Erik Mitchell traveled the world uncovering art fraud and relic theft, which pitted him against spoiled billionaires, unscrupulous collectors, mobsters, and cartels. He worked with law enforcement across the U.S. and Europe, but then a sting goes wrong, Erik ends up injured and returns to find his partner cheating. He decides to stop globetrotting and buy an antique shop in scenic Cape May, NJ, … NJ, rebuild his life, and nurse his broken heart.
Undercover Newark cop Ben Nolan went down in a hail of bullets when a bust went sideways, after a tip-off from a traitor inside the department. When he recovers, he spends a couple of years as a private investigator, only to tire of seeing the worst of human nature. So when his aunt offers him the chance to take over her rental real estate business in Cape May, it seems too good to be true. Now if he could just believe he could ever be lucky again in love.
Sparks fly when Erik and Ben meet. But when a cursed hotel’s long-ago scandals resurface, the two men are pulled into a web of lies, danger, and deception that will test their bond—and might make them Cape May’s newest ghosts!
Treasure Trail contains sexually explicit material intended for adults 18 and over.
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Fantastic Paranormal, suspense, hurt/comfort, second chances, MM Romance, Mystery Adventure story. I loved how Erik and Ben both happened to decide to relocate to Cape May for fresh starts. They have no idea of the drama and danger that is waiting for them when they get there. I thoroughly enjoyed it and loved the fast paced action throughout the story. Brilliantly written with a great back story and fantastic characters.
Ghosts, Gangsters, and Ghoulish discoveries
This was a little bit of everything – mystery, suspense, a touch of humor, and romance all presented within a small-town cozy mystery feel
Eric and Ben are both new residents in town.
Both hoping to start over and put their pasts behind them.
It seems life, however, has other plans for both their futures
A clock
A skeleton
A decades-old mystery
One surprisingly supernatural seaside small town (say that ten times fast)
I really enjoyed the different ways the author wove various supernatural possibilities into this read.
Filled with
Solid believable characters that instantly captured my heart.
The sweetest developing romance between our two main characters
An easy to follow storyline that kept me invested and curious as to what lie ahead
And a special twist at the end
What a way to start the series
I’m excited to see what our two heroes and their new “family” end up embroiled in next.
Fun story, and we thought law enforcement was hard. Erik, traveled the globe uncovering fraud and skulduggery in the art world. He suffered an on the job injury, lost his mojo and his love. He buys an antique shop in Cape May trying to regroup and recover his balance. Ben, undercover cop was injured on the job after a colleague betrayed the operation and him. His Aunt offeres him to take over her rental real estate business. He accepts while recovering and licking his wounds in Cape May. When they meet, life is neither boring nor vanilla. Their previous professions along with a bit of psychic ability, make them absolutely prepared for the challenges coming their way. The past is not forgotten, nor left behind. Can they team up to help solve each other’s problems? Can they be who they need to be for each other? Do the extra paranormal characters help? Good fun with special abilities. Nicely done! I received an ARC and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Eric is 35 and on his second career. He used to work in authenticating collectables but at his last job he was shot at. He came home early from the job and found his now ex with his personal assistant. He moved to Cape May New Jersey and bought and old home that he will live in the top floor and the bottom will be his new story where he will sell the things he has collected. He may also help on a television show with authenticating collectables as well so his future is looking up.
Ben was a undercover cop from New Jersey whose last job was working undercover. However before he could finish the job someone tipped the bad guys off and he ended up in a shootout and was shot twice. He barely made it and decided he did not want to go back to the force since they have no idea who tipped off the bad guys but they believe they were in the department. He then worked as private investigator but got tired of that as well. He has been asked by his family to take over running their rentals in Cape May. His cousin usually does it but he is following his own heart and is trying out a new business by running a food truck.
Both men are now in the same small place and looking for someone new as well as in new jobs. Eric also has a “second site” where he can see dead people. Now he has moved to Cape May where there are known to be ghosts and unexplained oddities.
While Ben is being shown the rentals he accidently “falls” through a window seat and almost falls out the window. But they do find a an old clock. Why would an old clock be found in a nailed window seat? Ben’s cousin tells him they would take things to the local antique shop so now Ben thinks he will.
Eric is called in to authenticate something that has come from the old hotel that was well known to have had ghosts. It had a troubled past with its owners. The Commodore Wilson Hotel has since been torn down but it appears everyone in town either has a part of it or stories to tell about it.
When Eric gets to see the clock that Ben brings to him he is sad to tell him that it is a fake. But with being working in fraud he thinks this would fit with some of the stories he knows from the hotel history.
Can Eric and Ben work together to help figure out the town mystery? Can they give in to the fireworks the both have with each other? Will evil get in the way or will it help? What about all the human interactions are they all what they seem to be?
Great mystery and these two are so much fun to read about. Looking forward to more in the series.
What a great book. Erik came to Cape May when he purchased an antique shop. His past jobs included spotting art fraud. Ben is an ex-cop who came to Cape May after his aunt freed him the job of taking care of the rentals. When they meet sparks fly. Together they help solve a mystery of some deaths. If you like ghosts and other supernatural stories, you will love this book.
I received a copy of this book for my review
4 1/2 Stars
Treasure Trail is a good start to a new series. I’ve only read one other book by this author, but I plan to rectify that once I finish the first two books in the Treasure Trail series.
Erik and Ben’s characters are well thought out, interesting and believable. I quickly came to love them; I rooted for them, cried for them, and, at times, wanted to smack them.
The soul mate connection between them made the instant connection convincing. There isn’t much sexy time, but what was there is well written. I enjoy a slow burn.
The storyline is good, and the book has a nice flow from scene to scene. The mystery/suspense kept my focus, and the whereto’s and whys were plausible and compelling. I could visualize the action as it occurred, and I was anxiously waiting for more unexpected actions throughout the book.
The secondary characters are supportive of the storyline and keep the action moving along.
So, magic, curses, soulmates, passion, ghosts. What more can you ask for? I love it!
I look forward to more from this author.
Great start to a new series. Erik and Ben are fantastic. I jumped right into this plot and wanted to know more about the Universe. I liked how different these 2 are and because of that they have a great chemistry. Adventure, action and paranormal elements are wrapped around a romance that you’ll want to see more of. Can’t wait for the next.
ARC received from GRR for an honest review.
Erik Mitchell used to travel the world authenticating art works, assisting to catch those trying to fraud the art community, until he came across some really unscrupulous people took him out of the game. Now he owns an antique store in Cape May and is slowly starting over. He hasn’t even had time to get used to the new town and the shop when bad things start happening.
Ben Nolan was an undercover cop in the Newark Police Department until an assignment when sideways due to a traitor in the department. He leaves the department and turns to PI work until his aunt and uncle want to retire and offer him the opportunity to run their real estate rental business. Ben needs a change and quickly decides to give it a chance. Ben is quickly caught up in the bad things happening in town and ready to take charge.
Erik and Ben meet within a few days of being in town and it’s instant chemistry, like and lust. After a small snafu they start hanging out and dating. Everything is really smooth which causes them both to be weary but hopeful. When strange things start to happen they both put their specialties to work and start gathering information. Will they figure out what’s going on before one of them get taken out of the game permanently?
This is a really good book IMO. It is a slow build romance and mystery rolled into one. The MC’s have great chemistry and I was routing for them from the moment they met. The rainchecks are frequent and build up the sexual tension in these two. The mysteries are dealt with as well with no lingering cliffhangers. Really looking forward to book two.
What a wonderful collection of characters and abilities. Being able to get ‘impressions’ from objects, as a fraudulent art appraiser is useful; until it gets the attention of men who become your enemies. Being a cop is a great. career; until a dirty cop causes you to rethink your profession.
Both Erik and Ben end up in Cape May to begin new careers. And possibly find love. All goes well until angry ghosts begin to appear, bullets fly, and a van almost (on purpose) runs you over.
And then things really get interesting. A witch, an empath, a psychic and a vampire round out the cast characters and cast doubt on who you can trust…and will help come in time.
A great beginning to what appears to be a wonderful series!
I loved this book! The story is centered around Erik, an antiquities expert and Ben, an ex-cop. Both have just moved to Cape May looking for a fresh start. Both have led lives with quite a bit of action and danger and are looking for a bit of a calmer existence. Unfortunately it doesn’t look like they will find it here. Right out of the gate there are very real threats targeting them. They don’t know if they are from the living or the dead. At the same time these two are trying to navigate a new relationship that they have dived into headfirst, unable to resist the strong attraction to each other. I thought this book was a great supernatural adventure with a sweet romance. The ending leaves the relationship status as happy for now, so you can pick up where you left off in the next book, which I can’t wait to read. If you are a fan of the TV show Supernatural I really think you will like this book. I did receive a copy of this book from Gay Romance Reviews and this is my honest review.
Erik Mitchell and Ben Nolan fit together really well in this paranormal romantic suspense. Erik is the new owner of Trinkets, an antiques and collectibles store in Cape May. Erik has “the touch”, which makes him able to “read” an object’s past, and sometimes see the ghosts connected with it. Ben sees ghosts though he can’t communicate with them. Each man also brings with him, in addition to these supernatural abilities, scars both physical and emotional from their lives before Cape May. Now Erik is a shop owner and Ben runs his aunt’s holiday rental business. They first meet in a bar and a case of mistaken identity leaves each man disappointed. Then they meet again when Ben takes a clock he has found for Erik to appraise. From that first meeting, though, there was a connection that neither man could deny. Each meeting ramps up the chemistry, and even with all the obstacles to intimacy that they face, including increasing personal threats, and a kidnapping, they still manage to find their way back to each other and an HFN. The introduction of another other-worldly creature at the end, one hinted at in the very beginning when we are first introduced to Erik, adds a nice twist and a way to tie up the loose ends of the objects Erik can’t keep in his store.
The audiobook version of this was as entertaining as it was when I read it last year. John Solo’s performance was as good as it always is.
Erik can see the dead. When he moves to Cape May after he was injured while in law enforcement. He buys an antique shop. He meets Ben who is in town after an undercover sting goes wrong. They have an instant connection and serious chemistry. I loved the ghost and mystery!! I recently had the opportunity to listen to the audio of this story, John Solo did a fantastic job. Highly recommend!! This was fantastic!! I’m voluntarily reviewing from an advanced copy that I received.
Treasure Trail is the first book in a spinoff series from the Badlands series. This book can be read on its own without any previous knowledge about the Badlands. I have not read any other book by this author before reading this book, and found that this book worked really well as a standalone.
This is a paranormal mystery book with a lovely romance between two emotionally injured men. The romance was wonderful – I really loved watching how these two men unpacked their issues and worked through their problems to find happiness with each other. The mystery was entertaining, but at times was a little over the top; however, the worldbuilding was so fascinating that any over the top drama was easily explained away. The only thing that I found a bit jarring was this emphasis on how important and valuable Erik Mitchell’s antiques and relics knowledge was. The author made it sound like Erik was so special that the FBI could not afford to lose him, but that just doesn’t make sense. There are plenty of antiques, art, and relic experts out there that the FBI can use any of them as consultants when needed. Plus, it was a bit of stretch that Erik happened to be an expert in EVERY type of relic/art/antique out there. I can totally believe that Erik was well known and well respected expert, but his abilities just seemed too grandiose (kind of like Indiana Jones) which actually worked against his credibility. Other than that (which was very minor) I thought the book was well written and engaging.
The audiobook was narrated by John Solo who did a fabulous job. John has a great voice that is extremely versatile and he has a great range for all the different character voices. I thought the audiobook was well produced and it made for an extremely enjoyable listening experience.
My very first Morgan Brice (audio)book and I must say it was a great pleasure to experience. Literally, EVERYTHING was right with this story! The world-building is exceptional, the characters are awesome, the setting incredible! The audiobook format had the added benefit of a truly wonderful narrator. The author paired two men with paranormal talent. An antique shop owner who retired from exposing art fraud (Erik Mitchell) and a private investigator who retired from undercover work as a detective in Newark (Ben Nolan). Each man had suffered attacks during their previous work that made them decide on a change of employment. Both men are believers in certain kinds of supernatural phenomena so they formed a perfect partnership in every way! Gosh, there was just so much that was good about this tale! It’s a fabulous start to the new series and I am anxiously waiting for much, much more.
An excellent start to a new urban fantasy, and an excellent addition to the Badlands and Witchbane series.
This enthralling paranormal, by Ms. Brice, hooked me from the very beginning, but what else did I expect? She writes amazing, supernatural stories, and her book, with its intense romance, was amazing!
Eric Mitchell was nearly killed in his old job, involving the mafia and unknown forces. Now he happily makes a living owning an antique shop dealing with rare objects. He also possesses a unique quality at being able to see spirits and can read or get feelings when touching certain objects.
Ben Nolan is an ex police officer, who hails from Newark, New Jersey, which is close to where I grew up; I must confess that this thrilled me. Ben is helping his beloved aunt with her rental business. Since his own family disowned him, for being gay, his aunt gave him the support and nurturing when he needed it the most. At first he thinks his help will be for just a little while, but then Ben starts to enjoy it. It doesn’t hurt meeting the gorgeous Eric and feeling intensely attracted to him, as well.
Ms. Morgan packs so much action and emotion into her stories, so be prepared for many twists and surprises as the pages fly by. The story centers around a haunted, and no longer in existence, hotel named ‘The Commodore Wilson’. Certain items from this past hotel are central to the story line.
If you enjoy paranormals, and crazy intense chemistry, you will enjoy every frantic moment of this novel—a great mystery that keeps you guessing. I highly recommend this mystical romance.
Mr. Solo did an excellent job in this audio presentation. It was very easy to fall into this audio’s spell. His voice was very distinct, yet so easy and enjoyable to listen to. This narrator effortlessly switched between the different characters. I love the voice he used for Ben Nolan, as he nailed the cop’s tone perfectly. I couldn’t stop listening, once I started, and relished every minute of it. A great audio; I highly recommend it.
Morgan Brice has a new paranormal mystery series, and Treasure Trail proves to be just as entertaining as the rest of her novels! Fans of Ms. Brice’s Badlands series are going to be happy to see a few familiar characters pop up, but you definitely don’t need to read those books to fully enjoy Treasure Trail.
Both these main characters have recently relocated to Cape May, New Jersey, and they share way more in common than just being newbies in town. Not only do Erik and Ben both have prior experience in law enforcement, each man has supernatural abilities as well! Throughout the entire story these characters’ skills come into play, which puts them on an even playing field and adds an element to their relationship I really enjoy.
Morgan Brice also has a new narrator on board for the Treasure Trail series, and what a great match John Solo is for this style of story! In addition to his skills in the romance genre, Mr. Solo sure knows how to build the tension in a thriller like this one. The pace builds steadily in Treasure Trail, and the climax of the mystery is almost as great as the final (and much anticipated) romantic scene between Erik and Ben.
Ms. Brice always includes interesting tid-bits about the physical locations in her novels, and expertly explores the lore surrounding historic Cape May peninsula. Between notable landmarks, charming tourist haunts, and the quirky townies, we get a real sense of the flavor of this unique and exceptional area.
There are some intriguing supporting characters introduced in Treasure Trail and I hope we see more of them. Plus, I’ve got my fingers crossed we’ll get continual contributions from several of the characters from the Badlands novels. I’m enjoying the direction this series is headed and I’m looking forward to wherever it takes us.
When two worlds collide (an audio review)
This is a new series by Morgan Brice, but some familiar characters’ names are dropped, so I fell into the story quite easily. Erik has opened an antique shop in Cape May, New Jersey as a way to recover from his previous job – as someone uncovering art fraud and relic theft. So yeah, not a nine-to-five desk job. He hopes to settle into his quiet life and avoid drama.
But drama comes his way.
Ben is a former cop with the Newark PD. He also got shot, although he nearly died. Deciding that way of life was unsustainable, he opted to become a PI. Even that was too much, so when his aunt asked him to help her with her rental business, he figured why not? A chance to take a break.
Here’s where things get interesting. Although the men initially meet in a bar and it’s mistaken identity, they do get together to solve a mystery. But both have been hurt previously, and are mistrustful. That leads them down a dark path. Oh, and Erik sees ghosts. So, you know, definitely paranormal elements.
I enjoyed the mystery, to be sure. And it’s the first in a new series so I’m looking forward to more. John Solo narrated the book and, as always, I think he did a great job. More to come…
Ben and Erik are both new In Cape May NJ.
Ben is an ex undercover cop and PI. He decides to take up his Aunt to help run her real estate business for the summer, then he would decide if he wanted to stay.
Erik tired of traveling the world uncovering art fraud and relic theft bought a business sight unseen. Both men also were recovering from broken hearts.
So will two men with secrets be able to fall in love?
I loved this story! There was so much going on. There was action, two stories that combined into a third, ghosts and a love story. The only issue I had was there were a lot of backstories and other characters bright in that made me think this wasn’t the first book or it was a spin-off. But having said that all that did was make me want the other stories and I’m very ready for book two!
I listened to this in audio and the narration was amazing. I loved all the distinct voices for each character. The story was brought to life. It was fabulous!
Audiobook Review
Story : 1/2
Narration :
This is book 1 in the Treasure Trail series.
This was an interesting paranormal romantic suspense.
I liked the elements of mystery, drama and suspense infused into a world of mayhem and magic.
Eric and Ben were brilliant characters and I loved how they worked together.
The storyline was engaging and entertaining and the writing was compelling and gripping.
This was definitely an enjoyable listen overall.
John Solo performed an amazing audio delivery and narration as well.