The Templar Salvation    by Raymond Khoury Order:  USA  Can Dutton, 2010 (2010) Hardcover      Reviewed by Hilary Williamson In Raymond Khoury's The Templar Salvation, sequel to The Last Templar, the author brings back FBI agent Sean Reilly and his archeologist lover Tess Chaykin (now a published author) in another fast-moving and violent adventure. The story alternates between the modern day and a historical account of attempts to save an ancient treasure during and after the 1203 Fall of Constantinople. We see a group of Knights Templars stealing from the imperial library in Constantinople and then, inexplicably, being murdered by the monks in an isolated Orthodox monastery where they take refuge. A century later, in 1310, when most of his fellows across Europe have been slaughtered, Templar Conrad of Tripoli comes upon the trail of that same treasure and follows it to Cappadocia, Turkey, which is riddled with caves. In the present day, ruthless Iranian agent Mansoor Zahed - with a strong hatred for the West and no objection to extreme collateral damage - seeks that same prize, though with a very different motivation. After Zahed kidnaps Tess, Sean follows his orders to extract a key volume on the Templars from the Vatican Secret Archives. That volume labels the treasure 'the devil's handiwork ... its accursed existence a devastating threat to the rock upon which our world is founded.' What could it be? Readers follow the parallel bloody paths of Conrad in 1310 and Zahed, Tess and Sean in modern times as they seek what has long been lost. There are captures and escapes, and many innocents die before the search ends in Konya, Turkey, 'the spiritual epicenter of the Sufi faith.' Just like The Last Templar, The Templar Salvation takes readers on a breathtaking romp through religious history. Highly entertaining and highly recommended! Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Mystery books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews