In Marseilles, where their parents had died years before in a car crash, Robyn learns the shocking details of her sister’s attack–it was no accident. Sybil had been following up on a letter left to them by their father, to be read when they reached the age of twenty-five. Robyn had declined to join her twin in the search, in part because of work but also because the twins had grown apart.
Now Robin sets out to assuage her guilt by discovering the meaning of their father’s letter and finding her sister’s attackers. Her search takes her to a strange bank vault built into a hillside, a midnight black mass, and a darkly attractive man. Meanwhile, forces gather against her on either side of the world: a New York banker and a Chinese triad. Everyone wants something from her, but Robyn has no idea what that might be. Then Sybil is kidnapped.
To save her, Robyn must solve the riddles left by her father, plumb the mysteries of Jesuit and American finances, steal a rare book from a fortress-like library, and decode a century-old cipher. Her action filled journey takes her across Europe to a medieval castle, up and down the east coast of the United States, and into her family’s past.
The story is presented as true, with names changed to protect the innocent. While reminiscent of another, famous, story about religious groups and strange sects, Vaults of Power is more tautly written. The clever plot is laced with clues (and a couple of red herrings) judiciously placed to keep the reader turning the pages. The outcome does not disappoint. This is a great book for a weekend break, a summer vacation, or a long flight.
A well-crafted action-packed mystery/thriller that crosses two continents and spans a century of financial skullduggery. Luckily our heroine, Robyn Gabriel, is well able to give as good as she gets.
Reviewed by Brid Nowlan for IndieReader