Synopsis: It’s the discovery that will make Miranda Lovelady’s career… if she can prove it. And the secret she’s unearthed is enough to convince Doctor Bill Brockton to abandon the Body Farm and fly to Avignon. The medieval city is picturesque, but deadly. When their colleague is found crucified in a ruined chapel, Brockton and Miranda become entangled in a terrifying conspiracy, far bigger than either of them can imagine. For the bones of Jesus of Nazareth would be the find of the millennium.
Review
The Bones of Avignon is the seventh novel in the Body Farm series, and is the most ambitious one to date. The writing partnership that gives its name to ‘Jefferson Bass’, Jon Jefferson – veteran journalist and documentary filmmaker – and Dr Bill Bass, a world-famous forensic archaeologist, is a fantastic collaboration, producing a wonderful blend of culture and history, juxtaposed with fiction. The result, it has to be said, is a truly thrilling tale through time.
Dr Bill Brockton, whisked from the routine of the Body Farm, arrives at the ancient city of Avignon, with no clue of what is going on. Not long after, he is wishing he had remained ignorant. Stephen, Miranda’s colleague and old flame, has a discovery which will change everything: bones that will threaten to destroy a secret that has remained hidden for two thousand years.
The reader, through terrific description and a ferociously paced plot, is taken on a sprawling journey; from the hidden dungeons of the Palais de Papes, to the Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist, which holds the infamous Shroud of Turin. We move on a journey with the characters as they strive to answer questions that for a long time have gone unasked. As they attempt to unravel the mysteries, there are those that are determined to stop them; many eyes watch in the shadows of the night, each with their own agenda.
From a kind-hearted priest that takes pity on the doctor when he receives some bad news, to the delightful couple that house Bill Brockton in the charming Lumani residence, the authors weave a rich web of characters through our tale. Painters from the past, their actions shown to us in flashbacks, a dangerous fanatic that plans to bring the world to its knees. Who can be trusted in a tale where one misplaced instinct could bring disastrous circumstances?
The Bones of Avignon is a story of murder and blood, death and deception. A combination of history and fiction gives the reader a tale rich with action, each page promising to bring new twists and turns in the journey to discover the true meaning behind the bones of Avignon.
4/5.
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