when Gina learns who betrayed them and why in a struggle for life and death.

[Bill Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent page turner and a fun read. Gina Miyoko, pint-sized San Francisco P. I., is the daughter of a former policeman and a mystically inclined mother who becomes engaged in an effort to track down the looters of a Mexican archeological site. Gina is a bit over the top and the story strains credulity at times, but I look forward to a second entry. Most of the characters, including the minor ones, are skillfully drawn and suspense is well maintained. Gina is a strong well-realized character whose behavior seems appropriate to an old-fashioned adventure novel that has been updated to include the concerns and conflicts of 21st century life. We see romance, violence, chase scenes, wisecracks, betrayals, etc. enclosed in a “question of conscience” milieu that never becomes preachy. Bohnhoff has laid some story and characterization groundwork, so it will be interesting to see how the series evolves. I think Gina is capable of establishing her self and fighting the good fight through her character traits and does not need the external props and exotic locations required by a superhero.
Thank you to Pegasus for a review copy.

[Libtechgurugoddess · Rating 3 out of 5]

The female sleuth in the mystery is Gina Miyoko, nicknamed Tink. She's a former SFPD policewoman who's now a private investigator in the San Francisco Bay area. Both her parents are immigrants to the US. Her father was born in Japan and is now a retired detective from the SFPD who is obessed with Sherlock Holmes. Her mother was born in Russia and has a doctorate in Slavic historical arcana, but likes to be mistaken for a Russian Orthodox witch. Tink is tiny, but mighty, with a black belt in Kung Fu, and smart as a whip, with a bachelor's in Criminal Justice. She owns a Harley and a baby blue Magnum.
Her best friend Rose is a National Park Service agent who goes undercover to recover stolen Native American artifacts. When Rose notices she's being stalked, she hires Tink to be her bodyguard. They confront the handsome stalker (who looks like Antonio Banderas) and, in a strange twist of fate, end up working on a case with him. Lots of sparks fly between Tink and her Banderas look-alike as they race to stop the flow of rare antiquities looted from a hidden Mayan temple in the darkest jungles of Mexico.

[Nick · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very good first volume in what the author intends as a series. I think the only real flaw was that it was mostly a mystery, and then turned into an adventure-thriller story for the last few chapters, once the mystery part had been mostly resolved. That genre-boundary thing may confuse readers and people trying to pitch the book to them.
I really enjoyed the characters in the book, and not just the main one. Gina Miyoko's parents were a real treat, and I enjoyed the other characters introduced during the story. The main villain was not one of my favorite literary villains, but the framework surrounding his villainy made it more interesting. There are enough oddities in the real world of auction houses and antiquities dealing that the main story made a great deal of sense. Sadly, there really are dealers and museums that care more about their holdings than about the laws related to those materials.

[Lissa Notreallywolf · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gina Myoko is loaded, not just her baby blue seven shooter. She's got a houseboat in Sausalito, near her parents "landlubber." She's got a motorcycle, and lots of little multi ethnic chatckis from her Russian mama, her Japanese retired cop dad, and a wire from a Cadillac. She's got a tatoo on her hip just incase her magical cargo doesn't stay with her. She's got a PI license and history with the SFPD, a black belt in Karate. Sh.e's alos had a very disfunctional relationship with Boris and seems somewhat socially awkward.
We start out underground with a gunshot graze and then work up to that point throughout the novel, which centers on the looting of antiquities from various NPS sites and then moves into Mexico. Mysterious people are stocking her best girl friend. Ultimately Gina has to step up and take her place after an assisnation attempt. I really should like this pipsqueak detective, but I wasn't entirely in love with her character, despite numerous points of crossover. I also love archeology, and yet I wasn't captivated by the jungles of the Yucatan. The Bandero look alike was also hard to like, and the antiquities dealer they attempt to sting is simply gross. I was less shocked by the conclusion than I might have been. Gina may grow on me, I can think of other detectives who have. At this oint I would rate this as a beach read.

[Mia · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not much to talk about here. The heroine has a terminal case of quirkiness. The plot is fairly predictable and, of course, we know who the villain is a long time in advance. There were some annoying problems in the book that seemed so very, very dumb. For example, ther3 is a stakeout on the headlands trail. I am from San Francisco so I know the area. Why would the police, have a stakeout leaving parts of the trail uncovered? Well, in real life, they wouldn’t or the subject might disappear. Duh. And when Tink is masquerading as a ver wealthy fiancé to an ultra wealthy man, she picks up her Michael Kors backpack. Michael Kors is a brans sold in malls. She would have had a Gucci backpack at least. There were other annoying misses in the book.

[Becky Tatar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good mystery about the theft of antiquities from sites in the Southwest US, and Mexico. Gina Miyoko, a PI with police training in San Francisco, is brought in to help her friend, Rosa, a National Parks Service agent who works in the field tracking down those who loot archaeological sites and put the goods on the black market. Along the way, Rosa's cover is blown, and she is shot. Gina steps in to Rosa's alias, along with Dr. Cruz Vera, a PhD. with a long line of credentials, in order to track down the looters and killers.

Good story, with twists. A good look at a very real problem in the field of archaeology.

[Stacey Lunsford · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story focuses on the main character, Gina Miyoko, a former cop and current private investigator, assisting her friend, Rose Delgado, who is an agent of the National Park Service, with a case involving looting of Mexican antiquities. As a series debut, the author spends a good amount of time introducing all the characters and setting up future love interests for the series protagonist. Unfortunately, that is how it too often comes off -- as clear steps in the novel-writing process rather than as organically as it could be. It seemed to be well-researched but ended up feeling a little wooden.

[Helen · Rating 3 out of 5]

A quirky, smart and fun mystery series, of which this is presumably book #1. Gina Miyoko is a former cop turned PI with a Russian orthodox professor mother who places talismans in Gina's pocket and blesses her Harley with holy water. Her Japanese father is a retired cop who is a member of SASH, a Sherlock Holmes society and gives her Japanese good luck charms. Gina says she is a Russian Orthodox (Zen--maybe) Buddhist. Her best friend Rosie, is a National Park Service Agent is a Hopi.

And then the adventure begins...….stolen archeological artifacts, a handsome investigator from Mexico and a trip to Mayan ruins.

Liked it...a 3.5 and will read the next one!

[Deirdre Sanders · Rating 3 out of 5]

With this book, I did something I've never done before period I read the first three chapters, skipped the middle, and read the last four c


I feel like there was a good story here, but there was way too much extraneous padding, or maybe I just didn't like the narrator's voice. The narrator continually broke the 4th wall with the reader in weird ways.

The narrator just kept saying things to the reader that she didn't need to say. I found it irritating, but I wanted to know what happened so I just skipped to the end. Even then, while the details were exciting, the narrator kept getting in the way.

[Janell · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don’t even know.
I feel conflicted giving it only two stars.

But the only time I enjoyed reading the book was when Gina & Cruz finally go undercover.
I loved every part of this section.

The beginning was so uninteresting.. that I almost considered not finishing the book.
It took me 3 days to get 100 pages in.

And when I got to the ending.. it was the same.
Once you find out who the bad guy is (who is a major let down)... it gets boring again.
I wanted to, once again, not finish it 100%.


I did really appreciate that this had diverse characters.
& that there was different cultural languages, and items.