The Relic Hunters by David Leadbeater (The Relic Hunters #1)

 

From the Back Cover

A lethal secret society. A priceless stolen treasure. A map worth killing for.

Relic smuggler and expert thief Guy Bodie is a tough man in a dangerous world, loyal only to his elite team of five. But when one of them betrays him, landing Guy in a hellish Mexican prison, he finds himself making a bargain with the most unlikely new ally: the CIA.

There is a catch. In return for being released from jail, Guy must work for the CIA, helping them solve the most audacious heist in history. As Guy knows, six of the Seven Wonders of the World have long been lost. But with the help of the CIA, he learns that the destroyed Statue of Zeus still exists—and it’s in the hands of a powerful secret society.

A prize worth killing for is also worth dying for, and this one has left a trail of bloodshed that goes back centuries. Can Guy and his new team—a group of renegades chosen for their unique skills—hunt down the legendary relic once and for all…before they are added to its list of victims?

The Relic Hunters by David Leadbeater (The Relic Hunters #1) 

I had just got myself into the Kindle Unlimited program for the first time and this was one of the earliest books that I read and also the first book for me by Leadbeater. I tend to get excited when I get a new book in my hands and access to so many at a time simultaneously meant that I was reading books by the dozen every month. There was also the advantage of trying out new authors and new books every day. Leadbeater's novels starting with this one became an immediate outlet for me and I went along reading almost four fifths his total output in the space of less than two years before abruptly stopping. I read the sequel recently after a gap of almost 3 years. In the intervening period none of his books. So my musings here are based on my rereading the book.    

This is a whole new series by the author and features a motley group of professional thieves. There is the CIA and then there are the Illuminati, everyone's favorite whipping boys as the antagonists. 

The story features a collusion between the thieves and the agency with the former coerced into working for the CIA. 

Family is a sense of belonging. Those you choose to be your family don’t have to share your blood.

The action like most of Leadbeater's books is wild and over the top with lot of ribbing between the team mates and their handler. The story moves at a brisk pace and the archaeological intrigue adds a nice blend to the story. The characters especially the thieves with ethics are interesting although some give the feeling of similarity with the characters of the author's other books. The action sequences are lavish and very much movie style which means the reader can visualize a huge canvas. 

The best way to read this story is tongue in cheek and not taking things seriously. 

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https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5053026407