The Antiquities Hunter

July 23, 2018
This energetic series launch from bestseller Bohnhoff (The Last Jedi with Michael Reaves) introduces San Francisco PI Gina Miyoko. When Gina’s best friend, National Parks Service operative Rose Delgado, is shot and wounded in the line of duty, she teams with archeologist Cruz Veras to investigate. Their search for answers takes them to Cancún, Mexico, where Gina infiltrates the world of powerful antiquities traffickers and learns of newly discovered ancient cities with relics worth millions on the black market. Once Gina and Cruz travel deep into the jungle, Gina has to rely on her own wits as she tries to figure out who’s responsible for shooting Rose. A tough, sassy, and relatable investigator, Gina drives a Harley, packs a baby blue Magnum, and is trained in the martial arts. Her rich backstory and family life—her father was a San Francisco cop; her mother, a Russian émigré, plies her with oberegi and other good luck charms—adds unusual depth to a fun story. Readers will want to see a lot more of Gina.

August 1, 2018
Pairing with the National Park Service to catch dealers in stolen artifacts gets personal for a private investigator whose best friend has been taken down by a smuggling ring.It's lucky for Rose Delgado that her best friend, Gina Miyoko, is a private eye, because some sort of stalker is following Rose. The two set up a trap, and without too much effort, Rose and Gina discover that the tail is archaeology Ph.D.-turned-journalist Cruz Veras, who just wants a chance to talk with Rose about her undercover work chasing pot-hunters with the National Park Service. A little disappointed by the lack of excitement in the case, Gina, aka Tinkerbell or Tink (as no one appears to call her), digs into Cruz's background to discover that he seems to be...exactly who he says he is. It's another letdown for Gina, who wasn't hoping for danger exactly, but maybe for something a little edgier. But Cruz isn't the only one who's been following Rose, and the other person in pursuit may have a dangerous connection to one of Rose's recent cases, which focused on the thieves who resold antiquities from national parks and monuments. Rose and Gina track down Ted Bridges, one of the middlemen dealers, with the blessing and funding of the NPS, and are preparing to go into full investigative mode when tragedy strikes, killing Ted and putting Rose out of commission, maybe indefinitely. As much as Gina wants to stay local and care for her ailing friend, she won't be satisfied until she has someone to blame. So she gamely takes Rose's place in the undercover op, supported by Cruz's cunning and archaeological know-how. Their quest to nab the big dogs of the operation lands them in over their heads because there's an insider connection even the most savvy dealers won't mess with.Best known as a collaborator on the Star Wars series (Star Wars: The Last Jedi, 2013, etc.), Bohnhoff combines well-paced adventure and double-crossing in her mystery debut, although some of the distinctive character traits she incorporates are hit-or-miss.

COPYRIGHT(2018) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

September 1, 2018

Gina Miyoko was a police officer for three years before she became a private investigator. She's sure she can find the man stalking her best friend, Rose Delgado. She does, but Cruz Veras is more than a journalist trying to write a story about Rose. He's also an archaeologist in Mexico who knows that Rose, who works for the National Park Service, is scheduled to testify in a case involving stolen antiquities. When Rose is put out of commission, despite Gina's best efforts, Gina goes undercover in place of her friend. With the blessing of Rose's boss, Gina and Cruz head to Mexico, where she will pose as the wealthy girlfriend of a collector and he will act as her bodyguard. Gina counts on the lucky pieces from her Japanese father and Russian mother, but whom can she trust on an expedition into the jungles in search of stolen artifacts? VERDICT Star Wars novel coauthor Bohnhoff (The Last Jedi) pens an action-packed debut mystery straight out of Romancing the Stone or an Indiana Jones adventure. The sexual tension sparks between Gina and Cruz, two well-developed, intriguing characters. Readers of Gigi Pandian's "Jaya Jones" mysteries, or, the gold standard, Elizabeth Peters's mysteries, will relish this fast-paced book.--Lesa Holstine, Evansville Vanderburgh P.L., IN

Copyright 2018 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.