Darren Priest Mysteries

After a distinguished scientist dies under suspicious circumstances at an archaeological dig in Tuscany, Darren Priest and Alana Weber are called in to investigate.They discover that the now-deceased scientist's work was focused on Italy's earliest history, and the possible connection to the mysterious Etruscan people. Ancient coins found at the site point to the Lydian Kingdom of Turkey, but also to nefarious activities, the Curse of Croesus, and the possibility that the origins of Roman Empire would have to be called to question.Soon, the two realize that the findings at the site could threaten the very fabric of modern-day humanity. As a Pandora's box of secrets, foreign intrigue and revenge opens, can Priest and Weber find out what happened at the dig? Dick Rosano's columns have appeared for many years in The Washington Post and other national publications. His series of novels set in Italy capture the beauty of the country, the flavors of the cuisine, and the history and traditions of the people. Rosano has traveled the world but Italy is his ancestral home and the insights he lends to his books bring the characters to life, the cities and countryside into focus, and the culture into high relief.Whether it's the workings of the winery in A Death in Tuscany, the azure sky and Mediterranean vistas in A Love Lost in Positano, the intrigue in Hunting Truffles, or the bitter conflict of Nazi occupation in The Secret Altamura, Rosano puts the life and times of Italy into your hands. A series by Dick Rosano.

Florence, 1553. An assassin sent by Arma Dei disappears into the night, with him a collection of heretical art and writings. For five centuries the satchel, containing sketches and writings by Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo and many others, is pursued by kings, popes, princes, and scavengers. The Paletti Notebook lives on through rumor and legend, which also suggest that it contains the infamous Gospel of Matthias, thought to be lost forever. In modern day Vienna, a bank manager discovers World War II-era photographs that hint to the collection's existence, sparking a new campaign by opposing forces to find the Paletti Notebook and take possession of its crucially important contents - by any means necessary.