Deadly Exploits

Two years after centuries-old tribal gravestones are stolen from Senegal-an act that left many local men dead-the sacred artifacts surface in a Manhattan antiquities gallery as trophies for a secret society of billionaires who profit from death and destruction. But when the stones’ wealthy purchasers begin dying one by one in grotesque ways that mirror their twisted lives, criminologist Bridget Murphy finds herself in a deadly race against an ancient mythology that refuses to stay buried. A renowned expert in art and antiquities fraud, Bridget’s unique background in anthropology, art history, and West African tribal mythology makes her the only expert qualified to decode the supernatural forces at work.Fresh from a New Scotland Yard possible triple murder-suicide investigation at a London gallery-with one victim being her dear mentor and friend-Bridget gets the call from NYC’s commissioner to assist Deputy Chief Adama Baptiste and his task force. But Adama-a charismatic officer who rose from immigrant ship worker to NYPD’s elite through sheer determination-is also Bridget’s former lover. Shocked and resistant when Bridget arrives at headquarters, Adama and she have to deal with their unresolved passion crackling beneath the surface.Over six intense days, Bridget and Adama race across Manhattan, visiting yachts, golf courses, and five-star hotels, as they work together to understand how each billionaire’s death is connected to the others. The ancient curse claims its victims in increasingly horrific ways. Complicating matters further, Bridget and Adama must navigate not only the supernatural forces hunting New York’s elite but also the complicated passion and pain between them. With connections to her mentor’s brutal murder in London and Adama’s nephew among the Senegalese victims, this case becomes deeply personal for both detectives. In a city where greed has awakened something ancient and vengeful, they must solve the mystery before the curse completes its haunting work-and before their second chance at love becomes their last.Deadly Exploits blends international intrigue, supernatural thriller elements, and complex romantic tension in a story that explores how the sins of exploitation echo across continents and centuries, setting the stage for an explosive new series.