Sanctus by Simon Toyne
A man throws himself to his death from the oldest inhabited place on the face of the earth, a mountainous citadel in the historic Turkish city of Ruin. This is no ordinary suicide but a symbolic act. And thanks to the media, it is witnessed by the entire world, but few understand it. For charity worker Kathryn Mann and a handful of others in the know, it is what they have been waiting for. The secretive fanatics that live in the Citadel suspect it could mean the end their deepest secret – and they will kill, torture, and break every law to stop the secret from getting out. For Liv Adamsen, New York crime reporter, it begins the next stage of a journey into the heart of her own identity. At journey’s end lies a discovery that will change everything.
While not exactly ground-breaking, Sanctus is an enjoyable and entertaining read. What sets this particular book apart from others of its ilk is the location (Ruin, Turkey) and that the reader learns somewhat early on that the secret pre-dates any organized religion. The pacing of the writing keeps you wanting to keep going to see what will happen next. For those looking for an easy and quickly-moving book, give this one a try.
