The Thieves of Heaven

The most closely Guarded treasure on Earth. An explosive ancient secret. A breakneck journey into the heart of the Vatican. In a small, heavily fortified room just north of the Sistine Chapel, a master thief is about to strike. All he needs is an instantto steal the most important treasure in the Vatican museum: two antique keysone gold, one silverthat protect the secret of salvation.... But a surprise awaits Michael St. Pierre deep inside the Vatican, an ancient secret so explosive, it sends him running for his lifefrom the streets of Rome to a small stone church in Israelwith two stolen keys and a terrible realization: the consequences of his desperate, brazen act are far greater than he could ever have imagined. For the treasure he has uncoveredthe gleaming prize buried within the most clandestine structure on earthis about to bring him face-to-face with an enemy more shocking, frightening, and insidious than anyone can guess.... From the Paperback edition.

RICHARD DOETSCH is the president of a national real estate company based in Greenwich, Connecticut. He lives in Armonk, New York, with his family. He is at work on his second novel, THE THIEVES OF ANGELS, which Dell will publish in 2007.