Nice Victorian ladies dont run off to find legendary lost cities.One trifling little arrest shouldnt have cost Ellie Mallory her job but its only the latest in a line of injustices facing any educated woman with archaeological ambitions.When Ellie stumbles across the map to a mysterious ancient city she knows shes holding her chance to revolutionize PreColombian history. Theres just one teensy complication. A ruthless villain wants it and Ellie is all that stands in his way.To race him to the ruinsand avoid being violently disposed ofshe needs the help of maverick surveyor Adam Bates a snakewrangling rogue who cant seem to keep his dratted shirt on.But theres more than Ellies scholarly reputation and life on the line.