Roberta Clark, The Gold Covenant

The Gold Covenant

Roberta Clark

Medallion, Mar 2007, $6.99

ISBN: 1933836016

Renowned historical archeologist Gustav Nikulasson dies in a plane crash. The investigation concludes it is a tragic accident occurred. TV stars of the show Power Line, Ivar Whelan and Lawrence Halvern, meet in New York with Gustav's daughter Katherine, a reporter; they show her dad's last work, classified research papers with some pages missing, as they want her to join forces with them. She refuses, but assumes that the only person with access to Gustav's notes would be his friend and associate Sheppard Wilde.

Katherine journeys to Sheppard's English country estate where she hopes to uncover the truth behind her father's death. However, before she can act on her Wilde suspicions, dangerous art smuggler Enrique Quisette arranges the kidnapping of Katherine. Once he knows she is abducted, Wilde fears the daughter of his best friend is expendable if he fails to rescue her soonest. Only because Quisette thinks she knows the secrets he wants involving an ancient race is why he is keeping her alive. He also realizes that to save Katherine he would have to break a vow he made to protect the ancient people; thus he too accepts she is expendable.

THE GOLD COVENANT is a fast-paced thriller in which readers like the beleaguered heroine will wonder who is friend and who is foe. The competitors with the exception of the heroine and to a degree Wilde will do anything including kidnapping and murder to obtain the ultimate treasure. Though somewhat convoluted as the storyline races from New York to England to Athens and beyond, fans of exhilarating, action-packed thrillers will hitch a ride on Roberta Clark's enthralling tale.

Harriet Klausner