Conspiracy of Silence by Ronie Kendig

Kendig has crafted a suspense novel that combines an ancient biblical story and a present day terrorist attempt.

The biblical story is that of Korah's rebellion against Moses. God had brought judgment to Korah and his followers by having them swallowed up by the earth. But then there was a plague on the people Aaron stopped by offering incense. The present day story begins with an archaeological find. The find relates to the censors Korah and his followers had. The discovery initiates a plague.

The only man who can find the terrorist group planning to use the plague is Tox. Brother to the U.S. president, Tox has a past that makes him dangerous. The president hesitantly calls Tox into service. The race to save humanity is on.

I felt like I had missed a previous novel as I started reading this one. I finally found a prequel, The Warrior's Seal. Do read that novella first as it really sets the stage for this novel. It is a free download.

Readers will be introduced to, or reminded of, the story of Korah in the Old Testament. We also learn a bit of history, such as about the Aleppo Codex, the oldest “complete” Hebrew Bible known to exist, even though a third of it is missing. Kendig has woven this suspenseful novel around it and gives resources to further study it's significance and history.

This novel has tons of action scenes and suspense, something at which Kendig excels. I did have a little difficulty, in general, picturing the scenes. The emphasis in this novel is action, not settings. The characters are pretty well developed although I did not really the main ones.

This is a long novel and I thought it a bit repetitive. The plot is very complex too. I would have preferred a concentration on one theme, such as restoring the censors or the terrorist aspect, but not both.

I recommend this novel to those who like lots of suspense and a complex plot.

My rating: 4/5 stars.

Ronnie Kendig is an award-winning bestselling author of over a dozen novels. She, her husband, and their children live in northern Virginia.

Bethany House, 416 pages.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.