In this intense and “absolutely brilliant thriller” (#1 New York Times bestselling author Brad Thor), a forensic anthropologist sets out to prove that the Shroud of Turin is a fake, but quickly discovers the opposite—and must race to stop the evil forces who want to use traces of blood in the fabric to clone Jesus Christ and bring on a second coming of their own design.

Throughout his career, forensic anthropologist and outspoken atheist Dr. Jon Bondurant has investigated many religious artifacts said to be real. But weak minds rely on such obviously false relics to maintain their silly, pointless faith.

So when he is invited by the Vatican to examine the Shroud of Turin, said to be the burial cloth that covered the body of Christ—and the most revered of all Christian artifacts—he is delighted for the opportunity to prove once and for all that the Shroud is a fake. But when he meets Domenika Josef, the beautiful and devout Vatican representative who finds him arrogant and self-important, he realizes his task will not be as straightforward as he once imagined. Domenika believes that the relic is real, and wants nothing more than to rescue the tarnished reputation of the church by announcing the good news. As Bondurant and his team examine every element of the Shroud, he and Domenika begin to see each other in a whole new light. And as the evidence about the origin of this highly contested piece of fabric starts to pile up, he begins to realize that he’s been seeing a lot of things incorrectly.

But when a sample of the blood from the Shroud—believed to be the real blood of Jesus Christ—vanishes, he realizes his problems are just beginning. The DNA in that sample could have earth-shattering consequences if it falls into the wrong hands. When Domenika vanishes too, Bondurant is caught in a globe-spanning chase to rescue the woman he loves—and stop the evil forces who have their own motives for bringing on the Second Coming.

In a career that has spanned philanthropy, politics, public service, and the Fortune 500, John Heubusch served as the first president of the Waitt Institute, a nonprofit research organization dedicated to historic discovery and scientific exploration. Cited often by The New York Times, The Washington Post, and Los Angeles Times, Heubusch has also been a contributing writer for The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Investor’s Business Daily, Forbes, and other leading publications. He is presently the executive director of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute. He resides with his wife and children in Los Angeles and is the author of The Shroud Conspiracy and The Second Coming.