"Masterly! This is the page turner par excellence . . . Nobody but Peter Tanous would have imagined to cross James Bond with a Catholic priest." —Nassim Nicholas Taleb, New York Times–bestselling author In a run-down neighborhood of Washington, DC, Father Kevin Thrall works tirelessly to help the inner-city kids he teaches and coaches on the basketball team. But he can't hide from his haunting military past, because it put him on the Vatican's most wanted list. His stint as an army ranger—including a court-martial—makes him uniquely qualified to combat an imminent crisis that threatens the very core of the Catholic Church . . . Opus Mundi is a fanatical group of Catholics known for its deadly rituals and catastrophic worldview. Members believe that the church is being led by a false prophet, whose reign will bring on a major calamity—a world war or the apocalypse. Now their final plan has been put into action. To avert it, Father Thrall must solve a mystery linked to the mystical appearance of the Virgin Mary to a group of children in Fátima, Portugal in 1917. If he fails, the result could lead to the annihilation of the Catholic Church. Opus Mundi must be stopped by any means necessary. And Father Kevin Thrall—a priest who has proven he can rough it up with the best of them—is the Vatican's perfect weapon . . . "A rollicking, heart-pounding chase full of twists, turns, and a startling revelation. Like all great thrillers it leaves you wondering . . . could this be real?" —William Peter Blatty, New York Times–bestselling author of The Exorcist "Readers will relish the eventfulness of Tanous' series opener—there is never a moment's rest for the plot, which charges ahead indefatigably. The propulsive tale also offers some intriguing details about the spiritual conflicts . . . action-packed." — Kirkus Reviews