James W. Mercer

The Scrolls: the Missing Eighteen Years James W. Mercer

American geologist Mark Malloy enjoys using geology to explain Biblical stories, but when he and Israeli geologist Gilda Baer discover ancient scrolls near the Dead Sea, he must pursue the greatest Biblical story never told: what happened during the eighteen years of Jesus' life missing from the Bible. Their quest, having the potential to change the Bible, leads the two geologists and an Israeli archeologist to locations along the Silk Road, including Turkey, war-torn Iraq, and China, the eastern terminus of the ancient trade route. Opposing this discovery and fearing its impact on the Christian community is an influential and corrupt financial official with a fundamentalist megachurch in the United States who uses his ties in the Holy Land to assure that the scrolls will never be released. Two mysteries are entwined. Follow the adventures of this scientific trio as they encounter intrigue and obstacles at every turn while discovering what happened two thousand years ago.