Ainsley Walker Gemstone Travel Mystery

A disappeared husband.A life up in the air.And a missing engagement ring.Ainsley Walker is going through a rough time.Her husband has walked out of her life for no reason-and she doesn't have a clue where he's gone.Then she discovers something else: Her diamond engagement ring has disappeared too.Convinced that he's stolen it, Ainsley embarks on a cross-country journey to find her missing husband, her missing ring-and her undecided future.Running from the beaches of Miami to the vineyards of California to the streets of Chicago-Ainsley learns the truth about her past, her marriage……and herself.Part mystery, part origin story, The American Diamond introduces Ainsley Walker, the world's premier international gemstone detective.(Note: a small portion of this novel was previously published as The American Turquoise.)

Dissatisfied with the tourist beaches of Costa del Sol, gemstone sleuth Ainsley Walker dreams of discovering the real Spain... THEN Her life changes when she accepts an offer to help an aging bullfighter find his jewel-encrusted sword for his grand comeback-an assignment that plunges her deep into the wild, beating heart of traditional Spanish culture. Andalucía. In the blink of an eye, Ainsley finds herself on a fast-paced adventure that carries her from bullfights to bull ranches, from tapas bars to tearooms, from Catholic processionals to Moorish patios. Along the way, she discovers joy, pain, friendship, agony- -and the ancient bonds of life and death. From an author who worked on the foreign desk of The Washington Post-- --comes a travel adventure that will change the way you see your life. Length: 71,000 words Sixth in the series.

After months of unemployment, her bank account dwindling, Ainsley Walker is starting to wonder if her career as a gemstone detective will ever take off. THEN Her life changes when she accepts an offer from a handsome importer to travel to the country of Portugal-the gorgeous but overlooked jewel of Western Europe-to search for a sapphire azulejo that has been stolen from an historic chapel. On her fast-paced adventure, Ainsley explores thieves' fairs, antique trams, ancient Roman ruins, and the dangerous roads of rural wine valleys. She finds joy, pain, friendship, duplicity, and murder-and, most importantly, a renewed sense of purpose in life.

"Well-paced and skillfully told, with an outstanding sense of place, an enjoyable main character, and entertaining supporting cast.... Ainsley Walker swept me off my feet." -- Venus de Hilo, 5-star review"A delightful series – it will enchant you with exotic places and interesting characters." -- Linda Osborn, 5-star review For fans of Nora Roberts and Janet Evanovich…. It's hurricane season. An airplane en route to the States has just been forced to land on the island of Puerto Rico-and onboard is AINSLEY WALKER. Stranded in torrential rain, she is guided by another passenger towards a rickety plantation house in the island's tropical interior, where she meets an elderly woman who has lost a precious family heirloom. It's a pearl brooch that had once belonged to an actual pirate of the Caribbean-and the old spinster needs Ainsley to find it ... fast. Soon she finds herself on another runaway adventure-one that propels Ainsley across Puerto Rico, from wealthy art museums to abandoned sugar mills, from colonial-era cities to buried pirate chests on abandoned naval bases. Along the way, she discovers joy, pain, friendship, danger, the limits of her endurance-and the fact that things are never quite as they seem. From an author who worked on the foreign desk of The Washington Post … …who explored North and South America for nearly twelve months… … who was a finalist in a prestigious short story contest sponsored by the estate of F. Scott Fitzgerald… …comes a travel adventure that will change the way you see your life. Length: Approximately 68,000 words.Fourth in the series.

Dumped by her husband just as he finishes law school, and disillusioned by her loss of another unsatisfying office job, Ainsley Walker is approaching thirty with nothing to show for it. THEN She accepts an offer from an elderly art dealer to travel to the country of Uruguay-the forgotten jewel of South America-to purchase a valuable amethyst treasure, El Árbol Negro. In a runaway adventure that propels her from historic auction houses to remote villages, from beef ranches to elite beach resorts, Ainsley finds joy, pain, friendship, duplicity, and murder- --and, most importantly, a new purpose in life. From an author who worked on the foreign desk of The Washington Post … …comes a travel adventure that will change the way you see your life. Length: Approximately 74,000 words. Second in the series.