A Murder at Armageddon

A Judas Thomas Mystery

Authored by A.K.A. Chisti
(Neil Douglas-Klotz)

“The scribe Shemuel ben Yahayye sat down heavily in the dust, hearing a waterfall that didn’t exist….”

A new mystery novel by Neil Douglas-Klotz, author of Prayers of the Cosmos and The Sufi Book of Life.

First century CE, Roman Palestine:
Yehuda Tauma believes he’s found his lucky break when he finds a valuable pearl on the floor of the temple of Jerusalem where he works as a scribe. Convinced that his position at the temple only serves to maintain the network of corruption and greed that he eschews, Yehuda and his bodyguard Ioannis set out for a new life in Damascus.

But when they come upon the body of Yehuda’s adopted father and mentor outside the village of Armageddon, Yehuda vows to find the killer and uncover the reason he was killed. Ever loyal, Ioannis promises to accompany Yehuda on his avenging mission. As the two men search for the killer, they meet surprising allies and treacherous adversaries along the way. Yehuda and Ioannis must unravel the intricate secret messages and visionary clues left behind by the dead man—while trying to stay alive themselves.

Renegade scribes, revolutionary cells, temple spies, oppressive tyrants, and visionary prophets and priestesses collide in this mystery of the volatile first century in the Middle East.

About the author:

A. K. A. Chisti is the penname of Dr. Neil Douglas-Klotz, a world-renowned scholar in religious studies, spirituality, and psychology, specializing in the ancient Middle East. A frequent speaker and workshop leader, he is the author of several books, including Prayers of the Cosmos, The Hidden Gospel, The Genesis Meditations, The Sufi Book of Life, Blessings of the Cosmos, Desert Wisdom, and The Tent of Abraham with Rabbi Arthur Waskow and Sr. Joan Chittister.Douglas-Klotz directs the Edinburgh Institute for Advanced Learning and served for many years as co-chair of the Mysticism Group of the American Academy of Religion. He is cofounder of the International Network of the Dances of Universal Peace. In 2004, Douglas-Klotz cofounded the Edinburgh International Festival of Middle Eastern Spirituality and Peace, and in 2005, he was named Kessler-Keener Foundation Peacemaker of the Year.

“[a] subtle blend of genres with mystic elements…the ‘whodunit’ storyline and some well-chosen characters keep the book entertaining and very enjoyable…reads very easily for such an intellectually stimulating novel.” –Historical Novel Society