Not What Meets the Eye is a work of fiction in the adventure, suspense, and fantasy subgenres. It is best suited to the general adult reading audience and mature YA readers owing to the use of some explicit language and moderate fantasy violence. Penned by author Matrika Hay, this full-throttle adventure follows Antosha Scarlett, an archaeologist fascinated by the mystical and magical properties of the ancient historical worlds she uncovers through her adventures. But when she’s invited to work at the site of The Lost City, the place where a terrible tragedy took away her parents many years before, Antosha begins to suspect that something dangerous is brewing in the magical secrets that this ancient city holds.

Author Matrika Hay has crafted a superb adventure novel with plenty of mythology, mystery, and magic to flavor its historical atmosphere. One of the things that I really enjoyed about this novel was the suspense created by mistrust and not knowing who was suddenly going to expound yet more secrets and scandals to complicate the plot. This keeps readers on their toes, and we get really invested in Antosha’s safety when she’s trying to make connections or rely on other people, deepening our bond with our hero. I also really liked the way that the plot was exposed by dialogue and discovery without the need for huge chunks of prose or backstory, which gave the tale a better flow and made it feel like a quick-paced yet fully immersive read. Overall, Not What Meets the Eye is certainly a recommended read for fans of historical and mythological adventure, great characterization, and tons of suspense.

Not What Meets the Eye by Matrika Hay is a fantasy adventure novel that takes place in a world similar to Earth. Antosha Scarlett, like her parents before her, is an archaeologist traveling the world, unearthing treasures and knowledge from previous civilizations. After returning to the museum that employs her from a faraway dig, with a barge-load of artifacts to study and research, Antosha is attacked by a mysterious assassin and barely escapes with her life. She has discovered something that someone else wants very badly but as this is an occupational hazard in her field, she shrugs it off and gets on with her work. When Antosha receives an invitation to join the most famous and celebrated of all archaeologists, the legendary Tombask Wilshire, discoverer of the Lost City, on his dig, she is beyond excited. The excitement was tempered by sadness, though, as it was Wilshire who had originally invited Antosha’s parents to the Lost City when she was just a little girl and it was there they were tragically killed in a terrible accident. As she sets out on her journey to the dig, she realizes the assassins have not given up their hunt for whatever it is they seek and that she must constantly be on her guard against attack. She finds a friend in Nathious Swanson on the voyage but although Nathious has some deep secrets of his own, together they will try to survive. The Lost City holds magic, mystery, and myths that will test Antosha, Nathious, and all their comrades to their very limits.

Not What Meets the Eye is a fast-moving, fascinating dive into a world of mystery, magic, rituals, and supernatural beings that will keep readers riveted and constantly turning pages. Matrika Hay has created a fascinating ensemble to navigate these tricky and deceptive waters. Antosha, as the lead, is a wonderful combination of Lara Croft and Indiana Jones. In a field dominated by men, she is strong, resourceful, intelligent, and more than capable of holding her own in a pitched battle, whether with a sword, dagger, or when circumstances demand, her arms, feet, and head. I enjoyed the mystical and magical connotations of all that occurred within the Lost City and the overarching theme that the quest for power and immortality can turn even the most moral of players into something evil. What I particularly appreciated about this story was the author’s ability to make the field of archaeology vibrant, alive, and vitally important to society. This is a solid, meaty read but the author’s use of multiple perspectives throughout the narrative, the clever plot twists, and the appealing characters will ensure the reader is constantly turning pages to discover what happens next. For the adrenaline junkie, there are plenty of well-described and frantic battles between many of the characters but these are interspersed with thought-provoking and contemplative periods, which all give the story excellent balance. I thoroughly enjoyed this adventure and look forward to seeing more work from this author. I can highly recommend this read.