“Weaving together Vatican politics and the mystery of the Shroud of Turin, Jim O’Shea has crafted a wonderfully engaging, page-turning thriller. In this fast-paced debut novel, O’Shea combines science and faith with a healthy dose of suspense, and the result is a harrowing adventure that is part Michael Crichton, part Frank Peretti.
In The Linen God….good and evil in their purest forms collide in a climax that threatens the future of the Church. And at the center of it all is the mystery of the Shroud and the mystery of the Incarnation, which left an indelible mark on the world—and quite possibly on a piece of a ancient linen. The Linen God will leave its mark on readers as well.”
Doug Peterson – Award Winning Author of “The Puzzle People” and “The Vanishing Woman”.
Along the lines of Robert Ludlum, Jim O’Shea delves into the world of the Vatican, The Shroud of Turin, intrigue, and faith.
Definitely a page-turner, definitely a heart-pounding read, The Linen God explores the deepest part of humanity. Not even the most faithful of servants are truly faithful.
What if prophecies foretold came true? What if those prophecies were lies, the manipulation of men and evil forces?
Could Christ be cloned? Would that be the Anti-Christ and the fall of the Church and the rise to Evil?
Taking into account The Book of Revelations, the history of the Catholic Church, the spiritual warfare between Heaven and Hell, this books explores the depth of faith. Is your faith strong enough?
Each character was well developed. The twists and turns kept me reading well into the night. Just when I thought I had it figured out, a new twist threw me head long into a vortex of deceit, murder,love and hope.
The ending was most surprising of all, something I truly did not see coming, but was thrilled and satisfied that it did. It was what made a definite 3 star into a 5 star.
O’Shea does not mince his words. He does not shy away from the inconsistencies of faith that is prevalent in many organized churches. The mysteries of God, Christ, and The Shroud are examined and explained in a way that truly makes the reader think about the awesomeness of God. Science and religion are the forefront of faith at times in this book, showing a marriage of both and the reactions of characters to the thought. Although not the main part of the story, it heightens the action and climax of the story.
Thought provoking, adrenaline producing, and soul wrenching, The Linen God is a definite read for thriller fans. Forget Dan Brown and his elementary style writing that causes a lot of the faithful to spurn his books. Forget Robert Ludlum or Vince Flynn who uses foul language.
Jim O’Shea far surpasses these writers with his story. Action and Religion tied into one, The Linen God is more than a story, it is an experience.
D.M. Self – Author of “Mississippi Nights”
Manny Lusum is obsessed with the Shroud of Turin. He’s almost finished his doctoral thesis, which will prove that the Shroud is genuine, when he has the chance to see the Shroud during its visit to New York.
Manny’s discovery that the Shroud there is not the original Shroud rocks his world – until he’s swept into a conspiracy by his best friend, Grace, and her mom, a journalist tracking down the story behind three grisly murders in Rome.
Grace is in love with Manny, though she won’t admit it to herself, much less to anyone else, because Manny is in seminary. She doesn’t totally understand Manny’s obsession with the Shroud – or his Catholic faith – but she’s swept into the whirlwind surrounding the conspiracy when she finally meets her father. As Grace struggles to deal with all of the information being thrown at her, she must also help Manny through the toughest time of his life.
Jim O’Shea pens a suspenseful story that pulled me in with the first few chapters and kept me reading until the very end. At times, I felt a bit lost in all the information about the Shroud and how all the loose ends were going to meet, but I was never bored. Manny and Grace are delightful, interesting characters with a great relationship, and every other character in the book felt equally real.
I confess that I knew next-to-nothing about the Shroud before reading this novel, so my curiosity was piqued. Jim includes an image of the Shroud on his website, along with two websites for readers wanting more information.
Jim O’Shea is a graduate of the University of Missouri and long-time resident of Missouri. He worked for twenty-five years in the software industry and now “spends his time crafting suspense novels that often tackle the complex relationship between science and religion.”
The Linen God made me think of Dan Brown, except that Jim actually checked his facts and got his history straight. The book also reminded me of Frank Peretti’s books, which challenge the reader to think more deeply about faith and current issues.
For more information about Jim and his books, check out his website. I was thoroughly impressed by Jim’s debut novel and look forward to seeing his next book on the bookshelves.
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Category: Contemporary Publisher : Written World Communications ISBN-13: 978-1938679063 Original Language: English Book Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.4 x 0.7 inches
About Bonnie Way
Bonnie Way is a freelance writer and editor whose work has been published in a variety of publications from parenting magazines to travel websites. She is the editor of FellowScript, a quarterly writer’s newsletter, and is currently taking writing courses at the University of Victoria in BC. Bonnie has been an avid reader since childhood (she blames her reading habits for getting her into writing) and currently reviews books for several publishers and publicists. When she’s not writing, she’s busy as a wife and the mom of two beautiful daughters. Visit Bonnie’s website, The Koala Bear Writer.