Jones, Keith

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Jones, Keith

PERSONAL:

Education: Indiana University, B.A., 1981; California Western School of Law, J.D., 1985. Hobbies and other interests: Cycling, traveling, snorkeling, writing.

ADDRESSES:

Home—San Diego, CA. E-mail—[email protected].

CAREER:

Attorney with private law practice in San Diego County, CA.

AWARDS, HONORS:

San Diego book award, 2006, for Mayan Equinox.

WRITINGS:

Mayan Equinox, Salvo Press (Beaverton, OR), 2006.

Mayan Key, Salvo Press (Beaverton, OR), 2007.

SIDELIGHTS:

In Keith Jones's debut novel, Mayan Equinox, the world will come to an end in December, 2012, as the Mayan calendar predicts. There is a way to avert impending doom, however, but it requires human sacrifices. When the body of a young woman is found in the ruins of a Mayan temple, her heart ripped out, American archaeologist Brandon Sharpe fears that this is only the first such sacrifice; he feels that more will soon follow. He enlists the help of his friend and colleague, Professor Russell Palmer, a specialist on Mayan culture. The colleagues must try to discover who killed the woman, while also racing to find the elusive key believed to be able to prolong the planet's life. The fact that the local police distrust them does not help matters. While Front Street Reviews contributor Jocelyn Pearce felt that the novel's plot and characters were unremarkable, she found its descriptions of ancient Mayan culture and beliefs "fascinating." A writer for Small Press Bookwatch deemed Mayan Equinox to be thoroughly "riveting and original."

Palmer makes his second appearance in Mayan Key. The race is still on to find the key that will extend earthly time. As in the first book in the series, the archaeologist must battle distrustful local authorities, corrupt opportunists, and the power of Mayan legend to save the planet from certain doom.