The Dead Sea Cipher (1970)

Dinah Van Der Lyn is in her room in a Beirut hotel when she hears a cry for help from the next room. She tells the person she assumes to be the night attendant. They discover a man named "Hank" dead. This tale of espionage leads Dinah through Tyre, Sidon, Damascus, Bethlehem, Jerusalem, and eventually to Qumran. Whom should Dinah trust--Cartwright or Smith? I expected a murder mystery rather than an espionage story and as such was a bit disappointed in the book. There is plenty of tension as the audience wonders if Dinah is trusting the right man. There's also questions about the identity of her traveling companions and their involvement.

When Dinah Van der Lyn travels to the Holy Land she finds herself thrust into the middle of an international plot involving the possible discovery of an ancient scroll that, if brought to light, would likely turn the Christian world on end. Danger and intrigue follow her through the Middle East, as do two handsome young men. Which, if either, should she trust?

I think I could describe this fairly accurately and simply as a dated Da Vinci Code light, (yes, it is possible to find a lighter work than Dan Brown's), set in the Middle East, with an ingenue protagonist.

I enjoyed the book well enough, but had to overlook its flaws...the dated feeling, (it was written in 1970), the overdone plot, and worst of all, an ending that I felt was weak, as if the author was writing her way out of a box.

The plot was rapidly paced, though, and I found the main idea and setting interesting. It kept me entertained. ( )

Again I enjoyed reading another book by Elizabeth Peters. The settings were a regular tour of historic places in the holy land. I liked the biblical history lessons interwoven with the romance and suspense. And, as always, I enjoyed the touches of Ms. Peters' good sense of humor. ( )

Very much like "The Jackal's Head" and "The Night of the Four Thousand Rabbits". Set in the Middle East amid the culture of the Dead Sea Scrolls. Once again, the man least suspected is the one that proves to be the romantic interest. An enjoyable caper! ( )

Dinah goes to Israel as a way to help her father see the world. She ends up hearing a fatal fight, which sets intrigue in motion. She is followed and two men fight to gain her trust. Will she choose the right one? ( )