Reading order
| # | Title | Published | Author | Buy on Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mortuus Virgo | 2011 | K.M. Ashman | N/A |
| 2 | The Vestal Conspiracy / The Dead Virgins | 2012 | K.M. Ashman | Buy |
| 3 | The Treasures of Suleiman | 2012 | K.M. Ashman | Buy |
| 4 | The Mummies of the Reich | 2012 | K.M. Ashman | Buy |
| 5 | The Tomb Builders | 2019 | K.M. Ashman | Buy |
The India Summers Mysteries are K.M. Ashman’s entry into the contemporary thriller genre, following India Summers — a librarian whose academic knowledge keeps proving unexpectedly dangerous — and Brandon Walker, a special forces veteran whose skills are better suited to the situations India keeps finding herself in. The series began with Mortuus Virgo in 2011, alongside Ashman’s early historical fiction, and runs to five books ending in 2019.
Each novel roots itself in a specific historical period and location: ancient Roman artefacts, Ottoman archives, World War II secrets. The pattern is closer to Dan Brown or Clive Cussler than to Ashman’s other series — the ancient conspiracy driving the present-day danger is the engine of the plot, and the thriller pacing is faster than his historical fiction. India and Brandon are a well-matched pair: her knowledge is the key that opens the mystery, his training is what keeps them alive once the wrong people notice.
The series has attracted readers who enjoy historical thriller puzzles more than straightforward military adventure.