At the start of this flawed thriller from Canadian author Kelln (Method of Madness
), an autistic boy appears to be able to read the real-life Voynich manuscript, a 500-year-old book written in a language that linguists, historians, religious scholars and even advanced decryption technology can’t decipher. By the time Fr. Benicio Valori, a Vatican investigator, arrives at Yale University’s Beinecke Library, where the mysterious manuscript is housed, the book is missing from its display room and what’s left of a security guard lies nearby. Disregarding orders from his superiors to suspend the mission, Valori uncovers some bombshell revelations concerning the existence of rogue angels, their forsaken offspring and a coverup of biblical proportions. Da Vinci Code
fans will enjoy the seamless blend of fact and fiction, pedal-to-the-metal pacing and provocative religious speculation, but the ending comes as a letdown after the exciting build-up. (Apr.)
