The Heretic's Shadow

About this book

This captivating historical thriller is set in the 2nd century A.D., during the rise of the first Christian heresies.The Church of Antioch is shaken by the theft of a large sum of money from the bishop's residence-an unsettling event that triggers an investigation in which no one is above suspicion. A vivid cast of characters soon emerges: a playwright longing to create his magnum opus, the daughter of a local noble who hides more than one secret, an ambitious sculptor, and a Christian presbyter who oversees the city's poorest district. In the 2nd century, Christianity continued to spread throughout the Roman Empire, gradually formalizing its organizational structure and shaping its core doctrine through the work of the so-called Apostolic Fathers. Yet the unity of the Church was increasingly threatened as the age of the great heresies began-especially with the growing danger of Gnosticism. The biblical canon was still unsettled, and alongside the four widely accepted Gospels, many others also circulated-apocryphal texts that preserved alternative traditions about Jesus. Journey to the magnificent city of Antioch-capital of Syria and the empire's third-largest metropolis-and experience an extraordinary story filled with emotion and suspense.