The Lost Book of Wonders

4 stars

Our story starts in 1355 in Venice. A man is trying to get a mysterious chest aboard a ship when he discovers the captain has been murdered. He is being chased, so he tips the chest into the water and commits suicide.

When Venice is undergoing a facelift due to the sinking of the city, the chest is discovered. This brings a secret society to the fore to take possession of the chest. Supposedly the chest belonged to Marco Polo who as we know, said that he didn’t tell all in his memoirs. This secret society is going all out to obtain possession of the chest and its contents.

Dr. Eleanor “Ellie” Griffin is an archeologist currently in Iraq doing research in the Iraq National Museum when a mission goes badly wrong. She barely gets away with a box that she discovered in a tomb. After returning home, she teams up with a graduate student to follow the clues offered in the box.

This book is well written and plotted. It is both exciting and suspenseful. It reads smoothly. This is my first Chad Brecher book, but it won’t be my last if this one is anything to go by. I really enjoyed it.

I want to thank Netgalley and Deeds Publishing for forwarding to me a copy of this great book to read.

The Da Vinci Code meets Indiana Jones! I enjoyed all the historical references and even if not entirely factual, to me at least it was believeable. Marco Polo's story was not known to me , although the references to Venice brought back happy memories of a visit.. With a little romance thrown in to the adventure , a jolly good read.

This book is non stop action! Every page compels you to read the next. I hope to see a lot more from Chad Beecher!

Kept me hooked right from the start. Lots of interesting history woven throughout with believable characters & an original plot. Thoroughly enjoyable & very highly recommended

A fast-paced archeological thriller in the vein of James Rollins and Dan Brown. Two archeologists following Marco Polo's clues are chased by organizations who want the secrets which just might have to do with Genghis Khan and the Garden of Eden.

With a mystery that would rival Dan Brown's "Da Vinci Code", you hit the ground running as this action adventure with historical twists takes off from the prologue. The scene is set - you know that contained somewhere in the pages to follow is the mystery - and at its heart, adventurer and explorer Marco Polo.

Just what could Marco Polo have discovered that is worth killing for?? Ellie Griffin and Alex Stone set off, as the clues lead them into the Mongolian heartland where Marco Polo spent time at the court of the Great Khan.

The story is told in short, sharp chapters, with the sense of ever adventure building - a true page turner. This is an exciting first novel from author Chad Brecher. Is there a series in this with Ellie & Alex teaming up for a new adventure .....

I read the e-version of this one - and would quite happily pick up a "hard copy" and place it next to my copy of King Solomon's Mines. A writer well on his way to joining the likes of Rider Haggard, Clive Cussler, Alistair MacLean, James Rollins & Matthew Reilly.

If you enjoy tales of adventure with a hint of history and mystery, this book just might be a great fit for you. Think along the lines of Indiana Jones or Dan Brown's series of books featuring Robert Langdon.)

The main characters are primarily academics studying particular time periods of history. When a few artifacts are discovered, they are brought together on a wild ride that takes them across the globe.

The artifacts are tied to Marco Polo and the 'prize' is the Garden of Eden. The question is whether they can find what they are looking for or will they be killed in the process.

Overall, the book had plenty of adventure. Nothing seemed glaringly obvious as the plot unfolded. And when I reached the end I was already thinking about what the author's next book will hold. So, all in all a good read.