A puzzle book containing clues leading to jewels worth £1m is set to spark a treasure-hunt craze unseen since the publication of Masquerade in 1979 caused a frenzy of nationwide digging in search of a golden hare.
Secrets of the Alchemist Dar, by millionaire author Michael Stadther, will incorporate riddles leading to 100 gems hidden around the world. A single jewel described as 'one of the most precious stones on earth' is worth £530,000. Claiming that someone in this country has the same chance of finding them as someone in Afghanistan, Stadther is secretive about what form the hunt will take. 'It might be physical; it might not. People might have to get in cars or on planes; they might not,' he said. But he did give one hint: 'I have found the power of the internet - it's vast.'