Ex Libris: The Forbidden Books (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9781689376655)

WINNER of 5 AWARDS! -- Prague. A long-hidden secret. Horrific consequences. "Could hardly put it down to eat!" "Amazing thriller... full of excitement, and an immensely intriguing plot."

Dan Lovel, an ex-Security Agent of Gypsy heritage, receives an extraordinary request from World Bank executive, Astrid Desmarais, whose life he once saved. Astrid wants Dan to steal four books from the locked collection of "forbidden books" in a monastery in Prague. The books are an inventory of artworks stolen by Napoleon and now housed in the Louvre. Her plan is to return those works to their rightful owners.

Dan reluctantly agrees. Astrid then insists that Dan work with her daughter, Martine, an antiquities expert at the Louvre. Casually, she mentions there might also be a fifth book.

Dan and Martine succeed in breaking in and grabbing all five books but are spotted by the monastery's monks who, with their powerful allies, pursue them to the German border. Near the border, Dan manages to secure refuge in a small Gypsy community but soon discovers that he is in the sights of a professional assassin.

Dan and Martine escape, but only when they reach Paris do they realize it's the fifth book everyone is after. And with good reason. It holds a centuries-old secret whose discovery unleashes the threat of global chaos and even nuclear war.

Dan and Martine are now in the eye of the storm, and they face choices that tear at their very souls.
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"I CAN'T REMEMBER THE LAST TIME I WAS SO THOROUGHLY ENGROSSED." --AF

"UTTERLY GRIPPING. The reader is plunged into breathtaking action. One of the standout things ... The reader is led into the mysterious gypsy culture and I found this aspect intriguing." --M. Hernandez-Alvarez

"SUPER FUN TO READ! ... AND A LOT OF BADASSERY." --Myra

"IMMENSELY ENJOYED GETTING TUGGED INTO DAN LOVEL'S WORLD." --Amy Williams

"A PLETHORA OF AWARDS. ... Superior writing and engaging storyline, the novel's critical acclaim will be of no surprise to its readers." --The US Review of Books

"EX LIBRIS SHINES because of its stellar cast of characters and Oehler's many twists. Readers will be unable to put the book down." --BookLife Prize Critic

EX LIBRIS Awards & Accolades

• 1ST PLACE - Global Book Awards (previously NY City Book Awards)
• GOLD MEDAL - Global Book Awards (previously NY City Book Awards)
• FINALIST - Eric Hoffer Book Award
• SEMI-FINALIST - Kindle Book Reviews Award
• B.R.A.G. MEDALLION
• RECOMMENDED - US Review of Books. RECOMMENDED rating given for "Outstanding books" that are "compelling and lasting reads." Awarded "less than 10 to 20% of the time."

JOHN OEHLER is a bestselling, award-winning author. His previous novels include APHRODESIA, PAPYRUS, and TEPUI: The Last Expedition.

Author: John Oehler
ISBN-10: 1689376651
ISBN-13: 9781689376655
Publisher: Independently Published
Language: English
Published: 09/05/2019
Pages: 388
Format: Paperback
Weight: 1.14lbs
Size: 9.00h x 6.00w x 0.80d