Treasure Trail

The e-book of this was my introduction to Morgan Brice and I have enjoyed many others since then. What hooked me in this story was the relationship between Ben and Eric, the creepy paranormal atmosphere and especially all the details of the antiques and physical elements of their world. I'm a sucker for books about shops full of old objects or books and we get lots of that here. John Solo is one of my favorite narrators and he was superb here. He captured the love between these guys but also their banter and in places he set up the suspense so well I was creeped out.

Erik can see the dead. When he moves to Cape May after he was injured while in law enforcement. He buys an antique shop. He meets Ben who is in town after an undercover sting goes wrong. They have an instant connection and serious chemistry. I loved the ghost and mystery!! I recently had the opportunity to listen to the audio of this story, John Solo did a fantastic job. Highly recommend!! This was fantastic!! I’m voluntarily reviewing from an advanced copy that I received.

Fantastic Paranormal, MM Romance, Mystery Adventure Story. Wow, didn't know what was going to happen next. John Solo did a great job narrating Ben and Erics story. Ben and Eric had both relocated to Cape May, N.J. having decided that they needed to make changes in their lives, neither realising the drama and danger that would be waiting for them there.

I enjoyed the plot and characters. The mystery kept me interested, and I liked the relationship between the two leads. The leads are likable guys who each came into the book with recent events that had altered the courses of their lives and it was nice to see them start to rebuild together. The paranormal aspects worked well for me. The cameos from other series were just right. Good narration. Solid start to the series.

I really liked this listen. Erick and Ben’s story was interesting, though at moments in narration and writing was a bit over the top. Otherwise, the narration by Kale Williams and writing was great. I'll enjoy more from this author.

I usually really like Morgan Brice ebooks and audiobooks. I am a huge fan of the Witchbane and Badlands series, so I expected to like this one, too. Unfortunately, it started real slow for me, and I was more than 2 hours in before it picked up and grabbed my interest. John Solo's voice also didn't work for me. Maybe I have just listened to Kale Williams voice too many of Ms. Brice's other novels for a new narrator to appeal to me in the same way. (Although it was a very short exposure, the voice given to Simon sounded way too feminine and wimpy.) I did enjoy the mystery when the pace picked up, and I enjoyed the MCs and many of the side characters. I will likely continue if there are more books in this series, but audiobooks will depend on the narrator. I received a free copy of this audiobook and am voluntarily leaving this honest review.

I really enjoyed this story. The characters were well put together and thought out. They had depth, and intrigue, full of their own little quirks that the narrator was able to portray super well. the plot was creative and fun, interesting and spicy. Author and narrator came together to bring a wonderful audiobook.

Treasure Trail is the first book in a spinoff series from the Badlands series. This book can be read on its own without any previous knowledge about the Badlands. I have not read any other book by this author before reading this book, and found that this book worked really well as a standalone. This is a paranormal mystery book with a lovely romance between two emotionally injured men. The romance was wonderful – I really loved watching how these two men unpacked their issues and worked through their problems to find happiness with each other. The mystery was entertaining, but at times was a little over the top; however, the worldbuilding was so fascinating that any over the top drama was easily explained away. The only thing that I found a bit jarring was this emphasis on how important and valuable Erik Mitchell’s antiques and relics knowledge was. The author made it sound like Erik was so special that the FBI could not afford to lose him, but that just doesn’t make sense. There are plenty of antiques, art, and relic experts out there that the FBI can use any of them as consultants when needed. Plus, it was a bit of stretch that Erik happened to be an expert in EVERY type of relic/art/antique out there. I can totally believe that Erik was well known and well respected expert, but his abilities just seemed too grandiose (kind of like Indiana Jones) which actually worked against his credibility. Other than that (which was very minor) I thought the book was well written and engaging. The audiobook was narrated by John Solo who did a fabulous job. John has a great voice that is extremely versatile and he has a great range for all the different character voices. I thought the audiobook was well produced and it made for an extremely enjoyable listening experience.

I really enjoyed revisiting this first book in the start of a new series by Morgan Brice. John Solo is a good narrator who breathes new life into the characters and story. The series and characters might be new but they are connected to the overall universe of magic and paranormal that the author has created. Erik is friends with Simon Kincade (from Badlands) and has similar touch magic skills to Simon's cousin. Ben it turns out knows someone that knows Travis (who appears in both the Badlands series and the Witchbane series). The style of the stories are similar as you would expect but this time the focus is on art and antiques as befitting Erik's past and woo-woo skills. The romance is believable (even the fact that things happen so quickly) and the mystery is solid. I'm looking forward to the next book in the series in whatever format I can get my hands on it.

This enthralling paranormal, by Ms. Brice, hooked me from the very beginning, but what else did I expect? She writes amazing, supernatural stories, and her book, with its intense romance, was amazing! Eric Mitchell was nearly killed in his old job, involving the mafia and unknown forces. Now he happily makes a living owning an antique shop dealing with rare objects. He also possesses a unique quality at being able to see spirits and can read or get feelings when touching certain objects. Ben Nolan is an ex police officer, who hails from Newark, New Jersey, which is close to where I grew up; I must confess that this thrilled me. Ben is helping his beloved aunt with her rental business. Since his own family disowned him, for being gay, his aunt gave him the support and nurturing when he needed it the most. At first he thinks his help will be for just a little while, but then Ben starts to enjoy it. It doesn’t hurt meeting the gorgeous Eric and feeling intensely attracted to him, as well. Ms. Morgan packs so much action and emotion into her stories, so be prepared for many twists and surprises as the pages fly by. The story centers around a haunted, and no longer in existence, hotel named ‘The Commodore Wilson’. Certain items from this past hotel are central to the story line. If you enjoy paranormals, and crazy intense chemistry, you will enjoy every frantic moment of this novel—a great mystery that keeps you guessing. I highly recommend this mystical romance. Mr. Solo did an excellent job in this audio presentation. It was very easy to fall into this audio’s spell. His voice was very distinct, yet so easy and enjoyable to listen to. This narrator effortlessly switched between the different characters. I love the voice he used for Ben Nolan, as he nailed the cop’s tone perfectly. I couldn’t stop listening, once I started, and relished every minute of it. A great audio; I highly recommend it.  

Mystery, intrigue, ghosts, murder...Morgan Brice threw it all together and out came Treasure Trail. If you like the Badlands series, I have a feeling you will like this new one, and Simon might even make an appearance. STORY: 4.5 STARS I'm going to confess something to you. I wasn't sure what I would think of this book. I've read a lot of Morgan Brice, and some I liked more than others, but she has quickly become a favorite author of mine. The blurb and the premise of Treasure Trail intrigued me. I'm happy to report, I was pleasantly surprised by Treasure Trail and found myself really enjoying it. There are a couple of moments when the book felt repetitive or a little slow, the beginning drags a bit, but it's not long until you are engulfed by this book. The characters are witty and original, the storyline kept me entertained, and you just want to keep turning the pages. Plus, how could a mystery like this be boring? I enjoyed this book even more the second time, and I've upped my review to 4.5 stars from 4. Maybe it was listening to it that brought out something that I missed last time. NARRATION: 4.5 STARS John Solo did a great job of bringing the characters to life and giving me a new perspective on this story. I applaud him for that. There were a couple of times when I felt like the two main characters sounded too much alike and it was hard to tell them apart. I had to rewind a bit to make sure I followed it correctly, but those times are few and far between. It didn't distract too much and I still think this was an amazing narration. OVERALL: 4.5 STARS Great story and great narration make for an audiobook that I have to recommend to everyone. The story will pull you in regardless if you read or listen to it. It's good. Who doesn't like a good mystery, especially one that involves the mob, several ghosts, a clock, and so much more! I can't say too much without giving it all away, but I will say, you have to read or listen to this book today!

Morgan Brice has a new paranormal mystery series, and Treasure Trail proves to be just as entertaining as the rest of her novels! Fans of Ms. Brice’s Badlands series are going to be happy to see a few familiar characters pop up, but you definitely don’t need to read those books to fully enjoy Treasure Trail. Both these main characters have recently relocated to Cape May, New Jersey, and they share way more in common than just being newbies in town. Not only do Erik and Ben both have prior experience in law enforcement, each man has supernatural abilities as well! Throughout the entire story these characters’ skills come into play, which puts them on an even playing field and adds an element to their relationship I really enjoy. Morgan Brice also has a new narrator on board for the Treasure Trail series, and what a great match John Solo is for this style of story! In addition to his skills in the romance genre, Mr. Solo sure knows how to build the tension in a thriller like this one. The pace builds steadily in Treasure Trail, and the climax of the mystery is almost as great as the final (and much anticipated) romantic scene between Erik and Ben. Ms. Brice always includes interesting tid-bits about the physical locations in her novels, and expertly explores the lore surrounding historic Cape May peninsula. Between notable landmarks, charming tourist haunts, and the quirky townies, we get a real sense of the flavor of this unique and exceptional area. There are some intriguing supporting characters introduced in Treasure Trail and I hope we see more of them. Plus, I’ve got my fingers crossed we’ll get continual contributions from several of the characters from the Badlands novels. I’m enjoying the direction this series is headed and I’m looking forward to wherever it takes us.

Treasure Trail (audiobook) MMy Thoughts & Confessions: I remember reading “Treasure Trail,” when it was first released in 2019. However, I am so very thrilled that I did not hesitate to revisit the audio version. The worlds of Brice/ Martin converge in what is, yet another wonderfully told urban fantasy. A tale filled with old ghosts, modern witches, old mysteries, and even older “monsters.” As an antique shop owner (Erik) and an ex-cop turned P.I. turned landlord (Ben) both find their sea-legs in Cape May, the two stumble (one quite literally) on an unsolved murder mystery decades old. They also stumble through their attraction to each other, while each man holds secrets, he fears may send the other running before a chance between them can truly begin. Ahhh… I love these interconnected worlds so very much! I always love when the twists and turns and AHA! moments in the stories happen. It very much feels like the plunge one takes on a roller-coaster. So much fun. I also love all the lore that goes into one of Brice/ Martin’s books. You feel so satisfied, yet still hungry for the next story. John Solo did an exceptional job, and I hope he continues to be part of the family.

The development of Erik and Ben’s relationship was fun to follow along with and the mystery kept me engaged. This is a fun paranormal romance made even better by the voice of John Solo.

Loved the book, loved the audio even more! Treasure Trail was the first book I read by Morgan Brice and the first (as far as I can remember anyway) urban fantasy book I read – that was back in June 2019 and I haven’t missed a Morgan Brice book since. I was thrilled when I found out that Treasure Trail was coming to audio and being performed by one of my favorite audiobook performers, John Solo. Below are some comments I made when I read the book; they go double for the audiobook.

A new adventure and new couple to add to Morgan's awesome interconnected world!! I love a good mystery and with a hint of magic, ghosts and other worldly gifts this story hooked me from the start! I love the interconnected world's, stories and characters of Morgan (& Gail's) books and I could feel a crossover coming on!! (I sure hope so!!!) I enjoyed the friendship connection between Eric and Simon and while Eric's story wasn't as chaotically death defying it was while enjoyable and intriguing all on its own! I loved Ben and Eric's connection and spark right from the get go and felt their journey and eventual love wasn't unbelievable and in some ways felt fated and organic like the "soulmate" title suggested. I enjoyed the mystery being unravelled and am really looking forward to seeing where Morgan will take these two next. I also totally loved the bonus cameo by a certain immortal at the very end of the book. I'm so excited for whatever is next!!!

This is book 1 in the Treasure Trail series. This was an interesting paranormal romantic suspense. I liked the elements of mystery, drama and suspense infused into a world of mayhem and magic. Eric and Ben were brilliant characters and I loved how they worked together. The storyline was engaging and entertaining and the writing was compelling and gripping. This was definitely an enjoyable listen overall. John Solo performed an amazing audio delivery and narration as well.