Death in Guatemala

About the Book

Sir Eric Broder the English archaeologist while translating Mayan glyphs in a tomb in Tikel, Guatemala is the victim of an earthquake.  The floor opens up and he falls to his death---decapitating himself.  Half way around the world Yuri Vladimir Zornosova  the Russian archaeologist decides there is a lost civilization somewhere in the jungle of Guatemala and so hires a famous psychic Madame  Natasha Prouska to help him find the Mayan city.  When Dr. Emery Whorf head of the American Maya Institute in Cambridge finds out about the Russian expedition he convinces two of his best colleagues  Brock Mahler a notorious womanizer and Petra Rae Holmes an independent feminist----engaged in a love-hate relationship to join forces and forego their personal differences to go to Guatemala and find the lost city.  A fourth member of the party is Patricia Perera a graduate student who speaks fluent Spanish.  When the AMI arrives they are told by Carlos Villacorta head of the Center for Maya Studies in Guatemala City that the Russians are already there.  Carlos is pro-American and suggests they get someone to match Madame Prouskas abilities.  He knows a mystic in Antigua called Jacinto Cunil who can speak the ancient dialects.

Enrico Del Reyes  Villacortas assistant drives the American party to Antigua and they find the little mystic who agrees to join them in the jungle trek.  Villacorta reports that the Russian convoy has moved north with a party of six in the direction of San Pedro Carcha which is the end of the highway on the fringe of the jungle.  Whorf hires two young Maya drivers, Akbal and Caban and the American expedition leaves the next morning planning to spy on the Russians in their search for the lost city.

During the first few days a rattlesnake enters Brocks tent and he shoots it.  He also becomes ill from something he ate.  No one else does and he begins to think there is a spy among them.  Natasha wants to see the Hieroglyphic stairway at Copan and while the Russians camp there she has contact with the spirit of and ancient Mayan who has not found his way to the Otherworld.  Maurice Refinesque a translator with the Broder expedition in Tikel wanders out of the jungle and joins the Russians.  After San Pedro, things begin to get rough---crocodiles, howler monkeys  and more snakes.  The Americans track the Russians but back in Guatemala City the chief of police  Inspector Alfonso Masagua intimidates Villacorta to find out where the Americans are.  He has received orders from the government to find and deport them.  Major Juan Garcia a career soldier gets the assignment and takes a hundred men into the jungle in search of the Americans.  However, De las Casas known as Chucho the guerrilla fighter is told the army is coming and prepares to ambush them.

In spite of the heavy torrential rains and the impenetrable jungle  the Russians move northeast on Natashas psychic advice. Toward the Usumacinta River.  Father Jacinto with the Americans advises the same thing.  Chucho plants land mines and destroys two of the army trucks but Major Garcia chases him off.

The Russians find the lost civilization---a massive city with three great temples and thousands of Mayans.  They arrive to see the funeral procession of the late king Lord Chac Zutz.  His son Jade Sky has became the new king.  Natasha suggests they go on.  The populace opens up a pathway and they march to the steps of the first temple.  Natasha predicts the anger of the gods.  There is an earthquake that splits the plaza and makes the Russians welcome as minor deities.

They are confided to a barricade where Yuri discovers the Americans have been captured as well.  Natasha decides that they will contact the American party against Yuris wishes.  Brock and Natasha decided to explore that nigh

About the Author

Norman Spencer Graham has moved through two other media before he approached the novel. His MFA in Theater helped him write and see mounted five of his plays. The titles of his plays are ARABESQUE, LEGEND OF THE SUN, AN EVENING WITH PRACTICALLY EVERYBODY, AN APPETITE FOR JADE and RETURN ENGAGEMENT. He has also written five original screenplays. NIGHT OF THE SERPENT (cult horror film) THE RAGPICKER, NEVER LOOK BACK, MONDO EROTICA and ONCE UPON A SCOUNDREL Mr. Graham believes the stage gave him an insight into dialogue and the screen---a feeling for structure. Armed with these experiences, approaching the novel was less daunting. A CRYING SHAME is his fifth novel. He has also written DEATH IN GUATEMALA, THE FINAL OBSCENITY THE END .COM, and EYE OF LUCIFER.