Melissa Mahle

Lost in Petra - Anatolia Steppe Melissa Mahle

Eleven-year old Anatolia Steppe arrives in Petra and finds her mother missing. But that's not unusual. Her mom's an archaeologist who often disappears into the wild-places with no indoor plumbing or connection to the Internet. An odd encounter with a ministry official offering protection sends Ana into the confusing maze of streets as she decides to find her mother herself. Instead she encounters an antiquities collector who ends up dead, a fortuneteller who knows too much, and a key to what is lost. Ana begins to suspect the secret package from her mother she carries wrapped in muslin is much more than just a clue to an ancient Nabatean treasure, the fabled Horde of the Golden Girdle. In a world where djinn play mean tricks and someone's always watching, Ana finds a friend in a boy named Gordy. Together they track tomb robbers, uncover a spy, and discover much more than gold and silver. A surprising twist may even prove to be the end for Ana, as she discovers no one is who they appear to be.