Connie Mann – Vickie's Book Nook and Meditation Corner

About the Book

ISBN-13:9781496487445

Publication date:03/10/2026

Pages:368

Synopsis (from Barnes and Noble)

Camille Abernathy ignored rumors of The Liar’s Treasure and her family’s connection to it . . . until someone put a target on her daughter’s back. Growing up in New Orleans, such tall tales were as common as beignets and gumbo. But when Camille’s teenage daughter, Cass, posts pictures of a centuries—old diary her uncle gave her, she unwittingly attracts dozens of treasure hunting fanatics who are convinced Cass and the diary can lead them to a valuable cache.

To keep her daughter safe, Camille enlists the help of Speranza, a secret society always ready to help women in need. Together, they set out on a globe—trotting journey to find The Liar’s Treasure while also investigating a suspicious death related to Camille’s childhood friend. The deeper they dig, the more they suspect it’s all connected.

Chasing clues from New Orleans to Italy to the Bahamas, Camille and her friends receive unexpected assistance—and unwanted competition—from a handsome treasure hunter from Camille’s past. Then Cass is kidnapped, and finding the treasure truly becomes a matter of life and death.

My Thoughts

This intriguing and captivating story took me on a delightfully wild ride as the Speranza Society is seeking a long-lost treasure, fighting off the bad guys repeatedly and trying to protect endangered family members, too. They do all this as they travel from one exotic location to another, use their Speranza sources and call on their computer guru Picasso each time the need arises. This is like a mixture of Indiana Jones meets a group of female James Bond-types, but without the steamy scenes or the cocktails. With a firm foundation of faith and a fast pace that kept me on the edge of my seat, this novel was an amazingly original story. It even included a little romance along with the sword fights, rappelling, rescuing and figuring out clues. My favorite character was Gran, a feisty Speranza Society member who is ready for the challenge of taking care of her granddaughter Cass while her daughter Camille goes to seek the treasure. There is even a swashbuckling hero who also wants the treasure, but he may want Camille in his life even more than the riches. As I said, there’s romance brewing along with the danger and plenty of engaging dialogue between the characters as they risk their lives for an unidentified treasure. The story is mesmerizing, the characters are relatable and dynamic and the entire novel was a pleasure to read. If I could give it more than five stars, I would since I don’t remember the last time I raced so quickly through a book just to find out how it would end. Where this book is concerned, sleep is highly overrated!
I voluntarily received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review, and all opinions expressed are my own.

Christian Fiction, Rated PG for Intense Suspense

About the Author

Connie Mann loves taking readers on heart-pounding, suspense-filled adventures featuring strong, determined women who fight for what they believe – and for those they love. She is the author of the Speranza Team novels, the Florida Wildlife Warriors series, the Safe Harbor series, and several stand-alone titles. She is also a USCG-licensed boat captain and gets to introduce Florida visitors to dolphins and manatees, which is as much fun as it sounds. Visit her online at: www.conniemann.com.

Questions and Answers with the Author

What kind of research did you do for this book? What was the most interesting thing you discovered in your research? Have you traveled to the exotic locales in your Speranza series?

The Liar’s Treasure is, at its heart, a treasure hunt and I had a blast researching what items people consider “treasure” and some of the clever, creative and often downright scary devices, traps and gimmicks they’ve used to hide and protect their valuables from those who want to get their hands on them. It was great fun!

I’m delighted that I’ve been able to visit most, if not all, of the locations I used in the Speranza team series. Choosing just the right settings for my stories is important to me and being able to bring them to life for my readers is one of my favorite parts of the writing process.

When did you know that you wanted to be an author?

I’ve always been an avid reader and penned my first story in 3rdgrade, an epic tale about my hamster. After college, I wrote non-fiction; lots of marketing materials and parenting articles before I mustered up the courage to try my hand at fiction. It took years of writing and dozens of rejection letters before my first novel was published in 2009. The Liar’s Treasure is my 10thpublished novel, something I’m very excited about.

What is your writing process like? Do you know the ending when you start writing?

Every writer’s process is different, but I am a plot-first writer. The action elements of the story are what I imagine first, like a movie playing in my head. The characters become 3-dimensional and get fleshed out as I write and get to know them. I always know WHAT the ending will be, even if I don’t quite know HOW; otherwise, I can’t start writing, any more than I can get in my car without knowing where I’m going. The ending is my guide.

What is your favorite thing to do when you are not writing or reading a book?

Besides writing, I’m also a USCG-licensed boat captain and get to introduce Florida visitors to dolphins and manatees, which is great fun. Hubby and I love to travel and explore new places, especially in our RV and even more so if our travels include a visit with our two adorable grandsons.

If you could travel to any place in the world and cost was not a problem, where would you go and why?

I want to see all of it! If cost was not an issue, I would book an around-the-world trip so I could see as much as I could, experience different cultures, architecture and terrain, taste the cuisine, meet the people.

Thanks so much for the chance to be your guest and visit with your readers. I enjoyed it very much.