The Schliemann Legacy
1873 — Heinrich Schliemann discovered ancient treasure in Turkey which proved the existence of Troy.
1943 — the treasure disappeared from Nazi Germany.
1981 — Henri Mardinaud, international information broker, discovers the treasure in the possession of Friedrich Heiden, ex-commander of Majdanek, a Nazi extermination camp. Using his network, the master gamesman positions his players in a race for the treasure and the Nazi:David Morritt, recently retired Mossad agent and survivor of Majdanek.Katrina Kontoravdis, a disgraced Greek intelligence operative hoping to redeem herself. Duman, a vicious Turkish terrorist who will do anything to achieve his objectives. From Europe, to Heiden's fortress in Colombia, to a secluded estate in Jamaica, Mardinaud uses the hatred between Greece and Turkey and the horror of the holocaust to fuel his twisted game. More than the treasure, survival becomes the ultimate prize in this battle of haunting memories, revenge, and love. (Author description)
The novel opens at an archaeological dig in Turkey in 1873 and from that first page you are hooked. The first two paragraphs set a high standard of writing which is never lost throughout the remainder of the book. All Mr Graystone’s characters are multi-faceted and riveting. The personal stories of the characters are told in inventive ways and at times you even feel sorry for the ‘baddies’! I loved the premise of several characters being manipulated by one man, all vying for information and jockeying for position. But in the end, as with all good storytelling, one couple emerge as the true heroines. This is a definite page turner, worthy of its 5* rating.