FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  
October 10, 2024  

**NYU Archaeologist Releases 'Echoes of the Lost City'**  

*Debut novel draws from author's Peruvian excavations.*  

NEW YORK -- Dr. Elena Vasquez, an archaeologist at New York University, released her debut novel "Echoes of the Lost City" on Thursday. Published by Horizon Press, the thriller weaves her real fieldwork in Peru with a fictional tale of a hidden Incan outpost. The book hit shelves amid growing interest in climate threats to ancient sites.  

The 320-page novel follows a team racing to excavate a lost city before floods submerge it, mirroring Vasquez's own discoveries of erosion-damaged ruins near Machu Picchu. Vasquez conducted 15 expeditions there over two decades, publishing peer-reviewed papers on the finds. Her fiction aims to spotlight underfunded preservation efforts.  

"Years of sifting dirt taught me that history isn't buried—it's just waiting for someone stubborn enough to listen," Vasquez said.  

Early sales exceeded 7,000 copies in the first week, according to publisher data. The book is distributed through Penguin Random House channels and has partnerships with the Smithsonian for promotional events. Beta readers from archaeological journals noted its "unerring accuracy."  

"Books like this bridge the gap between dusty academia and everyday readers," said Maria Lopez, Vasquez's literary agent.  

"Echoes of the Lost City" is available in hardcover for $27.99 and ebook for $12.99 at Amazon, Barnes & Noble and independent bookstores. Vasquez begins a 10-city U.S. tour Oct. 15 in New York.  

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Dr. Elena Vasquez is an associate professor of anthropology at New York University. She has led archaeological digs in Peru since 2004. "Echoes of the Lost City" marks her entry into fiction writing.  

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