From Publishers Weekly
Reviving amorous (but recently estranged) protagonists Danielle Barnea (a chief inspector of the Israel National Police) and Ben Kamal (a Palestinian detective) from The Pillars of Solomon, the narrative of Land's new thriller pivots on three mysterious elements: two mass murders occurring over a half-century apart and a long-forgotten scroll that allegedly questions Christ's resurrection. At the story's outset, Ben, who's been summoned to a multiple-murder crime scene by Danielle, identifies the corpse of his nephew--an American archeology student killed while on a dig in the desert. Eager to solve the crime, the anguished duo find their investigation hampered by, among other figures, a fanatic captain of the Vatican's Swiss Guard and a zealous rabbi, both of whom want to find and destroy the scroll. To complicate matters, Danielle is pregnant with Ben's child and struggling to land a well-deserved promotion. When she and Ben discover that the dig at which Ben's cousin murdered was a coverup for an oil-drilling operation, they find themselves in the midst of a global speed chase. As the pair hopscotch from the Middle East to Newfoundland, Rome and the U.S., they manage to pull off a slew of credibility-defying escapes. Land writes very well, but the novel is overcome with melodrama. Like a flawed skyrocket, it grows flashier and gaudier until, when it should explode with excitement, it only fizzles.
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From School Library Journal
Adult/High School-When American archaeologists are murdered in the Judean desert, Chief Inspector Danielle Barnea of Israel's National Police calls in Detective Ben Kamal of the Palestinian police to help with the investigation. Besides being aligned as coworkers, they are also lovers and Barnea has only recently discovered she is pregnant with his child. They set out on a whirlwind investigation that quickly intensifies as they repeatedly foil attempts to kill them. The investigation reveals two probable causes behind the murders: one dealing with an ancient manuscript and the other with an amazing geological find. Land presents an intriguing beginning to his plot, using the strife between two ancient ethnic groups to build tension. While the apparent reason behind the killings appears to be solved halfway through the book, the true reason doesn't become clear until the very end. The author's attempts at intensifying the threats on the protagonists' lives may sound like scenes from a contemporary James Bond movie, but they keep things moving rapidly, even if they push the bounds of believability a bit. Characters are quick sketches, with their personality and personal histories pieced together from snippets of information revealed throughout the story. The plot wanes toward the end, but there's lots of fast-paced action.-Pam Johnson, Fairfax County Public Library, VA
Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
