A locked-room mystery at a Paris mansion. A supposed ghost haunting a French family who looted treasure from Cambodia.A reclusive thriller author writing a novel in honor of historian Jaya Jones-is it a work of fiction or a devious device to lure Jaya into solving a chilling mystery?Three unsolved murders spanning seventy years have befallen the same French family, each taking place two nights … before Christmas at their Paris mansion-and blamed on the family ghost. When Jaya realizes the truth hits closer to home than she realized, she must risk everything as she flees San Francisco for France and Cambodia to find a missing sculpture known as the Serpent King and stop a flesh and blood killer.
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Ms Pandian has quite a gift for her character and location details.
I find the people are very real and the locations are so well presented that the reader might be tempted to check that their passport is up to date.
A terrific combination of history and fiction.
Another excellent Jaya Jones novel. This sixth book in the series includes a cleverly written locked room tale. Again Jaya is able to use her historical knowledge abilities to figure it out what happened to the missing items and the multiple deaths. I get caught up in Gigi Pandian’s books because she has a way of describing places that make you want to look further into the locations. Her way of weaving the story keeps you guessing until the end. I think you’ll enjoy reading about Jaya and her family and friends. And now her life is evolving even more in a very good way. I don’t want to spoil it, so read it and find out. Looking forward to the next novel in the series.
THE GLASS THIEF by Gigi Pandian
The Sixth Jaya Jones Treasure Hunt Mystery
The term is winding down and Jaya Jones should be concentrating on finishing the semester and trying to get tenure. But something gets in her way. Two somethings really. While two of her students create part of the distraction, a research project surrounding a letter indicating treasure in San Francisco, the main reason has to do with her favorite author. Rick Coronado hasn’t written a novel in seven years, but he has the start of one and wants Jaya’s opinion if he should continue. What Jaya finds is the story of a murderous ghost in Paris and a looted treasure from Cambodia. She also learns that the fiction is actually fact. Leaving San Francisco and her students behind Jaya is off to France to discover the truth behind the haunted mansion, a truth that will eventually lead her to the temples of Cambodia. In the end it’s more than treasure she needs to find, it’s a matter of life and death and the possible ruin of the man she loves.
More than a mystery, THE GLASS THIEF bridges the gap between the modern and ancient world while showing the importance of history. Each Jaya Jones novel enriches me by not only allowing me travel via my armchair, introducing me to other cultures, but providing great historical knowledge, teaching me things I never knew and urging me to do more research on my own. Gigi Pandian, like Jaya Jones, promotes a love of history and a desire to go out and learn even more.
In a novel that seamlessly blends history, world travel, romance, and humor we find that it’s the characters who are providing the drive to action here. Love, greed and revenge all play a part as Jaya faces a turning point in her relationship with Lane.
There are a few mysteries within this sixth Jaya Jones Treasure Hunt Mystery and the pivotal one happens to be a locked room mystery. Pandian is no stranger to this type of mystery, having utilized the form in several short stories. This particular story is enriched by all the details outside the locked room. Indeed, the locked room portion, though the crucial part of the mystery, happened in the past and so the story is not limited to a small setting and cast of characters, a wise move in a full length novel. There’s also an added dash of the paranormal making the novel even more atmospheric. I mean, who can resist a haunted mansion in Paris at Christmastime? Indeed it’s the combination of fact and fiction that keeps everyone on their toes.
THE GLASS THIEF is a character driven mystery filled with intrigue and a hauntingly good puzzle. Various characters come to understand each other, for better or worse, and we’re left with a satisfying end and the promise of even more great adventures to come. I absolutely love Jaya and was grinning like a fool at the end of the book.
FTC Disclosure – The publisher sent me a digital ARC provided through Edelweiss, in the hopes I would review it.
“I was already leading myself astray, and I knew it. By accepting Rick Coronado’s challenge, I was not only risking tenure, but opening myself up to whatever danger had nearly killed Rick seven years ago.”
Jaya Jones: How can she be so “well rounded” at her age: full professor, tabla player, mystery “junkie”, curious, as well as a great mentor to her students. Question is: where is this found letter going to take them? And why are three deceased members of the same French family pointing towards the puzzle solution?
I love Gigi Pandian. I love that this book is dedicated to “the memory of Elizabeth Peters (Barbara Mertz), whose intrepid heroines inspired Jaya Jones.” I love that this book meets and exceeds any thoughts I might have had about locked room mysteries and historical treasure puzzles. And, in my opinion as a reader first, and a reviewer second, this series is worth exploring but each can be read as a stand alone. A young woman professor who is smart, funny, talented and “Socratic”? Yes please. Highly recommended 5/5
[disclaimer: I received this book from Edelweiss and voluntarily reviewed it]
Paris, San Francisco, Cambodia, illusionists, historical-places-events, historical-research, historical-setting, murder, myths-legends, friendship
This is not an unbiased review because I geek history, mysteries, and Professor Jaya Jones.
Jaya gets flummoxed by her favorite author despite the warnings by various trusted friends. He claims to want her help on a new book after a long hiatus from writing and it involves murders by a ghost and a missing ancient artifact. It’s a good thing that one of her best friends is an ultra skilled magician and another is a semi retired art thief because their skills are desperately needed as she travels from San Francisco to Paris to Phnom Penh. The multiple threads of the story and the mysteries are as twisty as plying handspun wool! No spoilers! Excellent read!
Tidbits: San Francisco harbor has many nineteenth century ships that were sunk to provide landfill to expand the city (as does NYC), and that Angkor Wat and San Francisco are each about seven square miles.