Expedition Indigo by Stacy Allen is the first book in the new “Riley Cooper” mystery series. Publisher: Fiery Seas Publishing, August 2014

Archaeologist Riley Cooper is offered the chance of a lifetime: a chance to find the Crux Fidelis, the coronation cross of Charlemagne. Under Water Sea Adventures members believe they have found remains of the Indigo, a heavily laden cargo ship commissioned by Charlemagne and presumed lost on its maiden voyage off the coast of southern Italy in the early 800s. If Riley can find the cross, it will prove Charlemagne’s coronation as the First Holy Roman Emperor by Pope Leo III on Christmas Day had not been a spontaneous act, but rather a desperate political maneuver by a Pope in need of protection.

When Riley joins UWSA off the coast of Sorrento, Italy, tensions and tempers fly as a competing team arrives in search of the treasure and an approaching hurricane gains strength and heads straight toward the dive site. And when one of the crew is murdered, Riley must find the strength to fight back and keep the treasure out of the other team’s hands.

I like it. This was a nicely paced drama that the more I read, the more I became involved in the storyline that started in the States and ended on an oceanic dive in the Mediterranean filled with the intrigue of a treasure yet to be discovered as Riley Cooper explored nature’s beauty. The unfolding exploits kept me glued to the pages and that one twist that I did not see coming, made the story even more exciting as I had to know how it was all going to play out in the end. The author did a great job in visually describing each scene, putting me right in the middle of all the action as the frantic search and recovery hasten the plot to a crescendo above the ocean floor. The was a great read and I look forward to more exciting adventures with Riley.