The Shroud Conspiracy by John Heubusch

“In this intense thriller, a brilliant forensic anthropologist sets out to prove that the famous Shroud of Turin, one of the most revered artifacts in Christianity and the supposed burial cloth of Jesus Christ, is a fake. But he quickly discovers the opposite could be true—and must race to stop the evil forces who want to use the Shroud for their own evil designs.

Throughout his career, forensic anthropologist and outspoken atheist Dr. Jon Bondurant has investigated many religious artifacts said to be real, but he knows better. Only weak minds rely on such obviously false relics to maintain their pointless faith. So when he is invited by the Vatican to examine the Shroud of Turin he is delighted for the opportunity to prove once and for all that the Shroud is a fraud. But when he meets Domenika Josef, the beautiful and devout Vatican representative who finds him arrogant and self-important, he realizes his task will not be as straightforward as he once thought. Domenika believes that the relic is real, and wants nothing more than to rescue the tarnished reputation of the church by announcing the good news of the authentic Shroud. As Bondurant and his team examine every element of the Shroud, he and Domenika begin to see each other in a whole new light. And as the evidence about the origin of this highly controversial piece of fabric starts to pile up, he begins to realize that he’s been blind to the truth in many ways. 

When a sample of the blood from the Shroud—believed to be the real blood of Jesus Christ—vanishes, he realizes his problems are just beginning. The DNA traces in that sample could have earth-shattering consequences if they fall into the wrong hands. When Domenika vanishes too, Bondurant is caught in a globe-spanning chase to rescue the woman he loves—and stop the evil forces who have their own motives for the Shroud.”