Ancient Artifacts, Buried Secrets

Relics, Ruins, and the Reckless Souls Who Chase Them

Eight tales of adventure, danger, and reckless romance where the past refuses to stay buried. From lost jungle cities to Victorian occult societies, clockwork airships to Egyptian tomb antiquities, each of these stories follows a hero and heroine caught up in the hunt for secrets and relics. Set across the Victorian era and alternate history, these steampunk and gaslamp fantasy romances blend archaeological adventure with slow-burn tension: enemies become allies, scholars become outlaws, and every secret uncovered carries a price. Perfect for readers who love the adventure-and-artifact thrills of Indiana Jones or The Mummy, but with a romance at the heart of the chase. Featuring Jacquelyn Benson, Meljean Brook, Alli Earnest, Anne Renwick, Bec McMaster, Lindsay Buroker, Kat Ross, and Cecilia Dominic. If you love your history with a little magic, your romance with a body count, and your ruins with a reason to run, grab this collection.

ancient artifacts, buried secrets
Empire of Shadows by Jacquelyn Benson

Fired for her suffragist arrest, aspiring archaeologist Ellie Mallory finds herself holding a map to a lost Pre-Colombian city—and a target on her back. To beat a ruthless rival to the ruins, she teams up with a rogue surveyor who’d rather wrestle snakes than wear a shirt. But the real prize buried in the jungle is a mythical artifact powerful enough to shake an empire. Amazon | Kobo | Google Books | Barnes & Noble

Heart of Steal by Meljean Brook

Mercenary airship captain Yasmeen has no use for sentiment—until a treasure hunter she once tossed to a pack of zombies comes back from the dead demanding the return of a stolen da Vinci sketch. Their chase leads straight into Horde-occupied Morocco, where a city on the edge of rebellion may be the least of their problems. Amazon | Kobo | Google Books | Apple Books | Barnes & Noble

Cities of Smoke and Starlight by Alli Earnest

Kase, a disgraced hovership pilot facing ruin, and Hallie, a sharp-tongued scholar with nothing left to lose, are thrown together on a secret mission: broker an alliance with a vanished, mystical people before war swallows their world whole. Neither expected the other to be quite so infuriating or so hard to let go of. Amazon KU

Flight of the Scarab by Anne Renwick

Julia Marston has spent years hiding what her husband really deals in: stolen Egyptian antiquities smuggled out of the British Museum. When she finds him dead in a cemetery—and a clockwork scarab takes flight from beside his body—Graham Leyton, the Queen’s agent and the man she never stopped loving, reenters her world. Together they’ll have to stop a murderer and catch the deadly scarab. Amazon | Kobo | Google Books | Apple Books | Barnes & Noble

Shadowbound by Bec McMaster

A powerful relic has vanished from an occult society, and sorceress Ianthe Martin needs the one man she’s sure isn’t the thief—the mad, dangerous Earl of Rathbourne, currently locked in Bedlam. Freeing him comes with a price—a magical bond neither of them can break—as the two hunt a traitor and an artifact that could end the world. Amazon | Kobo | Google Books | Barnes & Noble

The Emperor’s Edge by Lindsay Buroker

Framed for treason she didn’t commit, enforcer Amaranthe Lokdon becomes an outlaw with one goal: save the young emperor from the conspiracy closing in on his throne. To do it, she’ll need to build a team out of the empire’s most unlikely allies—including the assassin everyone warned her about. Amazon | Kobo | Google Books | Apple Books | Barnes & Noble

The Daemoniac by Kat Ross

New York, 1888. As a killer stalks the city leaving behind burned handprints and backward Latin, nineteen-year-old detective Harry Pell—niece of Arthur Conan Doyle—is determined to prove the “demon” everyone fears is flesh and blood. Her investigation cuts straight through Gilded Age society’s darkest secrets. Amazon | Kobo | Google Books | Apple Books | Barnes & Noble

Eros Element by Cecilia Dominic

Europe, 1871. When her father’s death leaves her with nothing, archaeologist Iris McTavish takes his place on a secretive expedition to hunt down an ancient element rumored to solve a global energy crisis. Paired with an anxious, brilliant scientist and pursued by clockwork spies and a shadowy society, she may not survive the discovery. Amazon | Kobo | Google Books | Barnes & Noble

At a Glance

Looking for lost cities, ancient relics, archaeological adventures, or treasure hunts with romance? Here's a quick guide to what you'll find in each book.

Book Adventure Highlights
Empire of Shadows
Jacquelyn Benson
Lost city • Archaeologist • Jungle expedition • Ancient artifact
Heart of Steal
Meljean Brook
Treasure hunt • Airship adventure • Da Vinci sketch • Morocco
Cities of Smoke and Starlight
Alli Earnest
Vanished civilization • Hovership • Political intrigue • Adventure
Flight of the Scarab
Anne Renwick
Egyptian antiquities • Clockwork scarab • Victorian mystery • Secret agents
Shadowbound
Bec McMaster
Magical relic • Occult society • Bedlam • Cursed bond
The Emperor's Edge
Lindsay Buroker
Imperial conspiracy • Ancient empire • Assassin • Found family
The Daemoniac
Kat Ross
Occult mystery • Gilded Age New York • Detective • Ancient secrets
Eros Element
Cecilia Dominic
Archaeological expedition • Ancient element • Secret society • Clockwork spies

Continue Your Adventure

Loved ancient relics, daring expeditions, and hidden secrets? Explore more Lamplight & Steam collections for your next steampunk adventure.

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Steampunk Far Beyond London
Beyond Victorian England to Egyptian deserts, South American jungles, and alternate worlds-perfect if exotic settings are your favorite part of the journey.

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Floating Through Fiction
Airships, dirigibles, and flying machines soar above forgotten ruins and hidden kingdoms in these sky-high adventures.

The Steampunk Heart

The Steampunk Heart
Where daring couples and slow-burn romance meet gaslamp fantasy adventure.

London As it Never Was

London as It Never Was
A London reimagined-where invention and imagination blur in Victorian and alternate-history settings.

new to steampunk romance start here

New to Steampunk Romance? Start Here
New to the genre? This beginner-friendly guide highlights beloved authors and classic reads to get you started.