"Brother John an ex-policeman turned Carmelite monk finds himself caught up in a search for a missing Italian aristocrat. The colourful procession of characters from the Byzantine past and the Vatican bring out the enduring strengths of tradition and religious faith and gives the reader an insight into the world of icons and precious relics as well as an exciting chase by yacht in stormy weather in American waters. The action takes place in Rome and the waters around New York but is set against the history of Constantinople and Armenia. The historical facts presented are accurate."