City of Gold by Carolyn Arnold

City of Gold (Matthew Connor Adventure, #1)

by Carolyn Arnold

Finding the Incas’ lost City of Gold would be the discovery of a lifetime. But failing could mean her death…

Archaeologist Matthew Connor and his friends Cal and Robyn are finally home after a dangerous retrieval expedition in India. While they succeeded in obtaining the priceless Pandu artifact they sought, it almost cost them their lives. Still, Matthew is ready for the next adventure. Yet when new intel surfaces indicating the possible location of the legendary City of Gold, Matthew is hesitant to embark on the quest.

Not only is the evidence questionable but it means looking for the lost city of Paititi far away from where other explorers have concentrated their efforts. As appealing as making the discovery would be, it’s just too risky. But when Cal’s girlfriend, Sophie, is abducted by Matthew’s old nemesis who is dead-set on acquiring the Pandu statue, Matthew may be forced into action. Saving Sophie’s life means either breaking into the Royal Ontario Museum to steal the relic or offering up something no one in his or her right mind would refuse—the City of Gold.

Now Matthew and his two closest friends have to find a city and a treasure that have been lost for centuries. And they only have seven days to do it. As they race against the clock, they quickly discover that the streets they seek aren’t actually paved with gold, but with blood.

Reviewed by Nadz@Totally Addicted to Reading on

4 of 5 stars

Share
When it comes to FBI/Police procedurals, Carolyn Arnold is the bomb. I enjoy her writing style and she knows how to hook her readers and keep them entertained. I never knew she wrote adventure stories until I came across The City of Gold. When I realised she was the author, I was excited and the blurb confirmed my decision to read this book.

The prologue, which set the pace for the rest of the story, was suspenseful, adrenaline pumping and nail biting. From that moment I knew this would be a page-turner, Ms. Arnold did not disappoint. The story took a few turns, which I never saw coming.

City of Gold tells the story of Matthew Conner, an archaeologist, and his treasure hunting team, which is made of his friend Robyn, and Cal. Robyn, is the curator of one of the largest museums in Canada and Cal is a travel photographer. They recently returned from India where they barely escaped with their lives when retrieving the priceless Pandu. However, someone else also has their eyes on the Pandu. This person was ruthless and desperate, which was demonstrated when they kidnapped Cal’s girlfriend. Providing the Pandu was out of the question, so to secure her release, the legendary City of Gold was used as leverage.

Their journey in search of the legendary city was filled with danger at every turn. Not only did they have to deal with the dangers from the jungle, they also had to contend with the human kind. What made this adventure nail-biting was a life depended on them finding this city. While reading I had so many questions. Would they find the city? Did it really exist and will they make it out of the jungle alive?

I enjoyed history about the Incan civilization. The history of the South American Indians have always fascinated me so the information provided in this story fed my fascination. A lot of research went into this aspect of the story, which is one of the things I expect from the author. Her attention to detail was impressive. Her descriptions were vivid, which made me feel as if I were a part of the adventure.

I loved the execution of the secondary story, which involved the kidnapping. Sophie, in spite of her fears, demonstrated bravery throughout the whole ordeal. I loved how both stories came together to create an exciting tale.

The characters came alive in this story of adventure. Some I found likable, some I tolerated, and some I disliked. The relationships portrayed were complicated, which added to the realism of the story. Matthew and his father had unresolved issues, which made their relationship complex. This complexity spilled over into his relationship with the women in his life. The secondary characters played their part in making the story exciting, riveting and adventurous.

Conclusion/Recommendation
Reasons you should read this book:
1. You are a fan of Indiana Jones.
2. You enjoy stories filled with adventure and suspense.

This was an enjoyable read and I am looking forward to Matthew Connor’s next adventure

Last modified on

Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • 14 August, 2017: Finished reading
  • 14 August, 2017: Reviewed