Deadly Treasure

book1

Official Trailer

A TREASURE MAP.
A LOCKET. MURDER. DECEIT.

None of these things are on Lexi's mind when she returns home to Park City, Utah, for her grandfather's funeral. That is, until she stumbles across an old diary while cleaning out his attic. Soon Lexi's head is filled with tales of hidden treasure buried deep in the mines of the Uintah Mountains.

When the diary is stolen and Lexi realizes her life is in danger, she decides to find out if the stories are true. She heads to the Uintahs in search of the secret mine, with her handsome friend Brad by her side. What they don't know is that someone is following them, someone who will stop at nothing to get the treasure. Soon Lexi and Brad are in a fight for their lives, just as they are starting to realize that there may be more to their relationship than they originally thought.

With surprising twists around every corner, expect the unexpected in this thrilling tale of adventure, romance, and mystery.

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Just for Fun

For me, writing events based on real life experiences can spark not only imagination or creativity, but can be therapeutic as well. Which of the following situations didn't happen to me personally?

a) When I was twelve, I wrecked into an unsuspecting child while skiing snowplow-style down the kiddy run.

b) I read a letter from Enoch Rhoades to his brother and noticed he dated it after his supposed death.

c) I fell out of a dressing room at the Tanger Outlet while changing out of my pants.

d) I forgot about the dinner leftovers I had placed on the hood of my date's car. I never saw them again.

See Cookbook page for answer.

Writing Tips for Aspiring Authors

on Studio 5

The Story Behind the Story

Wealthy pioneer, Thomas Rhoades, mined considerable amounts of gold from the Uintah Mountains and took the secret locations of the wealth to his grave. To this day, these mines are lost, guarded, and sought after. Not surprisingly, few have found the gold, and those that do, die or disappear before they can take any.

I had no idea that these mysterious gold mines would be part of my book when I first started typing the characters' dialogue that popped into my head one day. That is, until I went to the library to look up some info about Park City and plot ideas and found all these books on the Rhoades mines sitting right there on the shelf. I couldn't move. I couldn't speak either, and it wasn't just because I was in the library and was supposed to be quiet. "Whoa, this is it! This is it!" I thought with my hair on end. "This is it, not just because the whole idea is intriguing, but because Thomas Rhoades is my husband's ancestor!"

Once I started researching, I didn't expect to uncover the real life murder mystery of young Enoch Rhoades, whose mysterious death in the mountains over 100 years ago haunts me to this day. Nor did I expect to gain a profound love and respect for Thomas Rhoades and his family. What an honorable, trustworthy man it takes to carry such a secret with him to his grave!

You can do your own research on this topic, but please be cautious if you decide to venture into those mountains. You may end up just like everyone else, and then who would be around to read my other books?

Books in the Work

Night Shadow- A girl. A guy. A charming South Carolina mansion. And a ghost.

Reviews

"Jillayne Clements is a charming new author whose engaging relatable characters are a breath of fresh air. Deadly Treasure is a perfect melody of suspense, romance, and humor that readers of all ages will enjoy. This unique mystery based on actual history will throw you through the full range of emotions. This book has it all! Definitely a must read!"

J. Gardner

Characters are sweet; villains evil; all is all excellent!, June 10, 2009

By	Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA)

Jillayne Clements hails from Salt Lake City, Utah, but was mostly raised in Park City. She married into the Thomas Rhoades family, who were integral to the discovery of the Lost Rhoades Mines. She gained access to family records and other accounts of the Rhoades mine, and discovered that Thomas' son, Enoch, was actually murdered while looking for gold. The story gave her the idea for her first mystery. From her picture, Jillayne looks as lovely as the character gracing the cover of her mystery. Additional passions of Jillayne include healthy cooking; acting as a mentor for aspiring writers; her vegetable garden; and her children.

Lexi Rhoades is home to attend her grandfather's funeral and to assist in cleaning out his home. She has a close family and has just broken up with a philandering boyfriend. As she tackles the attic with her mother, she discovers an old diary. Not an ordinary diary, but a book with tales about a lost mine in the Uintah Mountains. Short after her discovery the diary is stolen. But Lexi has a new ally: her old friend Brad, whose devotion to her is apparent with every look and action. Lexi gets a little sidetracked by Brad's older brother Derek, who has a sudden interest in her. A camping trip helps Lexi to get her priorities straight; search for the treasure; and almost lose her life. The precious locket with the treasure map disappears, but she recovers it:

"More rain fell from the sky. I untied the jacket from my waist and slipped it on. 'Wait, just let me look a little longer. It's got to be here somewhere.' I ran my hand through the grass and looked around the rock again. Fat raindrops pelted as in a downpour, and it was getting hard to see anything. I kept feeling around in the grass and mud. Just when I was about to give up, a glint of light caught my attention, and I saw the locket at the base of one of the trees. I grabbed it and shoved it into my pocket, though the chain was gone."

For a first mystery, Jillayne Clements has all the elements down pat: conflict; murder; love; and a smashing denouement. Her tale is written from the heart, and is as cozy and entertaining as mysteries can get. Characters are sweet; villains evil; all is all excellent!

Shelley Glodowski
Senior Reviewer