Charlotte Hennesey Series by Michael Byrnes

At the crossroads of Christian, Islamic, and Jewish faiths, an ancient artifact is stolen from a long-hidden vault located directly beneath Jerusalem's Temple Mount . . .So begins The Sacred Bones by Michael Byrnes, a page-turning novel from a new voice on the thriller scene. With the violent theft leaving thirteen Israeli soldiers and policemen dead, and the Palestinians up in arms over the desecration of sacred grounds, the tension between the two groups is dangerously high... moreAt the crossroads of Christian, Islamic, and Jewish faiths, an ancient artifact is stolen from a long-hidden vault located directly beneath Jerusalem's Temple Mount . . .So begins The Sacred Bones by Michael Byrnes, a page-turning novel from a new voice on the thriller scene. With the violent theft leaving thirteen Israeli soldiers and policemen dead, and the Palestinians up in arms over the desecration of sacred grounds, the tension between the two groups is dangerously high. Jerusalem is a stick of dynamite and the fuse has been lit. . . .Across the Mediterranean in Italy, American forensic scientist Charlotte Hennesey has been hired by the Vatican to examine the contents of a newly discovered archeological treasure: a two-thousand-year-old ossuary containing the bones of an unidentified, crucified man—the first complete skeleton of a crucifixion victim ever found. Together with Italian anthropologist Giovanni Bersei, Charlotte makes startling forensic and genetic discoveries that lead her to wonder—could these be the bones of Jesus Christ?With the situation in Jerusalem veering out of control and the malevolent eye of Vatican security expert Salvatore Conte watching her every step, Charlotte puts two and two together. She knows that if the mortal remains of Christ are indeed in the burial box, the implications—for history and science, for religion and the Church—are frighteningly vast. And even more immediate is the question of whether the Vatican will allow the information—and Charlotte—to see the light of day.Fast-paced and intelligent, blending historical fact with persuasive fiction, The Sacred Bones reads like a CSI episode penned by The Da Vinci Code author Dan Brown. From a conspiracy stretching back to the days of the Templar Knights to the shifting alliances of contemporary Middle Eastern politics, The Sacred Bones is an addictively compelling thriller that calls into question many of modern religion's deepest-held beliefs about Judaism, Jesus Christ and early Christianity, and Islam . . . with stunning results. less

Secrets, miracles, prophecies, and the threat of Armageddon intertwine in this riveting sequel to the international bestseller "The Sacred Bones"When American geneticist Charlotte Hennesey examined what she believed were the bones of Jesus, the Vatican tried to stop word of her discovery from spreading. Now her proof has vanished.But the bones were just the beginning. In her tests, Charlotte discovers that the DNA extracted from the bones contains miraculous powers... moreSecrets, miracles, prophecies, and the threat of Armageddon intertwine in this riveting sequel to the international bestseller "The Sacred Bones"When American geneticist Charlotte Hennesey examined what she believed were the bones of Jesus, the Vatican tried to stop word of her discovery from spreading. Now her proof has vanished.But the bones were just the beginning. In her tests, Charlotte discovers that the DNA extracted from the bones contains miraculous powers. Dying from cancer, the determined scientist uses herself as a human guinea pig to astonishing results. When she injects herself with this miracle DNA, the bone cancer that is slowly killing her doesn't just go into remission, it vanishes completely. It seems the DNA has the ability to repair damaged genes, to heal the sick, to cure incurable diseases. And much to her surprise, Charlotte discovers that now she possesses these very powers.But someone wants those bones--and Charlotte. Rabbi Aaron Cohen--a descendent of the biblical Aaron and the high priests of the long-destroyed Temple in Jerusalem--foresees a time when Jerusalem's Temple Mount is cleared of the Dome of the Rock and the al-Aqsa Mosque and replaced with the Third Temple. And for Cohen, that time is now. Cohen's family has been the guardian of the Ark of the Covenant for many years and he is ready to retrieve the Ark from its hiding place and bring it back to Jerusalem to unleash its awesome power. He has only one problem--he cannot touch the Ark because his bloodline isn't pure. Charlotte, her blood now purified by Jesus Christ's own DNA, is kidnapped and brought to Israel in order to open the Ark.Cohen's dangerous plan doesn't go unnoticed, however. When Israeli archaeologist Amit Mizrachi--digging in the Qumran cave area where the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered in 1947--uncovers a mysterious Egyptian hieroglyph in a hidden and previously undiscovered room, he brings in noted Egyptologist Julie LeRoux to interpret it for him. Their romantically charged sparring leads them on a quest to unravel the mystery, and when the bullets start to fly, they know they are onto something huge.As Cohen puts his plan into action, the Muslim keepers of the mosques on Temple Mount are outraged. Will this be the act that leads to vast armies meeting on the hills of the town named Megiddo causing a global Armageddon? less