I'll explain why without giving away any spoilers.

If you are going to write a book which combines religious thriller with cops and detective work then you've got to make sure that both elements are factual and correct. It seems as if Khoury has read "The Da Vinci Code", thought to himself "wow! I can do better", has tried to emulate the best parts of "...Code", but has then failed.

And I'll tell you the most galling thing: Khoury does it in this book, Kathy Reichs does it in her religious thriller "Cross Bones" - they openly try to mock Dan Brown and "...Code". It's not nice to see, especially as Brown, despite his critics, has opened up the gates for this subjuect matter like never before.

Khoury, to his credit, has clearly read up on his Templar history, has clearly worked with experts in the subject, and has clearly formed his own, or given a Templar scholar or two, a vehicle to portray their own Templar theory. This Templar theory is central to the novel, it's plausible, well explained, well written and makes for a great read.

However, it's sorely, sorely lacking in a believable team of FBI agents. The Police and the FBI are are pretty unbelievable right the way through. Khoury wants the reader to believe that the initial robbery by four horsemen is stiped in mystery and awe. He has the robbers arrive on horseback, dressed as Temple Knights, take what they want make it all scary and medieval and then have them walk slowly away from the crimescene down (what I can only imagine to be) Fifth Avenue, into Central Park, and then disappear.

It's all very well written and spooky enough before you sit back and think: wait a minute, how DO you lose four murderers and robbers dressed as knights, on horseback, in the middle of a showbiz event on Fifth Avenue!? It lets the story down.

Then there is a scene where the FBI bosses and investigators are sitting around a table. Deaths are happening left, right and centre, a madman is on the loose with a syringe, people are dying horrfically. We want action action action! but instead they all sit around discussing Templar conspiracy theories because (and at that point in the story) it's still only a theory.

No way would that happen. Yes, please explain to us the history of the Templars, but do it when they are having dinner, not in the meeting room of the FBI.

The FBI agent, Sean Reilly - he's a bit of a drip, isn't he? The woman, Tess, is clearly more motivated to uncover some ancient phenomenon much more than she is about him, and yet he blindy follows her all over the world, making a disappointly feeble attempt to apprehend the main baddie.

I'd still give this story a decent 3 star rating however, because it was entertaining, and it was on a subject that was cleverly played out. This is not a strict cops and robbers detective novel, it was a bit of a grail quest, too, and this allowed for a bit more liberation, I guess, with plot delivery.

Disappointingly though, and this may be because I'm a fool, I'm still not exactly sure, with regards to the Manhattan robbery - who was behind it, who organised who, hired who, and who played which role in what.

However - I haven't been put off Khoudry, and will probably buy another of his books.

Great read, Mr. Khoury and I'll happily buy your 2nd novel, hurry! :)

Glad to report they weren't wrong. It's a cracker.

First chapter reads like an epic historical novel. Knights escaping from the burning city of acre, burning arrows falling all around the ship, a mysterious chest entrusted to them by the dying leader of the templars.

Then a quick jump and we're in new york city, and the mother of all armed robberies staged by four blokes dressed as knights on horseback no less. And thats when the intrigue begins. Lost decoders, a syringe yielding killer, a frantic car chase and underwater adventure galore, with more historic chapters scattered about (a device which worked so well in Matthew Reillys Temple but used in a much more realistic way here)

I personally reaaly enjoyed the writing style which reminded me of James Patterson at his best before he started cranking them out with hired writers by the dozen. It moves quickly but as other reviewers have pointed out theres so much more going on that the writer takes his time to go through all historic information while keeping it moving forward and keeping us guessing.

Sean Reilly and Tess Chaykin quickly became very real people for me, characters with a rich and realistic history that I cared about which is a nice change. I felt I spent the nights reading this book in their company, solving this mystery and discovering the true history of the bible with them and making me think about things that are happening in the world.

I suppose what made this one really special for me was that while its a great thriller and a rich historic mystery, its also very moving. I felt the writer really cares about the issues he's discussing and the fact that he was able to put all this information in a book that keeps moving you forward is something you don't come across every day.

Five stars without hesitation, hugely recommended.