A Jerusalem archaeologist is murdered after he uncovers stunning statements about Jesus in a Dead Sea scroll. Meanwhile, a charismatic American priest with long-hidden secrets is elected pope. Some think he's the world's new savior. Will historian Jack Cane and detective Lela Raul find the truth before the parchment is lost---and they're silenced---forever? 464 pages, hardcover from Howard.

In the desert near Jerusalem, an archaeologist is murdered after he uncovers stunning evidence in a Dead Sea scroll about the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The two-thousand-year-old parchment containing enigmatic references to not one but two messiahs is stolen before it can be fully translated. 

In Rome, a charismatic American priest with long-hidden secrets is elected pope, setting off widespread panic among some of the faithful who question whether he is the anti-Christ or the world’s new savior. As the conspiracy over the scroll explodes into a political and religious standoff, two people find themselves on the run, trying to stay one step ahead of unknown assassins in their search for truth. 

Archaeologist Jack Cane and Israeli police inspector Lela Raul must solve the mystery of the Second Messiah and uncover the real secret behind the message of Jesus before they are permanently silenced and the scroll and its contents are forever lost to humanity.

Glenn Meade was born in 1957 in Finglas, Dublin. Several of his novels have been international bestsellers, translated into more than twenty languages, and have enjoyed both critical and commercial success. He worked in the field of pilot training for Aer Lingus for many years and as a journalist for the Irish Times. He now writes full time.

In The Second Messiah by Glenn Meade, archaeologist Jack Cane makes the discovery of a lifetime,a 2,000 year old scroll that may prove the existence of Jesus. However, when the scroll is stolen, Jack realizes that there are powerful people who will do anything to keep the scroll's contents from becoming public knowledge. Soon, Jack is involved in a search that involves the Mossad and the Vatican, a newly appointed pope, and even Jack’s own past.

The premise to The Second Messiah is intriguing, and the plot includes several twists to keep readers interested. However, occasional switches in point of view within single scenes are distracting, and the dozens of minor characters are difficult to keep straight. Additionally, the action driven story could have benefited from a trimming of descriptions, adjectives, and adverbs.

Despite these small problems with mechanics, The Second Messiah would have still been an enjoyable book, except for one thing: its questionable theology. By the final page, the story of The Second Messiah has questioned the validity of Scripture and cast doubt on both the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The Bible is seen as a book that "evolved" and had "lots of stuff" cut out of it. The Council of Nicaea is described as an event in which the emperor Constantine chose what would be in the Bible by throwing the documents in question down on a table and keeping the ones that stayed on the table. The entire plot of the story is based on a Vatican conspiracy to keep documents that question Christianity hidden. God's love is manifested as a mystic, spiritual presence that might have been God, or a ghost, or the wind, depending on the reader's perspective. By the end of the book, all that readers are left with is a vague spirituality, in which Christian love and outreach are the true fulfillment of Christ’s second coming.

The Second Messiah has some positive messages regarding the importance of loving and accepting others messages that reflect Christ's statement in John 13:35, which says, "By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." However, because of its problematic theology, I cannot recommend it to other Christian readers. Ruth A. Burrell, www.ChristianBookPreviews.com

The Irish-born author (Snow Wolf) teeters on the edge of genius and sacrilege with this thriller about a subject known since the time of Christ. When archeologist Jack Cane discovers ancient documents that point to the existence of another messiah, he also quickly finds out that both Israeli and Catholic authorities have reason to possess, or suppress, such documents. Racked with the pain of personal loss, he meets up with an old friend, Lela, who is part of an Israeli police team investigating multiple crimes, including a cold case involving the possible murder of Cane's parents--also archeologists--20 years earlier. Some who have avoided Christian fiction or only dipped in will find this departure from the mold refreshing, even while some regular readers of Christian fiction may find certain passages revolting. Fans of Davis Bunn or Dan Brown won't bat an eye at Meade's unblinking look at the Vatican and the religious secrecy that fuels such novels. With a plot that screams, a controversial edge, and characters with attitude and something to prove, this has all the makings to be the next Da Vinci Code. (Aug.) Copyright 2011 Reed Business Information.

"The Irish-born author (Snow Wolf) teeters on the edge of genius and sacrilege with this thriller about a subject known since the time of Christ. When archeologist Jack Cane discovers ancient documents that point to the existence of another messiah, he also quickly finds out that both Israeli and Catholic authorities have reason to possess, or suppress, such documents. Racked with the pain of personal loss, he meets up with an old friend, Lela, who is part of an Israeli police team investigating multiple crimes, including a cold case involving the possible murder of Cane's parents—also archeologists—20 years earlier. Some who have avoided Christian fiction or only dipped in will find this departure from the mold refreshing, even while some regular readers of Christian fiction may find certain passages revolting. Fans of Davis Bunn or Dan Brown won't bat an eye at Meade's unblinking look at the Vatican and the religious secrecy that fuels such novels. With a plot that screams, a controversial edge, and characters with attitude and something to prove, this has all the makings to be the next Da Vinci Code."

"Dan Brown meets Tom Clancy—Glenn Meade sure knows how to get your pulse racing. I was gripped from page one. Whether The Second Messiah is fact or fiction is up for debate, but one thing’s for sure—it’s one heck of a thriller. You know you’re in safe hands with Glenn Meade—The Second Messiah is a rollercoaster of a thriller that lifts the lid on the inner workings of the Vatican and leaves you wondering just how much of the fiction is actually fact."

"A thrill a minute. A cross between Indiana Jones and Dan Brown. Thriller readers will love this book."

"Tell Dan Brown to move over! It’s Glenn Meade’s turn."

"Reading similarly to both a Thoene novel and The Da Vinci Code, bestselling author Meade’s The Second Messiah will keep readers on the edge of their proverbial seats . . . The Second Messiah reads quickly and will hold the reader’s attention with its many plot twists. In the story, Meade also addresses the problem of suffering in an insightful comment from the pope. Fans of fiction tied to news headlines will enjoy this geopolitical thriller. Recommended for readers of Joel C. Rosenberg."

"This novel is a Da Vinci Code-type thriller, but it’s far more. The secret scrolls and chases are standard thriller fare, but deftly handled. Some of the characters are particularly captivating, especially the new Pope, a true follower of God who’s tormented by his past and struggling with the future of the Church. This suspenseful book is well worth reading."

"Written in the mold of The Da Vinci Code—sans all the erroneous claims (thankfully)—bestselling author Glenn Meade’s latest geographical thriller, The Second Messiah, keeps readers on the edge of their proverbial seats with multiple plot twists."

"Meade knows how to entangle, and untangle, an exciting array of characters and plots guaranteed to keep the reader hooked . . . a talented storyteller, he sets the scene quickly before taking off on a rollicking ride that keeps the pages turning. It’s a hard book to put down."

"Reads at a breathtaking, frantic pace from beginning to end. . . . A daring work of fiction that will have people talking."

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