Includes bibliographical references (pages 353-354)

"After his father tells him the story of archaeological treasure hunter Moses Wilhelm Shapira, who, in 1883, committed suicide after the biblical scrolls he found were denounced by his long-time enemy, an award-winning journalist sets out to determine Shapira's guilt or innocence, in a modern-day mystery"--NoveList

In the summer of 1883 Moses Wilhelm Shapira arrived in London claiming to have discovered the world's oldest Bible scroll. Written centuries earlier in the barren plains east of the Dead Sea and stashed away in caves, the mysterious scrolls called into question the divine authorship of the scriptures, taking three thousand years of religious faith and turning them upside down. Before the British Museum could acquire them[,] Shapira's nemesis, French archaeologist Charles Clermont-Ganneau, denounced the find as a fraud. Six months later Shapira was dead; the scrolls vanished. Tigay set out to find the scrolls and determine Shapira's guilt or innocence for himself

From Philadelphia to Jerusalem -- A bible and a spade -- London -- An epic battle -- Rotterdam -- Sculpting a civilization -- Paris -- Germany -- The antiquarian and the murderer -- Terra incognita -- Sydney -- London calling -- From Paris with doubts -- Playing defense -- In light of recent discoveries -- Burton-on-Trent -- Mr. Sharp-Eye-Ra -- San Francisco