Summary
AN ANCIENT WARRIOR.
AN INCREDIBLE TREASURE.
A LETHAL ENEMY.
It's the opportunity of a lifetime-the chance to prove that a tomb containing the remains of the legendary hero Hercules actually exists. If American archaeologist Nina Wilde can locate it, it will be the most important historical find ever unearthed. But as Nina and her ex-SAS bodyguard, Eddie Chase, begin their search, it's clear that others want to find the tomb-and the unimaginable riches within-and will do anything to get there first.
Who will find the tomb of Hercules first, and what fantastic treasure does it hold? From New York to Shanghai, from Switzerland to the diamond mines of Botswana, Nina and Eddie must stay one step ahead of their enemies in a race to solve a mystery as ancient as civilization itself. But when a beautiful woman from Eddie's past joins the hunt, all the rules change-and in this life-and-death game, their next move may be the most dangerous one of all.
Author Notes
Andy McDermott is a former journalist and movie critic who now writes novels full-time following the international success of his debut thriller, The Hunt for Atlantis, which has been sold around the world in more than twenty languages. He is also the author of The Tomb of Hercules, The Secret of Excalibur, The Covenant of Genesis, The Pyramid of Doom, The Sacred Vault, Empire of Gold, Return to Atlantis, The Valhalla Prophecy, and The Shadow Protocol . He lives in Bournemouth, England.
Excerpts
Chapter One New York City : Three Months Later The lights of Manhattan shone like constellations of precision-aligned stars against the night sky. Eddie Chase gazed out at the spectacular panorama and sighed. He would much rather have been somewhere, anywhere, on the island--a restaurant, a bar, even a launderette--than here. Not that the venue itself was a problem. The Ocean Emperor was their host's pride and joy, a 350-foot motor cruiser on which absolutely no expense had been spared. Chase had been on luxury yachts before, but this one represented a whole new level of opulence. Had he just been with Nina and a group of close friends, he would have taken full advantage of the experience. But apart from a handful of senior IHA staff, so far he didn't know any of the hundred-plus guests. And he didn't have anything in common with them either. Diplomats, politicians, titans of industry, all busy networking and deal-making with every handshake. Chase, on the other hand, was here merely as Nina's "and guest." This wasn't his world. It wasn't Nina's either, but she was doing everything she could to pretend it was, he thought with a frown. He knocked back the remaining red wine in his glass and turned away from the vista to face the crowd. Nina was standing with former U.S. Navy admiral turned historian Hector Amoros, the head of the IHA, and shaking hands with a tall, distinguished yet smug-looking man. Politician, Chase knew at a glance. Nina glanced through the open doors in his direction. "Eddie!" she called, waving one hand to summon him. The champagne glass that had been in her other hand from practically the moment she boarded the yacht had been refilled again, he noticed. "Eddie, come here and meet the senator." "Yeah, coming," he replied without enthusiasm, fingering his stiff and uncomfortable collar. A blast of noise and wind swept over the deck as he reentered the ship, another helicopter coming in to drop off more ultra-VIP guests on the yacht's helipad. Chase and Nina had been brought to the Ocean Emperor by boat, as had most of the other guests. Even in the world of the superrich, there was still a pecking order. He imagined the only way to top arriving by helicopter would be to land in a Harrier jump jet. Nina looked amazing tonight, he had to admit. The sweeping scarlet off-the-shoulder dress was a world away from the ruggedly practical clothes she had worn when he first got to know her a year and a half before, or even the Italian suits she'd adopted more recently in her role as the IHA's director of operations. Her normally red hair had been dyed a richer, darker tone for the occasion, swept and styled to highlight her carefully made-up face. Chase ground his teeth at the mere thought of her hair. He'd complained about it all day before Nina finally made him promise to shut up. But still . . . five hundred dollars for a fucking haircut ? "Eddie," said Nina, "this is Senator Victor Dalton. Senator, this is Eddie Chase, who works for me at the IHA. And he also happens to be my boyfriend," she added. "Nice to meet you, Senator," said Chase, shooting Nina a subtly annoyed look as he shook Dalton's hand. He recognized the name--Dalton was in the running to be the next president of the United States. That explained the two stone-faced men in dark suits watching him coldly from nearby: Secret Excerpted from The Tomb of Hercules by Andy McDermott All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.