By Kristy McCaffrey
The Aztec were a powerful Mesoamerican civilization with a complex system of politics, trade, and administration that lived in central Mexico from about 1300 to 1521. They founded the city-state of Tenochtitlan in 1325 on an island in Lake Texcoco. Today it’s the location of modern-day Mexico City.
They reached their pinnacle in 1519 when Hernán Cortés and his Spanish
conquistadors arrived. He managed to take Tenochtitlan in 1521 with European diseases
having already decimated the population, and from there the Spanish proceeded
to move north into the Americas.
The Aztec emperor at the time was Moctezuma II (or Montezuma II). His treasure possibly consisted of gold bars, jewelry, coins, and elaborate headdresses. Legend states the treasure was moved to the north as Montezuma’s relationship with Cortés began to sour and was buried in northern Mexico or the southwestern area of the United States. A popular consensus is that it’s located in New Mexico or Arizona, specifically the Casa Grande region between Phoenix and Tucson, although some treasure hunters think it may be as far north as Utah.
No treasure has been found beyond a gold bar discovered in
1981 in Mexico City. It’s believed to have been looted by the Spanish during their conquest of
Tenochtitlan.
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In my upcoming book, THE FALCON, Mateo and Josie are caught up in the search for an Aztec treasure that might be related to Montezuma's Lost Gold.
The Falcon by Kristy McCaffrey
Wings of the West: Book 12
Coming September 22, 2026
Josie Ryan’s connection to Texas runs deep, from the land to an almost preternatural kinship with the animals in the wild. This bond has led her to the edge of life and death, from saving a boy caught in a fire when she was eleven years old to being struck by lightning to a mountain lion attack that almost ended her life. The discovery of an abandoned falcon chick leads to a fierce attachment, but with only intuition to guide her, Josie struggles to train the wildest creature she’s ever encountered. When she learns of a man who could help, she’s determined to gain an introduction.
Mateo Almirón, El Halconero—The Falconer—and Argentine gaucho, is tasked with delivering two prized purebred Criollo mares to Matt Ryan, a man whose reputation casts a long shadow. Years ago, Ryan saved the life of Mateo’s father, and the horses will settle the longstanding debt, but when the exchange goes wrong, Mateo is entrusted with protecting Ryan’s daughter, Josie. Now Mateo and Josie must hide in the mountains of Northern Mexico where stories abound of Josie’s mother, a woman who lived among the Comanche and rose from the dead.
But in a place alive with superstition, Josie and her untamed falcon will give rise to a new legend …
Josie is the youngest child of Matt and Molly from THE WREN.
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(It will also be available at Amazon, Kobo, Google Play Books, and in paperback on release day.)
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2 comments:
Imagine being the person to accidentally find the treasure... I'd probably think it was junk and toss it. Thank you for sharing, Kristy. Best of luck with the new book.
Hah that would probably be me too.
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