The old West was an incubator for gold mines that became "lost." Most still are. An 1879 story in a San Francisco newspaper triggered a steady trickle of prospectors and speculators searching the Owens River headwaters in the High Sierra for a lost mine, with no success. Now a wizened, sixty year-old prospector, Frank; a prominent Reno woman of thirty four, Ursula; and two brothers-Mark, a celebrity, thirty six year-old geology professor at the University of Nevada, Reno; and Quid, age twenty seven and recently released from prison-become entangled in a high-tech effort to locate the elusive mine. What begins as a friendly venture becomes an adventure as brotherly love turns ugly, an earthquake upsets plans, bandits intervene, and the owner of a major Reno corporation suddenly dies. The only heir of the owner is thrust into the presidency. She discovers the enterprise is headed for bankruptcy, her family shareholders are mutinous, and her live-in partner of five years is in danger-from gold fever. Early reader's comments on the book include these: "Each of the three very different love stories is tender in its own way." -Barbara A. H.S. Teacher, Nevada City "The book's High Sierra adventures are the real stuff. I've been there." -John W. Mountaineer, Squaw Valley "I skimmed over Ursula's pile of family-business challenges. Later I backtracked. I discovered she was into something quite intriguing." -Nancy S. Nurse, Seattle "Lost Pants Mine is a giant of a first novel. It has unique characters, a stimulating plot, authenticity, and many twists and turns." -Thomas H. McNeely Wallace Stegner Fellow, Author of Ghost Horse. "The confrontations between the brothers are riveting." -Joe C. US Marine. Football player/coach, Pennsylvania "From blackjack to black holes in the earth to blackmail to brides. Terrific." -Joan K Artist, Phoenix "I've read all seven of Brandt's books, both non-fiction and fiction. The cadence of his writing style is always crisp and engaging." -Ray L. Entrepreneur, NYC "A thriller in disguise." -Don S. U.S. Army, World "I was left hanging at the end. What's with the skeleton? And where's Quid?" -Bart P. Superior Court Judge, Silicon Valley, CA "Gold's actual rise in market price during the novel is true and adds urgency to both the romances and the approaching bankruptcy. Hard to stop reading." -Stu F. Bank CEO, Sacramento "A joy to read. Such variety. I kept wondering, 'What next?' and kept going." -Suzy S. Hi Tech Graphic Artist, Chicago "Strong people drive a complex story that runs from California's Lake Tahoe and Deadman Pass to Reno's corporate boardrooms, casinos, and University. As each person pursues his or her destiny, the pages keep turning." -Eddy Starr Ancinas Author of Tales from Two Valleys-Squaw Valley & Alpine Meadows Lost Pants Mine: Gold, Love, Adventure is structured into forty-nine numbered chapters and nine named parts. Part I Gold Fever Part II The Search Part III Shades of Love Part IV Living on the Edge Part V Second Thoughts Part VI Forks in the Roads Part VII Blackmail Part VIII Family Matters Part IX The Skeleton The book is in 12 pt. type for easy reading. The page total is 452.