Bill Brockton, a forensic anthropologists of the University of Tennessee, discovers what may be the bones of Jesus Christ, leading him to investigate a centuries old murder in Avignon, France. Bill Brockton is a forensic anthropologist at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, Tennessee. Needing to leave Knoxville as a result of a threat from a drug gang which he investigated, he receives a call from his assistant, Miranda Lovelady, who is working on an assignment in France. Miranda claims to be suffering from an acute attack of appendicitis and requests that Brockton come to France as quickly as possible. With somewhat of a love interest in Miranda and believing that other family members do not have passports, Brockton hastily makes the trip. On arriving at the airport in France, however, he is greeted by Miranda and her French colleague. Miranda and the colleague have unearthed what they believe to be the bones of Christ in a palace which was home to the Pope in the middle ages. Brockton is skeptical, but intrigued. The forensic investigation leads them to determine that the body was crucified, but carbon dating seems to place the death in the middle ages, rather than at the time of Christ. As their investigation continues, Miranda's French colleague is also murdered -- crucified, to be exact -- in the palace of the Popes. The French police become involved, including an inspector. Brockton and Miranda believe that the man was murdered because he was attempting to find a buyer for the bones. The suspects include a wealthy woman with an interest in religious relic and a radical Christian evangelist intent on cloning the DNA found in the bones and forcing the return of Christ. The action picks up toward the end of the book as the evangelist makes his way to Avignon in an attempt to claim the bones, which have been lost after the murder. Brockton and Miranda find the bones hidden beneath a bridge. The French Inspector is actually the murderer.
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Best part of story, including ending:
The love interest between Brockton and Miranda is a little creepy, given that he is a professor and she is his graduate assistant. Also, the storyline seemed forced at times and the switch between present and past was often abrupt and confusing.
Best scene in story:
My favorite scene was the dialogue about how the Shroud of Turin could have been created in the middle ages, using available artistic conventions at the time.
Opinion about the main character:
I like Dr. Brockton because he is smart. He understands forensic anthropology and he is able to put the pieces of a murder mystery together using evidence and science.
