The Black Madonna by Peter Millar
In the ruins of Gaza, the war-torn Palestinian city that has been a metropolis since the time of the Pharaohs, a plucky young female archaeologist has made a remarkable find: possibly the earliest known image of the Virgin Mary, created during her lifetime. But before she can reveal it to the world, it is stolen from her amidst the chaos of an Israeli airstrike. Who has stolen it and why? And what hidden secret does it conceal? 'A truly compelling, globetrotting thriller...Look out, Dan Brown, make way for Millar.' - Jeffery Deaver