I read the book blurb and it made me think of Clive Cussler. This is more of a spy adventure than a treasure hunt. It is based on a true story. In 1918, during the Russian Civil War, the Gold Train was attacked and the entire Russian Empire’s Gold Reserve was taken. Intrigued? Put your traveling shoes on and come with me.
The conductor stopped the train when he saw two kids on the tracks, running and waving him down. He couldn’t run over the kids. The commissar tried to get the train back up and running, but it was too late. When the Gold Train was found, the cargo was gone and only bodies were left behind.
Russian Journalist Svetlana Svistunova told me she was closing in on an answer and would love to have my help. I was more than ready. I had married Paul and and had my sweet baby Lara, but I also had a gypsy spider that wanted to be let free. Now was the perfect time.
Paul was very helpful. He gave up a great opportunity to give me one of my own. I was shocked by his sacrifice. I guess I never realized how much he loved me and wanted me to be happy.
I kissed Lara good bye and told Lily to watch over her. No one ever seemed to notice that Lily and I communicated telepathically. After all, she is a cat.
Boris, an old friend of my grandma’s, had given me a package for Vera, his friend in Russia. It was a jewelry box. I never looked inside it, but I might have been better off if I had.
Svetlana and I clicked right away. She showed me the secret compartment where she kept her notes and off we went, sightseeing. She said tomorrow would be soon enough to start on the story.
We saw a sign. Rada Famous Gypsy Psychic and Fortuneteller. Her predictions were ominous.
“You’ll find something extremely valuable, but lose something even more valuable in return.”
But for Svetlana it was more foreboding.
“…it won/t be your destiny to get to the bottom of this story…you won’t live to finish it….”
5 STARS – Would Buy It For Them (lol)
I love treasure hunting stories and I love Lada Ray’s writing so I was really looking forward to reading this. It was not what I thought it would be, but I was not disappointed. I have read several of her books and love the way she blends the historical with fiction and the paranormal. The words flow smoothly as the story unravels.
Her writing grips me as soon as I open the book and the ride to the end is full of murder, conspiracy, intrigue, passion, betrayal, loss and sorrow.
Trouble always seems to find Jade. What would we do if it didn’t? After all, I don’t want to read about my life. I want fast paced, action packed adventure. All the rest is gravy. lol
Vera – Boris’ friend. Jade hadn’t listened to her Grandma’s stories, but Vera told her she had royal blood. She wanted Jade to go with her to the Grand Ball at the Menshikov Mansion. Jade was suspicious of her and felt she had an ulterior motive.
The gypsy fortuneteller had told her, “you’ll go to a ball, where you’ll meet your Prince Charming.”
Alexei – He had saved Jade from muggers in Moscow. She was very suspicious of him. He seemed too convenient, too helpful, too trusting. Was he her Prince Charming or would he turn into a frog? When she was around Alexei, it was hard to keep in mind that she was married, with a child waiting back in the US.
Be aware that there are a couple adult scenes.
I was almost to the end of the book when I saw it coming. The segue into her next adventure.
Rachel, her best friend – “you only come truly alive when you are working on a case.”
“I recall Jason….” (from Stepford USA)
“Last I heard he was in Asia. “
I am hooked again. Where is my Asian adventure? Dragon Gate.
Once I read her book Earth Shifter, I was eager to read more from her. I won this book on Lada Ray’s blog, along with Green Desert and Stepford USA, books in the Accidental Spy Adventure Series. To see my reviews of those books, scroll down to the links below.
I look forward to reading many more books from Lada Ray.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Living her life in the fast lane, Lada Ray, M.A., always wanted to write cool stories, which she’d been imagining in her head ever since she can remember. Instead, she listened to her well-meaning parents and started her life in a more traditional way (for her, that is). Born in Russia, she is a world traveler, linguist, financial consultant, Feng Shui Master, shaman, futurist, and metaphysics/spirituality researcher.
Lada holds a Master’s Degree in comparative linguistics (graduated summa cum laude,) is fluent in several languages and has traveled to twenty six countries in Europe, Asia, North and South America, as well as Africa. She had worked in Havana, Cuba as an interpreter for the Russian educational exchange delegations, including a couple of interviews with the man himself – Fidel Castro.
In the USA, she published articles in the Hartford Courant & taught Russian on cable TV. Then, something inexplicable possessed her to work as financial consultant for AIG and Smith Barney/Citigroup. But later, she came back to her senses and quit the corporate world to pursue her dreams. She studied Feng Shui in Hong Kong and Malaysia, and received her Feng Shui Master’s certification from the famed Asian author, Lilian Too (graduated first in class). For years, Lada operated an extensive feng shui website and blog – a hit with both local and worldwide fans – and authored over thirty articles on feng shui and spirituality. At the same time, she taught her proprietary feng shui courses and did public speaking.
A few years ago, Lada finally got her ultimate wish, and now she imagines her stories full-time in the bustling New York City and beautifully serene Catskill Mountains, NY, where she lives with her family and calico cat.
Lada Ray is the author of the Accidental Spy Adventure Series, including the Amazon & Kindle bestseller, GOLD TRAIN (Accidental Spy Russia Adventure), mystery/thriller STEPFORD USA (Accidental Spy Smalltown Adventure), and GOLD TRAIN (Accidental Spy Iraq Prequel). She is the creator of the new, top-rated metaphysical YA fantasy/thriller THE EARTH SHIFTER, and the EARTH KEEPERS CHRONICLES: ORIGINS (Catharsis, Lemurian Crystal, Atlantis).
Visit Lada’s innovative & cool author website: LadaRay.com
For posts about Russia & world, feng shui, spirituality, predictions read her popular blog: LadaRay.wordpress.com
Twitter: @LadaTweets
Youtube: Lada Ray Channel
To Purchase Lada Ray’s books on Amazon, simply click on the covers below.
To see my 5 STAR Review of Stepford USA, go HERE.
To see my 5 STAR Review of Green Desert, go HERE.
To see my 5 STAR Review of Earth Shifter, go HERE.
To see Earth Shifter videos, go HERE.
To see Lada Ray’s Tour Sales and Giveaway, go HERE.
To see The Earth Shifter “Virtual Tour” Interview, go HERE.
To see Lada Ray’s extension of the above interview, go HERE.
To see the Tour update, go HERE.
To see all my Giveaways, go HERE.
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