She's a haunted runaway forced to hide from a brutal past. He's a charismatic businessman who despises deception. Can they overcome the lies that separate them and embrace a passion worth everything? California, 1871: Sarah Wyndham has lived a double life since escaping her abusive family and a forced marriage. Fleeing to San Francisco, the gifted mathematician lives incognito as a mousey secretary, in constant terror of discovery. Hawaiian sugar merchant Kaleo Manolo sees beyond the disguise however, and when Sarah’s secrets put her in grave danger, the handsome super surfer steps in as her protector. Traumatised by her brutal past, Sarah is ashamed to tell her story. And she knows her desperate attempt to maintain her secrets could cost Kaleo his life. Burned by her off-handed dishonesty, Kaleo battles growing feelings for a woman whose silence raises alarm bells over her integrity. He’s convinced she is hiding something, but he's determined to keep her safe, even if it means standing against a powerful enemy As they navigate a treacherous web of lies and revenge, Will Sarah learn to trust him enough to confide her shame-filled story? Or will Kaleo’s determination to do the right thing lead to him paying the ultimate price? With time running out and their lives on the line, Sarah and Kaleo risk everything for a chance at freedom. But after Sarah's deception, will Kaleo still believe the truth of her heart? Ancient Deception is the mesmerizing ninth book in the Of Gold & Blood historical mystery series. If you like brilliant heroines, principled heroes, and deadly games of cat and mouse, then you'll love Jenny Wheeler's captivating tale of secrets and sacrifice. Buy Ancient Deception to unravel the web of lies today!

Whatever power you think you have is an illusion. Whatever your dreams are, they belong to me. And wherever you run, I am already there waiting for you. Since Zilan entered the world of royal alchemists, she has learned firsthand that alchemy comes at a price. She has lost her family and her beloved prince in her search for justice against the evil Empress. All Zilan wants now is to find some way to bring them back. Resurrection is her specialty, after all. In search of Penglai Island, where the infamous myth says life can be fully restored, Zilan starts a new adventure. But Penglai Island has been kept well hidden by a group of unpredictable, and often dangerous, alchemists. Uncovering the secret means challenging some of the most powerful alchemists to ever live. And when old threats come back to haunt Zilan, she will have to decide just how much she is willing to sacrifice to save her loved ones—and the practice of alchemy that has long defined her and the world around her. This gripping duology closer by the acclaimed author of The Keeper of Night is not to be missed!

Reprint of the original, first published in 1883.

From the jungles of Panama to the gold fields of California, a young man searches for justice In 1849, there are 2 ways to reach California: overland or by sea. Traveling by land is safer—a long, slow journey across the American plains—but the water is faster. Would-be prospectors in a hurry to reach California and strike it rich, sail down the Atlantic, cross the deadly jungles of Panama on foot, and proceed north by boat to find their fortune. Willie Dwinelle, who is 18 years old, chooses this Panama route because he must reach California as soon as possible. But it is not gold that he seeks; it is justice. Willie has vowed revenge upon an unsavory character in his hometown who mistreated one of his friends. So with his impulsive ally Ben at his side, Willie braves every danger the gold rush throws at him. But the most perilous hazard is one he never expected to confront: the lure of greed.

The Tenth Man—Gold Bar Trials (1981).The true story of the murder of a gold merchant and his two employees reads like a fast-paced thriller.From the sinister excitement of the plotting and the merciless, savage execution of the victims, to the hiding and waiting for eventual retribution, this will prove one gripping read. The Murder of a Beauty Queen (1984).This is the story of a man found guilty on circumstantial evidence, of the murder of his beautiful, sensuous, rich and widowed sister-in-law. Not until the condemned man appealed did a witness admit he had committed perjury—given false evidence. Confessing, this was the first time in Malaysia’s legal history that a witness in a murder trial had been convicted and sentenced to long-term imprisonment for perjury.The accused was finally acquitted. Had he been hung and the perjurer exposed later, this perjurer would most likely have been hung in accordance to the law that demands a life for a life in these circumstances. With carnal and carnage in flux, this is a trial not to be missed.