Publisher's Synopsis
It's now 1926. Cora Gudmundson desires to explore and have her own freedom rather than conform to societal expectations, get married and conform to a domestic lifestyle. Despite her mother's disapproval, she booked a cruise to London and sets out on her journey with no family help. Nicholas, head of the secret 600-year-old Village of six-inch living wood carvings, resides in Cora's family attic. Nicholas gives permission to Arve and Ola, two young Villagers to join her as travel companions.
Cora's trip begins when she meets her traveling companion, Willie. In New York she meets two young English archaeologists, Archie Thorogood and Brandon Williamson, both returning to London with a valuable Egyptian artifact. All is well until they disembark in port while two ragged ruffians carry off both Archie's and Cora's black cases. Though Cora's case contains Arve and Ola, Archie's case holds an ebony wood carving of an Egyptian jackal named The Prince of Iknokman. Cora and Archie's problems punctuate when they discover Brandon's murdered body in the ship's cargo hull. Armed only with her wits and daring, Cora teams up with Archie and hunts down their cases with their priceless treasures inside. Can Cora trust Archie? Can they avoid arrest by Scotland Yard for interfering in a murder investigation? Will they solve the murder without falling victims themselves, or worse, fall in love?
