When billionaire John Harper's son, JJ, contacts Sothington's Auction House about selling Harper's vast collection, naturally Carys was selected to verify the collection, as she was the one who helped the senior Harper procure his rare books over the years. She soon discovers the old man has gone insane and has been committed, and his son is selling off the collection. However, once Carys actually goes out to the house, she begins to realize there is much more going on. For starters, Nicola "the maid" seems to know much more about the books in the library than a typical maid might, and when she goes out to the asylum to visit John Harper, at his insistence, she realizes the man has actually been on the hunt for tomb of King Arthur, and this one manuscript, written by a monk named Lestinus who chronicled Arthur's activities, just might point the way. Unfortunately, Harper had a psychotic break before he could complete his life's work and he needs Carys to continue the search.
Carys agrees to delay the proceedings and help Harper and Nicola, but the kink in the works is a wealthy Brit named Martin Gyles who will stop at nothing to get his hands on the manuscript, and of course, Arthur's tomb. He has not only enlisted Carys' slimy boss, George Plourde, but he has also sent his most accomplished henchman Frank along to "persuade" Carys. However, Carys is not one to be bought off and she flees to Wales to pursue the ancient written guide to the tomb. Meanwhile, back in Boston, Frank tries a bit of violence and things go horribly awry.
In Wales, as Carys attempts to decode the manuscript, she begins to have hallucinations of Lestinus, the very monk who wrote the book. Sadly, this is exactly what happened to old Harper and Carys doesn't want to find herself committed as well. Fortunately, she meets a handsome and charming local Welshman named Dafyyd Reynolds, and he is all too happy to assist her as she explores the local caves and makes inquiries at the local library. To complicate matters further, her best friend Annie, the only person who knows exactly where she is, has informed Carys' estranged Welsh father Anthony of her whereabouts, because she is afraid Carys is in danger and might need his help. So now Carys is dealing with a nagging old monk, a hot Welshman, a deadly English thug out to kill her and steal the book, and the father she hasn't spoken to in over a decade? If she can find the tomb and live to tell about it, it'll be a miracle.
I loved The Ghost Manuscript from start to finish. This book is an ideal vacation read. It's got thrills, danger, romance, lots of history and overall fun characters that are interesting to read. I also loved that it takes you from Boston, to Wales, London, and back to Boston and Cape Cod before the exciting ending, taking the old story of Arthur to interesting and unexpected new places. While I will admit that I didn't love the ending, I do feel like things have been set up for a future book involving Carys, and I, for one, would love to read about her further adventures.
