by Cameron West
First published 2001
Reb Barnett has spent twenty years building a career as a Hollywood stuntman, but he remains the only survivor of the fire that claimed his parents' lives. When a mysterious summons brings him to Italy, Barnett finds himself confronting more than just his past. He must decode Leonardo da Vinci's Circles of Truth, an intricate puzzle that has confounded seekers for centuries. The solution points toward the Medici Dagger, a blade forged from an unknown alloy that vanished long ago. Barnett discovers that this weapon may unlock the truth behind his parents' deaths. As he navigates the puzzle's complexities, he realizes that someone orchestrated both his arrival in Italy and the deadly fire from his childhood. The quest becomes a race against those who will kill to possess the dagger's secrets.
Genres: historical-fiction, adventure, mystery, thriller, action
Vibes: fast-paced, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: amateur-sleuth, race-against-time, secret-past
Setting: Hollywood, Italy
Period: 20th-century
256 pages · Hardcover · Atria