The Messiah Secret by James Becker

The Messiah Secret by James Becker is another entry into the religious thriller arena. This third installment of the Chris Bronson series finds the police detective caught up in another Judeo-Christian, ancient mystery-themed, treasure hunt. When Bronson's ex-wife, Angela, discovers a parchment that might be the world's first reliable extra-biblical account of Jesus, the adventure begins.

From the Publisher:

Assessing the contents of a lavish English estate, museum conservator Angela Lewis discovers a crate full of sealed pottery jars-one of which holds a parchment which describes the life and times of Jesus of Nazareth.

For Angela, the find is a miracle-a written reference to Jesus outside of the New Testament. But her discovery draws her and her husband, Chris, into a centuries-old race for the truth that they may not win...or survive.

As I noted last year in my review of The Moses Stone, Becker doesn't break any new ground. The Messiah Secret is a typical, though certainly well-written and entertaining, religious thriller set firmly in the subgenre Dan Brown popularized. It's also a cut above the two previous books in the series.  It's a quick, easy read. The interplay between Chris and Angela is one of the book's strengths, as both are engaging characters and their relationship adds depth to a story that some readers might feel they've "heard" before. Becker also weaves in plot threads from the earlier Bronson thrillers, (The First Apostle and The Moses Stone), though the book stands alone. The Messiah Secret is a solid, entertaining religious thriller, a great choice for fans of Dan Brown or C.M. Palov.

The publisher provided a copy of this book for review.