The Ghost City by Ryan Pote - Review: Treasure Hunting Adventure Meets Thriller

Ryan Pote is back with his second novel in the 'Blood and Treasure' series. Treasure hunter Ethan Cain returns to fend off a dangerous foe and prevent forgotten technology from threatening millions!

Author Ryan Pote’s first novel Blood and Treasure earned a five out of five star rating, while it was one of my favorites and one of the best books of 2025. Now here we are… 2026 and Ryan Pote is back with his sophomore book, The Ghost City.

Does it match the levels of Blood and Treasure or does it hit that second book slump? And the real question… Should you spend your hard earned cash on this book?

Keep reading for a non-spoiler review!

In his debut novel Blood and Treasure, author Ryan Pote gifted us with a new thrilling adventure hero in Ethan Cain. Pote kicked off this new series that emits flashes of adventure mixed with high stakes that leave you turning each page until the end. Okay, I know “page turner” is overused, but Blood and Treasure was one of those fresh books that reminded me of the joy of turning page after page in a Clive Cussler adventure. Speaking of Cussler, I’ll circle back… oh sheesh am I at work?… at the end with some Cussler news.

Like a treasure hunter, it is time to dive into the icy waters to decide!

Reads like a great thriller…

…and a great adventure! The Ghost City seamlessly weaves a story that connects adventure with thrills in a gritty, but with an exciting globetrotting rush. The story plays into a historic game of finding the secrets spurred into action by clues left by Marco Polo. Pote has a knack for raising the stakes for the characters and the plot as a whole. Additionally, the book fleshes out multiple storylines with an intersecting point of sheer bombastic flare. The Ghost City, just like its predecessor, does well weaving in historical references which add to the depth of the story and adventurous themes.

The Adventure calls…

Never far from adventure, Ethan Cain stands out as a fresh hero. As a strong character aiming to lead readers deep into enemy territory to unearth the truth, Cain trusts his gut while hunting for the treasure. The depth of Cain’s character is on display. Forced to make difficult situations, Cain never feels like an unstoppable force. His grit and determination is capable of powering through tough scenarios, but ultimately he is human. Never is it a given that Ethan Cain or his friends will prevail, but we readers will continue to stay up late to read just one more chapter to see the outcome.

A villain to fear…

Finally a dangerous, memorable villain! One of my complaints in thrillers today is the lack of memorable and engaging villains. Their masterplans and ultimate outcomes, perhaps some actions may be terrible… and fantastic to drive the stakes and character growth… but the villain themselves leaves much to be desired. Perhaps there are reasons for this, an idea I’ll get to in the future. Now I am not saying every author struggles, but there are many books that fail to curate a villain that leaves a lasting impression.

Ryan Pote does not have that problem. In fact he is two for two in crafting main villains. He crafted a devious villain in Blood and Treasure and thankfully again he gifted readers with another in this book with Shan Zhang. A man who has all the money one could obtain, but he obsesses over much more and is willing to stake everything for power!

The rest of the crew...

In the previous book, the cast along for the adventure was larger. While several of those characters reappear to help, The Ghost City drills down with focus on the familiar Lana Foster and Bob Moretti while adding in Ian Rutledge. All three shine with wonderfully added depth.

Lana Foster continues to be magnificent! Aside from Ethan Cain, she is my favorite character. At first glance it could be easy to write the beauty off, yet she is a well written character who is integral to the story in more ways than merely dashing around with Ethan. Also one part of the story had me grimacing for Lana’s sake.

I also appreciate how Pote isn’t afraid to throw his characters, both main and side, against the odds to challenge their will in an effort to survive and stop the villain!

The Ghost City…

…knocks it out of the park! Ryan Pote amps up the thrills, feeling right at home in the realm of Adventure Thriller genre. Ethan Cain is the modern adventure hero we need that builds on the depth from the first book while continuing to grow as an adventurer and force against evil. The Ghost City drives home just how much of a capable character and hero Ethan Cain is!

Set to release June 30th, The Ghost City is an absolute must-own book and well worth your cold, hard cash!

The Ghost City earns a five out of five stars!!

Clive Cussler calls…

If you haven’t heard the incredible news, author Ryan Pote has been tasked by the Cussler estate to pen the next Fargo novel, The Serpent’s Eye, due out February 2027. Taking over for the wonderful Robin (insert last name), Pote is the latest author to write in the Sam and Remi Fargo series taking the lead from the wonderful Robin Burcell, and following other authors like Grant Blackwood, Russell Blake, and Thomas Perry.

Ryan Pote is a natural fit for the Cussler world! I look forward to what Pote has in stores for us readers and excited for a new Fargo adventure!

Synopsis —

An ancient secret hidden in a forgotten city holds the key to modern riches in this exhilarating sequel to Blood and Treasure.

Once you’ve made your first ten billion, what’s more money? What any billionaire really wants isn’t money, it’s power, and Shan Zhang has the perfect plan to achieve that. The discovery of a manuscript from the renowned explorer Marco Polo leads to an ancient city buried under the snows of Antarctica. Within that city lies the key to a forgotten technology that will transform modern society, but that transformation may cause the deaths of millions.

Professional treasure hunter and adventurer Ethan Cain is working on the Mekong River in Vietnam when the massive waterway suddenly goes dry. It’s a stunning ecological disaster. One that Ethan can’t ignore. His quest for answers will lead him to Zhang and ultimately a confrontation from which only one of them will emerge.