Alex and his brother
Simon grew up in Vatican City. Their father was a Greek Catholic
rather than a Roman Catholic. His main desire was to reunite the
Catholic and Orthodox Churches, and he believed that the Shroud of
Turin could be instrumental in bringing that about. Now Alex is a
priest in the Greek church; and Simon, a priest in the Roman church,
but because of their father, the Shroud is important to both of them.
Alex has been
working with Ugo, a curator in the Vatican, to mount an exhibit about
the Shroud of Turin. Simon, who has been stationed in Turkey, is due
back for the opening. Instead of coming to Alex's apartment as
expected, Simon calls and asks Alex to meet him at Castel Gondolfo.
When he arrives, Alex finds his brother soaking wet, standing beside
Ugo's body. This begins a time of mystery and danger that threatens
Alex's life.
This is a well
researched novel. Life in Vatican City is described in illuminating
detail. It gives you a taste of what it's like to live in an enclosed
community. The research on the Shroud is historically accurate and
forms a sound basis for the mystery.
The book is not a
fast paced thriller. It relies more on character development and
scholarly research. I found that fascinating, but if you're looking
for lots of action, you may be disappointed. I enjoyed the book, but
I did find the ending somewhat unsatisfactory. It took a long time to
resolve the plot lines, and I felt the ending was forced. The buildup
led me to expect a more compelling resolution.
I reviewed this book
for the Amazon Vine Program.
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