The Joshua Stone    by James Barney Order:  USA  Can William Morrow, 2014 (2014) Hardcover, Softcover, e-Book     Reviewed by Bob Walch With its biblical and scientific roots, a handful of world changing artifacts, mysterious connections to an isolated, secret, government laboratory and global conspiracy tie-in, this thriller uses the well worn elements that have sustain many novels of this ilk in the past. At the heart of this research project, that apparently went bad in the 1950s, is a time bending (read time travel) experiment that apparently cost the lives of those working in the clandestine lab in a remote area of West Virginia. Now, over fifty years later, suddenly some of the scientists mysteriously appear again. Government operatives Mike Califano and Ana Thorne are tasked with finding out what's going on here and if it, whatever it is, poses a threat to the well-being of the country. Of course we are looking at a potential global catastrophe if Califano and Thorne can't solve the mystery. Naturally they must also prevent this remarkable, powerful, mind shattering force from falling into the hands of a determined group of miscreants. There's enough action here to satisfy any reader who isn't yet satiated with a steady diet of Bible based, ancient wisdom driven, global conspiracy themed thrillers. On a scale of one to ten, The Joshua Stone lands right in the middle. This novel is fine for killing time when your flight is delayed, but you'll probably want to leave it in the airport or on the plane rather than take it home to share with family or friends. 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