The Thoenes break new ground here, jumping back two millenia to unravel the story of Mary (Miryam) Magdalene and her connections to the life of Jesus (Yeshua). I've admired the Thoenes ability to recreate the era of the 1930's and 40's, but to see them jump to 30 A.D...Wow! The transition is seamless. I was quickly transported to the troubled times and life of young Miryam and her centurion lover. I found myself caught up in the story and surprised at the ease with which the authors slipped fiction into the historical framework. In these pages, the Thoenes do wonders, making the lives and relationships of those represented in the Gospels come alive. They breathe fresh perspective into this oft-told tale and make it wholly believable and accessible for a modern reader.

From what I understand, the next book or two in The Jerusalem Legacy will continue the biblical back-story. (This book ends at the point of Jesus meeting with the woman caught in adultery.) Although I wish the Thoenes had finished their present series and made the story of these scrolls into its own entity, I'll certainly look forward to the continuation...of both. While remaining true to the known facts and to the spirit of the Bible, the Thoenes delve into the hearts and minds of those who later became known in the Scriptures. I'll never see Mary or the centurion or Caiaphas the same. Through "The Jerusalem Scrolls" they've become living, breathing people. With style and great sensitivity, this book shows once again why the Thoenes are one of the best writing teams going.