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BOOK
ILLUMINATIONS
From Debbie Wiley Book Reviews
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The Messiah Secret
by James Becker
Angela
Lewis is annoyed when she’s asked to help assess the Carfax collection.
Oliver Wendell-Carfax has been brutally murdered and his entire estate
left to the British Museum. Unfortunately, his murder is only the start
of a chain of events that could lead to secrets long buried about Jesus
Christ of Nazareth. Angela, along with her ex-husband, Chris Bronson,
follow a trail of historical clues while others seek desperately to
stop them.
James Becker does a great job at incorporating historical facts into an
intriguing thriller. The storyline alternates between the thrill of the
chase with the research needed to uncover the next clue in the hunt.
The balance is well done as there are no lags in the story despite its
rather weighty premise. Instead, I found myself wanting to learn more
if only to understand why this scenario is considered plausible.
Angela and Chris are a great team, both using their investigative
skills to uncover just what treasure the Carfax family has been
seeking. The tension mounts as others are also after the hidden
treasure and I almost found the glimpses into Father Killian’s mindset
to be even more interesting than the actual secret itself. The villains
in THE MESSIAH SECRET are superbly done, perhaps even more so than the
main characters.
THE MESSIAH SECRET is a fascinating, albeit somewhat disturbing,
thriller. James Becker delves into some of the theories about Jesus
Christ and produces a gripping tale that many Christians may find
offensive even as they are drawn into the mystery. The Author’s
Note at the end offers up what research the author has based this tale
upon and should help guide readers as to whether THE MESSIAH SECRET
will offend or intrigue them. It is a true credit to the writing
ability of James Becker that he can write a tale with a premise such as
in THE MESSIAH SECRET and still keep the reader engaged, even as the
subject matter is such a volatile one.
Publisher: Signet
Select (December 2010)
Reviewed
by Debbie, Debbie Wiley Book Reviews
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