First published 2012
Archaeologist Verity Grey arrives at the windswept Scottish Borderlands to investigate an extraordinary claim. Her eccentric employer believes he has located the final resting place of Rome's legendary Ninth Legion, which disappeared without trace after marching north from York to battle local tribes. His conviction rests not on scientific evidence but on the testimony of a local boy who claims to see a Roman soldier walking the rocky fields by the sea. The ghostly figure appears to stand guard over something buried beneath the earth. As Verity begins her excavation work, she finds herself caught between rigorous archaeological method and the mysterious sightings that have drawn her team to this remote location. The coastal setting holds secrets that someone may have deliberately concealed, and Verity must decide whether to trust the supernatural claims or rely solely on her scientific training. Her search for one of history's greatest unsolved mysteries becomes a personal journey that will test her beliefs about what lies buried in the past.
Genres: historical-fiction, mystery, archaeology, supernatural
Vibes: atmospheric, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, mystery
Setting: Scotland, Scottish Borderlands, York
Period: Ancient Rome
432 pages · Kindle Edition · Sourcebooks, Incorporated