October 13, 2014
“Bunn-ies” have come to expect the Christy Hall of Famer’s globe-trotting novels to include an antiquities expert and a historical set of twists to complement a romantic relationship between strong male and female characters. This one fits the bill. Carey Mathers is a recently graduated forensic archeologist who abruptly loses a new job in Greece when the research foundation mysteriously shuts down. After she meets up with old family friend and journalist Nicholas Hennessy, the two of them join Dimitri Roubinos, a sailor who is contemplating smuggling to make a living, to unravel the mystery of disappearing religious artifacts from the island of Patmos. Carey gives readers plenty of biblical, historical background from the period surrounding John the Apostle’s exile there. The romance between Carey and Nicholas is richly textured with spirituality. While characters in Bunn’s previous novels have been more diverse than these two Texans meeting up in Greece, it’s still a great story that bridges ancient life 20 centuries ago with a brilliant mystery plot and plenty of regional charm.