In a secret bunker, one of the world's most dangerous terrorists is under interrogation-until he is rescued, and his captors are slaughtered.Ex-MANIAC honcho Jonathan Payne vows revenge-but there is more to the bloody atrocity than terrorist reprisal. There is a plot in motion that will burn the world in the fires of holy war.From Publishers WeeklyRetired soldiers Jonathon Payne and D.J. Jones return to action (after last year's Sign of the Cross), investigating a secret bunker off the coast of Korea where a gruesome scene and a missing squad from their former unit, an elite counterinsurgency team, indicate that secret interrogation proceedings have gone terribly wrong. Piecing together the facts of the case lead Payne and Jones to Mecca, where a plot to blow up the Grand Mosque suggests a global conspiracy to align forces against the United States. Soon Payne and Jones have to risk their lives to infiltrate Mecca (where non-Muslims can be summarily executed) to save the city and, ultimately, the world. Kuzneski's novel is taut and largely fast-paced; though occasionally bogged down in historical exposition, it's a fair trade that gives the book a rich sense of authenticity and plausibility. Though characters are short on depth, Kuzneski knows how to maintain a nuanced moral landscape while wresting maximum thrills from contemporary Western fear of terrorism. This globe-crossing action thriller, like its predecessor, evokes the spirit of Dan Brown, with welcome doses of Lee Child's ex-military tough-guy grit. (Oct.) Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. Review"Kuzneski's writing has the same kind of raw power as the early Stephen King."

The first victim is abducted in Italy then crucified over a thousand miles away. The next day, the same crime is repeated--this time in Asia and Africa. Three different continents but one brutal pattern: someone is reenacting the execution of Christ. While visiting Spain, Jonathon Payne and David Jones are arrested for crimes they committed during their military careers. Fortunately, the CIA brokers a deal on their behalf: all charges will be dropped if they help catch Dr. Charles Boyd, a master thief who has stolen some of the finest treasures in Europe. With little choice, the duo begins their pursuit, only to realize that Boyd is more than a criminal. He is one of the world's top experts on Ancient Rome and is close to making a discovery that threatens to rewrite the basic foundations of Christianity. From its breathtaking beginning to its mind-blowing conclusion, expect the unexpected with SIGN OF THE CROSS.