Men would do anything for it…but one woman will determine its fateSteeped in legend, the Pearl of Palawan has a history marked by destruction, vengeance and love. But more important, the mythical black pearl is rumored to grant a power long coveted by mankind–immortality. It is a power men would risk dying to achieve.Sun, sand and scuba diving in the Philippines certainly sounded like an ideal vacation. But after a way-too-close-for-comfort encounter with a tiger shark, archaeologist Annja Creed finds herself drawn into a group of German divers. They are treasure hunters searching for the fabled pearl. Out of curiosity, Annja accompanies them. But when an old friend of hers turns up unexpectedly, she finds herself torn between her past and new acquaintances.The race is on to possess the pearl. But no one realizes the true nature of the artifact, or the danger it poses to them all.
An invitation too irresistible to refuse from the Museum of Cadiz leads archaeologist Annja Creed to the sun-drenched southern coast of Andalucia, Spain. In a region rich in Moorish and Roman ruins, she leaps at the chance to join a dig across the Bay of Cadiz, where she unearths a bronze bull statue that makes the entire trip worth every minute.Until the day after her discovery, when she sees the same artifact beside the body of a dead Spaniard, killed by the estocada, the final sword thrust used by bullfighters to bring down the bull.Whoever killed the man left clear signs of having taken something. And yet the bronze bull remained. What was so valuable the murderer chose it over a priceless artifact? How had her find come into this dead man's hands? With few leads and a growing body count, Annja's investigation takes her through a colorful world of flamenco and bullfighting to a renowned matador and an illegal–and deadly–collection of Visigoth votive crowns.
After risking her life to uncover a Chinese imperial seal, only to have it stolen by a cunning tomb robber, archaeologist Annja Creed feels she has endured one treasure-hunting fiasco too many. But when a mysterious collector offers a reward for a priceless golden elephant, Annja gives in.After all, there are bills to be paid, adventures to be had.The artifact is said to be hidden in a vast and ancient temple complex in the mountainous jungles of Southeast Asia, and Annja must meet with various scholars in order to pinpoint its location. But when each expert she visits is found dead, Annja fears someone else is after the artifact.And her. And she's probably next on the killer's list.
In late 1700s Paris, a young but promising illusionist dabbles in the arcane art of phantasmagoria. But at his moment of greatest triumph–unveiling a magical lantern said to open a door to the Chinese spirit world–he is violently struck down by a vengeful phantom….On assignment in London, archaeologist Annja Creed is hunting down a man who claims to have discovered the Jekyll and Hyde potion. On the trail of one curiosity, Annja finds herself pulled toward another mystery…the origin of a strange, old-fashioned projector once used by eighteenth-century illusionists. As Annja delves into its rich history, a dark past begins to emerge. And someone wants to harness the power of this cursed artifact…risking everything for the treasures it promises.But Annja has a little magic trick of her own. One that she wields with deadly accuracy….
Archaeologist Annja Creed and her sword have never been outmatched–until now. When a surprise party for her mentor Roux includes some uninvited guests, Annja finds herself fighting desperately for her life. The intruders escape but leave a sinister message behind.A legend has resurfaced about a sword that should be feared. A sword that seeks a master as bloodthirsty as itself. It is wielded by an assassin known as the Dragon who initiates a terrible game of cat and mouse. Eventually, the two swords–light and dark–must meet…and only one shall triumph.
He was one of Russia's most infamous rulers, and he alone held the key to a legendary Byzantine collection of books, given to him in the dowry of Princess Sophia of Constantinople. Ivan Vasilyevich–otherwise known as Ivan the Terrible–owned a library filled with rare and priceless tomes that men would kill for.Would die for. But the czar carried the knowledge of its whereabouts to his grave. And it falls to archaeologist Annja Creed, almost five hundred years later, to discover the secrets of the Library of Gold.When the opportunity to unravel the mystery of this so-called eighth wonder of the world lands in Annja's lap, she can't resist. Armed with a diary of cryptic clues, she embarks on a journey to Russia, where she must somehow find her way into the very heart of the country, beneath the Kremlin.But Annja soon discovers she's racing a ruthless KGB agent driven by sinister motives. She finds herself deep beneath the Russian soil in a dangerous game of cat and mouse… Will she be the next to mysteriously disappear from history?
In the time of the Crusades, the Knights Templars were holy warriors who seemed to be blessed by God himself. But over the years, the order dissolved into mysteries both sacred and profane–creating an object whose power bends to the true nature of its owner….But until she held it in her hands, archaeologist Annja Creed hadn't heard of the Skull of Sidon nor the twisted tale of its origins. Even now, she's still not convinced. Yet someone wants it badly enough to hire a man who wields power beyond her imagining. Power enough to prevent Annja from protecting the mysterious skull. And power enough to kill.
A book dealer lies imprisoned in a Boston mansion, an IV tube dripping a lethal narcotic cocktail into his veins. In thirty-six hours, he'll be dead. His final request is to receive a visit from one woman….It wasn't the most hospitable invitation she'd ever received. Archaeologist Annja Creed is being rushed to Massachussetts, abducted by a famous environmental terrorist–a zealot willing to kill anyone who gets in his or the planet's way. He has taken the book dealer hostage in order to steal a rare and very valuable treatise called the Tome of Prossos. Annja is the key to retrieving the ancient manuscript hidden somewhere deep within the mansion. But the book is well-protected. In order to find it, she must survive the rigors of an elaborate maze. She has only twelve hours to decipher the labyrinth's sinister secret…a secret that could ensure she never emerges.
The legacy of a pagan king could unleash terror on the worldIt started as a dream–a redheaded warrior king fought and died for his men centuries ago. The dream would lead archaeologist Annja Creed to the king's undisturbed corpse…and one of England's greatest mythical artifacts.Deep in an archaeological dig in England's Midlands, Annja locates a braided necklace around a mummified king's neck. Made of an unusual material–not quite obsidian, but gleaming with multihued color–the torc is an astonishing find. But someone knows exactly what the torc means. And he will do anything to get his hands on the Tear of the Gods. When the dig is compromised and innocent archaeologists are slain, even Annja herself is left for dead. Now she is fleeing for her life, not knowing the terrifying truth about the relic she risks everything to protect–or the devastating consequences should it fall into the wrong hands….
The stranger could be insane. Or he just might be our salvation.Archaeologist Annja Creed is more than curious when a decrepit, ancient-looking man visits her, claiming the end of the world is near. The stranger spins wild tales and speaks as if he actually knew King Arthur. But, strangest of all, he insists that Annja is the only one who can stop the horrible event that is about to happen.When Annja's mentor and friend Roux goes missing, she quickly realizes there may be something to the stranger's stories. Making her way through the dark and violent underbelly of Istanbul, Annja must find her missing friend and the Holy Grail before the relic gets into the wrong hands. She may not fully believe the fate of the world is on the line, but she doesn't really want to die finding out.