A Book Review: Sign of the Cross by Chris Kuzneski (Jonathan Payne & David Jones #2)

Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code reached a phenomenal level of success. I guess we can even say, that Mr. Brown opened a new genre in thriller fictions called: Religious Conspiracy Thrillers. This genre has soared in popularity in the past decade, and the thriller market is filled with Dan-Brownish books.

I dabble in “Dan-Brownish” books every now and then. I take enjoyment out of this type of books. They are mostly fun and entertaining reads and I do not see any problem with them. However, in today's culture, religious conspiracy thrillers have become synonymous with “controversy”. I think the problem is some people tend to take these works of fictions way too seriously.

Anyway, a few days ago I read Sign of the Cross. This is a religious conspiracy thriller written by best-selling author Chris Kuzneski. While this thriller novel obviously feels “Dan-Brownish”, but I was really surprised by this book, because it tells a gripping story and I thought it was a decent novel.

Synopsis:

A Vatican priest is found dead on the Danish shore. The cause of death is crucifixion. Another victim, also killed by crucifixion, appeared in Lybia on the next day. This gruesome serial killing attracted the attention of Nick Dial, the director of Interpol, who took an interest and investigated the case.

Meanwhile, in Orvieto, Italy, professor Boyd unearthed a legendary catacomb buried beneath the earth. Within the catacomb, Boyd discovered a 2000 years old scroll with contents that could shatter the foundation of Christianity. Following his discovery, Boyd became the most wanted criminal in Europe.

At the same time, the serial killing by crucifixion continues to spawn on all continents. Is there a connection between Boyd's discovery and the serial killing?

My thoughts on this book:

I have read several books written by Kuzneski, and I generally like his books. Sign of the Cross was Chris Kuzneski's second publication. This is also the 2^nd installment in the adventures of Jonathan Payne and David Jones. This also means, Sign of the Cross does have some problems, especially with the writings. It was easy to see that when Kuzneski wrote this book, his skills as an author had yet to mature because the writings were obviously inferior to his later books.

However, writings are about the only flaw with Sign of the Cross. When it comes to storytelling, this book succeeded brilliantly as a thriller novel. When I was reading this book, I was hooked by the time I reached page 4. From there, I simply could not put this book down and before I realized it, the clock was ticking at 1am in the morning.

Kuzneski spun a very good story, he told it at an excellent pace, wrapping his story in a web of suspense. He soaked the plot in a river of mystery, inviting his readers to guess at the answer to the next puzzle. Meanwhile, Kuzneksi' narratives took his readers on a roller-coaster ride through unexpected twists and turns. In this book, Kuzneski managed to maintain the suspense from the first page to the very last. Suffice to say, it was a blast to read Sign of the Cross and I like this book very much.

Characterizations are less spectacular than the plot itself. Having said this, Jonathan Payne and David Jones are still a charming duo. Their dialogues are humorous and brought comic reliefs to the story. Kuzneski painted both Payne and Jones with colorful, personal qualities that they each stood up as memorable characters. The story also showcased a cast of supporting characters. Each of these characters are vividly portrayed and they are likable. The villain of this story does come across as a threatening character. However, I found his motivation a bit unrealistic.

After a quick glance at my synopsis, many people would probably imagine Sign of the Cross is a rip off of The Da Vinci Code. Some may even think this book attempts to thrive by generating anti-religious controversies. I have read the entire book from the first page to the last, and without spoiling the plot, I can say this book neither of those. Sign of the Cross encompasses a wider reach than The Da Vinci Code, and it certainly doesn't hold anti-religious sentiment. But as I have said, I do not wish to spoil the plot. This is because most of the fun in this book comes from letting Kuzneski's story surprise you with unexpected twists and turns, which he did so brilliantly in this book.

Sign of the Cross reminds me why I enjoy reading religious conspiracy thrillers. This story possesses enough originality and it is actually quite interesting. Meanwhile, Kuzneski packed barrels of suspense and mystery into its plot that will keep you reading it as if you are glued to your seat. I highly recommend Sign of the Cross to those who enjoy reading books written by authors such as Dan Brown, Steve Berry, or James Rollins.