The Last Con
- Fiction
- Publisher: Thomas Nelson
- Published: 2015
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Publisher's Description
THE KNIGHTS OF MALTA WERE THERE WHEN JERUSALEM FELL, THEY WERE THERE WHEN THE TEMPLARS DISINTEGRATED, AND THEY’RE THERE NOW... WAITING IN DETROIT FOR A BORN-AGAIN CON MAN TRYING TO SAVE HIS FAMILY. Former con man Fletcher Doyle is finally home after six years in the pen. He’s working a menial job, regaining his bearings in the world, and trying to revive his relationships with his wife and twelve-year-old daughter. No easy feat. But when Fletcher and his family go on a mission trip to Detroit—in the company of the condescending church leader who also happens to be his landlord—Fletcher finds his old life waiting for him. Within hours of arriving in the city, he’s been blackmailed into doing a job for a mysterious criminal who calls himself The Alchemist. A series of relics hidden by the Knights of Malta, as ancient as they are priceless, are in the sights of The Alchemist. What he needs is a gifted grifter with a background in ecclesiastical history... what he needs is Fletcher Doyle. Between hiding his reawakened criminal life from his wife and trying to hide her from their relentless landlord, Fletcher is ready to give up. But when his family is drawn into the dangerous world he can’t shake, Fletcher is forced to rely on his years in the game to save the only people who mean more to him than the biggest con in history.
Endorsements (5)
“A thought-provoking exploration into the power of faith and the reality of evil. Filled with memorable characters and tight writing, Playing Saint is an impressive debut from an author to watch.”
“This is an exciting step forward for thrillers. It grapples with complex themes as well as being richly suspenseful. Highly recommended.”
“Zachary Bartels is a new name to watch in the mystery/suspense genre. His debut Playing Saint is everything I love in a novel: great characters, edge-of-the-seat plot, and great twists and turns. I'm ready for his next book already. Highly recommended!”
“Zachary Bartels has redeemed Christian fiction for me. I can’t remember the last time I couldn’t put a book down, and I can’t remember the last time I’d read a Christian novel. And I really can’t remember the last time those two were one. To my pure delight, I discovered not only a well-written, entertaining read, but other fun things like this: Zachary Bartels is not afraid of head-on collisions with complicated issues. I loved Playing Saint for the recognizable reality, and the humor, and the way I felt when I finished the book—entertained, satisfied, and looking for more.”
“Fueled by an encyclopedic knowledge of action movies and popular culture, and a reverence for scripture born of seminary study and faithful service as a pastor, Zachary Bartels is uniquely equipped to write the kind of novel that will make you think differently about Christian novels. Playing Saint is a reflection of its author—risky, fast-paced, sarcastic, clever, and ultimately hopeful. We need more novels, and more authors, like this!”
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