Richard looked at the beautiful young woman who strolled beside him, the sun picking up copper highlights in her rich dark curls and catching golden flecks in her green eyes. She had been through a lot. He wanted to put his arm around her shoulder and draw her close, hold her, and protect her. Instead, he pressed his hand for a moment on the small of her back, allowing himself to feel her warm skin through her white cotton artist’s blouse before he let his hand drop.
Penelope
Holt was born and educated in England and now lives in New York. She is a
novelist, playwright, business writer, and marketing executive, whose work has
been performed at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, York Arts Center, and New
York’s American Folk Theater. In addition to writing fiction, The Angel Scroll, and The Apple, based on the
controversial Herman Rosenblat Holocaust romance, Holt is a prolific writer,
editor, and co-author of non-fiction, including Business Intelligence at Work: A
Personal Operating System for Career Success, Singing God’s Work, the story of
the Harlem Gospel Choir, and many other works. She is married with two
children.
A young painter and a collector of rare manuscripts team up to locate three inspirational paintings whose existence was foretold in a 2,000-year-old scroll.
The Angel Scroll by Penelope Holt is an exciting adventure story and compelling romance about the search for three inspirational paintings prophesied to initiate a new religious renaissance. When a young, widowed artist’s latest work causes a stir in the art world by the feelings it invokes in its viewers, she is approached by a man working on a Vatican-sponsored project to translate an ancient scroll that foretells the creation of her painting as well as two more. But when her painting sells before she can retrieve it from a local gallery and then disappears, the pair are off on the adventure of a lifetime to track it and the others down.
Claire Lucas is an engaging and sympathetic character from the start. Still reeling from the unexpected death of her young husband earlier in the year, she shocks herself with the creation of her latest painting, which is completely different from anything she’s ever produced before. Her grief is exacerbated by a recurring nightmare featuring the subjects in the painting, worsening headaches, and unexplainable visions she glimpses in the corner of her left eye. Her emotions are relatable and so real you can almost feel her fear and anxiety. On the other hand, Richard Markson is more of a mystery for a good part of the story. It takes quite a while for Claire to break down his defenses as their professional relationship turns personal.
The plot is mysterious and intriguing, with Father Karl Brandt working to translate the scroll while becoming the target of an unknown competitor who seems to know his every move. I enjoyed the group’s search for the paintings as they are basically looking for the proverbial needles in a haystack and traveling to several international destinations in their pursuit. The old-fashioned adventure is beset by treachery, betrayal, and danger, and the addition of spiritual elements makes the story unique and hard to put down.
I recommend THE ANGEL SCROLL to readers of suspense,
thrillers, mystery, and adventure, especially those who enjoy stories with a biblical
theme.
Thank you so much for featuring and reviewing THE ANGEL SCROLL.
ReplyDeleteSounds like an interesting story.
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ReplyDeleteSuperb cover design
ReplyDeleteGreat review, thank you.
ReplyDeleteThis should be a very interesting novel. Thanks for sharing.
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