The Carpet Cipher

An Agency of the Ancient Lost & Found Mystery Thriller, Book 1

By: Jane Thornley

Narrated by: Talmadge Ragan

Can a painting hold a secret safe in plain sight across seven centuries? The murder of the last member of an old Venetian family peels back the rug on a shocking truth that draws art historian and textile expert Phoebe McCabe into the fray.

What she sees in the missing Renaissance symbology will shake the foundations of religious and cultural assumptions across two continents and point the way to a priceless hoard. It’s a secret potent enough to pitch rival factions against Phoebe and her team while destroying history as collateral damage along the way.

By the time Phoebe tracks down the truth to its final destination, she’ll need to face her greatest enemy armed with nothing but wry wit, an indomitable spirit, and what’s left of a broken heart. But nothing will stop this warrior of the ancient lost and found.

From the dark, misty canals of Venice to the vivid souks of Marrakech, Phoebe and her friends are pitched against the desperate and the entitled. Who owns a treasure buried on foreign soil? Can the poor ever win against the rich? And, most importantly, can love conquer religious persecution and even time itself?

If you love twisty, action-packed mysteries driven by engaging characters set in vividly drawn locales rich in historical detail, then you’ll love this first book in the Ancient Lost and Found series, the first spin-off book of the Crime by Design Series.

©2020 Jane Thornley (P)2023 Jane Thornley

Loved this book!

Loved this book! maybe because I was a history major in college and love history very much. maybe it's because I have always been an avid reader. I thought the different voices really added some depth to the characters actually. Great read!

Odd speech pattern

The presenter added an “Ed” to every word thanked with a D. VERY DISTRACTING!
Good story.

Good story but odd choice of voices

Good story. I liked the plot and the characters. The narration was difficult at first. I slowed it down which helped but struggled with the different choice of accents.

Narration was tough to get through

The story line and characterization was good. The narrator sounded like she had a retainer or Invisalign appliance in her mouth at all times, she had trouble with sh, st, ed, etc, I found it very distracting.

Terrible narration and full story

The narration was so bad that it was overwhelmingly distracting. The story was dull and sounded too familiar.