I am excited to announce that Keeper of the Rings is now available in a new print edition!
This is the book that taught me how to write a murder mystery. It was the fourth novel I wrote for Dorchester in my early days as a romance writer. This version has been revised and updated. At the heart of the story is a puzzle. As an archeologist, Leena is assigned the perilous mission to retrieve a stolen sacred artifact. Her brother takes on the task of investigating the theft. Who had access to the relic? Only the twelve members of the ruling council, the Synod, had the opportunity. That meant each one was a suspect.
These could easily be the characters in a murder mystery. With a limited number of suspects, most of whom know each other, an amateur sleuth, and a confined setting, it’s the prescription for a cozy mystery. I’ve combined this element with a “quest” theme in the search for the missing artifact.
What was my favorite part to write? I loved planning the booby traps in the ancient temple and figuring out what was hidden inside that’s critically important to the planet. As a fan of Indiana Jones, I couldn’t help conjuring a tale of mystery, fantasy and romance all rolled into one grand adventure.
Copyright © 1996 by Nancy J. Cohen
Published by Orange Grove Press
Digital ISBN: 978-0-9985317-7-9
Print ISBN: 978-1-952886-28-7
Cover Design by The Killion Group, Inc.
Interior Design by www.formatting4U.com
An archaeologist and her mysterious protector search for a stolen sacred artifact to prevent planetary disaster.
Archaeologist Leena Worthington-Jax is hired to locate a stolen sacred horn that controls her planet’s weather cycles. Accompanying her is Taurin Rey Niris, a mysterious stranger engaged as her protector. She believes him to be a simple farmer until he exhibits skills worthy of a warrior. Curious about his background and increasingly tempted by his tantalizing touch, Leena trusts him to keep her safe during their perilous journey.
Taurin hides his alien origins from Leena as he aids in the search for the missing relic. He’s aware that if he shares his knowledge about her world’s history, it’ll destroy her faith and cause a rift between them. Yet revealing the truth might be the only way to save her planet from global ruin. Can he keep Leena from discovering his secrets while guarding her from their enemies and from his own heart?
A PRISM Awards Finalist
“Nancy Cohen combines the elements of science fiction and fantasy into a marvelous love story. Her books capture the imagination with their originality.” The Literary Times
“Keeper is a lot like Indiana Jones and Romancing the Stone. A good mystery, action/adventure, sci‑fi, and romance all rolled into one.” Mary Saums, Author of the Thistle & Twigg Mysteries
“The spellbinding action gets more terrifying and enthralling as the uniquely different plot thickens. The conclusion is stunning!” Rendezvous
“Prepare yourself for exotic locales, evildoers galore, and two splendid romances!” The Paperback Forum
“Intense and fast, Keeper of the Rings has an absorbing and complex plot. Like ripples in a pond, the reverberations are felt throughout the book to the very explosive climax.” Affaire de Coeur
Excerpt
Leena followed him toward a recess in the wall. Vines dangled from overhead like a curtain, as though warning trespassers to stay away. Her breath hitched at the familiar sight of two stone helixcats, their faces partially eroded. They stood as sentinels on each side of the entrance.
“I’ll go first,” she said. “I’m familiar with these temples.”
Her discerning glance observed a gap farther inside. She squeezed through the narrow opening into an interior passageway. The walls glowed with a strange luminescence that thankfully provided illumination. She watched her footing as she made her way along, with Taurin at her heels. As the walls closed in on them, a musty odor entered her nose.
She glanced at him over her shoulder. “Don’t stray from the path. This temple might have hidden dangers.”
“Now you tell me.” His voice sounded loud in the confines of the tunnel.
“Maybe that’s why the excavation stopped,” she suggested. “The early explorers might not have been able to get past the obstacles. Grotus’s men wouldn’t have had much more success.”
Halting as she came to a wide archway, Leena glanced at the floor of the room past the arch. It consisted of a patchwork of evenly-shaped stones. At the other end of the cavernous room was another open archway flanked by two huge stone statues. But what made her emit a soft cry was what she saw in between.
“What is it?” Taurin said, peering over her shoulder.
“Nothing good.” Leena pointed to the bones littering the chamber ahead.
Get Your Copy Here:
Amazon Kindle: https://www.amazon.com//dp/B005C5YXRO
Amazon Print: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1952886287
BN Nook: http://bit.ly/2LfyQF1
BN Print: http://bit.ly/3RmQJkK
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/keeper-of-the-rings-1
Apple: https://books.apple.com/us/book/keeper-of-the-rings/id1412121907
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1283063
Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=tbKoEAAAQBAJ
Indiebound: https://www.indiebound.org/book/9781952886287
Books2Read: https://books2read.com/KeeperoftheRings
GIVEAWAY
Enter Here to win 1 of 7 free books from Booklover’s Bench in our 10th Anniversary Contest!
