Lever Templar – A Castellum One Novel

Matt
Gianni
Genre: 
Suspense-Thriller

DUAL TIMELINE:  After an intense battle during the 14th Century Crusades, Templar Sergeant Brim Hastings and apprentice leather tanner Shayla Kostic narrowly escape execution. The two of them use their combined wits and talents to foil the machinations of Cibalik Darcan as they embark on a dangerous mission involving a scroll the Catholic Church deems catastrophic to Christian beliefs.  

Seven centuries later, American agent Rick Lambert and partner Samir Moozarmi are conducting an investigation of priest abductions in Iraq. After a gun fight during the kidnapping of a high-level priest ends in Samir’s death, the Vatican sends in Maria Belloci, a lieutenant in their Italian Gendarmerie to assist Rick in the kidnapping investigation. They must put aside their instant attraction to stay one step ahead of Iranian terrorist commander Ahmed Makarem as they try to determine the connections between the kidnappings, a relic domino piece, and the destruction of religious properties in France. 

Matt Gianni’s first novel in this series is a unique and riveting spy adventure with the added bonus of time-jumping! Readers will definitely enjoy the well-developed characters, the heart pounding action, and the complex twists and turns experienced in both time lines. The heroes are smart, strong and dynamic characters. The abundance of historical detail causes a bit of drag to the pace, but the thrilling, action-packed contemporary covert operation is a nail-biting coup! The subtle hint of romance in each storyline is also a nice touch. Mr. Gianni’s fantastic use of parallel timelines with religious relics and conspiracy theories will have readers eagerly awaiting the next mission in the adventurous lives of past Crusaders and current Castellum One operatives.

Tonya Mathenia