Sunday, April 1, 2012

Fast Paced Thriller Based of the Mystery of Columbus


Tom Sagan, previously a star reporter, is ready to blow his brains out. He knows he was betrayed by some of his sources who furnished invalid information. He ran with the story and lost his job and his standing as a prime reporter, but he can't find anyone to clear his name. Life no longer seems worth it. Suddenly, a man, Zachariah Simon, appears at his house holding a picture of his daughter, Alle. He shows Sagan a video of her tied to a bed being molested. Sagan and his daughter are estranged, but she is his daughter. He can't help but respond.

Simon is looking for a treasure related to the voyages of Columbus. He thinks Sagan has some clue to where it is. According to legend, Columbus brought a valuable treasure to the New World, but what was it? Indeed, who was Columbus? These questions are at the heart of the danger stalking Sagan and his daughter.

Berry does an excellent job of inserting historical detail into the fictional narrative. In fact, it is probably what keeps the story moving swiftly. We really want to find out about the Columbus mystery. The action moves between Europe, where Zachariah Simon tracks the history of Columbus' voyages and the people who were associated with him, and Jamaica where a delightful character named Bene Rowe is his sometime confederate. Rowe is a Maroon, early inhabitants of Jamaica. I learned a great deal about the fascinating history of Jamaica and the early inhabitants.

I highly recommend this book, if you like thrillers, particularly those with a historical background. The pace is fast, the history seems mostly factual, and the characters are well drawn. As a bonus, you'll get to experience the lush beauty of Jamaica.

I reviewed this book as part of the Amazon Vine Program.

No comments:

Post a Comment