Archaeologist Mathilda Howard believes in sold scientific fact and proven history. Not mythical stories about shining stones or prehistoric advanced civilizations. But when an old Tibetan monk shares his experience of the lights that do not die, Mathilda knows she has to find out more.Then, when at an archaelogical dig a student gives a Mathilda a little black book that contains a story about shining stones-- a story that happens to match a legend-- she finds herself on a journey to uncover the truth. from a sacred mountain in China to a lost civilization in Brazil, Mathilda finds that she is digging up more than just archaeological artifacts. Her search for the shining stones leads her to some startling discoveries, as well as to a new religion.