The Legend of Gasparilla and His Treasure by Carolyn Arnold

The Legend of Gasparilla and His Treasure (Matthew Connor Adventure, #3)

by Carolyn Arnold

The beam of his flashlight bounces off the walls but does little to brighten the hidden room he just found. In the corner is a centuries-old desk. His heart hammering, he walks over to it and opens the top drawer. What he finds inside will change his future-and the world's-forever. 

For centuries, the existence of Spanish pirate José Gaspar has been relegated to legend, but archaeologist and adventurer Matthew Connor and his two best friends may have just found reason to believe the buccaneer truly existed. They're in Washington, DC, to mark the opening of an exhibit at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History when a mysterious stranger turns up claiming he may hold the key to the mythical pirate's treasure and invites them to join in his quest to find it.

Rumored to have sailed and plundered the Gulf of Mexico and the Spanish Main during the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, Gaspar would have amassed a vast fortune. But with only the stranger's word and a token of proof, Matthew is intrigued but not sold-until it becomes personal. There's an interested third party, and they're willing to kill for the pirate's bounty.

What ensues is a globe-trotting adventure that will take Matthew and his friends across the world and back again. Danger lurks around every corner as does betrayal, suspicion, and murder. Can anyone be trusted, and will they survive long enough to find out?

Reviewed by Nadz@Totally Addicted to Reading on

4 of 5 stars

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The Legend of Gasparilla and His Treasure is the latest book in the Matthew Connor Adventures and it was an outstanding journey. I went into this book with high expectations and Arnold did not disappoint. She took the reader on an adventure riddled with danger and suspense.

Matthew is winding down from the high of his last adventure. An adventure, which netted him a book deal, however, as someone who hates writing he felt pressured by the deadlines and all the things associated with being a writer. He would rather be treasure hunting. One of the requirements of the book deal was the hosting of an exhibit. While at the exhibit a mysterious man approached him regarding an ancient diary purported to be that of the mythical pirate Jose Gaspar aka Gasparilla. Matthew and his friends were sceptical at first but when thugs began chasing them due to their meeting with the mystery man, they figured there was more to the story of the diary than they thought.

From the first page I knew I would be in for a wild ride. Danger always follows Matthew and his friends and this time was no different. Suspense, danger, action and murder made for an intense and thrilling read. Fast-paced with never a dull moment the story proved to be a page turner.

I had a wonderful time catching up with the characters once again. Arnold introduced new characters, who aided in stirring up things and added to the excitement. Once again Matthew comes in contact with his nemesis. He can never seem to shake her. Will this be their final showdown?

There were some light moments, which made me smile despite the danger the group faced. Yes, there were also several heart pounding moments when I feared they would not survive. However, their resilience and hunger for survival proved stronger than the danger which surrounded them.

I enjoyed The Legend of Gasparilla and His Treasure and recommend it without reservation. Do you love adventure and are a fan of Indiana Jones, then you will love Mathew Connor Adventures? I guarantee you will never have a dull moment.
This review was originally posted on Totally Addicted to Reading

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Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • 27 June, 2020: Finished reading
  • 27 June, 2020: Reviewed
  • Started reading
  • 27 June, 2020: Finished reading
  • 27 June, 2020: Reviewed