The Map

London, 1953. Classics scholar August Winthrop, veteran of the Spanish Civil War and son of a prominent American politician, has stumbled upon an extraordinary artefact: an ancient chronicle that once belonged to an infamous alchemist burned at the stake in 1646. Within the ancient text is a map - an intricate, ingeniously designed labyrinth that will lead August on a spectacular journey to three mazes secreted within France, Spain, and Germany. And at the heart of one of these mazes is hidden the elixir of eternal life. But Western Europe is still reeling from the shock of war, and if he's to survive his perilous quest, August must translate ancient codes, decipher deadly riddles, and expose a mystical secret three hundred years old - even as he outwits Spanish militants and German spies. 2012. First edition, first printing. A very good copy.