The Secret of Heaven by Felix Alexander
When investment banker Lazzaro de Medici is found dead, Professor of Biblical Studies at University of Illinois at Chicago Aiden Leonardo is the prime suspect. In possession of an encrypted letter given to him by Lazzaro, Aiden utilizes his extensive knowledge of Scripture to piece together clues that lead to a Lost Bible dating back to the time of Christ.
Hidden within the text is an ancient truth about the most controversial message Jesus left to His disciples. But as Aiden embarks on his quest to unravel the mystery of redemption and faith, a secret organization known only as The Group hunts him down to destroy the Lost Bible and tie up loose ends.
With the help of his fiancé Dr. Miriam Levin—a cultural anthropologist and a professor of historical archaeology in her own right, their friend Nagi, a philologist, religious historian and an eccentric cryptographer, Aiden soon realizes the Lost Bible was written by a disciple who walked with Jesus and had his gospel omitted from Scripture.
Things are further complicated when a mysterious stranger warns Aiden that possessing the secret of heaven could cost him his life. Pursued by the F.B.I. for the ancient Black market relic and the Chicago PD in connection to the murder of Lazzaro de Medici, Aiden races against the clock to prove his innocence and fulfill his mentor’s dying wish.
“Expose the secret of heaven.”
Targeted Age Group:: Adult Audiences
Heat/Violence Level: Heat Level 3 – PG-13
What Inspired You to Write Your Book?
I read a few articles about a lost bible dating back to the time of Christ that the Turkish government had discovered when authorities executed a raid to prevent the sale of weapons on the Black Market. The controversial text was purportedly written by one of the disciples of the Christ and correlated the Islamic view of Jesus as a prophet and not a deity.
The Catholic Church requested to review the lost bible. The Turkish government transported it with a police escort due to being valued at $23-million Euro. When Pope Benedict XVI stepped down from his position in 2013, citing medical reasons, an Islamic cleric criticized the move given that the Catholic Church has rituals in place for when a Pope dies in office.
The cleric speculated that the real reason the Pope stepped down was because he had read the lost bible and in good conscience could no longer lead a Church predicated on a lie. When this reignited the debate about the humanity of Jesus and the divinity of Christ, and given my 25+ years studying the religions, mythologies, and philosophies of the world… I thought to myself, "This is perfect material for a novel!"
How Did You Come up With Your Characters?
My main character is loosely based on my son, and the man I envision him becoming. He's intelligent, curious, and aside from being a logical thinker he is also open-minded and resourceful. Miriam epitomizes the type of woman I hope my son someday meets as an accomplished and faithful partner in life. Nagi, a fan-favorite, represents my own personal interests in ancient idioms and future technologies, along with a fervent interest in world religions. Whereas Marquez, the suave but conflicted detective, is a man intent on uncovering the truth and discovering who he really is at his core. He will have his own spin-off novel, The Secret of God's Banker, in 2023.
Links to Purchase Print Book version – Click links for book samples, reviews and to purchase
Buy Print Edition at Amazon
Buy at Barnes and Noble
Buy at Bookshop
Links to Purchase Audiobook version – Click links for book samples, reviews and to purchase
Buy Audiobook at Amazon
Buy Audiobook at Audible
Buy Audiobook at iTunes
Links to Purchase eBook version – Click links for book samples, reviews and to purchase
Buy this eBook On Amazon
Learn more about the author on their website
Follow the author on Amazon
Follow the author on Social Media:
Facebook
Twitter
Goodreads
Instagram
YouTube Channel
All information was provided by the author and not edited by us. This is so you get to know the author better.
