Former arcaeobibliologist and now purveyor of rare books, August Adams finds himself on an transatlantic flight from his worst nightmare. It is not the erratic turbulence that troubles him but a call from his distressed eight year old son, Charlie who is in the hands of an assassin.
The attractive woman in the seat beside him transmutes from charming companion to master manipulator, demanding August’s assistance to decipher a mysterious centuries old code embedded in one of Johannes Gutenberg’s almost priceless Bibles.
August is drawn into a web of intrigue and an unparalleled historical mystery while his family’s lives hang in the balance.
The premise of Matt Bronleewe’s debut novel, Illuminated, is fascinating and he weaves the mystery of what might hidden in the detailed drawings of Gutenberg’s Bibles with a deft hand. The pace is frantic for August’s family on the ground and yet for August and his nemesis on the aeroplane there is an eerie stillness as he attempts to unravel the clues using his expert knowledge and internet links! It seemed to me that August was a little too together for a man whose son’s life was endangered but it was a minor distraction in an otherwise entertaining and engrossing read. I look forward to seeing August’s character fleshed out some more in a sequel that begs to be written.
Illuminated is available now from Thomas Nelson.
