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Rookie State Department lawyer Jaqueline Quartermane was never much good at puzzles. But now she must solve a mysterious ancient palindrome to thwart a global conspiracy that reaches across five centuries. While investigating the murder of an American missionary in Ethiopia, Jaqueline stumbles upon a magical word square carved into the underground church that guards the tomb of the biblical Adam. Drawn into a web of esoteric intrigue, she becomes the target of an elusive mastermind who intends to convince the world that he is the Mahdi, the long-awaited Muslim Messiah of the Apocalypse. Drawn into a web of esoteric intrigue, she and a roguish antiquities thief named Elymas must race an elusive and taunting mastermind to find the one relic needed to resurrect Solomon?s Temple. A trail of cabalistic clues leads them to the catacombs of Rome, the crypt below Chartres Cathedral, a Masonic shaft in Nova Scotia, a Portuguese shipwreck off Sumatra, and the caverns under the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. Intertwined with this modern mystery-thriller, a parallel duel is waged: The year is 1452. One of the most secretive societies in history, Portugal's Order of Christ, is led by a reclusive visionary, Prince Henry the Navigator. He and his medieval version of NASA merged with the CIA scheme to foil their archenemies, the Inquisitor Torquemada and Queen Isabella of Castile, who plan to bring back Christ for the Last Judgment by ridding the world of Jews, heretics, and unbelievers. Separated by half a millennium, two conspiracies to usher in the Tribulations promised by the Book of Revelation dovetail in this fast-paced thriller to expose the world's most explosive secret: The true identity of Christopher Columbus and the explorer's connection to those now trying to spark the End of Days. Praise for The Virgin of the Wind Rose: "An exciting journey across time, with  more twists and turns than a strawberry Twizzler. Craney has produced a page-turning adventure, with crisp, clean and measured prose... The research behind the stories is massive, lending credence to the cast of characters and authenticity to the historic periods. This is a highly recommended historical thriller in the manner of Dan Brown." -- Quarterdeck magazine "A page turner...and a very well written narrative which I thoroughly enjoyed. Highly  recommended." -- David Hayes, Editor, Historic Naval Fiction "[T]his book was compared favorably by other readers to the writings of Dan Brown... I jumped at the chance to see what the hype was about. I'm very glad I did... I stayed up all night to finish this great read and was left wanting more... Many times I will figure stories out early on, but this book keeps you guessing. Mr. Craney is a master of holding back and building the suspense. Though this is a fast-paced romp through history and time, you are still holding your breath... I'm hoping for a sequel." -- One Book Shy of a Full Shelf Review Blog "If you liked Umberto Eco's The Name of the Rose, or Dan Brown's The DaVinci Code, you will find this story interesting, too...This book is wonderful in that when you are finished, you are still asking yourself all kinds of questions. It is a great story and one I enjoyed thoroughly." -- Review This! Blog