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Lang Reilly #3
The Sinai Secret
A scientist in Amsterdam—murdered. Another scientist in Atlanta— murdered, and his journal stolen. At first Lang Reilly seemed to be the only connection. After all, both scientists worked for his foundation. But when someone took a shot at Lang to scare him away, it only made him more determined to find the truth.
Lang’s search will lead him along a twisted trail to Brussels, Cairo, Vienna, Tel Aviv…and deep into the secrets of the past. What’s the connection between the murdered scientists and an ancient parchment, recently unearthed? What revelations does it contain, and what powerful group is willing to kill to make sure its secrets remain hidden? With the balance of power in the Middle East at risk, Lang has to stay alive long enough to find the answer to a mystery that has puzzled historians for centuries.
Lang’s search will lead him along a twisted trail to Brussels, Cairo, Vienna, Tel Aviv…and deep into the secrets of the past. What’s the connection between the murdered scientists and an ancient parchment, recently unearthed? What revelations does it contain, and what powerful group is willing to kill to make sure its secrets remain hidden? With the balance of power in the Middle East at risk, Lang has to stay alive long enough to find the answer to a mystery that has puzzled historians for centuries.
356 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2008
75 people are currently reading
299 people want to read
About the author
Gregg Loomis
19 books61 followersGregg Loomis is an American author of thrillers. Born in Atlanta, Georgia, he spent his youth traveling the world, and has worked as a commercial pilot, a racecar driver, and a lawyer specializing in commercial litigation. He published his first novel, the bayou thriller Voodoo Fury, in 1991. His greatest success came in 2005, when The Pegasus Secret introduced the world to lawyer Lang Reilly; Loomis charted that character’s globetrotting adventures through five more novels, including The Coptic Secret (2009) and The Cathar Secret (2011). With Gates of Hades (2007), Loomis began a new series centered on Jason Peters, an international operative working for NARCOM, a private corporation that does what the CIA cannot. Hot Ice (2013) is the second Jason Peters novel. Loomis now writes and practices law in Atlanta.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
February 18, 2023
4 sterren - Nederlandse paperback
Dit is het derde boek in de serie met Langdon Reilly, van Ierse afkomst, in de hoofdrol.
De Nederlandse wetenschapper dr. Yadish wordt tijdens een bezoek aan Amsterdam vermoord. Dit is waarom ik het wilde lezen. Is toch onze hoofdstad.
Ongeveer op hetzelfde moment dat een Amerikaanse collega van hem in Atlanta ook door geweld om het leven komt. Wat de twee gemeenschappelijk hadden is dat ze allebei onderzoek deden naar alternatieven voor fossiele brandstoffen. Een belangrijk gegeven in de huidige brandstof ellende.
Onderzoek naar deze misdaden brengt Langdon Reilly naar Amsterdam, waar hij op Schiphol wordt ontvoerd. Hij weet te ontsnappen en komt uiteindelijk terecht in Tel Aviv, waar hij de link vindt met een oud perkament, waarvoor mensen bereid zijn te doden.
Je reist weer aardig wat af in dit boek. Dat is toch de van de aantrekkingspunten in het boek. En de humor. Heerlijk.
Dit is het derde boek in de serie met Langdon Reilly, van Ierse afkomst, in de hoofdrol.
De Nederlandse wetenschapper dr. Yadish wordt tijdens een bezoek aan Amsterdam vermoord. Dit is waarom ik het wilde lezen. Is toch onze hoofdstad.
Ongeveer op hetzelfde moment dat een Amerikaanse collega van hem in Atlanta ook door geweld om het leven komt. Wat de twee gemeenschappelijk hadden is dat ze allebei onderzoek deden naar alternatieven voor fossiele brandstoffen. Een belangrijk gegeven in de huidige brandstof ellende.
Onderzoek naar deze misdaden brengt Langdon Reilly naar Amsterdam, waar hij op Schiphol wordt ontvoerd. Hij weet te ontsnappen en komt uiteindelijk terecht in Tel Aviv, waar hij de link vindt met een oud perkament, waarvoor mensen bereid zijn te doden.
Je reist weer aardig wat af in dit boek. Dat is toch de van de aantrekkingspunten in het boek. En de humor. Heerlijk.
May 17, 2025
Great premise, decent execution, Akhenaten, Moses, the Ark of the Covenant, and a tragic shortage of German operatives with firearms and zero tolerance for nonsense.
Lang Reilly is back for round three, and he’s still the world’s most danger-prone attorney. Still skeptical, still clever, still somehow able to survive situations that would kill 87% of Indiana Jones impersonators. But he’s flying solo-ish, and that’s where the problem begins.
Gurt Fuchs, the beloved German ex-intel operative with the emotional range of a concrete bunker and the skills of a one-woman SWAT team, is... missing. Sure, she dramatically came back at the end of The Julian Secret, in the kind of quiet, explosive cameo that makes fans cheer. And then? Poof. Gone. Between books. No goodbye. No flashback. No explanation. Just “Welp, she left.” This is, frankly, an emotional ambush. A thriller betrayal. Gurt could disassemble a man and an AK-47 blindfolded, and we’re supposed to just move on? No Gregg, just plain No....(bet you she's back for the 4th one)
The MacGuffin:
You thought this book would focus on just one earth-shattering ancient secret? Please. Loomis is playing historical thriller bingo here. First, we've got the ever-intriguing theory that Akhenaten, the original monotheist pharaoh, may have influenced Moses, as in the Moses. The Ten Commandments guy. This concept isn’t just a casual museum trivia fact; it could seriously mess with millennia of religious belief.
But wait! There’s more. Toss in a quest for none other than the Ark of the Covenant, the most famous ancient relic never to make it through customs. Yes, that Ark..... glowing, powerful, maybe weaponized, and most definitely not in "a Smithsonian basement." Turns out the Ark might be a real artifact with ties to Egypt’s early monotheism and enough spiritual volatility to earn the attention of armed men in SUVs.
The Plot:
Lang finds himself drawn into a deadly game when archaeological evidence surfaces suggesting that Moses wasn’t a divine original; he was improvising on Akhenaten’s One-God concept. What's the connection? Suddenly, this isn’t just ancient trivia. It’s a religious powder keg, and a few global shadow players are more than happy to kill for control of the narrative. This time, Lang is paired with Alicia Warner, a love interest who leans more into the “gets kidnapped” than “shoots the kidnapper” category. She’s kind, pretty, and helpful.... unless you’ve read the first two books and know what we’re missing. She’s not Gurt. Let’s not pretend otherwise. Alicia is a supportive presence. There’s no tactical banter, no dry sarcasm about Lang’s poor decision-making. Just vibes. And mild peril.
Lang hops from dusty tombs to swanky museums, chased by assassins, decoding ancient inscriptions, and dodging bullets. The theory tying Akhenaten’s religion to Moses’ teachings makes for fascinating stuff, historically speculative, sure, but intellectually juicy. And the possibility that the Ark of the Covenant wasn’t divinely delivered but technologically engineered? That’s conspiracy gold. If you like your sacred relics with a hint of plausible sci-fi, you’ll eat this up.
But while the setup is solid, the pacing drags a little in places, and without Gurt’s icy competence to "goose the tension", the stakes don’t always feel as sharp as they should.
Writing Style:
Gregg Loomis stays true to his strengths: clear, fast-paced prose; short chapters; and enough historical exposition to make you feel smarter without accidentally learning too much. His dialogue is solid, his action scenes are clean, and his historical conspiracy concepts, particularly the Moses–Akhenaten link, are genuinely fascinating and mildly heretical.
Final Thoughts:
The Sinai Secret is a decent thriller with a killer concept, a competent protagonist, and a powerful historical hook. But without Gurt, it lacks the edge and balance of the earlier entries. Alicia is fine — but Gurt was iconic. The mystery deserved the whole team.
So yes, Gregg, I enjoyed the book. But also: "JUSTICE FOR GURT"....where would Dirk Pitt be without Al Giordino?
Read it if:
🔴 You enjoy theological thrillers and ancient Egyptian drama
🔴 You’ve always suspected Moses wasn't who he is portrayed as
🔴 You love "Raiders of the Lost Ark"
Avoid it if:
😡 You were emotionally attached to Gurt Fuchs and are still not over it (same)
😡 You need your thrillers with A+ sidekick chemistry
Lang Reilly is back for round three, and he’s still the world’s most danger-prone attorney. Still skeptical, still clever, still somehow able to survive situations that would kill 87% of Indiana Jones impersonators. But he’s flying solo-ish, and that’s where the problem begins.
Gurt Fuchs, the beloved German ex-intel operative with the emotional range of a concrete bunker and the skills of a one-woman SWAT team, is... missing. Sure, she dramatically came back at the end of The Julian Secret, in the kind of quiet, explosive cameo that makes fans cheer. And then? Poof. Gone. Between books. No goodbye. No flashback. No explanation. Just “Welp, she left.” This is, frankly, an emotional ambush. A thriller betrayal. Gurt could disassemble a man and an AK-47 blindfolded, and we’re supposed to just move on? No Gregg, just plain No....(bet you she's back for the 4th one)
The MacGuffin:
You thought this book would focus on just one earth-shattering ancient secret? Please. Loomis is playing historical thriller bingo here. First, we've got the ever-intriguing theory that Akhenaten, the original monotheist pharaoh, may have influenced Moses, as in the Moses. The Ten Commandments guy. This concept isn’t just a casual museum trivia fact; it could seriously mess with millennia of religious belief.
But wait! There’s more. Toss in a quest for none other than the Ark of the Covenant, the most famous ancient relic never to make it through customs. Yes, that Ark..... glowing, powerful, maybe weaponized, and most definitely not in "a Smithsonian basement." Turns out the Ark might be a real artifact with ties to Egypt’s early monotheism and enough spiritual volatility to earn the attention of armed men in SUVs.
The Plot:
Lang finds himself drawn into a deadly game when archaeological evidence surfaces suggesting that Moses wasn’t a divine original; he was improvising on Akhenaten’s One-God concept. What's the connection? Suddenly, this isn’t just ancient trivia. It’s a religious powder keg, and a few global shadow players are more than happy to kill for control of the narrative. This time, Lang is paired with Alicia Warner, a love interest who leans more into the “gets kidnapped” than “shoots the kidnapper” category. She’s kind, pretty, and helpful.... unless you’ve read the first two books and know what we’re missing. She’s not Gurt. Let’s not pretend otherwise. Alicia is a supportive presence. There’s no tactical banter, no dry sarcasm about Lang’s poor decision-making. Just vibes. And mild peril.
Lang hops from dusty tombs to swanky museums, chased by assassins, decoding ancient inscriptions, and dodging bullets. The theory tying Akhenaten’s religion to Moses’ teachings makes for fascinating stuff, historically speculative, sure, but intellectually juicy. And the possibility that the Ark of the Covenant wasn’t divinely delivered but technologically engineered? That’s conspiracy gold. If you like your sacred relics with a hint of plausible sci-fi, you’ll eat this up.
But while the setup is solid, the pacing drags a little in places, and without Gurt’s icy competence to "goose the tension", the stakes don’t always feel as sharp as they should.
Writing Style:
Gregg Loomis stays true to his strengths: clear, fast-paced prose; short chapters; and enough historical exposition to make you feel smarter without accidentally learning too much. His dialogue is solid, his action scenes are clean, and his historical conspiracy concepts, particularly the Moses–Akhenaten link, are genuinely fascinating and mildly heretical.
Final Thoughts:
The Sinai Secret is a decent thriller with a killer concept, a competent protagonist, and a powerful historical hook. But without Gurt, it lacks the edge and balance of the earlier entries. Alicia is fine — but Gurt was iconic. The mystery deserved the whole team.
So yes, Gregg, I enjoyed the book. But also: "JUSTICE FOR GURT"....where would Dirk Pitt be without Al Giordino?
Read it if:
🔴 You enjoy theological thrillers and ancient Egyptian drama
🔴 You’ve always suspected Moses wasn't who he is portrayed as
🔴 You love "Raiders of the Lost Ark"
Avoid it if:
😡 You were emotionally attached to Gurt Fuchs and are still not over it (same)
😡 You need your thrillers with A+ sidekick chemistry
November 23, 2024
Love the premise, the execution didn’t do it for me. Too many threads that took too long to come together and too bogged down in details at times. But it’s the 3rd in a series so clearly the style works for some folks, but not for me.
October 30, 2008
An enjoyable experience:
This is the first book by Gregg Loomis that I’ve read and I discovered that the protagonist, Lang Reilly, had featured in some of his previous works as well. However, I was not left in the dark about how Reilly’s previous escapades influenced what happened to him in this tale, as it was expertly woven into the storyline without interrupting any events.
Someone in Reilly’s research organization discovered an old parchment that certain people are prepared to kill for, and they do too. Soon, they are following Reilly and are trying their utmost to do him in, but he is always one step ahead of the antagonists. Reilly leaves a trail of action thrills as he tries to get to the bottom of this.
Gregg Loomis interlaces the suspenseful action with plenty of international settings, ancient mysteries, science, discoveries and even a bit of romance. Reading this book was an enjoyable experience, and the only problem I had was that I had read a thriller by another author just before this book, that used much of the same science and ancient mysteries (a lot of which is public knowledge, you can Google the stuff), therefore I could anticipate certain events in the story. That said; it is not Gregg Loomis’ fault that I read the other book just prior his novel – I certainly look forward to read more of his work.
This is the first book by Gregg Loomis that I’ve read and I discovered that the protagonist, Lang Reilly, had featured in some of his previous works as well. However, I was not left in the dark about how Reilly’s previous escapades influenced what happened to him in this tale, as it was expertly woven into the storyline without interrupting any events.
Someone in Reilly’s research organization discovered an old parchment that certain people are prepared to kill for, and they do too. Soon, they are following Reilly and are trying their utmost to do him in, but he is always one step ahead of the antagonists. Reilly leaves a trail of action thrills as he tries to get to the bottom of this.
Gregg Loomis interlaces the suspenseful action with plenty of international settings, ancient mysteries, science, discoveries and even a bit of romance. Reading this book was an enjoyable experience, and the only problem I had was that I had read a thriller by another author just before this book, that used much of the same science and ancient mysteries (a lot of which is public knowledge, you can Google the stuff), therefore I could anticipate certain events in the story. That said; it is not Gregg Loomis’ fault that I read the other book just prior his novel – I certainly look forward to read more of his work.
September 19, 2009
This is the least fascinating of the series, but still good. The only annoyance I had was that Gert came back to him in the end of the last book, but had left him again before this book began and we didn't get to hear what happened. She was simply gone. Frankly, without Gert and her amazing skills, the story just wasn't as enticing.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 2, 2025
I just finished The Sinai Secret, and now I’m questionimg every history class I’ve ever taken. Gregg Loomis really said, ‘What if ancient secrets met modern chaos?’ — and then actually made it make sense! Every chapter hits like a caffeine rush , and by the end I was half convinced I should start decoding ancient scrolls myself. Smart, fast, and just the right amount of ‘wait, what?!’ energy. Loved it!
May 20, 2017
I was sorry to find out that Gurt left. That kinda put a damper on the whole thing, especially since Alicia, Lang's new love interest, is much more the damsel in distress. I loved that Gurt knew how to kick major butt. Oh well... Some the things in this book didn't make any sense and some plot threads just didn't go anywhere. So, only 3 stars.
October 16, 2017
Gregg Loomis ve své další knize pomalu, ale jistě upouští z historické stránky příběhů. Mise Sinaj je tedy více prošpikovaná napětím a akcí. Bohužel pro mě mi tam ta historicky silná linka děje chyběla. Ale to nemění nic na tom, že to bylo opět skvělé a vlastně i dost zábavné. Langovi předchozí peripetie dost prospěly, protože se z něj stal celkem ostřílený a nebojácný chlapák. Oprášil svůj výcvik a nemá se zač stydět.
https://kniznidenicek.blogspot.cz/201...
https://kniznidenicek.blogspot.cz/201...
January 2, 2019
I liked this one better than The Julian Code. More believable.
May 1, 2019
Fine
Good plot and well written
Characters are very interesting. Looking forward to reading more by those people in, author 1
Good plot and well written
Characters are very interesting. Looking forward to reading more by those people in, author 1
March 5, 2020
Maybe it was me, I liked the story but it seemed to drag in the end.
February 5, 2023
Poor writing with wooden characters and way too much of the author’s views on display.
March 13, 2023
Langford Reilly has stepped in *.it.* again!
Obscure things seem to fall into Land's lap all of the time and now his Foundation is at risk from an unexpected source!
Obscure things seem to fall into Land's lap all of the time and now his Foundation is at risk from an unexpected source!
April 18, 2009
This was an exceptionally enjoyable mystery thriller - suspenseful, international locales, ancient and secretive discoveries, and non-stop action! But I just felt as though the title was a rip-off from a wonderful book I read 20 years ago, entitled, "Secrets of Mount Sinai" with almost the exact photo of St. Catherine's Monastery on the front!! BTW, I've been to this monastery many times in the Sinai Peninsula - it's an ancient fortress at the base of Jebel Mousa where Moses purportedly received the Ten Commandments. If you ever have the opportunity - please don't miss it!
March 1, 2015
At first I tried to look past the frequent derogatory comments and negative depictions of just about every character that isn't American and white, and just about every locale that isn't the US. I thought I should try to have an open mind. But it starts to wear after a while, and I finally gave up about 2/3 of the way through the book. Loomis is a racist, nationalistic ignoramus with little or no understanding of other cultures. Don't bother with this book, or with this author, unless that description really speaks to you.
November 27, 2011
Continuing my summer theme of reading thrillers set in the Middle East, I read this book from an Amazon recommendation on my Kindle.
Brutal murders are popping up all over the world that have a single common factor: the people killed were doing research for Lang Reilly's foundation.
Usually in books like this, there is little character development but this book really gives a strong sense of what makes Lang Reilly tick.
Brutal murders are popping up all over the world that have a single common factor: the people killed were doing research for Lang Reilly's foundation.
Usually in books like this, there is little character development but this book really gives a strong sense of what makes Lang Reilly tick.
November 7, 2014
As in real life, there are lot of disconnected situations that actually are connected.
Iran has fired a missle at Israel. Israel tells the US not to worry.... the missle disappears. How?
Two scientist that are connected to Lang's foundation are murdered. One in Belguim and on in Atlanta. How are their murders connected/
Lang investigates and is nearly kidnapped once and kidnapped another time.
A Biblical parchment is found. How is it connected.
Great thriller.
Iran has fired a missle at Israel. Israel tells the US not to worry.... the missle disappears. How?
Two scientist that are connected to Lang's foundation are murdered. One in Belguim and on in Atlanta. How are their murders connected/
Lang investigates and is nearly kidnapped once and kidnapped another time.
A Biblical parchment is found. How is it connected.
Great thriller.
May 18, 2011
I enjoyed my first Loomis novel. I liked the way he had the main character travel to various locations, weaving the story throughout Europe, Atlanta and the Middle East. I look forward to more of Loomis' novels in the future. Thanks to Walmart, I found this book for only $1.99 in a bin of paperbacks!
June 6, 2012
A very fast paced, action packed story. Started a bit slow, but really picked up after a few(very short) chapters. Anybody that has read and loved Dan Brown should try it out, you wouldn't be dissapointed.
July 12, 2016
Interesting read, this novel makes one go hmmmmm. Speculating that Moses was not a Jew but the Egyptian pharaoh, Akhenaten. The Ark of the covenant was a superconductor, simply amazing.
But enough of that, on to the next novel: The Coptic Secrets.
Until next time, Ciao!
But enough of that, on to the next novel: The Coptic Secrets.
Until next time, Ciao!
October 1, 2024
Another very well written Lang Reilly Thriller. Looking forward to the next book in the series.
- Vincent Pauletti, author of The Doomsday Relics: An Omega Sector Thriller
https://www.audible.com/pd/B0CKS2TYXB...
- Vincent Pauletti, author of The Doomsday Relics: An Omega Sector Thriller
https://www.audible.com/pd/B0CKS2TYXB...
February 11, 2011
sloppy plot, sloppy characters, inaccurate geography, stupid, contrived circumstances. eh.
March 31, 2020
The third book in the Lang Reilly series. Langhas another adventurous murder mystery to solve. Fast-paced, fun read.
March 5, 2013
Stupid characters doing the same stupid things over and over again to conceal an ultimately dull mystery. A lot of pointless violence and avoidable death also occurs.
October 1, 2013
Disappointed.
January 25, 2014
The character and story are very good. Am looking forward to the other books in this series.
June 24, 2014
Read a while back, liked it well enough to hunt for other books by Mr. Loomis. Very well written. Excellent read!
April 25, 2015
This was a fun, quick read full of excitement and suspense. I have read other Gregg
Loomis books and liked them too. I like the character Lang Reilly. He is a great hero. I recommend this book.
Loomis books and liked them too. I like the character Lang Reilly. He is a great hero. I recommend this book.
February 28, 2016
The Arc
Strange see rest that we known must have answers somewhere, unbeknownst to us. Probably more than we can ever known! Interesting .
Strange see rest that we known must have answers somewhere, unbeknownst to us. Probably more than we can ever known! Interesting .
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews