Ancient Gods on Campus - by L L Gertler (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

Ben Sachs arrives on the campus of Edwards College in the late 1920s as one of only a handful of Jewish students at the elite, isolated college in rural western Pennsylvania. Ben is having a rough time just surviving his first semester when a beloved professor's mutilated corpse is discovered hanging from a large oak tree on the quad, sending the entire campus into a frenzy of paranoia and fear.

Amidst the chaos, a well-respected but eccentric history professor reaches out to Ben. He is determined to solve the brutal murder, but he needs an assistant-an outsider who can approach this dark campus and its mysteries with fresh eyes.

Ben is quickly plunged into an investigation that will shake him to his very core. He soon discovers a powerful and shadowy cabal hiding in plain sight. And it becomes clear that the group will stop at nothing to achieve their nefarious goals.

To make matters worse, an ancient Egyptian mummy is also on campus. A mummy that does not contain a human body, but something far stranger and more alarming: an ancient creature eerily resembling the Egyptian god of death. A creature who, if revived, may portend the end of days.

So begins a race against time. The stakes couldn't be higher-the very future of humanity.

Review Quotes

"After being thrust into a dark and scary assignment, an endearing young protagonist fights his way through bigoted bullies, academic pressures, and the distraction of young love. Gertler's immersive prose and compelling plot twists had me rooting for Ben and his pals from page one-and staying up past my bedtime to see what would happen next."

Elisa M. Speranza

Author of The Italian Prisoner

"Gertler had me from page one in this well-paced, inventive take on the classic murder mystery, at turns engrossing, endearing, and always surprising. I found myself unable to put Ancient Gods on Campus down. An impressive debut that reads like the pitch-perfect work of a seasoned novelist, Gertler's story is indeed a gift."

Alison Alsup

Author of Foreign Seed