Additional information
by Mark Stephen Taylor (Author)
*The Sun, The Glass, and The Leaning Rock; the secret of the Lost Dutchman's gold. (Volume 1 in the Florea/Holland Mystery Series, & also published as 'A Second Chance')... This is indeed a daring tale of high adventure, of friendships, of romance, of loyalties and betrayals, and of great personal danger in the lives of ordinary people. This tale combines a tricolor of excitement, yielding the grand adventure of 'Raiders of the Lost Ark', the enchantment and humor of 'Romancing the Stone', and the suspenseful who-done-it of Sherlock Holmes--hang on tight The story opens in the year 1984, but centers on the 1924 discovery of the 'Lost Dutchman's Mine' in Arizona, the inevitable misfortune of it's discoverer, and the strange fate of the loot itself. A treasure map, an unusual necklace, and a simple nursery rhyme set the stage for double murder, betrayal, kidnapping, and unrelenting drama in this tale of the high desert. An unemployed ex-cop and his two friends become entwined in this adventure-mystery, which takes the reader from Boston to Arizona, from Ohio to California, and finally into the harsh, Nevada desert, where the good guys meet the bad guys in a final, head-on confrontation. Both want to unlock the treasure's secret--'the sun, the glass, and the leaning rock, tell you when it's four o' clock.' If you're ready to jump out of an airplane on a foggy night, hopefully land unscathed in rugged terrain, repel from a high cliff on a short rope, take an eerie night stroll across miles of barren desert, find your way through an unyielding sandstorm, escape a deadly confrontation with rattlesnakes, pass through the turbulent waters of a flash flood, leap from a high-rolling flatcar on a train ride to terror, and in the meantime solve all the 'who-done-it' before the astonishing climax--then you are more than welcome to the millions in gold that lay hidden within a dark, abandoned void, somewhere near Ely, Nevada.
Author Biography
Mark Stephen Taylor, author of the award-winning autobiography, 'Hiking the Trail of Truth', now adds a daring tale of mystery and high adventure to his resume. This newest edition, 'The Sun, The Glass, and The Leaning Rock', was actually the first book written by Mr. Taylor, from 1984-86, when he was experiencing the difficulties of unemployment from the harsh closings of many Ohio factories in the early 80's. The book was originally published as 'A Second Chance', which is a larger print edition; currently available as well. Mr. Taylor is a former California police officer, educated in criminal psychology and geology. He is currently a Biblical teacher and counselor. He has spent many years exploring the wonders of the American southwest, spending time also among the Native Americans. His lifetime experiences and knowledge have produced a unique style of writing that is appreciated by both the educated and common among us. Mr. Taylor is still an avid hiker at age 68, and still visits many wilderness areas. He lives in California, last we heard, and is one of those few authors who enjoy being contacted by those who read his work and have questions regarding any of it. He was headed up into the High Sierra a while back--not sure of his whereabouts, but his trail phone is 909-549-0068.
