Kiss of the Shaman's Daughter
Against the backdrop of the rugged Sangre de Cristo Mountains, aspiring diva Sylvia Mazzoni hopes to combine her Santa Fe Opera debut and a romantic reunion with her lover, Washington attorney Rolf Keller. But Rolf’s old nemesis from law school, Charles Slater, now an archaeologist, intrudes on their tryst. He is on the run from ruthless antiquities traffickers, who are after his recent find of prehistoric Indian artifacts.
After Slater vanishes under suspicious circumstances, Rolf plunges into the New Mexico wilderness to search for him and his priceless cache. Soon, he finds himself in desperate flight not only from the guns of the murderous smugglers, but from the FBI as well.
When the soprano slated to sing Tosca develops vocal problems, opera management drafts Sylvia as a last-minute replacement. While struggling to convert the daunting challenge into the career triumph she has pursued all her life, she and Rolf are threatened by the smugglers who will stop at nothing to get their hands on Slater’s hoard.
As they unravel the twisted clues Slater left behind, Sylvia and Rolf stumble upon the intriguing legend of a shaman’s young daughter, Teya, who is said to have played a crucial role in the Pueblo Indian Revolt of 1680 against the Spanish oppressors and to have concealed the treasure of a lost pueblo.
Now, three centuries later, the paths of Teya, Sylvia and Rolf are about to cross in this riveting historical thriller involving archaeological crime, southwestern history and grand opera.
2022 Arizona Authors Association Literary Contest: Second Place in the category of published books
Book Club Study Questions
1. Identify at least three important sources of conflict in the plot.
A. Which are personal? Have you or someone you know ever been involved in a similar situation?
B. Which are cultural or political? Have you seen similar conflicts reflected in the news?
2. Concerning the two story lines some three hundred years apart:
A. What device did the author use to differentiate the two story lines? Did it work? Why or why not?
B. Have you read other novels that used a similar approach?
C. Did the two story lines enrich the novel? In what way?
3. Which of the three themes (archaeological theft – opera – Pueblo Indian Revolt) engaged you the most? Why?
4. Describe your reaction to the scenes when the stories of Sylvia and Teya converge.
A. Do you know anyone who has had a visionary experience?
5. What motivates Rolf Keller to help his nemesis from law school?
6. How has the relationship between Sylvia Mazzoni and Rolf Keller evolved since their adventures in The Stasi File?
7. In what way do opera and Sylvia’s character, Tosca, contribute to the plot?
8. What did you know about the Pueblo Indian Revolt of 1680 prior to reading this novel?
9. Describe what you learned about the Spanish occupation of New Mexico.
10. Describe what you learned about Pueblo communal life.
11. How would you assess the character of Charles Slater?
12. Did you find the assistant conductor’s integration of two cultures credible? Interesting?
13. Were you aware of the issue of illicit trafficking in Native American artifacts prior to reading this novel?
14. How do you think Rolf was able to refrain from drinking when under severe stress?
15. Which scene grabbed you the most and why?
A. How did the author create the excitement and/or tension around it?
16. Did you learn something new or gain an insight from the novel?
A. About Native American culture?
B. About archaeology?
C. About opera?
D. Other?
After Slater vanishes under suspicious circumstances, Rolf plunges into the New Mexico wilderness to search for him and his priceless cache. Soon, he finds himself in desperate flight not only from the guns of the murderous smugglers, but from the FBI as well.
When the soprano slated to sing Tosca develops vocal problems, opera management drafts Sylvia as a last-minute replacement. While struggling to convert the daunting challenge into the career triumph she has pursued all her life, she and Rolf are threatened by the smugglers who will stop at nothing to get their hands on Slater’s hoard.
As they unravel the twisted clues Slater left behind, Sylvia and Rolf stumble upon the intriguing legend of a shaman’s young daughter, Teya, who is said to have played a crucial role in the Pueblo Indian Revolt of 1680 against the Spanish oppressors and to have concealed the treasure of a lost pueblo.
Now, three centuries later, the paths of Teya, Sylvia and Rolf are about to cross in this riveting historical thriller involving archaeological crime, southwestern history and grand opera.
2022 Arizona Authors Association Literary Contest: Second Place in the category of published books
Book Club Study Questions
1. Identify at least three important sources of conflict in the plot.
A. Which are personal? Have you or someone you know ever been involved in a similar situation?
B. Which are cultural or political? Have you seen similar conflicts reflected in the news?
2. Concerning the two story lines some three hundred years apart:
A. What device did the author use to differentiate the two story lines? Did it work? Why or why not?
B. Have you read other novels that used a similar approach?
C. Did the two story lines enrich the novel? In what way?
3. Which of the three themes (archaeological theft – opera – Pueblo Indian Revolt) engaged you the most? Why?
4. Describe your reaction to the scenes when the stories of Sylvia and Teya converge.
A. Do you know anyone who has had a visionary experience?
5. What motivates Rolf Keller to help his nemesis from law school?
6. How has the relationship between Sylvia Mazzoni and Rolf Keller evolved since their adventures in The Stasi File?
7. In what way do opera and Sylvia’s character, Tosca, contribute to the plot?
8. What did you know about the Pueblo Indian Revolt of 1680 prior to reading this novel?
9. Describe what you learned about the Spanish occupation of New Mexico.
10. Describe what you learned about Pueblo communal life.
11. How would you assess the character of Charles Slater?
12. Did you find the assistant conductor’s integration of two cultures credible? Interesting?
13. Were you aware of the issue of illicit trafficking in Native American artifacts prior to reading this novel?
14. How do you think Rolf was able to refrain from drinking when under severe stress?
15. Which scene grabbed you the most and why?
A. How did the author create the excitement and/or tension around it?
16. Did you learn something new or gain an insight from the novel?
A. About Native American culture?
B. About archaeology?
C. About opera?
D. Other?