(Published by Corgi Adult)
Symbologist Robert Langdon is in Paris to attend a conference. Woken late one night, he is taken to a murder scene. The victim is Louvre curator Jacques Sauniere, who Langdon was supposed to meet earlier in the evening. Intriguingly, Sauniere has left a clue as to who killed him, but as far as the French police are concerned all evidence points to Langdon.
Sophie Neveu is a cryptologist and the granddaughter of the murder victim. She believes that Langdon is innocent. Convinced Langdon can help her translate the cryptic message her dying grandfather left, she helps him to escape from the French police. Together they set out to solve the mystery surrounding her grandfather’s death and maybe perhaps find the Holy Grail itself.
The duo become both suspects and detectives searching not only for Sauniere’s murderer but also the stunning secret of the ages he was charged to protect. Mere steps ahead of the authorities and the deadly competition, the mystery leads Neveu and Langdon on a breathless flight through France, England, and history itself in a story that spans a mere twenty-four hours.
The Da Vinci Code is written at a breath-taking pace and has enough twists to keep the reader gasping for air. Although an incredibly enjoyable read, it does occasionally strain for credibility. How could a dying man have time to write such intricate mind puzzles? is just one question that springs to mind. Fortunately Brown’s writing style doesn’t leave much time for questions – or anything else for that matter. This book literally explodes from the start and keeps going right until the end. A perfect way to while away a few hours, as you quite literally will not be able to put it down.
Also by Dan Brown
Digital Fortress