The Sacred Bones

By Michael Byrnes

Book Overview

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.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0061146072
• ISBN13: 9780061146077
• Release Date: March 2007
• Publisher: William Morrow & Company
• Length: 304 Pages
• Weight: 1.05 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 6.0" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

Intriguing, fascinating, and well written!

I bought a copy of this book at a local bookstore in Germany and the cover is different from the one in the USA. What called my attention about this book was the phrase "an unholy Trinity" and the book blurb in the back cover. This is one of those purchases I didn't regret. The chapters are small but packed-full of details and action. The book moves back and forward from The Temple Knights giving the background story to the book, to Jerusalem's present time, and Vatican City. After reading it, I decided to write a formal review. Below is my professional review of this book. THE SACRED BONES BY MICHAEL BYRNES On his debut novel, The Sacred Bones, author Michael Byrnes brings us a fascinating mix of myths, legends, and themes of today in a controversial story full of intrigue, conspiracy, murder, modern technology and religion- the perfect combination for a breath taking story. The book starts with the story of the Knights of the Temple and their duties regarding the Church and its secrets. The story then moves forward and the suspense starts in Jerusalem's present time. A relic is stolen from beneath The Temple Mount leaving behind death, destruction, and confusion. Both Muslims and Jews are blaming each other for this incident and both start their own investigation. The Israelites authorities bring in antiques expert, Graham Barton, to help with the identification of the stolen relic and its commercial value, whereas the Palestinians bring in political mediador, Razak bin Ahmed bin al-Tahini, to conduct the investigation and to reduce tension among the radical Islamic groups ready to take action for the desecration of their El-Aqsa Mosque. Meanwhile, in Vatican city, American geneticist Charlotte Hennesey, Italian anthropologist Giovanni Bersie, and Father Patrick Donovan work together to analyze and identify the human remains inside an ancient Jewish burial box - an ossuary. This book is a roller coaster of emotions as all these characters find themselves inside a spider web of conspiracy, murder, potential war, cover up of evidence, and zealous actions to protect an ancient secret. Will the truth set them free? Or will the truth cause their death? I highly recommend this book to readers looking for a fiction book tastefully written, while merging difficult topics with the eloquence of an experienced storyteller. I can see this book finding its way to the big screen and becoming a major motion picture. Bravo Mr. Byrnes!

great premier Novel

This was a very enjoyable read. The plot was great and the characters were well developed. The ending was worthy of any blockbuster thriller. Highly recommend!

A page turner

A great book-very well written and has a very compelling plot with a color suite of characters to involve yourself with. Highly recommended!

Explosive and thrilling 5 star read

The Sacred Bones is set at the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. An ancient artifact is stolen from a vault beneath the Temple Mount. The theft has left many soldiers and policemen dead, leaving the Palestinians angry; tensions run high between the Israelis and the Palestinians. Charlotte Hennesey, an American forensic scientist has been hired by the Vatican to examine the ossuary which contains the bones of an unknown man who was crucified. Charlotte is joined by Giovanni Bersei, an Italian anthropologist and together they uncover forensic and genetic data that lead them to wonder if the bones could be those of Jesus. As Charlotte and Giovanni become closer to solving the true identity of the man in which these bones once belonged, the Vatican's security begins to have a much greater watchful eye on her. Are the bones discovered those of Jesus? Will the Vatican allow the information on the discovering or keep the secrets hidden? With her identifying the man these bones once belonged to, will Charlotte be silenced? Byrnes has penned a superbly crafted debut novel that tantalizes with a sense of drama and of suspense as the story races forward. It is evident that he has done a great deal of research which combines historical fact and protreptic fiction. Byrnes novel is powerful and opens an emotional vein in you leaving you with the desire to read through to the end. Michael Byrnes currently resides in New Jersey with his wife and two daughters. Byrnes attended Montclair State University in NJ and earned his undergraduate degree in marketing, and later his graduate degree in business administration at Rutgers. The Sacred Bones is his debut novel. This was one explosive and thrilling 5 star read and one genuine page-turner to the very end.

What a fantastic read!! Dare I say BETTER than Dan Brown!?!?

I LOVED this book. It's jam packed with action & detail. I truly feel that this book lends much more to the imagination than the Da Vinci code - it's a real 'what if' scenario. I can't wait to see what this author turns out next!!