Katherine Neville is an American author whose works often delve into historical mysteries and intricate plots. Her writing is celebrated for its complex narratives, vivid characters, and the unique ability to weave together past events with the present day. Neville imbues her stories with deep research and suspenseful storytelling, drawing readers into elaborate worlds filled with secrets and discovery.
In this sequel to 'The Eight', Alexandra Solarin, a chess-wizard and the only daughter of Cat Velis, the heroine of 'The Eight', arrives at her mother's Colorado lodge, only to discover that her mother has disappeared. Finding string of clues, Alexandra is soon joined by a group of people called there by her mother, including her aunt Lily, who explains the truth of Cat's past.
Snake River, Idaho--Ariel Behn, a toxic materials expert at a remote nuclear site, finds her well-ordered life shattered when her cousin is slain by an unknown assassin. His shocking death leaves Ariel as the sole heir to a family legacy: a sinister cache of manuscripts that sweeps her into the deadly center of international intrigue--and a mystery that spans the centuries...Jerusalem, 32 A.D.--During the last week of the life of Christ, as the world stands on the brink of a new two-thousand-year circle, Emperor Tiberius works desperately to deciper the tantalizing clues to an age-old enigma. He will not be the only one. For whoever assembles and interprets these cryptic clues will possess the power to control the fate of the world...Now, at the center of this circle of ancient riddles stands the one woman who can pull the strands together: Ariel Behn. What strange powers lie hidden with in the manuscripts? As Ariel races across the continents to reveal the dark secrets buried in her family's past, she begins to unlock the chilling truth of the coming millenium.
Computer expert Cat Velis is heading for a job to Algeria. Before she goes, a mysterious fortune teller warns her of danger, and an antique dealer asks her to search for pieces to a valuable chess set that has been missing for years...In the South of France in 1790 two convent girls hide valuable pieces of a chess set all over the world, because the game that can be played with them is too powerful....