REVIEW: It Takes an Archaeologist - Quint and Clay Art Crimes Series Book 4 - Edward Kendrick

It Takes an Archaeologist - Edward Kendrick Book Cover

Title: It Takes an Archaeologist - Edward Kendrick
Series: Quint & Clay Art Crimes Book 4
Author: Edward Kendrick
Genre: Mystery, Gay Romance
Publisher: Independent
Release Date: Apr 3, 2021
Format: Kindle
Pages: 118
Source: Amazon

Gideon Monahan is a man dedicated to what he does -- recovering stolen art -- to the exclusion of anything else, including a personal life. There's a reason for that, something that happened in his past that he can't forget.

Cole Newell is an archaeologist with a problem. He needs to find out who looted a dig he worked the previous summer, after one of the artifacts shows up at his gallery. Cole calls on Gideon to lend his expertise, which, much against his better judgment, Gideon does.

When one of the looters is murdered, they set out to find answers, with the help of Detective Quint Hawk. In the process, Cole realizes he's attracted to Gideon, even though he's certain the man is straight. After he helps Gideon open up about -- and accept -- his past, can the two men become more than friends? Both Gideon and Cole hope so, once they overcome the myriad problems facing them.

Reviewed by Linda Tonis

Member of the Paranormal Romance Guild Review Team

Gideon Monahan is a man dedicated to retrieving stolen art and he is now in Denver after helping on a forgery case and attending the wedding of one of his associates and the police officer involved in solving the crime. Now on his way back home he receives a call to meet Dr. Colten Newell an archaeologist about stolen property from a dig he was on involving native American artifacts.

A man came to Dr. Newell for an appraisal of a pot which he recognized as being from the site he was working on. He requested Gideon’s help when the supposed thief returned the next day for his appraisal only while they were waiting Detective Quint Hawk showed up inquiring about the man Cole was expecting only to be informed, he was murdered.

The murder and the fact that Cole still had one of the stolen pieces put a target on his back and Gideon volunteered to personally be involved when others would certainly come looking for the stolen piece. Fortunately, when two men came looking with guns Cole and Gideon were able to handle the situation and the men were arrested.

With the two men in jail Gideon leaves for home knowing that Cole is no longer in danger, but he was wrong. There is the question of who let the thieves into the locked dig and if the two looters already in jail were working alone. Seven people had keys to the fence around the dig and one by one Gideon researches each man. Each inquiry comes up with nothing until Gideon finally lands on a man that most likely was responsible

Gideon returns to Denver to help Cole even though he has feelings for him feelings he will never reveal due to a heartbreaking episode in his past. He has everyone believing that he is married and straight and never corrects that assumption. It is the reason Cole knows that he has no chance with Gideon a man he is very interested in.

When the case is solved, Cole takes the initiative to ask Gideon questions about his life, is he married, is he straight and why his life is a secret. Gideon finally opens up revealing something that happened twenty years ago, something he has never forgotten or forgiven himself for. Cole knows that the only way he can hope for a relationship with Gideon is for him to face what happened and stop feeling guilty over it.

Do Cole and Gideon have a HEA well you will have to find out for yourself. This series is wonderful, and each book introduces a new character. Now we have added an archaeologist to the list.