"Serpent of Moses" by Don Hoesel

Archeologist Jack Hawthorne has a lead on the Nehushtan, the pole topped with a bronze snake that Moses created at God's command to heal the Israelites of a snake-punishing plague.  He's not the only one who wants it, however, and the Israeli Mossad and the Libyan government are not likely to let a civilian walk away with it.  Jack can't just walk away from it, however, and his friends can't help but follow him - especially after he's kidnapped.  Can Jack, Romero, and Esperanza survive this treasure hunt?

If you're an Indiana Jones fan, you won't want to miss this book.  Like the famous trilogy, this story is about a famous archeologist who finds himself in over his head all too often but is able to use his incredible smarts to get himself out of tight spots.  The story is action-packed and dramatic, and while this particular book (there is another book in this series) doesn't take place in the jungle, it does span beautiful Italian streets, London museums, and Libyan deserts.  Also like the trilogy, Hawthorne seeks Biblical treasures of mythical proportions that possess power beyond human belief.  This ups the ante throughout the story as more and more people head out in search of the Nehushtan, which also ups the danger level.

I'm a big fan of mysteries and suspense, and  Serpent of Moses has both in spades.  There's also a bit of love-gone-wrong, which adds just the right amount of heart and mushiness to the strong male lead.  I also prefer to read Christian books, and after that good clean books, and this hovers somewhere between the two.  While Hawthorne has had mysterious encounters with God that he can't explain, and he has returned to faith, he's certainly not over the top, pushy, or preachy about any of it.  While there is no racy or raunchy material in this book - nothing that would prevent, say, an advanced pre-teen boy from reading this story - the faith lessons are also applied softly.  This is just an all around great read.

This story enthralled me so much that I immediately went out and got the first one.  While you can read them in any order, you might understand the characters' shared past better if you read them in the correct order.  Whichever you decide to do, don't wait - you won't want to miss this book.

I received a free copy of Serpent of Moses in exchange for an honest review.