Last Assault on Oak Island by Jenn Rekka
For 200 years, Oak Island in Mahone Bay kept its secrets. Treasure hunters came and left, spirits broken and bank accounts drained. A British admiral’s wartime journal brings new hope – and new dangers – to museum curator Carlos Sheldon and his student assistant, Lauren Gates, as they join the hunt for the elusive Money…
For 200 years, Oak Island in Mahone Bay kept its secrets. Treasure hunters came and left, spirits broken and bank accounts drained.
A British admiral’s wartime journal brings new hope – and new dangers – to museum curator Carlos Sheldon and his student assistant, Lauren Gates, as they join the hunt for the elusive Money Pit treasure. When they respond to lighthouse keeper Rudy Maddock’s invitation to translate the admiral’s journal, they’re met with suspicion and careful cordiality. With mounting tensions between the two rival treasure hunting companies working Oak Island, another interested party isn’t welcome.
Desperation runs high as the Money Pit’s 200th anniversary shines the spotlight on the treasure hunting operations’ failures. With escalating debts and losses, one hunter takes a wrong turn, as another discovers the island’s secret riches or cruel hoax.
For Dr. Sheldon and Lauren, timing is everything.
“Ancient Engineers- 1, Treasure Hunters- 0”
Five Star Review on Amazon By Aislynn
Last Assault on Oak Island, by Jenn Rekka, first drew my attention when I was browsing for a new historical fiction novel to read. The story follows a museum curator and his assistant as they investigate new evidence surrounding the Money Pit of Oak Island (a real place up by Nova Scotia). It’s the 200th anniversary of the Pit’s creation, and the small island is swamped with tourists and treasure hunters.
Two main ‘expeditions’, headed by treasure hunters Lucy Yearbright and Saul Clemens, drill non-stop, tearing up the island as they seek the mysterious treasure. Carlos and Lauren- the curator and his assistant- go in undercover with the pretence of visiting friends. They keep their heads down, working their evidence in secrecy. Despite attempts to remain hidden, the pair still manage to attract trouble. Even with the danger and distractions, the little group manages to achieve the impossible.
This book called to the historian and archaeologist in me. It was brilliant! Well-written and well-researched, which can be hard when weaving historical fiction. I loved the truth of the treasure which was masterfully woven.
I prefer to look at story and structure rather than mechanics, and that is how I rate things. For those more picky in regards to mechanics, there is a sprinkling of spelling errors. The story renders them invisible. I could not put it down! I read well after my bedtime, that’s how drawn into the story I was, and that is a rare occurrence these days.
Rekka’s Last Assault on Oak Island is perfect for fans of Douglas Preston, Lincoln Child, or David Gibbins. Intrigue, danger, pirates, treasure, and a legacy of the Revolutionary War! This book has it all.
About the Author
A long-time writer and reader, loves adventure and mystery. Growing up on Ellis Peters/Edith Pargeter, Elizabeth Peters/Barbara Michaels (and Indiana Jones and Walter Farley), action-based history and mystery pursuits have always driven my imagination.
Last Assault on Oak Island is one treasure that has always fascinated me. The Rediscovered series is a collection of other lost treasures history has buried. I’m eager to put forth some of the theories and rumors backed by research and a heavy dose of “maybe…” in the next four books planned.
Room of Fire follows the first book, and from there, Dr. Sheldon and Lauren cross into the Middle East, Asia, and more.