The Mithras Conspiracy
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Product Details
Publisher: Lido Press
Release Date: March 27, 2019
Formats: Paperback, Ebook, Audiobook
ISBN: PB: 978-0-9600863-0-6; EB: 978-0-9600863-1-3
Trim: 6 x 9
Page Count: 332
M.J. Polelle
Eric Hoffer Book Awards Finalist
Royal Palm Literary Awards Finalist
IndieBRAG Medallion
Followers of an ancient cult threaten to overthrow the Italian government and destroy the Church.
Rome is in chaos. Earthquakes shake the city. The pope is in a coma. And a Vatican scholar has been found dead in the Tiber.
Detective Marco Leone is about to take a sabbatical when his estranged friend—charged with organizing the Vatican’s secret archives—is murdered. Leone stays to investigate, but the killing is just the first in a series of ritual assassinations and attacks on specific churches—all of which were built over ancient chapels of the Roman god Mithras.
Leone’s research leads him to two American scholars who have uncovered a pair of scrolls that, if authentic, could rewrite history. While attempting to unravel the parchments’ mysteries, they are drawn into a bitter feud between a scheming cardinal and a charismatic tycoon, Lucio Piso, himself bewitched by the cult of Mithras. As the deaths pile up, Leone begins to wonder if Piso is involved, and if his obsession feeds larger personal and political goals. Could the cult of a long-forgotten god topple the Italian government and bring the Church to its knees? In the tradition of The Da Vinci Code comes a thriller that dives beneath the veneer of a powerful ancient institution to explore the crumbling ruins—and the shocking secrets—that lie within.
About the Author
Born and bred in Chicago, M. J. Polelle is an emeritus professor of the University of Illinois Chicago School of Law. A graduate of Harvard Law School, he practiced civil litigation in Chicago before becoming a law professor at De Paul University College of Law and then at the UIC-School of Law where he taught constitutional law. At UIC-School of Law, formerly John Marshall Law School, he co-taught a comparative law course in Parma, Italy with an Italian professor and served as a Special Assistant State’s Attorney for several years. He lives in Sarasota, Florida with his wife, Donna, and is inspired by walks along the beach.
Visit the author’s website at mjpolelle.com
Reviews
“An enjoyable thriller . . . Polelle rewards readers with uncertainty in every chapter. Leone’s Rome is a dangerous place with a masked attacker around virtually every corner. And that’s what makes it fun to visit.” —Kirkus Reviews
“Dan Brown fans will be delighted.” —Publishers Weekly
“The Mithras Conspiracy is an engaging and entertaining novel that is both well-written and well-researched . . . The Mithras Conspiracy is awesome.” —Primo Magazine
“The Mithras Conspiracy is highly recommended reading for mystery and thriller fans.” —Midwest Book Review Bookwatch (Diane Donovan)
“The author’s masterful prose is on full display in The Mithras Conspiracy.”
—Booklife Prize
“A fast-paced thriller, very much in keeping with The Da Vinci Code. An enjoyable ride.” —The Wishing Shelf Book Awards 2020
“I like your book much more than I liked The Da Vinci Code.” —Rick Kogan, interview host of After Hours, WGN-AM Radio 720