THE BROTHERHOOD OF THE HOLY SHROUD is the explosive international bestseller that mixes fact and fiction to tell the riveting story of one of the world's most controversial relics-the Holy Shroud of Turin-and the desperate race to save it from those who will stop at nothing to possess its legendary power.... A fire at the Cathedral of Turin and the discovery of a strangely mutilated body attract the attention of Italy's special Art Crimes Department. For the fire is only the latest in a troubling series of arsons and break-ins at the cathedral, which houses what millions believe to be the authentic burial shroud of Jesus Christ. A cop as well as an art historian, department chief Marco Valoni leads a crack team of investigators in a race to solve a crime he's certain is about to shock the world. Someone is planning to steal the Holy Shroud, and Valoni's only suspect is currently serving out a sentence in a Turin prison. Following a trail from the earliest Christian communities to the highest councils of the Vatican and the boardrooms that rule the world, Valoni and his associates will find themselves in the cross fire of an ancient conflict. From the Compact Disc edition.