The Crimson Code [Mass Market Paperback]

Rachel Lee (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 1, 2006

December 25: A bomb rips through a packed cathedral in Jakarta.

As the hours pass, terrorist explosions continue around the globe, triggering worldwide panic and creating a nightmare beyond words . . .

Inside the covert agency known only as Office 119, agents Renate Bachle and Lawton Caine are called upon to identify the groups responsible for the bloodshed. But the so-called "Black Christmas" attacks are nothing more than a smoke screen for a far more sinister conspiracy. At its heart are ruthless secret societies with blood ties that date back thousands of years, whose goals are nothing less than global domination.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"A highly complex thriller." -- Publishers Weekly on Wildcard

"Rachel Lee is a master of romantic suspense." -- Romantic Times

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 480 pages
• Publisher: Mira (February 1, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0778322718
• ISBN-13: 978-0778322719
• Product Dimensions: 6.5 x 4.2 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,895,666 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful continuation of the series!, February 4, 2006

By 

Deborah Wiley (Winter Haven, FL) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Crimson Code (Mass Market Paperback)

Rachel Lee's next installment about the mysterious but deadly Brotherhood provides a thrill ride that never stops. The book begins with simultaneous bomb blasts worldwide in large Catholic churches during Midnight Mass as well as bomb blasts in strategic economic targets. There is one exception- a small church in Baden-Baden, Germany, is also destroyed along with the family of Renate Bachle, aka the Bookworm. Renate, along with her partner, Lawton Caine, had to fake their deaths and leave their previous lives due to the machinations of the Brotherhood. Both are now part of Office 119, a secretive U.N. agency created to combat terrorism. Renate has been following the money trail of the Brotherhood for a long time and now, seeking vengeance for the deaths of her family members, she continues this endeavor. Meanwhile, Ahmed Ahsani has begun his own investigations as he had initiated a worldwide attack for that Christmas but his targets were the economic targets and no lives were to be lost. Ahmed is the leader of the Saif Alsharaawi, an organization that had intended to show that Muslims were peaceful and could police themselves. Underlying the major plotline is the continued journeys of Father Steve Lorenzo in Guatemala where he was sent by the Vatican to locate the Codex. He locates the Codex only to have it stolen by an operative of General Soult, who also has close ties to the terrorist activities. Rachel Lee deftly ties this complex plot together while leaving the reader prepared for the next book in the series. This novel is a stand-alone novel but will be best appreciated if the precursors, WITH MALICE and WILDCARD, have been read. Don't mistake this novel for a romance novel; this is a very complicated novel of intrigue, history, and political machinations. I'm a huge fan of this series and read each one as swiftly as I get my hands on a copy. Highly recommended!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars exciting doomsday thriller, February 1, 2006

By 

Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews
(#1 Hall OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Crimson Code (Mass Market Paperback)

Christmas is being celebrated around the globe when the simultaneous terrorist attacks occur. In every time zone a Catholic Cathedral is devastated. At the same several economic points like an oil rig and the New York Stock Exchange data base were also hit. Whereas the former left thousands dead; the latter killed no one. Additionally, an anomaly in Baden, Baden happened when a small church was targeted.

Saudi moderate Ahmed Ahsami feels betrayed. He set up the economic terrorism to hurt the west without causing deaths, which is why he chose Christmas. However, when you partner with the devil anything can happen and this case did. He plans vengeance for Islamic and Catholics as he tells Vatican Monsignor Vectroni of Stewards of Faith. In France, history aficionado General Jules Souet celebrates the first step he fostered towards his taking over as the world's leader.

At the same time UN Office 119 operative Renate Baehle is filled with rage over the Baden, Baden murders as her family was eradicated in her opinion to get at her. She plans vengeance on those who committed the atrocity. Renate and Lawton Laine begin tracking the Internet banking that was needed to support this pandemic terrorism even as the nuclear genie appears on the verge of escaping the bottle.

This exciting doomsday thriller smoothly ties two modern day conspiracies from competing groups vying for world domination back to Moses. The story line leaps around the globe as numerous subplots bring across the vast scope of the secret societies to dominate the planet. Initially difficult to follow with so much happening seemingly everywhere, the regional actions tie back together to forge the main exhilarating plot. Fans will appreciate this fast-paced powerful conspiracy thriller.

Harriet Klausner

2 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic!, March 21, 2006

By 

Ladyjrnlist "LadyJ" (Florida) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Crimson Code (Mass Market Paperback)

If you can read, you will enjoy this novel. What an amazing read. I can't wait for more. Some people should read books with lots and lots of pictures and skip the part of literary critic altogether.