First published 1988
Salt Lake City erupts in violence when car bombs kill two people in 1985. The explosions launch a police investigation that quickly moves beyond simple murder. Detectives discover the attacks connect to a sophisticated scheme involving forged historical documents. Someone has been creating fake papers designed to undermine the founding stories of the Mormon Church. The investigation reveals how these manufactured documents were being sold to church leaders and collectors. As police dig deeper, they uncover the extent of the forgery operation and its connection to the deadly bombings. The case exposes the vulnerability of religious institutions when faced with challenges to their historical narratives. At its heart, this is a story about how far people will go to protect or destroy faith.
Genres: historical-fiction, 20th-century, mystery, crime, non-fiction, true-crime
Vibes: dark, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: deception, institutional-corruption
Setting: Salt Lake City
Period: 1985
458 pages · Hardcover · Weidenfeld & Nicolson
Content warnings: violence