Set in Stone (Treasures of the Earth)
Once when Martha Jankowski was a child, she accompanied her father to his dig site. Then a mysterious accident left him scarred and broken… different. In this novel set amidst Colorado’s Bone Wars in the late 19th century, when “The Great Dinosaur Rush” propels paleontology into the spotlight, Martha jumps at the chance to continue in her father’s footsteps. As long as she brings credit to the Jankowski name, she has her parents’ support. However, to see her name on a museum exhibit, she must compete with another dig site. Whoever unearths their skeleton first will get the exhibit.
During this flurried activity, while attending a university lecture about faith and science, Martha meets Jacob Duncan. Jacob is working at digs to help pay for his education in paleontology. Their mutual interests spark a friendship. What neither realizes is that they’re on competing teams and their friendship could jeopardize everything.
Jacob is a man of faith, which is controversial in the scientific community. The author spends time with Jacob teaching Martha about having a close relationship with God, which offers a compelling look at Martha’s growth as she opens her heart to meaningful relationships—quite unlike what she’s experienced growing up. There are a few discussions between Jacob and Martha about how science and religion converge, and I would have liked more. Some captivating ideas began percolating but don’t quite mature.
The narrative is full of intrigue, which includes the museum competition, a mysterious and murderous woman set on obtaining the dinosaur skeletons, and a budding romance between different social classes. Each chapter ticks away the time as Martha leads her first dig. Details sprinkled in about unearthing bones during this time adds an enjoyable layer to the story. Overall, an inspirational journey with secrets, plot twists, romance, and fun paleontological details.
