Artifact Hunters Series by A.W. Exley

Librarian's note: Alternate cover edition of ASIN B00BFTMRBA. A steampunk adventure with a serial killer, romance, and a few broken hearts. Cara Devon has always suffered curiosity and impetuousness, but tangling with a serial killer might cure that. Permanently. London, 1861. Impoverished noble Cara has a simple mission after the strange death of her father - sell off his damned collection of priceless artifacts... moreLibrarian's note: Alternate cover edition of ASIN B00BFTMRBA. A steampunk adventure with a serial killer, romance, and a few broken hearts. Cara Devon has always suffered curiosity and impetuousness, but tangling with a serial killer might cure that. Permanently. London, 1861. Impoverished noble Cara has a simple mission after the strange death of her father - sell off his damned collection of priceless artifacts. Her plan goes awry when aristocratic beauties start dying of broken hearts, an eight inch long brass key hammered through their chests. A killer hunts amongst the nobility, searching for a regal beauty and an ancient Egyptian relic rumored to hold the key to immortality. Her Majesty's Enforcers are in pursuit of the murderer and they see a connection between the gruesome deaths and Cara. So does she, somewhere in London her father hid Nefertiti's Heart, a fist sized diamond with strange mechanical workings. Adding further complication to her life, notorious crime lord, Viscount Nathaniel Lyons is relentless in his desire to lay his hands on Cara and the priceless artifact. If only she could figure out his motive. Self-preservation fuels Cara's search for the gem. In a society where everyone wears a mask to hide their true intent, she needs to figure out who to trust, before she makes a fatal mistake. less

"Loving you is easy, it's living with you that's killing me." An ancient Egyptian artifact is driving Queen Victoria insane, and that's not top of Cara Devon's growing list of problems. Viscount Nathaniel Lyons is a man of numerous secrets, but there is one in particular that threatens his fledgling relationship with Cara. Stunned by Nate's revelation, and before she can absorb the ramifications of his actions, he is arrested, charged with treason and imprisoned in the grim Tower of London... more"Loving you is easy, it's living with you that's killing me." An ancient Egyptian artifact is driving Queen Victoria insane, and that's not top of Cara Devon's growing list of problems. Viscount Nathaniel Lyons is a man of numerous secrets, but there is one in particular that threatens his fledgling relationship with Cara. Stunned by Nate's revelation, and before she can absorb the ramifications of his actions, he is arrested, charged with treason and imprisoned in the grim Tower of London. He stole something the mad queen wants, and only has days to deliver, before his date with the executioner. Although sorely tempted, Cara can't let him die on Tower Green, not when their connection means she would share his fate. Only together can Cara and Nate figure out how to wrestle Hatshepsut's Collar from around the queen's neck, before she plunges Britain into a world war. The search for answers sends Cara to the opulent Winter Palace of St Petersburg and the frozen depths of Siberia, with every step shadowed by an enemy with his own dark plans. less

Amy Hamilton is a good girl. She always did exactly as society demanded, kept her eyes downcast, never spoke out of turn, and hid the myriad of questions swirling in her brain. In return for shutting off her intellect she landed an abusive fiancé and was cast aside by the ton. Disgraced, she seeks refuge at the Lyons' country estate. There she is given an artifact, a bracelet made from a unicorn's tail and told it contains enough magic to grant one wish... moreAmy Hamilton is a good girl. She always did exactly as society demanded, kept her eyes downcast, never spoke out of turn, and hid the myriad of questions swirling in her brain. In return for shutting off her intellect she landed an abusive fiancé and was cast aside by the ton. Disgraced, she seeks refuge at the Lyons' country estate. There she is given an artifact, a bracelet made from a unicorn's tail and told it contains enough magic to grant one wish. She knows what she wants, someone to love the true her, and not the shallow image that smiles back from the mirror. She never expected the unicorn to send her two men… Lachlan Hawke - dashing airship pirate and notorious rogue. Jackson Jackson - the scarred henchman and enforcer for the Lyons Empire. The two men have a bet, who will be first to win a kiss from the delicate rose? The loser to be tarred and feathered. Loki is sure of a quick victory and that Jackson will be impersonating a chicken by the end of the week. Jackson doesn't even know why he agreed to the stupid bet, the girl shudders whenever he enters a room. Both men are about to learn you should be careful making bets when a unicorn is involved…. less

One... death by spontaneous human combustion is a rare act of God Two... is surely a freakish coincidence Three... well, that’s starting to look deliberate. Cara has a new role as Queen Victoria’s artifact hunter, she’s adapting to married life and living in a country manor that more closely resembles a mausoleum. In London, Inspector Fraser investigates a series of strange deaths by divine fire - except he doesn't believe in coincidences... moreOne... death by spontaneous human combustion is a rare act of God Two... is surely a freakish coincidence Three... well, that’s starting to look deliberate. Cara has a new role as Queen Victoria’s artifact hunter, she’s adapting to married life and living in a country manor that more closely resembles a mausoleum. In London, Inspector Fraser investigates a series of strange deaths by divine fire - except he doesn't believe in coincidences. Despite himself, he enlists Cara's help to identify what artifact could cause such a hideous death while his desire to bring her husband to justice burns unabated. Someone's intent on making sure a decades old secret stays hidden and Cara must figure out who is responsible before this case consumes her family and rocks the entire realm to its foundations. less

All things must come to an end... London is in the frozen grip of an unnatural winter and Queen Victoria wants answers. Cara and Nate know who - the Curator. The queen's artifact hunters just don't know what is responsible. Cara is on the trail of an ancient and powerful artifact capable of freezing a city and stirring demons. First she must confront her past and her father's history... moreAll things must come to an end... London is in the frozen grip of an unnatural winter and Queen Victoria wants answers. Cara and Nate know who - the Curator. The queen's artifact hunters just don't know what is responsible. Cara is on the trail of an ancient and powerful artifact capable of freezing a city and stirring demons. First she must confront her past and her father's history. Only in learning why her father became a disciple of the Curator can she hope to learn what the old noble seeks and why he is so fascinated by her.Then tragedy strikes and the bond forged by Nefertiti's Heart is severed. Nate without Cara succumbs to his darkness and he lashes out at those he holds responsible for her loss. Meanwhile, in the shadows, Inspector Fraser waits for his opportunity to pull down the man known as the villainous viscount.With London entombed in ice and all hope lost, could this be the end...? less

One word will shatter her heart… Cara finally unearths a clue about the mage who created Nefertiti’s Heart, but there’s one prospect more terrifying than whatever lurks in the obsidian chest… her daughter leaving home.On her eighteenth birthday, Rachel announces her intention to embark on an adventure. She wants to break free of her family’s protective care, see the world, and escape the whispers in her head that have grown more insistent... moreOne word will shatter her heart… Cara finally unearths a clue about the mage who created Nefertiti’s Heart, but there’s one prospect more terrifying than whatever lurks in the obsidian chest… her daughter leaving home.On her eighteenth birthday, Rachel announces her intention to embark on an adventure. She wants to break free of her family’s protective care, see the world, and escape the whispers in her head that have grown more insistent.The two women journey to Egypt on the trail of an ancient mystery, but Rachel chafes under maternal bonds. As Cara is drawn back through time to walk in the footsteps of Nefertiti, mother and daughter need to forge a new relationship. Only if they stand united to confront the voice from the shadows can they stop the man intent on destroying everything they love… less