The Dead Sea Deception

This religious action thriller from Blake (the pseudonym of British comic book writer and novelist Mike Carey) hits all the genre tropes in fresh and exciting ways. London police detective Heather Kennedy is handed the case of a murdered university professor that leads to several suspicious deaths, all linked to an ancient document known as the Rotgut Codex—“a medieval translation of a lost version of John’s gospel.” Meanwhile, ex-mercenary Leo Tillman has been searching for his kidnapped wife and three children for 13 years. When Kennedy and Tillman realize that their separate quests are connected, they join forces against a mysterious religious sect headed by assassin Solomon Kuutma, who directs the men and women known as Messengers to carry out missions against the sect’s enemies. Kennedy and Tillman eventually reach an underground city, where they find that, even after their final battle, the war is far from over. Enthralled readers will look forward to the sequel. (June)