"The Alchemist's Secret" by Scott Mariani

THE ALCHEMIST’S SECRET introduces hero Ben Hope, a former elite SAS soldier tortured by a tragedy from his past, who now devotes his life to rescuing kidnapped children. But when Ben is recruited to locate an ancient manuscript which could save a dying child, he embarks on the deadliest quest of his life.



The document is alleged to contain the formula for the elixir of life, discovered by the brilliant alchemist Fulcanelli decades before. But it soon becomes apparent that others are hunting this most precious of treasures – for far more evil ends. It seems that everyone – from the Nazis of the past to the shadowy modern organisation known as Gladius Domini – wants to uncover the secrets of immortality.

Teaming up with attractive American scientist Dr Roberta Ryder, Ben is led on a wild and dangerous trail from Paris to the ancient Cathar strongholds of the Languedoc, where an astonishing secret has lain hidden for centuries

All the boxes are ticked in this one:
- a brooding, good looking and rugged leading man with a chequered and troubled history
- a smart, beautiful and vulnerable (and, of course, single and available) female in need of help
- plenty of DaVinci-like codes to decifer
- a ruthless phsycopathic killer under the control of a dark and evil Catholic canon
- a mega-rich businessman in search of a veritable Holy Grail
- comeuppances for the baddies and a happy ending, but with the promise of a volume two