Touted as a thriller, when it's really a "crimeless mystery novel," because of similarities to The Da Vinci Code, Sirkelens Ende (dt: Frevel, eng: The Circle's End) is a simply-plotted face-off between two men...both duty-bound and both believing they're doing the right thing...over the fate of a 2,000 year old golden shrine.
Themes: biblical studies, secret societies, conspiracy theories and theorists, the arrogance of the knowledgeable, alternative theories about Jesus, the power of dogma, science vs pseudoscience, The Knights Templar, heritage, duty, what is belief and what/who can one believe?
The whole novel boils down to this: Bjørn has the shrine, but won't hand it over until he knows what's inside. Michael must get the shrine, but can't reveal what's inside to anyone outside of "the inner circle". (Yes, THAT kind of "inner circle". Cue the dramatic music.) One of them will have to yield.
In the final analysis, this tug-of-war is too thin of a plot for a 500 pager. It's a quick read, but there are no twists to put more fuel in the tank at any point, and about after 65%, we're coasting entirely on fumes. The ending is rather like finally pulling into a petrol/gas station with a steaming radiator. No real surprise, but no big let down either. Just "phew, we made it. Let's grab an ice cream."
The only interesting, or different, thing for me was seeing a sober, agnostic Scandinavian perspective on the myriad of theories surrounding the historic Jesus. Unlike the American approach, it's not sensationalistic nor underpinned with latent religious conviction. In fact, NONE of the characters are believing Christians, although the shrine and the figure of Jesus of Nazareth are of monumental importance to them.
As a fan of Vatican thrillers (there's just something about a scheming cardinal....), biblical mythology themed novels, and detective stories, I've read much better versions on this theme than this one, but also much worse. If you don't know much about the alternative theories concerning Jesus' life and (possible) death, this is an easy introduction with a lot of info.
Just don't expect The Da Vinci Code. (Which was published 2 years AFTER this one, btw.)
3 solid stars.