Ryder: American Treasure...Review

About the book:
During of the War of 1812, British troops ransacked the White House and made off with valuables that were never returned. Two centuries later, a British curator finds a vital clue to the long-vanished loot. Within hours, the curator is assassinated—and Ayesha Ryder, a Palestinian-born antiquities expert, is expertly framed for his murder.

Who could be behind such a conspiracy? And why do they want Ryder out of the way? To find out, she picks up a trail leading from a mysterious nineteenth-century letter to the upcoming presidential election. As Ryder dodges killers in the shadow of hidden alliances, sexual blackmail, and international power plays, she finds that all roads lead to the Middle East, where a fragile peace agreement threatens to unravel . . . and another mystery begs to be discovered.

Ryder’s rarefied academic career and her violent past are about to collide. And her only hope of survival is to confront a powerful secret agent who has been waiting for one thing: the chance to kill Ayesha Ryder with his own two hands.

Ayesha Ryder wants nothing more than to recover from the events of Ryder and search for the Ark of the Covenant. She soon finds herself drawn into another mystery involving the British attack on the White House during the War of 1812. Rumors abound that the British stole valuable artifacts and when proof of the theft surfaces, America understandably wants them back as one of those treasures could be proof that there was a British spy, high up in the fledgling American government. Against her will, Ayesha finds herself pulled into the conflict and search for treasure. She discovers those who opposed the creation of the joint Holy Land are also not only involved in the hunt for the American treasure, but on a mission to kill her.

I have no idea how much of this is fact or how much is fiction. I do know that it's fast-paced and edgy. The profanity is more prolific and I could have done without the moderately explicit non-marital sex which also included a same sex relationship. If not for that, this would have been a 4 star book.

That said, however. I like Ayesha Ryder and I like this series. A lot. Ayesha is a tough, no-nonsense woman who can hold her own against pretty much anyone or anything, even while suffering the effects of PTSD. Nick writes strong female characters and I loved that he included a female British prime minister and a female American Secretary of State. It was great seeing Dame Imogen and Lady Madrigal have strong roles here.

Second in the Ryder series, the book could stand alone, but I would suggest reading them in order, simply for background and depth. Political thrillers are not my normal genre, but I am definitely looking forward to the next book in this series.

Thanks to TLC Book Tours for the opportunity to review this book. You can learn more about Nick Pengelley here. You can see other reviews and tour stops here. You can purchase your own copy here.

Read 1/15

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3/5 Stars

Comments

  1. Many thanks for the review. I'm thrilled that you liked book 2 in the Ryder series!

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    1. Just keep writing strong about strong women! I'm looking forward to Bird of Prey. Thanks for stopping by!

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  2. I'm glad you enjoyed Ayesha's latest adventure! Thanks for being a part of the tour!

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