The Seventh Treasure
The Seventh Treasure is a thrilling first novel by Len Camarda. Set in modern-day Spain and painted with layers of history and forgotten lore, this novel combines Tom Clancy’s knack for political suspense with Dan Brown’s love of secret societies.
Director Gene Cerone’s entire career has been dedicated to facts and evidence. In fact, he’s the man responsible for the safety of high-profile figures like presidents and foreign dignitaries. However, myth overshadows fact when an investigation leads him to Granada with its legendary figures like Sinbad, Ali Baba, and Scheherazade. Gene finds himself “living the stories of ancient times, recreating their thoughts, [and] walking in their shoes” in order to bring his sister’s murderers to justice.
Assisting Gene in his quest for retribution is the husky-voiced Lieutenant Mercedes Garcia, whose police expertise allows Gene to act as a tourist (albeit a “very diligent” one) so he can pursue leads that rattle the establishment too much. The policewoman’s willingness to consider far-fetched clues breaks open a five-hundred-year-old secret—and causes an avalanche of murders. Rollie Blanco, an imaging expert from the Digital Light Brigade, offers his expertise to help create a 3-D recreation of ancient ruins. If Gene is successful, he might not only uncover the key to bringing down his sister’s murderers but also find the treasure of a lifetime.
Len Camarda draws from his wealth of life experience as an international businessman to add authenticity to his settings. Little details sprinkled throughout the book lend a lot of credence to the plot, and the exciting descriptions of customs and scenery are likely to infect readers with wanderlust and maybe even a desire to book their next vacation in Granada. Also, Carmada’s exhaustive research gives plausibility to the idea that Moorish royals from an ancient bloodline could be staging a comeback in the modern world.
Despite paragraphs of lengthy dialogue, an enormous cast of characters, and the overuse of passive voice, Camarda’s short chapters add a sense of urgency to the plot and make this book hard to put down. Frequent references to Erroll Flynn, Maureen O’Hara, and other glittering-but-bygone Hollywood stars might be lost on a teen audience but will add nostalgia and depth for older readers. Though some might quibble about historical veracity, Camarda has created an intricately layered plot with high credibility.
Readers of all ages who enjoy conspiracies, thrillers, and legends will love The Seventh Treasure.
Reviewed by
Emily Asad
Disclosure: This article is not an endorsement, but a review. The publisher of this book provided free copies of the book and paid a small fee to have their book reviewed by a professional reviewer. Foreword Reviews and Clarion Reviews make no guarantee that the publisher will receive a positive review. Foreword Magazine, Inc. is disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
