The instant <i>New York Times </i>bestseller from the author of the international sensation<i>The Rule of Four </i>combines a lost gospel, a contentious relic, and a dying pope’s final wish into a “deliciously labyrinthine” (<i>Providence Journal</i>) intellectual thriller that “kicks off at ninety mph and doesn’t slow down” (Associated Press).<br><br>A mysterious exhibit is under construction at the Vatican Museums. The curator is murdered at a clandestine meeting on the outskirts of Rome a week before it opens. That same night, a violent break-in rocks the home of Greek Catholic priest Father Alex Andreou. When the papal police fail to identify a suspect in either crime, Father Alex decides that to find the killer he must reconstruct the secret of what a little-known, true-to-life fifth gospel known as the Diatessaron reveals about the church’s most controversial holy relic. But just as he begins to understand the truth about his friend’s death and its consequences for the future of the Christian church, Father Alex discovers a ruthless stalker is hunting him—an enemy with a vested stake in the exhibit that he must outwit to survive.<br><br>Rich, authentic, erudite, and emotionally searing, <i>The Fifth Gospel </i>is a riveting novel of suspense and a feast of biblical history that satisfies on every level.