The Sacred Blood : The Thrilling Sequel to The Sacred Bones, for Fans of Dan Brown

Overview: Michael Byrnes lives in New Jersey with his wife and two daughters. He earned a Bachelor of Science at Montclair State University and an MBA at Rutgers University. He is founder and CEO of a highly successful multi-million dollar insurance brokerage firm. At the crossroads of Christian, Islamic, and Jewish faiths, an ancient artifact is stolen from a long-hidden vault located directly beneath Jerusalem's Temple Mount . . .So begins The Sacred Bones by Michael Byrnes, a page-turning novel from a new voice on the thriller scene. With the violent theft leaving thirteen Israeli soldiers and policemen dead, and the Palestinians up in arms over the desecration of sacred grounds, the tension between the two groups is dangerously high. Jerusalem is a stick of dynamite and the fuse has been lit. . . .Across the Mediterranean in Italy, American forensic scientist Charlotte Hennesey has been hired by the Vatican to examine the contents of a newly discovered archeological treasure: a two-thousand-year-old ossuary containing the bones of an unidentified, crucified man—the first complete skeleton of a crucifixion victim ever found. Together with Italian anthropologist Giovanni Bersei, Charlotte makes startling forensic and genetic discoveries that lead her to wonder—could these be the bones of Jesus Christ?With the situation in Jerusalem veering out of control and the malevolent eye of Vatican security expert Salvatore Conte watching her every step, Charlotte puts two and two together. She knows that if the mortal remains of Christ are indeed in the burial box, the implications—for history and science, for religion and the Church—are frighteningly vast. And even more immediate is the question of whether the Vatican will allow the information—and Charlotte—to see the light of day.Fast-paced and intelligent, blending historical fact with persuasive fiction, The Sacred Bones reads like a CSI episode penned by The Da Vinci Code author Dan Brown. From a conspiracy stretching back to the days of the Templar Knights to the shifting alliances of contemporary Middle Eastern politics, The Sacred Bones is an addictively compelling thriller that calls into question many of modern religion's deepest-held beliefs about Judaism, Jesus Christ and early Christianity, and Islam . . . with stunning results. Secrets, miracles, prophecies, and the threat of Armageddon intertwine in this riveting sequel to the international bestseller The Sacred Bones . . . When American geneticist Charlotte Hennesey examined what she believed were the bones of Jesus, the Vatican tried to stop word of her discovery from spreading. Now her proof has vanished. But the bones were just the beginning. In her tests, Charlotte discovers that the DNA has the ability to repair damaged genes, to heal the sick, to cure incurable diseases. Dying from cancer, the determined scientist uses herself as a human guinea pig to try and save her own life . . . But someone wants those bones – and Charlotte. Rabbi Aaron Cohen, a descendant of the biblical Aaron and the high priests of the long-destroyed Temple in Jerusalem, foresees a time when Jerusalem's Temple Mount is cleared of the Dome of the Rock and the al-Aqsa Mosque and replaced with the Third Temple. And for Cohen, that time is now. He has only one problem – he cannot touch the Ark because his bloodline isn't pure. And that's where Charlotte comes in . . . Cohen's dangerous plan doesn't go unnoticed, however. When Israeli archaeologist Amit Mizrachi uncovers a mysterious Egyptian hieroglyph in a hidden and previously undiscovered room, he asks noted Egyptologist Julie LeRoux to interpret it for him. As they begin a quest to unravel the mystery, bullets start to fly, and they know they are onto something huge. As Cohen puts his plan into action, the keepers of the mosques on Temple Mount are outraged. Will this be the act that leads to vast armies meeting on the hills of the town named Megiddo causing a global Armageddon? At the crossroads of Christian, Islamic, and Jewish faiths, a priceless artifact is stolen from a vault hidden beneath Jerusalem's Temple Mount. With high stakes on sacred ground, time is running out . . . The violent theft leaves thirteen Israeli soldiers and policemen dead, the Palestinians up in arms over the desecration of sacred grounds, and the tension between the two groups dangerously high. Jerusalem is a stick of dynamite and the fuse has been lit . . . Meanwhile, in Vatican city, American scientist Charlotte Hennesey and Italian anthropologist Giovanni Bersei have been secretly summoned to analyse a mysterious artefact: the bones of a two-thousand-year-old unidentified, crucified man. Charlotte starts to wonder – could these be the bones of Jesus Christ? With the malevolent eye of Vatican security expert Salvatore Conte watching her every move, Charlotte must work against the clock. She knows that if the mortal remains of Christ are indeed in the burial box, there is a question to face: will the Vatican allow this information – and Charlotte – to see the light of day . . . Fast-paced and intelligent, blending historical fact with persuasive fiction, The Sacred Bones is an addictively compelling thriller, perfect for fans of Dan Brown . Following a conspiracy stretching back to the days of the Templar Knights to the shifting alliances of contemporary Middle Eastern politics, The Sacred Bones calls into question many of modern religion's most deeply-held beliefs. When an American geneticist is miraculously healed from cancer by bones she believes to be the remains of Jesus, an Israeli archaeologist and a noted Egyptologist team up to outmaneuver the Vatican, who would prevent the geneticist's findings from becoming public When an American geneticist is miraculously healed from cancer by bones she believes to be those of Jesus, an Israeli archaeologist and a noted Egyptologist team up to keep the Vatican from suppressing the geneticist's findings. Spies, conspiracy, murder . . . the hotly anticipated, intelligent and fast-paced sequel to Michael Byrnes' acclaimed debut thriller The Sacred Bones