Book to Spawn New Jewel Hunting Frenzy

Following up on the success of A Treasure Trove, bestselling author Michael Stadther is set to release Secrets of the Alchemist Dar. Nothing unusual in that, but Stadher's books are far from usual.

A Treasure Trove, (pictured) an enchanting fairy tale on the surface actually contained puzzles for readers to solve in order to find 14 jewels that Stadther had placed in public places around the country. And now, he's at it again with Secrets of the Alchemist Dar, which is set for release in September.

The new book has clues leading to 100 gems, with a combined worth or more than $1.7 million, that Stadther has hidden around the world. According to an interview in The Guardian newspaper, one of the gems is a single stone worth about $930,000.

In February the 14th treasure from A Treasure Trove was found by Californian Amy Stiles Keller. To find it, readers had to decipher the clues on the book's website, use the pages of the book, and then go to an exact location to find the gold token, which was redeemed for an uncut 95.15 carat black diamond, appraised at $20,000. Stadther also gave a further clue when he appeared as part of a Starz Cable Network promotion for the pay-television debut of the film, "National Treasure."

"I always wanted to create a nationwide treasure hunt that could engage millions - adults and children alike - and provide adventure, fun and opportunity for everyone," says Stadther. "I wanted the hunt to be accessible and to be a learning experience that would encourage puzzle-solving, reading, and exploring."

The 14 jeweled pieces, fashioned after Forest Creature characters in A Treasure's Trove, are each valued from several thousand dollars to more than $450,000 with a total combined value of more than $1,000,000. Stadther collected several of the jewels during his travels around the world and designed the others together with Robert Underhill of Jewelry Designs in Danbury, Connecticut.

Inspiration for A Treasure Trove came from artist Kit William's Masquerade, published in 1979, which caused a digging frenzy in England as readers looked for a jewel encrusted golden hare.

Source material reprinted with permission from IDEX Magazine (http://www.idexonline.com/).