The Agency of the Ancient Lost & Found Omnibus 1

The Agency of the Ancient Lost & Found Omnibus 1
Author: Jane Thornley
Publisher: Independently Published
Total Pages: 700
Release: 2021-11-30
Genre:
ISBN:

The Agency of the Ancient Lost & Found: Three great mystery thrillers in one volume. Book One: The Carpet Cipher: Can a painting hold a secret safe in plain sight across seven centuries? The murder of the last member of an old Venetian family peels back the rug on a shocking truth that draws art historian and textile expert Phoebe McCabe into the fray. What she sees in the missing symbology will shake the foundations of religious and cultural assumptions across two continents and point the way to a priceless hoard. It's a secret potent enough to pitch rival factions against the Agency of te Ancient Lost & Found while destroying history as collateral damage along the way. Book 2: The Crown that Lost it's Head She was a painting by Titian; she was queen of the Holy Roman Empire, and 500 years ago an audacious sisterhood buried a secret in her name. Lisbon 2020: a pair of forensic archaeologists discover a strange skull buried with the original occupant inside a fifteenth-century tomb. That same night, one archaeologist is murdered and the skull stolen, leaving the surviving archaeologist to dispatch a plea for help. Enter Phoebe McCabe and the Agency of the Ancient Lost and Found, now assigned to help a headless client become reunited with his skull. But the unfolding truth is more baffling than anyone could have imagined. The missing skull may hold the key to centuries of European intrigue, religious fanaticism, and political upheaval. As Phoebe digs, layers of royal plots emerge, along with tales of persecution and an underground resurgence of a brotherhood so virulent that it threatens the world to this very day. Yet, even in the fifteenth century, the sect had its enemies, and Phoebe needs to find the clues those long-dead allies left behind. For that, she must look in surprising places. As she races to locate the skull she calls on instinct, intuition, art, and the help of an ancient sisterhood. Somewhere in the past lies the key to save the future and it will take every resource Phoebe possesses to pull the pieces together in time. Book 3: The Florentine's Secret Florence, Italy 1996: a young archaeologist follows a hunch that compels her to knock down a wall and retrieve a hidden sketch by the reknown Renaissance master Botticelli. But before she can alert the authorities and claim the find, the sketch is stolen leaving her standing in the rubble of a ruined life. Three decades later, the drive for retribution brings this woman to Phoebe McCabe's door. The sketch may have been a study for a secret portrait, she claims, and she has enough clues to point the way to its location. When the Agency of the Ancient Lost & Found joins the hunt to track down what may become the art find of the century, little do they know that they will be dragged into the crosshairs of a ruthless arms cartel as well as plunged deep into a centuries-old mystery involving key players of Renaissance Florence. In the end, Phoebe must grapple with remnants of her own past that not only come back to haunt her but chase at her heels with murderous intent. Either trump those monsters at their own game or perish. The wondrous city of Florence, past and present, combined with the sweeping vistas of Tuscany wrap the reader in visions of art, rich textiles, and political intrigue while revealing the triumph of the human spirit that thrives across the centuries. Welcome to the Agency of the Ancient Lost & Found. Your reading life just became even richer.

The Carpet Cipher

The Carpet Cipher
Author: Jane Thornley
Publisher: Independently Published
Total Pages: 258
Release: 2020-03-06
Genre:
ISBN:

Can a painting hold a secret safe in plain sight across seven centuries? The murder of the last member of an old Venetian family peels back the rug on a shocking truth that draws art historian and textile expert Phoebe McCabe into the fray. What she sees in the missing Renaissance symbology will shake the foundations of religious and cultural assumptions across two continents and point the way to a priceless hoard. It's a secret potent enough to pitch rival factions against Phoebe and her team while destroying history as collateral damage along the way. By the time Phoebe tracks down the truth to its final destination, she'll need to face her greatest enemy armed with nothing but wry wit, an indomitable spirit, and what's left of a broken heart. But nothing will stop this warrior of the ancient lost and found. From the dark misty canals of Venice to the vivid souks of Marrakech, Phoebe and her friends are pitched against the desperate and the entitled. Who owns a treasure buried on foreign soil? Can the poor ever win against the rich? And most importantly, can love conquer religious persecution and even time itself? If you love twisty, action-packed mysteries driven by engaging characters set in vividly drawn locales rich in historical detail, then you'll love this first book in the Ancient Lost and Found series. Think Robert Langdon meets Lara Croft with a side of textiles.

The Man With the Golden Torc

The Man With the Golden Torc
Author: Simon R. Green
Publisher: Penguin
Total Pages: 406
Release: 2007-06-05
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 110121287X

New York Times bestselling author Simon Green introduces a new kind of hero, one who fights the good fight against some very old foes in the first novel in the Secret Histories series. The name’s Bond. Shaman Bond. Actually, that's just his cover. His real name is Eddie Drood, but when your job includes a license to kick supernatural arse on a regular basis, you find your laughs where you can. For centuries, his family has been the secret guardian of Humanity, all that stands between all of you and all of the really nasty things that go bump in the night. As a Drood field agent he wore the golden torc, he killed monsters, and he protected the world. He loved his job. Right up to the point where his own family declared him rogue for no reason. Now, the only people who can help Eddie prove his innocence are the people he used to consider his enemies...

The Wolf in the Whale

The Wolf in the Whale
Author: Jordanna Max Brodsky
Publisher: Redhook
Total Pages: 511
Release: 2019-01-29
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 0316417149

"If you liked American Gods by Neil Gaiman or Circe by Madeline Miller, be sure to pick this one up." -- Timeworn A sweeping tale of forbidden love and warring gods, where a young Inuit shaman and a Viking warrior become unwilling allies in a war that will determine the fate of the new world. There is a very old story, rarely told, of a wolf that runs into the ocean and becomes a whale. . . Born with the soul of a hunter and the spirit of the Wolf, Omat is destined to follow in her grandfather's footsteps-invoking the spirits of the land, sea, and sky to protect her people. But the gods have stopped listening and Omat's family is starving. Desperate to save them, Omat journeys across the icy wastes, fighting for survival with every step. When she encounters Brandr, a wounded Viking warrior, they set in motion a conflict that could shatter her world. . .or save it.

The Time Traders

The Time Traders
Author: Andre Norton
Publisher:
Total Pages: 152
Release: 2018-01-30
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 1531287891

If it is possible to conquer space, then perhaps it is also possible to conquer time. At least that was the theory American scientists were exploring in an effort to explain the new sources of knowledge the Russians possessed. Perhaps Russian scientists had discovered how to transport themselves back in time in order to learn long-forgotten secrets of the past. That was why young Ross Murdock, above average in intelligence but a belligerently independent nonconformist, found himself on a "hush-hush" government project at a secret base in the Arctic. The very qualities that made him a menace in civilized society were valuable traits in a man who must successfully act the part of a merchant trader of the Beaker people during the Bronze Age.

The Crown that Lost Its Head

The Crown that Lost Its Head
Author: Jane Thornley
Publisher: Independently Published
Total Pages: 264
Release: 2021-01-19
Genre:
ISBN:

She was a painting by Titian; she was queen of the Holy Roman Empire, and 500 years ago an audacious sisterhood buried a secret in her name. Lisbon 2020: a pair of forensic archaeologists discover a strange skull buried with the original occupant inside a fifteenth-century tomb. That same night, one archaeologist is murdered and the skull stolen, leaving the surviving archaeologist to dispatch a plea for help. Enter Phoebe McCabe and the Agency of the Ancient Lost and Found, now assigned to help a headless client become reunited with his skull. Yet, why would anyone steal a centuries-old cranium in the first place? But the unfolding truth is more baffling than anyone could have imagined. The missing skull may hold the key to centuries of European intrigue, religious fanaticism, and political upheaval. As Phoebe digs, layers of royal plots emerge, along with tales of persecution and an underground resurgence of a brotherhood so virulent that it threatens the world to this very day. Yet, even in the fifteenth century, the sect had its enemies, and Phoebe needs to find the clues those long-dead allies left behind. For that, she must look in surprising places. As she races to locate the skull she calls on instinct, intuition, art, and the help of an ancient sisterhood. Somewhere in the past lies the key to save the future and it will take every resource Phoebe possesses to pull the pieces together in time. From the misty forests of Portugal to the castle promontories of Spain, Phoebe is pitched against a breed of fanatic it will take all her skill to beat.

The Florentine's Secret

The Florentine's Secret
Author: Jane Thornley
Publisher: Independently Published
Total Pages: 258
Release: 2021-08-26
Genre:
ISBN:

Florence, Italy 1996: a young archaeologist follows a hunch that compels her to knock down a wall and retrieve a hidden sketch which may be by the renown Renaissance master Botticelli. But before she can alert the authorities and claim the find, the sketch is stolen leaving her standing in the rubble. Three decades later, the drive for retribution brings this woman to Phoebe McCabe's door. The sketch may have been a study for a secret portrait, she claims, and she has enough clues to point the way to its location. When the Agency of the Ancient Lost & Found joins the hunt to track down what may become the art find of the century, little do they know that they will be dragged into the crosshairs of a ruthless arms cartel as well as plunged deep into a centuries-old mystery involving key players of Renaissance Florence. What does Lorenzo di Medici, the Bonfire of the Vanities, the artists Sandro Botticelli and Filippino Lippi have to do with a tailor's daughter who once dared to imbed a secret into a sleeve? That's only part of the story Phoebe must untangle. In the end, she must also grapple with remnants of her own past that not only come back to haunt her but chase at her heels with murderous intent. Either trump those monsters at their own game or perish. The wondrous city of Florence, past and present, combined with the sweeping vistas of Tuscany wrap the reader in visions of art, rich textiles, and political intrigue while revealing the triumph of the human spirit that thrives across the centuries. Welcome to book 3 of the Agency of the Ancient Lost & Found.

The Book of the New Sun

The Book of the New Sun
Author: Gene Wolfe
Publisher: Gollancz
Total Pages: 608
Release: 2015-03-12
Genre: Fantasy fiction, American
ISBN: 9781473211971

An extraordinary epic, set a million years in the future, in the time of a dying sun, when our present culture is no longer even a memory. Severian, a torturer's apprentice, is exiled from his guild after falling in love with one of his prisoners. Ordered to the distant city of Thrax, armed with his ancient executioner's sword, Terminus Est, Severian must make his way across the perilous, ruined landscape of this far-future Urth. But is his finding of the mystical gem, the Claw of the Conciliator, merely an accident, or does Fate have a grander plans for Severian the torturer . . . ? This edition contains the first two volumes of this four volume novel, The Shadow of the Torturer and The Claw of the Conciliator.

The Artemis Key

The Artemis Key
Author: Jane Thornley
Publisher: Independently Published
Total Pages: 244
Release: 2021-11-30
Genre:
ISBN:

Phoebe McCabe repatriates a marble head of Athena to the Greek Acropolis, thinking it just another day in the life of the Agency of the Ancient Lost and Found. But others have declared her arrival in Greece to be absolutely mythic, which is only part of the problem; that Phoebe herself has an uncanny ability to locate ancient art, quite another. But she could never have guessed what these opposing forces have in mind on what she believes will be her well-earned vacation. Now she finds herself embroiled in a stew of mystery and myth caught in the net of a secret organization that believes she can deliver them to a priceless object buried deep in the ancient past...and possibly serve them in more devious ways. Can she escape the belief system of a cult convinced that the best lives were lived three millennia ago? Reenactment turns deadly when Phoebe finds herself facing her darkest fear. Welcome to The Artemis Key, book 4 of the Agency of the Ancient Lost and Found, where ancient art, mythology, and greed merge into a stunning showdown between Phoebe and her nemesis, and which plunges her into the tangled labyrinth of her own heart. Sail the Grecian isles, become immersed in Greek life, past and present, on this, Phoebe's latest adventure.

Crime By Design Omnibus 1

Crime By Design Omnibus 1
Author: Jane Thornley
Publisher: Independently Published
Total Pages: 766
Release: 2019-08-26
Genre:
ISBN: 9781688049628

Buried hoards. A missing brother. Three thrilling tales of betrayal, corruption, and stolen art... After a disastrous treasure heist in Bermuda, knitter and textile historian Phoebe McCabe bolts to London to run a rare carpet gallery and slam the door on her past once and for all. But the family skeletons won't stay in the closet, the stalkers won't leave her alone, and every black market cartel in Europe will kill to get what they think she knows. Only she doesn't know anything...yet. When a priceless ancient textile arrives at the shop the same day a body is found in the trash, Phoebe realizes running is no longer an option. She needs to get tough fast in order to stay alive and thrive on her own terms. If that means bringing her errant brother to heel and tackling ruthless cartels all while dealing with her own rogue heart, then so be it. It's survival of the gutsiest in the world of art heists and black market crime and there's no room for the limp-willed or the conflicted. With occasional help from the urbane and secretive Sir Rupert Fox and his former MI6 assistant, plus her godfather and the perpetually confounding involvement of his sexy archaeologist son, Noel, Phoebe becomes snarled in heist after heist while being chased by Interpol and black market cutthroats alike. Whose side is she on? Can love rule out over conscience? What Phoebe does to finally resolve her tangled priorities is the stuff that a best-selling series is made of. In Rogue Wave, Phoebe sets out to locate her missing brother in Bermuda and finds far more than she bargains for but not what she ultimately needs. In Warp in the Weave, Phoebe travels to Turkey to track down a priceless antique carpet shrouded in mystery but hanging by a thread. In Beautiful Survivor, a missing countess and a crumbling villa in Amalfi lead Phoebe to a hoard of Etruscan gold and an explosive family reunion a long time coming. Moving from one beautifully described location to another, author (and designer) Jane Thornley weaves colorful characters with threads of intrigue, history, and romance, to create three standalone fast-paced thrillers that will leave you craving more. Read on to books 4 and 5 in a series readers claim to be binge-worthy. If you love humor, exotic locals, and page-turning action, here is your series. What readers are saying: "After reading the first three Crime by Design series, i couldn't wait to read the rest of the series within a few days. What more can I say? Just start at the beginning." "Non-stop action, interesting locales, archaeology, and knitting. If you like interesting characters, textiles, and adventure, you will like these stories." "A fun and entertaining series. Fast-moving. Engaging mysteries. I can't wait for the next book in the series." "Best read in a lonf time."