Synopses & Reviews
Will she decipher the mysteries leading to the sacred relic, or be defeated by the foes racing to claim it and destroy her?
A dealer in art and antiquities, Storm Syrrell arranges her life as she does her work -- into neat, orderly categories. But when her grandfather is murdered, all certainties are crushingly replaced by suspicions. She struggles to understand his death -- and decipher the frayed leather journal she finds hidden in his vault. Storm soon realizes that, far from being simply a discreet art broker, Sean Syrrell was a trusted go-between in the highest ranks of business and government in Europe, Africa, and the Middle East.
But not all of Sean's associates were quite so lofty. Enter Harry Bennett, a scruffy professional treasure hunter just released from a Caribbean jail, followed by Emma Webb, a US government lawyer with links to Interpol. Storm pushes her doubts aside, locks the door to her Palm Beach art gallery, and opens herself to the quest begun by her grandfather.
Their trail leads them ever farther afield -- London, France, Istanbul, Cyprus -- and ever deeper into danger. The thrill of the search is haunted by Storm's determination to bring Sean's murderers to justice. Storm and Harry in turn are targeted by an unknown assassin and saved from death only by Harry's split-second reactions.
Their quest homes in on the Copper Scroll of Qumran and controversial claims made by the Jewish historian Josephus. Hidden beneath the dust and mysteries of two thousand years lies the reason behind Sean Syrrell's murder and the find of a lifetime: a fortune in gold of great historical significance. Storm begins to grasp the potential magnitude such artifacts will have on contemporary religion and politics -- especially the competing historical claims to Jerusalem. Some seek to claim the gold for the treasure it represents; others are determined to destroy it. With the tangled motives of greed and power now in focus, old allies become new enemies. Through this, something unexpected tugs at Storm. The sacred relics represent a formidable metaphor to an ancient faith; will her search include a renewal of her own faith?
Synopsis
Investigating the circumstances around her grandfather's death, an antiques dealer forms an alliance with a treasure hunter and gets tangled up in a quest for secret historical writings that could spark a new crisis in Middle Eastern politics.
Synopsis
From the bestselling author of "The Presence" comes the tale of an art historian who unravels the mystery surrounding her grandfather's untimely death and quickly becomes entangled in a web of international intrigue dating back to biblical times.
About the Author
Davis Bunn is the author of numerous national bestsellers in genres spanning historical sagas, contemporary thrillers, and inspirational gift books. He has received widespread critical acclaim, including three Christy Awards for excellence in fiction, and his books have sold more than six million copies in sixteen languages. He and his wife, Isabella, are affiliated with Oxford University, where Davis serves as writer in residence at Regent’s Park College. He lectures internationally on the craft of writing.
Reading Group Guide
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: One of the key elements of Gold of Kings is the leather diary that antiques dealer Sean Sorrell bequeaths to his granddaughter, Storm. She values this more than the precious works of art he also leaves her. Have you ever inherited a special item from a relative, and what did that mean to you?
When Storm Sorrell realizes that there is a plot against the family antiques business, she suspects that her aunt is in collusion with criminals seeking to ruin their firm's reputation, then seize the assets. It turns out that she was wrong. Have you ever falsely suspected someone of wrongdoing? Did you consider apologizing?
Gold of Kings threads together two story lines: one is a material quest for a long-lost treasure; the other is a spiritual quest for truths that may similarly lie long buried within us. If you consciously set out on a spiritual quest, what discoveries would you hope to make?
How does greed figure in the story, and what lessons can be gleaned from the ways this vice shapes the characters and their actions?
The treasure that the protagonists in Gold of Kings are seeking is priceless because of both its monetary and its symbolic value. The gold beam from the temple represented "The Vine" -- the tree of Israel -- and onto it returning Jews would graft their own small leaf of gold. That made it a powerful metaphor for continuity and community. Does any such symbol hold a special meaning in your life or religious practice?
Gold of Kings tries to link the past to the present, breathing new life into old legends and instilling a sense of wonder. Have you ever experienced a moment that seemed infused by history, and what difference did that make in your life?
What about her marriage vows? What about sticking through sickness and health, through good times and bad?
When a marriage is in crisis, what are some of the ways to resolve issues rather than to resort to divorce?
Jack caused great pain and suffering to others. How do you feel about those individuals when they have attempted to make amends?
Do you think Jack did all within his power in hoping for and praying for Camille's conversion to faith? Name things he might have done, but didn't.
Once Camille and Jack are reunited, what do you feel their future holds? Will Camille have difficulty assuming the role of a minister's wife?