When archaeologist Dillwyn discovers a hidden chest of ancient scrolls in a cave near the Roman gold mines at Pumsaint, one of them contains a cryptic account connected to the eruption of Mount Vesuvius.
What first appears to be an extraordinary historical discovery soon proves to be only the beginning.
After her mother’s death, Dillwyn returns to the family farmhouse in Indiana, where she finds a ruby pendant concealed in the false bottom of an old trunk—along with a letter written decades earlier by a
Polish Jewess explaining why the gem had to be hidden.
Soon afterward, Dillwyn is accused by archaeologist Fitzwilliam of stealing a priceless artifact—the trunk itself—from his excavation. An Interpol Red Notice is issued for her arrest, forcing her into a
desperate flight across Europe.
In Naples the chase intensifies, and Dillwyn learns that she is the last surviving heir of Josias, the ancient chronicler whose scrolls have begun to surface. The struggle over their ownership culminates
at the U.S. Embassy in Rome, where allies and enemies converge and deadly secrets come to light.
As the danger deepens, the mysterious ruby itself begins to reveal fragments of a far older story—one that may change everything Dillwyn thought she knew about history, destiny, and herself.
