Is “The Shroud Conspiracy” an Anti-Dan-Brown Thriller – In a Good Way?

by Ray Keating

In his first thriller, John Heubusch, the executive director of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute, earns the moniker of being an anti-Dan-Brown novelist – and I mean that in a good way. The Shroud Conspiracy (Howard Books, New York, 2017, 402 pages, $26) ranks as an engrossing, easy page-turner, like much of Dan Brown’s work, but, unlike Brown, Heubusch shows respect for the Christianity in which the story is rooted.

Writing a Christian-based – in this case, Catholic – work of fiction can be tricky. After all, Christian fiction often can be sugary, with cardboard characters and stilted, unrealistic dialogue. Meanwhile, at the other extreme are works of fiction that dismiss or are hostile toward Christians or the Church.

Heubusch avoids these extremes. His book moves along nicely. His characters come across as real people, who act, speak and react in ways that seem reasonable, even as Heubusch puts them in fantasy-like situations. Indeed, he takes his characters and the readers on a wild ride weaving together the Vatican, Catholic relics, atheists, scientists, faithful Catholics and the misguided, likeable and not-so-likeable priests, a crazy cult, some globe-trotting, and both the miraculous and the heretical. Heck, there’s even a cute little dog that plays a role in this tale.

And there’s more that makes this more than just a shallow thriller. A question wrestled with by the characters in The Shroud Conspiracy is not if science and faith are necessarily in conflict, but rather, can science acknowledge that it has limitations?

The two main characters have an intriguing relationship. Domenika Jozef works for the Vatican, and Dr. Jon Bouderant is a scientist who the Vatican hires to put together a team of experts to test the validity of the Shroud of Turin. Sexual tension emerges between the two. But the will-they-or-won’t-they question is not necessarily about clashing personalities, but rather strikingly different worldviews. Domenika is a devout Catholic, while Jon is a very public atheist. It is Domenika who asks Jon: “Are you willing to agree that science may never be able to grasp the divine?” The question eventually is answered in an edge-of-the-seat, conspiracy-thriller manner.

As the fast-paced story unfolds involving the natural and the supernatural, the everyday and the miraculous, and the beliefs of individuals being put to the test, if you will, I thought of what the resurrected Jesus, after showing Thomas the marks of his wounds from being crucified, said: “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” Yes, this is a thriller that lends itself to reflection, debate and discussion.

The Shroud Conspiracy is packed with action, some big issues to ponder, and welcome character development. Unlike some thrillers and certain Christian fiction, Heubusch engages the reader on assorted levels.

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Ray Keating is the author of the PASTOR STEPHEN GRANT NOVELS. The latest in the series is WINE INTO WATER. Coming soon is the seventh book in the series titled LIONHEARTS.

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War and Terrorism on American Soil in Award-Winning Novelist Ray Keating’s New Thriller LIONHEARTS: A PASTOR STEPHEN GRANT NOVEL

Stephen Grant, Former Navy SEAL, Onetime CIA Operative and Current Lutheran Pastor, is Back in the Fight

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In LIONHEARTS: A PASTOR STEPHEN GRANT NOVEL by Ray Keating, war has arrived on American soil, with Islamic terrorists using new tactics. Few are safe, including Christians, politicians, and the media. Pastor Stephen Grant taps into his past with the Navy SEALS and the CIA to help wage a war of flesh and blood, ideas, history, and beliefs. This is about defending both the U.S. and Christianity.

With action on the churches, home, media and political fronts, LIONHEARTS: A PASTOR STEPHEN GRANT NOVEL ranks as a breathtaking, edge-of-your-seat thriller. Tragedy, justice, faith, love, friendship, violence, death and loss, hatred, courage, commitment and patriotism are brought to life for the reader. As with his earlier novels, Keating also serves up fascinating characters and relationships, humor, and crisp dialogue.

Keating’s previous thrillers/mysteries – WINE INTO WATER: A PASTOR STEPHEN GRANT NOVEL, MURDERER’S ROW: A PASTOR STEPHEN GRANT NOVEL, THE RIVER: A PASTOR STEPHEN GRANT NOVEL, AN ADVENT FOR RELIGIOUS LIBERTY: A PASTOR STEPHEN GRANT NOVEL, ROOT OF ALL EVIL? A PASTOR STEPHEN GRANT NOVEL and WARRIOR MONK: A PASTOR STEPHEN GRANT NOVEL – have received widespread praise. For example, Kirkus Reviews has said the following:

On WINE INTO WATER: “A first-rate mystery makes this a series standout…”

On MURDERER’S ROW: “Action fans will find plenty to love here, from gunfights and murder sprees to moral dilemmas.”

On THE RIVER: “A gritty, action-stuffed, well-considered thriller with a gun-toting clergyman.”

Keating also has been called “a great novelist” by the host of KFUO’s “BookTalk” radio, and MURDERER’S ROW won the 2015 Book of the Year award from KFUO radio.  And Lutheran Book Review declared, “I miss Tom Clancy. Keating fills that void for me.”

Celebrate National Book Lovers Day!

Second Amendment, Gun Rights and Pastor Stephen Grant Novels

Are you a gun rights and Second Amendment supporter looking to relax and enjoy an exciting thriller that respects – in fact, embraces – your views? 

Well, award-winning novelist Ray Keating’s Pastor Stephen Grant novels feature a former Navy SEAL and onetime CIA operative who is now a pastor. Grant has been called a “pistol-packin’ pastor.”

Keating’s books have received widespread praise, including from a former NRA president. The books are available at Amazon, with the Kindle editions on sale right now! Among the reviews are…

• David Keene, former president of the National Rifle Association, declares: “Thriller and mystery writers have concocted all manner of main characters, from fly fishing lawyers to orchid aficionados and former ballplayers, but none has come up with anyone like Stephen Grant, the former Navy Seal and CIA assassin, and current Lutheran pastor. Grant mixes battling America's enemies and sparring with enemies of traditional Christian values, while ministering to his Long Island flock. The amazing thing is that the character works. The Stephen Grant novels are great reads beginning with WARRIOR MONK, which aptly describes Ray Keating's engaging hero.”

• Lloyd Bailey, host of the Armed Lutheran Radio podcast, says: “It’s a great mix of theology, politics, intrigue, terrorism, gun play. I think you’ll love it. I love it.”

• David Keene, former president of the National Rifle Association, once again observes: “In this, Ray Keating's sixth novel featuring Pastor Stephen Grant, we discover that the always intriguing former Navy Seal and CIA operative is also a world class wine aficionado. This comes in handy as the pastor is once again forced to divide his time between his understanding wife, the needs of his church and congregation, and what some describe as his ‘hobby’ of joining the fray to assist colleagues from his past life when called upon. Grant is a wonderful character and WINE INTO WATER is a great read.” 

• And Paul L. Maier, best-selling author of “A Skeleton in God's Closet,” boasts, “Holy Scripture and unholy gun play in the same novel? Exactly – and you'll love the combination! WARRIOR MONK offers a riveting mix of action, romance, and intrigue, served up by a master wordsmith. Keating's Pastor Stephen Grant manages to wield both Bible and bullets with equal expertise. Grant is clearly in control whether in or out of the pulpit.”

• Also, Kirkus Reviews has said the following:

On WINE INTO WATER: “A first-rate mystery makes this a series standout…”

On MURDERER’S ROW: “Action fans will find plenty to love here, from gunfights and murder sprees to moral dilemmas.”

On THE RIVER: “A gritty, action-stuffed, well-considered thriller with a gun-toting clergyman.” 

• Lutheran Book Review declared, “I miss Tom Clancy. Keating fills that void for me.”

The Left Gets Star Trek Dead Wrong

by Ray Keating

In an episode of the original Star Trek series, Mr. Spock observed, “In critical moments, men sometimes see exactly what they wish to see.” Indeed, that’s the case with Leftists when it comes to Star Trek itself.

Liberals love to proclaim that Star Trek’s popularity had to do with the original show advancing a liberal viewpoint, including the idea of a universe without God and faith. One comes across this take on Trek seemingly all of the time.

The latest instance of note came in an Entertainment Weekly story on the new series Star Trek: Discovery, set to launch its first episode on CBS on September 24^th, with subsequent episodes beaming up via the online CBS All Access service. EW reported the following exchange taking place on the set of the new show:

The director halts the action and Lorca, played by British actor Jason Isaacs of Harry Potter fame, steps off the stage. The episode’s writer, Kirsten Beyer, approaches to give a correction on his “for God’s sakes” ad lib.

“Wait, I can’t say ‘God’?” Isaacs asks, amused. “I thought I could say ‘God’ or ‘damn’ but not ‘goddamn.’”

Beyer explains that Star Trek is creator Gene Roddenberry’s vision of a science-driven 23rd-century future where religion basically no longer exists.

“How about ‘for f—’s sake’?” he shoots back. “Can I say that?”

“You can say that before you can say ‘God,’” she dryly replies.

Really? Well, it’s true that Roddenberry was an atheist, and actually very hostile toward religion. But that doesn’t mean that was the case with the original Star Trek series.

I’m a Star Trek fan, particularly of the original series. And in that series, God or faith only seemed to be mentioned or noted prominently three times.

In one episode ("Balance of Terror”), a member of the crew prays on her knees in a chapel after the death of her fiancé.

In another episode ("Who Mourns for Adonais?"), Captain Kirk tells off a powerful alien who wants the crew to worship him. Kirk says, “Mankind has no need for gods. We find the one quite adequate.”

Most interesting perhaps was an episode ("Bread and Circuses") in which the crew visits a planet where the Roman Empire is still running things in a 20^th-century-like setting. After Captain Kirk, Spock and Dr. McCoy escape to the Enterprise, Lt. Uhura notes that she has been monitoring transmissions, and discovered that the peace-loving "sun" worshipers on the planet, who were central to the episode, were not actually worshipping the sun, but instead, the Son of God. Kirk remarks: "Caesar and Christ, they had them both and the word is spreading only now."

Hmmm, seems like God and faith very much are in the mix during Star Trek’s 23^rd century – or at least they were in the mix.

In reality, spouting off liberal views or presenting a Leftist take on life in space had nothing to do with Star Trek getting on the air in 1966, struggling to last three seasons, and being reborn via a string of movies – particularly regaining its mojo with the second film Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982). Instead, Star Trek succeeded in, well, more traditional ways.

First, the three lead characters – Kirk (William Shatner), Spock (Leonard Nimoy) and McCoy (DeForest Kelley) – and their friendship had deep, lasting appeal. Most important, viewers have long loved Kirk, Spock and McCoy as they helped, supported, needled, laughed, and argued with each other, and in various ways, proved to be courageous, wise, resourceful, and compassionate.

Second, entertaining, interesting and varied stories were told (in particular, episodes like “City on the Edge of Forever,” “Balance of Terror,” “Bread and Circuses,” “Space Seed,” “Mirror, Mirror,” “The Trouble with Tribbles,” “The Menagerie,” “Journey to Babel,” “Court Martial,” “The Galileo Seven,” and “Amok Time,” to name a few).

Third, Star Trek served up a good deal of humor, and, when at its best, some crisp, smart dialogue.

Fourth, viewers could enjoy plenty of action and adventure as the crew explored distant stars and planets.

Fifth, the show offered an inspiring and optimistic view of the future, along with a cool starship (the special effects were quite good for 1960s television), and actually spurred many real-life individuals to pursue careers related to space.

Sixth, tie it all together, and Star Trek was fun, entertaining and intelligent television. That is, it was, overall, good storytelling.

Were there times when Star Trek offered preachy lefty tidbits? Sure. That got particularly heavy-handed at times in the Star Trek: The Next Generation television show. And Trek usually has been at its most clunky when going down that path.

That brings us back to Star Trek: Discovery. Will it succumb to painful preaching, or will it serve up the best of Trek, that is, compelling characters, good storytelling, humor, and space-faring fun? I have to say that, at this point, I’m not optimistic.

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Ray Keating is the author of the PASTOR STEPHEN GRANT NOVELS. The latest in the series is WINE INTO WATER, with LIONHEARTS: A PASTOR STEPHEN GRANT NOVEL to be published later this month (August 2017).