Shimon David was a nosy neighbor. Despite his age, his mind was sharp and he knew every intimate detail on the street where he lived in the old city of Jerusalem. He could sniff out when anything changed, no matter how small. Curious like the proverbial cat, he had to investigate, yet satisfaction did not bring him back. If only he could have told his tale, things may have been different. Poor Shimon! He never realized the magnitude of what he saw or the potentially explosive story linked to what he had witnessed.

From a secret and ancient document passed on to Benedict XVI from each pope before him to treacherous murders in the Vatican, many players wanted to support or blow apart the secret behind The Status Quo. Locked in a secret vault whose location was only known by a wealthy Israeli citizen, Ben Isaac, this document guaranteed secrecy over documents that could piece the heart of what Christians believed about their Lord. What would happen now this agreement has expired? Whose hands would claim it? Will the means be righteous or foul? Would ancient secrets now be told or silenced?

Building on the characters and some events in the previous two books in his Vatican series, Luis M. Rocha (with translation by Robin McAllister) has penned another action packed historical thriller that fans of conspiracy stories are sure to relish. The storyline is captivating and is so filled with shifting alliances, moral ambiguity, violent confrontations and plot twists that it can be confusing at times and almost impossible to second guess what is going to happen next. Previous fans will be pleased to see the further development of strong characters, such as Sarah Monteiro, a famous journalist trusted and favored by the Vatican and Father Rafael Santini, a faithful church operative and former CIA agent. To describe any more would only reveal carefully guarded secrets held by the Roman church, the Society of Jesus, and some unnamed. Only by reading it, can you find out more! Enjoy the thrill and twists of the ride!

Book Summary

The best-kept secret of the Catholic Church...and a journalist who has made it her life -mission to discover the truth-at any cost.

The night after he is elected to the Throne of St. Peter, Benedict XVI, like every Pope before him, is given an ancient document to read. Handed down only on his coronation, the document is the first thing a Pope reads when he is elected, and holds the Church's best-kept secret-one which it will preserve at all costs. But there may be other versions. A mysterious Gospel kept by an Israeli millionaire in London might hint at what the document contains. And there are rumors that the Dead Sea Scrolls, found by a Bedouin in 1947 might have been staged in order to obscure the shocking truth it reveals. Rafael, Vatican's shadowy priest/operative, is sent to investigate the stories of these other documents...and discovers evidence that may implicate his old friend Sarah Monteiero, the British journalist who already knows too many of the Church's secrets.

Will the world soon learn what revelations the Pope's secret document holds? Or will the Vatican manage to silence the rumors forever?