Occasionally someone expresses interest in the building or its inhabitants but little comes of it. One day a man is seen climbing the sheer cliff face of the Citadel. He makes gradual progress up the face but eventually succumbs to the bitter cold, lack of hand holds, and gravity plunging to earth. His body is recovered by the jurisdiction which is responsible for the place where he fell and the subsequent investigation is headed by Inspector Davud Arkadian. An autopsy is conducted by Doctor Bartholomew Reis who believes the man literally flew off the side of the Citadel from the damage that his body received. He speculates that the man was actually trying to land where he did (within Arkadian's jurisdiction. )

Arkadian has little information to aid him in identifying the body except for a phone number, that of a cell phone registered in New Jersey. The number belongs to a woman named Liv Adamsen. A short conversation with Ms. Adamsen reveals that she does, indeed, know the man. He is her brother with whom she has had no contact for eight years.

The investigation into the death of Samuel Newton is hampered by the fact that the society of monks that inhabit the Citadel is a secret one and they allow virtually no contact with the outside world. It is rumored that their society has some secret knowledge that they will share with no one on the outside.

A few clues emerge from the results of the autopsy and what Liv knows about her brother. She is convinced that in his own way Samuel was trying to give her information about the activities within the Citadel but the interpretation of these clues is far from clear. In the interim, it becomes obvious that forces within the Citadel are equally as adamant that their secret will be preserved no matter how many deaths may occur for that situation to obtain.

This is a lengthy novel where mysticism mixes with reality. One must firmly latch onto a liberal dose of willing suspension of disbelief to appreciate the story. The monks recruit new members to their order by a strict process of selection. New members should not only be amenable to the dictates of their brotherhood, but be without any strong family ties (or better none). Some members have extensive criminal records and do not shirk from carrying out violent acts.

Characters who should know better trust people they hardly know. Meanwhile people up to nefarious purposes are described but remain nameless. These tactics on the author's part do increase suspense but many readers who like to try and solve the mystery as it evolves may be tempted to cry foul.

While some higher truths are hinted at throughout the tale, Sanctus is a standard thriller. It superficially discusses the beginnings or various religions and their beliefs but fails to draw any conclusions about any of them. It has short chapters, a fair amount of action, and the requisite number of evil elements. There is not much forensics but what there is a bit sketchy. While Sanctus is a pleasant enough read, it is not destined to keep you pondering enigmatic questions long into the night.

--Andy Plonka