The Secret of the Virgin Mary. The Secret of the Stolen Map

«The Secret of the Virgin Mary. The Secret of the Stolen Map» — a detective thriller about the investigations of a lawyer from New York, who encounters cases at the intersection of law, art, and history. At the center of this volume — two plots about a disputed canvas and a vanished ancient artifact, where questions of legal ownership, political influence, and control over the past turn the search for answers into a dangerous confrontation. Heather Terrell structures the action around high-profile cases that quickly go beyond ordinary legal practice and lead to conflicts with influential people.

This publication includes two novels from the series about a lawyer's investigations related to cultural heritage issues:

• «The Secret of the Virgin Mary»;
• «The Secret of the Stolen Map».

Both stories are united by a common heroine and the direction of the investigations. In one case, the conflict arises around a long-lost painting depicting the Virgin Mary, in the other — around an ancient map stolen from excavations in China. Legal intricacies intertwine with the mysteries of the origins of artworks, archaeological finds, and the interests of influential people.

«The Secret of the Virgin Mary» opens the cycle about Mara Coyne, and «The Secret of the Stolen Map» continues it. Both novels are united by a common heroine and a close theme: investigations, art, history, and law. This format is convenient for getting acquainted with the cycle in order, without interruptions between parts.

This volume is suitable for those who love foreign detective stories with a professional heroine, a historical trace in the plot, and tense searches for artifacts. Heather Terrell combines legal detective, intellectual thriller, and art history without delving into dry details. Here, not only evidence and documents are important, but also the struggle for the right to own the past, change its interpretation, and use discoveries for their own interests.