Alexandra Kustodia searches for rare gems in the most remote areas of the world. Descended from a long line of Russian jewelers her family's fate is tied into the legacy of the imperial family. Secrets from the past haunt her dreams as a killer hunts her. With her beloved borzoi, Hunter, by her side, Alexandra travels to Russia to unlock the secrets that hold the answers to her fate. Like her mother before her, Alexandra has the gift to touch gems and get a glimpse into the lives of the people who owned them. She walks the line between her visions and reality Alexandra is the gem hunter. Award-winning Chicago Tribune writer Vicki Vass is a finalist in the Mystery & Mayhem contest. She has traveled the world in search of the story, from a mud hut in the jungles of Southern Sudan to 40,000 feet above the Earth in a F16 fighter jet. Vicki lives in Chicago and Asheville NC with musician husband Brian, and cats Pixel and Terra, Australian Shepherds Atticus and Tracker who appear in all of her books. She loves reading, gardening, shopping and chocolate.