Published 2012

Summary

Jaya Jones, a professor of Indian history in San Francisco, learns that an ex-boyfriend was killed in a car accident in the Scottish Highlands. The same day she hears the news, she receives a package from her ex which contains a gorgeous old ruby bracelet which she believes is Indian. A note included with the bracelet tells her that he is entrusting the bracelet to her because he can’t trust anyone else. Suspecting that his car accident wasn’t actually an accident, Jaya heads to an archaeological dig in Scotland to investigate. 

Once there, she hears stories of ancient people and Scottish folklore, but needs to discover where, and if, ancient Indian jewels enter the story, and who among the archaeologists and locals might be willing to kill for them.

My Thoughts

Jaya Jones is one of my all-time favorite female protagonists in a mystery series. She is an exceptionally intelligent woman and an expert in her field. Although she knows jiujitsu and can take care of herself, she doesn’t take foolish chances. In Jaya I see a bit of Vicky Bliss and Amelia Peabody with a touch of Indiana Jones. Nevertheless, Jaya is uniquely Jaya, and that’s what makes her such a wonderful character.

One of Pandian’s gifts is her ability to write amazing characters, and part of that is giving them unique traits that make them memorable. Jaya plays the tabla, she always wears heels, and she drinks her own weight in coffee daily. When she eats, which is often because she is always hungry, she craves intense flavors and some unique flavor combinations, like a scrambled egg bagel with crunchy peanut butter. Jaya’s best friend, Sanjay, is a magician known for always wearing a bowler hat and playing sitar badly. Her older brother only speaks to her in Hindi, even though he knows she doesn’t speak Hindi well enough to understand, because he wants her to learn Hindi. Even when I go years between reading the books, I still remember the things that make the characters special.

Jaya’s goal in the story is to find the hidden treasure because, in locating it, she knows she will be able to find the killer. It’s as much a treasure hunt as it is a murder mystery. I love following along and trying to piece together clues because Pandian crafts really clever clues! It’s obvious that a lot of research has gone into the creation of these stories. 

This book takes the reader to some lovely places. Jaya starts out in San Francisco with some trips to Berkeley before flying to London and taking a train up to Scotland before driving into the Highlands. The author paints such lovely and vivid images of all the locations, but I could really feel the author’s love for Scotland. 

One thing that adds to the suspense in this book is the fact that Jaya is never sure who exactly she can trust. I know that’s true in a lot of mysteries where one is never sure who the murderer is, but it’s heightened in this book by romantic interests. Now, I don’t always love romance in my mysteries because they can get in the way of the puzzle, but in this case, it actually enhances the story.

I was unreasonably excited that a gargoyle was mentioned in Artifact. Those who know Pandian’s Accidental Alchemist series know why. I love when books reference one another.

If you are a fan of Elizabeth Peters, I think you will love this series!

While I own the book, this time I listened to the audiobook. It was very enjoyable. I will be listening to the entire series. 

My Rating 5/5

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About the Author

“Gigi Pandian is a USA Today bestselling and award-winning mystery author, breast cancer survivor, and locked-room mystery enthusiast. The child of cultural anthropologists from New Mexico and the southern tip of India, she spent her childhood being dragged around the world on their research trips, which inspired her fiction. She’s been awarded Agatha, Anthony, Lefty, and Derringer awards, and been a finalist for the Edgar.” (From gigipandian.com)

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