Every person in the world has probably daydreamed about stumbling into lost treasures and getting rich and famous. It’s not just about the money though, but the sense of adventure and wonder that comes with finding historical artifacts, buried gold, and hidden art.
It’s no coincidence that many novels, movies, and tv shows center around treasure hunts. Let’s talk about some of the best examples of this in literature.
Treasure Hunting Books
Here is a list of books that explore the thrill of solving mysteries, decoding clues, and unearthing hidden treasures.
1. Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson
Young Jim Hawkins finds a treasure map inside a dead man’s chest. An expedition is launched for the buried gold, with him serving as their ship’s cabin boy.
However, things turn sour when half the crew is revealed to be former pirates who plan to mutiny, steal the treasure, and kill everyone else. Jim and his group must find a way not only to survive but make their accursed trip worth the danger.
2. The Gold Bug by Edgar Allan Poe
William Legrand becomes obsessed with a gold-colored bug, convinced it’s the key to restoring his fortune. Fearing for his sanity, his servant approaches Legrand’s friend for help.
Legrand pulls the two into an adventure, deciphering a cryptogram that will supposedly lead them to buried treasure.
3. The Labyrinth of Osiris By Paul Sussman
Two detectives—one from Jerusalem, the other, Luxor—team up to solve the murder of a journalist. Together, they discover something far more sinister, a mystery that has cost thousands of lives over centuries.
They pursue the case towards treasure long buried in the sands of Egypt. But hidden foes are watching, waiting to add them to their list of victims.
4. The Templar Legacy by Steve Berry
The Knights Templar wielded unmatched power and wealth until they were wiped out. Now, two forces are vying for their long-hidden riches, intent on using them to change the world.
Cotton Malone, retired, is enjoying a quiet life as a bookstore owner in Copenhagen when a call plunges him back into the shadowy world he thought he’s left behind. Together with his old boss, they follow centuries-old clues, searching for the Templar’s hidden cache of wealth and knowledge.
5. Over Sea, Under Stone by Susan Cooper
Simon, Jane, and Barney Drew go on vacation to visit their uncle in Cornwall. There, in a house full of strange rooms and artifacts, they find a mysterious map that pulls them on the trail of a special artifact.
The map is a key, one that leads to something that some people will stop at nothing to get their hands on. And as the Drew children get ever closer, their very lives are quickly put in danger.
6. Ready Player One by Ernest Cline
The OASIS—a massive virtual world where humans can be anyone, do anything, and achieve everything. When its creator dies, he leaves behind a set of puzzles where whosoever solves them first, inherits his fortune and the OASIS itself.
For years, no one has found anything despite extensive searching. Then Wade Watts cracks the first clue, attracting the eyes of the entire OASIS on him, including those who are willing to kill for the prize.
7. The Eight by Katherine Neville
Throughout the years, many have hunted for the Montglane Service, a chess set that once belonged to Charlemagne. When assembled, it contains a secret so powerful it could destroy civilizations.
Requested to recover its pieces, Catherine Velis is thrown into a world of conspiracy and death. And as she learns more about the artifact, she realizes that those who play the game are mere pawns to it as well.
8. PopCo by Scarlett Thomas
Alice Butler’s code-breaking skills land her a job at PopCo, a global toy company. There, she creates toys for nosy kids.
She finds herself code-breaking for real when she starts receiving coded messages. Could they be related to the code engraved on her locket? The secrets she unlocks may be the path to her long-lost father—or something much, much worse.
9. The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
Bilbo Baggins has no plans of leaving his uneventful and comfortable life on Bag End. That’s until Gandalf the Grey and a company of dwarves knock on his front door to take him on an adventure.
Their goal is to reclaim the dwarves’ home and hoard from Smaug, a dragon of immense size and power. Bilbo reluctantly tags along, unaware of the terrible evil waiting for him on his journey.
10. Thunderhead by Douglas Preston
Archeologist Nora Kelly receives a mysterious letter written sixteen years ago but only mailed recently. In it, her father, believed dead, hints of a massive discovery—the lost city of Quivira, Coronado’s City of Gold.
Searching for answers, Nora leads an expedition deep into Utah’s harshest parts. But the answer she seeks may just be the gateway to unexpected horrors.
11. Subterranean by James Rollins
At the very bottom of the Earth is a labyrinth equally full of wonders and terrors beyond imagination. A handpicked team of specialists, led by archeologist Ashley Carter, is tasked to uncover the secrets of this place.
In this place are mysteries that could change the world, but also things that should not be disturbed. As they explore this hidden world, they come to a horrific realization that endangers them all: they are not alone.
12. King Solomon’s Mines by H. Rider Haggard
A small group of adventurers, led by Allan Quartermain, trek into the depths of unexplored Africa in search of a lost friend and hidden treasure.
In this strange land, they survive countless dangers, from heat and cold to hunger and thirst. But their biggest challenge yet is a ruthless king and his deceptive advisor, whom they must defeat first before achieving their goals.
13. The Lost City of Z by David Grann
New Yorker writer David Grann discovers long-lost diaries that answer one of history’s greatest mysteries. Whatever happened to British explorer Percy Fawcett?
In 1925, Fawcett, along with his son, vanished into the Amazon rainforest in search of an ancient city. Grann weaves Fawcett’s diaries with his own journey into the jungle in an attempt to restructure the explorer’s last expedition.
14. Spartan Gold by Clive Cussler
While crossing the Penine Alps, Napoleon Bonaparte and his army discover the treasure of a lifetime. Unable to transport it, he creates a map on twelve bottles of rare wine. When he died, the bottles—and the treasure—are lost to history.
That’s until Sam and Remi Fargo, treasure hunters, find one of the bottles hidden inside a World War II German U-boat. But one other seeker has plans for Napoleon’s “Lost Cellar” and is willing to kill for it.
Reading Books about Treasures
People love reading books about treasure hunting for a variety of reasons. For one, these kinds of stories offer a sense of adventure, excitement, and danger that is often hard to find in a normal life.
The audience is able to vicariously experience the thrills of exploring unknown locales, discovering ancient mysteries, and finding lost treasures. They overcome the challenges that the main characters overcome, just in a much safer environment.
Overall, these stories offer an excellent combination of adventure, suspense, and history. People are able to experience the joys that adventurers and explorers must have felt during eras when the world was still a mystery to humanity.
What is your favorite book about treasure hunting? Share them in the comments below!
If you enjoyed this post, then you might also like:
- 8 Best Clive Cussler Books to Read for a Daring Adventure
- 20 Best Adventure Books for the Daring Reader
- 12 Best Travel Books to Inspire Your Next Adventure
Cole is a blog writer and aspiring novelist. He has a degree in Communications and is an advocate of media and information literacy and responsible media practices. Aside from his interest in technology, crafts, and food, he’s also your typical science fiction and fantasy junkie, spending most of his free time reading through an ever-growing to-be-read list. It’s either that or procrastinating over actually writing his book. Wish him luck!
