Melissa Boyle Mahle

Eleven-year old Anatolia Steppe arrives in Petra and finds her mother missing. But that's not unusual. Her mom's an archaeologist who often disappears into the wild-places with no indoor plumbing or connection to the Internet.

An odd encounter with a ministry official offering protection sends Ana into the confusing maze of streets as she decides to find her mother herself. Instead she encounters an antiquities collector who ends up dead, a fortuneteller who knows too much, and a key to what show more is lost. Ana begins to suspect the secret package from her mother she carries wrapped in muslin is much more than just a clue to an ancient Nabatean treasure, the fabled Horde of the Golden Girdle.

In a world where djinn play mean tricks and someone's always watching, Ana finds a friend in a boy named Gordy. Together they track tomb robbers, uncover a spy, and discover much more than gold and silver.

A surprising twist may even prove to be the end for Ana, as she discovers no one is who they appear to be. show less