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More Lost Relics, Codes & Mysteries
Adept by Robert Finn
Martial Arts enthusiast David Braun works for an upmarket Insurance Company. Not the most exciting job in the world, but when he is asked to investigate an unusually violent and baffling break-in which has left two of the criminals dead, his life suddenly becomes full of danger. The building’s sinister owner wants a mysterious object retrieved and David seeks the help of Susan Milton, an American academic from the London School of Antiquities to unravel the mystery. Unravel it they do and expose a centuries old terrifying secret which puts both of their lives in jeopardy. Racing against time, David and Susan have to thwart a ruthless killer who will murder again to control an unbelievable power.
Ex Machina by Robert Finn
If like Boris you read the ‘Adept’, you’ll know that at the end of the story, Susan Milton and David Braun were still searching for the ‘Marker’. The story continues, but this time is told from the perspective of Jo Hallett, who has known Professor Shaw all her life. Jo although an intelligent and brilliant researcher, has many hang-ups and is a nightmare to work with. Unwittingly she makes a mistake which not only puts her own life at risk, but also the lives of all those around her. Gaining powers far beyond those of Susan & David, Jo also unleashes upon the world something dark and very dangerous. Deciding to seek out the ‘Marker’ herself, Jo soon comes up against the powerful enemies that Susan & David encountered in the ‘Adept’ . It will take Jo all the new skills she has gained and may cost her , her life if she is to solve the mystery that has defeated generations of fanatics and avoid betraying her friends.
Read ‘Adept’ first before reading Ex Machina, or you’ll be totally lost as to what’s happening. If you like ‘Adept’, you’ll like this. Boris
Atlantis by David Gibbins
If like Boris you’re fascinated by the Atlantis legend, this first novel by David Gibbins is one you’ll enjoy. Hero Jack Howard and his team from the International Maritime University (IMU) set off on a trail of discovery that lead them into great danger when clues to Atlantis’whereabouts are uncovered during an archaeological dig. Similar in some respects to Clive Cussler’s NUMA novels, David Gibbins’ book mixes history and marine archaeology with all the ingredients of a high tech thriller. Jack’s IMU team come through in the end, but at high personal cost. An exciting read which is impossible to put down before the last page and one which opens the mind to new possibilities regarding the Atlantis fable.
The Last Templar by Raymond Khoury
Mrs Boris enjoyed this thriller as much as Boris did. Archaeologist Tess Chaykin & FBI agent Sean Reilly are drawn into a deadly game of cat & mouse with ruthless killers who will stop at nothing, as they all search for the cargo of the ‘Falcon Temple’, a Knights Templar ship disappeared after leaving Acre at its fall in 1291AD. What was its cargo which is sought by desperate men prepared to kill to conceal its secret? Why is the Church determined to suppress the truth? Boris though this book would make a great film , especially with its raid on the Metropolitan Museum of Art in modern day New York by what appear to be four Knights Templar.
Shattered Icon by Bill Napier
Harry Blake an antique map dealer in Lincoln likes the quiet life and stays on the right side of the law. When a local landowner asks him to value a 400 year old journal, Harry doesn’t realise the danger he is going to get into. He quickly discovers that it is an account by an Eliabethan seaman of a voyage to America and the founding of a colony there. Harry further discovers that clues in the journal may lead to a lost icon, a holy relic dating back to Christ. Joining forces with marine historian Zola Khan, Harry sets off to find it, before it is used by evil adversaries to trigger a bloody war.
The Amber Room by Steve Berry
In 1945 the Amber Room disappeared from the Catherine Palace in Russia, never to be seen again. So when Rachel Cutler’s father dies in suspicious circumstances, leaving behind clues to its fate., she is soon off on its trail. Her ex-husband Paul follows close behind, but soon both of them are in danger as others, who will kill to gain the prize become aware of their interest. A race ensues to find the Amber Room and their can only be one winner. Steve Berry has written another cracking thriller and if you liked ‘The Templar Legacy’, you’ll like this.
The Thirteenth Apostle by Michael Benoit
Father Nil, a Benedictine Monk at St Martin’s Abbey leads a sheltered monastic life teaching the Gospel of St John to novices. His life changes dramatically however, when his friend Andrei is mysteriously killed on a train journey back from Rome and he decides to investigate the matter himself. The dead priest possessed proof of the existence of a thirteenth apostle and an epistle stating that Jesus was nothing more than an inspired prophet, not the Son of God. Father Nil soon finds a previously unpublished account of the origins of Christianity and when he also pushes forward with his investigation into Andrei’s death finds his own life in danger.
Crusader Gold by David Gibbins
David Gibbins’ excellent first novel ‘Atlantis’ introduced Jack Howard and his team from IMU (International Maritime University). Once again they are on the track of archaeological treasures and this time are in Instanbul’s harbour on a dive to find treasure lost when Crusaders sacked Constantinople in 1204 during the fourth Crusade. Meanwhile back in Hereford, England, Maria de Montijo & her assistant, JeremyHaverstock have made a remarkable discovery which sends Jack and his team, joined by Maria & Jeremy on an epic, but lethal quest, stretching from Harald Hardrada, the Viking king to the fall of the Nazis and the dark secrets of the present day Vatican. A search which could lead to the greatest treasure of all, the Menorah, symbol of the Jewish faith stolen by the Romans who sacked Jerusalem’s Holy Temple and paraded it in triumph in Rome. Taken to Constantinople before the fall of Rome it had vanished by 1204. Could it be waiting to be found and will Jack & his team find it before it falls into the hands of dark forces who will use it for their own evil purposes?
The Alchemist’s Secret by Scott Mariani
Ben Hope is a former member of the SAS who haunted by a tragedy from his past now devotes his life to searching for and rescuing kidnapped children. One day he receives an unusual request to search for an ancient manuscript which could hold a secret that could save a dying child’s life. Reluctant at first to take on the job, Hope is persuaded and sets off to find the document alleged to hold the formula for the elixir of life discovered in the 1920s by Fulcanelli, a brilliant alchemist who mysteriously disappeared. Ben soon finds out that others are seeking the manuscript for far more evil reasons and he comes up against the Gladius Domini, a fundamentalist Catholic organisation. Joining up with Dr Roberta Ryder, an American scientist a trail leads them from Paris to the ancient Cathar strongholds of the Lanquedoc. This could be Ben Hope’s deadliest quest yet and it will take all his skills if he and Roberta are to survive.
If you like books like ‘The Da Vinci Code’, you’ll like this one. The second book in the Ben Hope series is due out in July 2008 and can be preordered from Amazon. Boris
The Brotherhood of the Holy Stroud by Julia Navarro
The Turin Shroud has long fascinated countless people throughout the ages, both believers and sceptics alike. Two stories run in parallel in this novel by Spanish writer Julia Navarro. One is a tale of the history of the shroud from its very beginnings , the other the story of the struggle between two very different factions who wish to possess and protect the shroud. A fire and suspected robbery at Turin Cathedral bring the shroud to the attention of Marco Valoni, head of the Art Crimes Department and his team of specialists. What was the man who died in the fire doing there? And why was his tongue cut out? What does businessman Umberto D’Alaqua know? His company was carrying out restoration work at the cathedral. Where does the Church stand in this and what does the too good to be a priest Padre Yves know? As Marco and his team investigate further, it becomes very clear to them that the Shroud is the key to the mystery and as team member Sofia Galloni delves into its history,she makes some startling discoveries, which could endanger her & her colleagues. A very well written and enthralling read which features one of Boris’ favourite Orders.
And no Mrs B, I don’t mean ‘The Ancient & Esteemed Order of Clog Makers’!! Boris
The First Apostle by James Becker
When Jackie Hampton is found dead in the 600 year old property that they are restoring in Italy, her distraught husband Mark turns for help to his closest friend, policeman Chris Bronson. Travelling to Italy they find an enigmatic inscription on a slab of stone in the house which translates as ‘Here Lie The Liars’. Bronson soon has doubts that Jackie’s death was accidental, when he finds signs that the house has been broken into. When a second attempt is made to break into the house by armed intruders, his suspicions are confirmed. The mystery of what the intruders are seeking seems to involve the strange inscription and when a second inscription is found in the house, the pair seek return to London to seek help in translating it from Bronson’s ex-wife Angela . When Mark is murdered, Bronson & Angela go on the run knowing that their lives too are in danger. As more of the mystery is revealed it seems that there are links to the shadowy beginnings of Christianity and that a deadly conspiracy exists to stop the truth from being revealed.
A thriller as good as ‘The Da Vinci Code’, so if you liked that, you’ll like this. Boris
The Last Gospel by David Gibbins
Jack Howard and his team are called to the excavation of a villa at the Roman site at Herculaneum, which was buried under volcanic ash when Pompei erupted. Little do they then realise that the discovery that they make there, will set them off on an incredible adventure to uncover an extraordinary secret. From the underground drains of Rome to the ancient crypts of London, from long lost shipwrecks to beneath the Vatican, Jack & co follow the trail of clues left by a centuries dead man. Unbeknown to them, the secret that they are seeking is jealously guarded by a cadre, who will kill to protect it from being uncovered. Can Jack & his team succeed where others have failed? Will the truth at long last be revealed to the world? Or will they too be silenced, as others before them have been. Read gentle readers and find out.
I keep telling Mrs B the Church has secrets it doesn’t want us to know, but she doesn’t believe me. Boris
The Sacred Bones by Michael Byrnes
This first novel by Michael Byrnes is a very worthy challenge for the crown that Dan Brown of ‘The Da Vinci Code’ fame at present wears. When an ancient artefact is stolen beneath the Temple Mount with thirteen Israeli soldiers killed, the tenuous peace in the Middle East is threatened. Razak bin Ahmed al-Tahini is asked by the Waqf, the Muslim council that acts as the Temple Mount’s overseers to assist in their investigation. Meanwhile in Vatican City, Charlotte Hennesy, an American geneticist and Giovanni Bersei, an Italian anthropologist have been secretly summoned to examine a 2,000 year old skeleton bearing the unmistakable marks of crucifixion. In Jerusalem, Razak aided by Graham Barton, an Englishman who works for the Israeli Antiquities Authority search for who was behind the attack and what was really taken and find the path to the truth not an easy one to follow. Meanwhile Charlotte & Giovanni, under the malevolent eye of Vatican security expert Salvatore Conte, come ever closer to the realisation that what they are uncovering will rock the Church to its very foundations and place their lives at risk.
Look out Dan, you’re about to lose your crown! Boris
The Exodus Quest by Will Adams
Egyptologist Daniel Knox, an Indiana Jones type of character was introduced to readers by Will Adams in his first book, ‘The Alexander Cipher’ which is reviewed below. In this new adventure, Daniel has a chance find in Alexandria of a jar lid the type used on the jars the Dead Sea Scrolls were found in with links to the mysterious Essenes. Meanwhile Gaille Bonnard, Daniel’s partner & love interest is having to act as ‘nursemaid’ to the rather obnoxious Charles Stafford, a populist history writer and his hard done to assistant Lily Auster.
Following leads on the jar lid, Daniel thinks it was possibly found at a site being excavated by the Texas Society of Biblical Archaeology led by the fiery fundamentalist preacher Ernest Peterson. All knowledge of the find is denied and Daniel sure that something is being hidden at the site, decides to make some investigations. Peterson has a sacred mission to complete and won’t allow Knox or anyone else stop him. Things go badly wrong for Daniel and get worse when Gaille, Stafford and Lily are abducted & threatened on TV with execution. A great tale with lots of action. Indiana Jones had better look out.
Following leads on the jar lid, Daniel thinks it was possibly found at a site being excavated by the Texas Society of Biblical Archaeology led by the fiery fundamentalist preacher Ernest Peterson. All knowledge of the find is denied and Daniel sure that something is being hidden at the site, decides to make some investigations. Peterson has a sacred mission to complete and won’t allow Knox or anyone else stop him. Things go badly wrong for Daniel and get worse when Gaille, Stafford and Lily are abducted & threatened on TV with execution. A great tale with lots of action. Indiana Jones had better look out.
Another adventure in the style of ‘Indiana Jones’. I hope there are lots more stories about Daniel Knox. Boris
The Geographer’s Library by Jon Fasman
When an old Estonian history professor dies suddenly in a sleepy New England town, cub reporter Paul Tomm is given the task of writing the man’s obituary. What at first appears to be a routine assignment soon proves to be anything but this, as Paul’s investigation soon uncovers evidence which suggests that the professor was not exactly who he claimed to be. Paul also finds evidence that the professor’s death could be linked to an ancient mystery involving fifteen arcane objects once scattered across the globe and now missing. Things become even more complicated for Paul when he meets up with Hannah Rowe an enigmatic young woman, who had befriended the professor and appeared to be one of the very few people who knew anything about him. Struggling to find out more information, Paul receives mysterious threats and quickly finds that his life is in very real danger.
As the book jacket says, a marriage of ‘The Da Vinci Code’ & ‘The Rule Of Four’. If you liked either of these books, then you’ll probably like this one. Boris
The Alexander Cipher by Will Adams
Daniel Knox is an outcast Egyptologist with a fascination for Alexander the Great, who is presently working as a dive instructor . Daniel gets himself into a lot of trouble when he crosses shipping tycoon Hassan al-Assyuti and has to go on the run. Meanwhile on a building site in Alexandria, Mohammed el-Dahab makes a remarkable discovery when he unearths a long lost necropolis. The Dragoumis family, fierce champions of Macedonian independence learn of it and send their archaeologist Elena Koloktronis and her assistant, Gaille Bonnard to investigate. It soon becomes clear that the tomb indeed has links to Alexander and may lead them to the tomb of the great man himself. Knox too learns of the discovery and evading capture by Hassan’s men joins the hunt. Eventually Daniel and Gaille join forces and find themselves involved in a deadly race, for the Dragoumis’ will stop at nothing to keep the prize for themselves and will kill anyone who gets in their way.
The Tiger Warrior by David Gibbins
Jack Howard & the team from the International Maritime University (IMU) are back in action in this latest adventure. Jack’s ancestor, also named Jack Howard was a Lieutenant in the Royal Engineers stationed in India in the 1870’s who disappeared some years later. When an IMU archaeological expedition in the Eygptian desert turns up trade links between the Roman Empire and India, Jack decides to follow up the lead and travels to Indi a. Jack’s friend Katya’s uncle has disappeared in the tribal regions of eastern India whilst following up a possible Roman connection there and as this area was also where Lieutenant Jack Howard was stationed, Jack decides to explore the area himself. Boris doesn’t want to give a lot of the story away, but if you’ve read any of David Gibbin’s previous novels, you’ll know he writes the kind of exciting thriller you just can’t put down. This is no exception and has all the elements , suspense, thrills, and a good storyline you’d expect to find.
The Genesis Secret by Tom Knox
Tom Knox is the pseudonym of writer Sean Thomas who has written several articles in a number of publications regarding Gobekli Tepe the archaeological site which takes centre stage in this novel. With the knowledge he has therefore gained Tom (Sean)has written a well researched novel, which is intense and at times very disturbing (especially the graphic descriptions of some of the murders which take place in the story). Combining archaeology, murder and Biblical myths and mysteries, the hero, journalist Rob Luttrell must unravel the truth behind why an ancient stone temple was deliberately buried 10000 years ago. Running alongside this is the story of some grisly murders carried out by a psychopath and the hunt by policeman DCI Mark Forrester to find the killer.
The Book of Secrets by Tom Harper
After Nick Ash’s ex-girlfriend Gillian walks out on him and breaks his heart he thinks that that is the last he will hear from her. When she finds herself in fear of her life he is the person that Gillian turns to for help. Nick soon finds that helping Gillian could cost him his life and is soon fleeing for his life. Tom Harper’s story intermingles the present with the past and running parallel to Nick and Gillian’s adventures in the present day is the story of the development of Johann Gutenberg’s printing press and Gutenberg’s own adventures in 15th century Rhineland. This is one for fans of writers like Dan Brown, Katherine Neville who like a more cerebral ‘lost relic thriller’. The book of secrets itself? Well you’ll just have to read the book to find out. Boris can tell you something though, they had their naughty secrets in the 15th century and weren’t all the god fearing goodie, goodies we sometimes associate with the period.
Boris thought that this book was much more exciting than ‘The Da Vinci Code’ Boris
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No Boris! Father Liam is not a member of the Illuminati! Mrs Boris