Julia Navarro, The Brotherhood of the Holy Shroud

The Brotherhood of the Holy Shroud

Julia Navarro

Bantam, December 26 2006, $23.00

ISBN: 0385339623

The latest blaze in a series of suspicious fires at the Turin Cathedral over several decades concerns the chief of the Italian Art Crimes Department, Marco Valonį, because he knows a great prize resides inside the church, the Shroud. The arsonists have always been found with their tongues removed; including the latest tongue-less suspect. Valoni begins to see a conspiracy of sorts, but not by whom.

Valoni decides enough is enough, as he fears there is more than just isolated arson behind the fires. He assigns his top talent to seek clues, and he begins to investigate scientists who have studied the Shroud over the years. His top art expert Sofia Galloni persuades Valoni to free the current jailed tongue-less suspect so they can trail him, expecting he will return to his co-conspirators.

Valoni learns that back in ancient times, King Abgar of Edessa sends his childhood friend Josar to Jerusalem to persuade Jesus of Nazarus to come to his kingdom to heal him of leprosy. Josar remains in Jerusalem as a disciple of Jesus. Years later he returns to Edessa with the Shroud, but his friend's heir demands he hand over the Shroud to him. Instead, Josar cuts out his tongue so he cannot reveal where he hid the Shroud. Centuries later the Templar's possessed the Shroud during the Middle Ages, but Valoni wonders whether some modern day descendants want it back.

This is a terrific Italian police procedural that uses the Shroud of Turin as the motive for arson and attempted thefts. The storyline is action-packed with fabulous subplots, especially the biblical era tale. The cast is solid, whether they are in ancient times or the present. Not just for the Brown crowd, THE BROTHERHOOD OF THE HOLY SHROUD is a delightful rendition using a modern day criminal investigation as the means to provide a deep thriller.