Favorite Lines: “She wasn’t by nature a violent person, but she immediately resented anyone who tried to take advantage or intimidate her. That was one of the reasons she’d taken every martial-arts class she could in New Orleans as she’d grown up.” (p. 22)

An age old mystery is exactly what Annja Creed was looking for in France. She just never expected to become part of it. An archaeologist working for a television show, she is researching the story of La Bete, an animal-like creature that killed many French people, when the ground opens during an earthquake and drops her into a crypt.

The crypt is full of well preserved artifacts sure to get Annja an excavation grant, but a group of gun shooting motorcyclists endanger her life and the mysteries of the cave within minutes of her arrival.

Annja finds herself on the run with a strange older man, hunted by a group of monks and an occultist, all of whom want the precious artifact she managed to snag.

If I’d known last year that Rogue Angel was such a great series I’d have bought it then. Rogue Angel: Destiny by Alex Archer features Annja, a woman with the coolest ability and her awesome job-exploring and finding remnants from the past-is wonderful. I love both history and adventure making the Rogue Angel series a perfect fit with my interests.

Annja is not a snarky heroine, but she is intelligent, quick witted and able to hold her own against her enemies. She is also compassionate, even when it gets her into trouble.

The secondary characters are well rounded too. Roux and Garin are shadowy characters because you never know if they’re going to help or hinder Annja, which made me want to know more about their lives and wishes. The villains chasing Annja are evil or protecting a secret which makes it important to read the book from start to finish when the final pieces of the puzzle are placed together.

I’m very excited to have found a new (to me) series that I enjoy. Don’t take my opinion. Check out reviews at Curled Up, Fallen Angel, or SF Reader.