Books & Stories

ARTIFACT: A Jaya Jones Treasure Hunt Mystery

Artifact will be released August 28, 2012, and is now available for pre-sale at Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

When historian Jaya Jones receives a mysterious package containing a jewel-encrusted artifact from India, sent by her ex-lover the same day he died in a supposed accident in the Highlands of Scotland, she discovers the secrets of a lost Indian treasure may be hidden in a Scottish legend from the days of the British Raj.

But she's not the only one on the trail.

From San Francisco to London to the Highlands of Scotland, Jaya must evade a shadowy stalker as she follows hints from the hastily scrawled note of her dead lover to a remote archaeological dig. Helping her decipher the cryptic clues are her magician best friend, a devastatingly handsome art historian with something to hide, and a charming archaeologist running for his life.

When a member of the dig's crew is murdered, Jaya must figure out which of the scholars vying for her affections might be the love of her life—and which one is a killer.

"How wonderful to see a young, new writer who harks back to the Golden Age of mystery fiction. Artifact is...witty, clever, and twisty, with a unique, easy-to-root-for protagonist in Jaya Jones...Do you like Agatha Christie? Elizabeth Peters? Then you're going to love Gigi Pandian."
—AARON ELKINS, Edgar®-winning author of the Gideon Oliver "Skeleton Detective" mysteries

"Fans of Elizabeth Peters will adore following along with Jaya Jones and a cast of quirky characters as they pursue a fabled treasure."
—New York Times bestselling author JULIET BLACKWELL, author of the Art Lover's Mystery Series as Hailey Lind

"Artifact has it all...Pandian is an adept storyteller, giving us the wonderful, passionate Jaya Jones, who risks her life to protect her friends as she follows a trail of hidden treasure through decades of British, Indian, and Scottish history, and through dark caves with crashing waves below. You'll love Jaya, her old and new friends, and her witty, intelligent approach to life and love."
—CAMILLE MINICHINO, author of the Periodic Table Mysteries

"Artifact is a treasure...a page-turning, suspenseful story...Jaya Jones is a welcome addition to the mystery-solving genre and I can't wait to read more of her adventures!"
—PENNY WARNER, author of How to Host a Killer Party

"Artifact is a jewel of an adventure, and Jaya Jones is a plucky heroine to treasure. The historical references are pure gold, and the sense of place is thoroughly satisfying. Elizabeth Peters' fans will adore it."
—AVERY AAMES, nationally bestselling author of A Cheese Shop Mystery series

 

Gigi's short story "The Shadow of the River"appears in FISH TALES: The Guppy Anthology, 22 tales of murder and mayhem by the rising stars of mystery.

"The Shadow of the River" is a locked-room mystery featuring Jaya Jones, the treasure-hunting Indian-American historian from Gigi's mystery series.

Gigi is represented by Jill Marsal of the Marsal Lyon Literary Agency.