Category: Apples & Oranges by Marianne H. Donley

Treasure Hunting by Kat Martin

There is something about a treasure that fastens upon a man’s mind. He will pray and blaspheme and still persevere and will curse the day he heard of it, and will let his last hour come upon him unawares, still believing that he missed it only by a foot. He will see it every time he closes his eyes. He will never forget it until he is dead . . . and even then he will pass it along to his survivors, that they may follow in his footsteps. 

There is no way of getting away from a treasure . . . once it fastens itself upon your mind.                           

Joseph Conrad
Nostromo

I found this quote in a book I was reading, words about treasure I found remarkably compelling. Years ago, I wrote a novel called DEEP BLUE about hunting for treasure on a sunken Spanish galleon.

I’d been wanting to write another treasure story ever since, and this seemed like the perfect chance. The hero of the story, Gage Logan, is the second of the three Logan brothers, a man who left his home at an early age in search of adventure. Over the years, he became one of the world’s foremost explorers and treasure hunters.

I did a ton of research for the book, starting with a list of the lost treasures of the world, narrowing it down to the legendary Lost Dutchman mine in the Superstition Mountains of Arizona. Since I spend my winters there, it seemed the perfect place to set a high action adventure story.

The Superstitions themselves are daunting. I made a trip there with my husband because no amount of research could give me a clear picture of what such a harsh environment would look like.

The mountains, forty miles east of Phoenix, have been designated a wilderness area. That means no motorized vehicles allowed. It’s a chilling landscape of jagged rocks, deep ravines, and sheer cliffs that lure the unwary. With its vicious jumping cactus, rattlesnakes, scorpions, and deadly reputation for the deaths through the years of more than two-hundred people, the mountains are one of the most intimidating spots I’ve ever encountered. 

My research trip included a short excursion into the harsh desert around the perimeter–which was more than enough to satisfy my curiosity.  I was also able to speak to old Dutch hunters, men who spend their lives hunting for the rumored Peralta gold.  A trip to the museum allowed me to examine an extensive collection of treasure maps used by Dutch hunters over the years.

Finally satisfied I had enough information, I was able to actually start writing.

In THE LAST MILE, when Abigail Holland inherits a treasure map from her grandfather, she seeks out renown treasure hunter, Gage Logan—the only man she’ll trust to help her find it. It’s high action, plenty of twists and turns, and of course a passionate romance. 

Fighting flash floods, brutal winds, and men willing to kill for the treasure, Gage and Abby face the dark heart of danger—but nothing will stop them from finding the Devil’s Gold.

  I hope you will look for Gage and Abby in THE LAST MILE and that you enjoy it. 

Till next time, all best and happy reading,

~Kat

The Last Mile

Kat Martin

Kensington

May 31, 2022

978-1496736802

Bestselling author Kat Martin, a graduate of the University of California at Santa Barbara, currently resides in Missoula, Montana with Western-author husband, L. J. Martin. More than seventeen million copies of Kat’s books are in print, and she has been published in twenty foreign countries. Fifteen of her recent novels have taken top-ten spots on the New York Times Bestseller List, and her novel, BEYOND REASON, was recently optioned for a feature film. Kat’s newist hardcover, THE LAST MILE, a Romantic Thriller, will be released today, May 31th. THE LAST MILE is the second novel in her Blood Ties Series.

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