De Leon’s Ring

Unearthing long buried secrets of terror and politics in Central America leads to dangerous consequences...

Maya archeologist, Ana Chan, seeks to excavate mysteries of her ancestors in the rugged mountainous highlands of Guatemala. Instead she uncovers a mass grave. Danny Martinez, a ladino who rejects his elite upbringing, works in the highlands with the rural poor to boost food production. Ana and Danny are drawn inexorably to each other despite the huge social gulf that separates them.

Then Ana discovers a ring in the grave and someone seeks to make her disappear＂ permanently. She is forced into exile, crossing over the border into Mexico. Danny fears the worst until he chances upon her in the United States three years later.

Was it fate that led him to her? For it is only by working together that they can uncover a deadly secret buried since the war and keep them both safe.

Eliza McCullen has survived a coup in Honduras, an attempted Al Qaida attack in Uganda, an army/paramilitary shootout in Malawi, earthquakes, dengue fever and malaria. For nearly a quarter of a century, she lived and travelled throughout many parts of Africa, the Caribbean, Latin America and Asia. Her career path was as varied as her geographical wanderings, ranging from social scientist to business manager to editor of the U.S. Embassy newsletter. Two interests have sustained her throughout her many travels: textile arts and writing fiction. She began by co-authoring middle grade mysteries with her niece and has now embarked on adult fiction. Her one requirement when a writing book is that it has a happily-ever-after ending. Eliza is enjoying life as an empty-nester in Sedona Arizona where she and her husband of thirty-two years have retired amid the majestic red rocks. She has two adult children who share their father’s passion for globetrotting. As of this writing, they are launching international careers in finance and public health.