Mesmerized, Jim looked at the gold plate as Alex started to hand it to him, noticing the sudden look of horror on Alex’s face a second too late. Sometimes the journey for truth takes us further than we expect in Lee A. Sweetapple’s heart-pounding new novel, Templar Codes . Jim Stillwater, a former intelligence officer, enjoys a relatively quiet life in Cyprus while working as a contractor to the US Embassy. But that life comes to a swift and sudden end one day when he finds himself tangled up in a murderous conspiracy. Determined to clear his name, Stillwater only plunges himself deeper into danger when he discovers a group of ancient artifacts that seemingly identify the lost tribes of Israel. With a violent group of radicals willing to do anything to keep the existence of these artifacts a secret, Stillwater is forced to literally run for his life. With a handful of loyal allies, Stillwater makes his way from Munich to Paris before eventually landing in Scotland. Along the way, he faces betrayal, conspiracies, and a constant threat to his life. In one final battle, Stillwater will have to face down his enemies before the truth is lost forever. "When artifacts that appear to identify the tribes of Israel are stolen, Jim Stillwater, a contractor working for the US government, risks everything to recover them. Thematically, this book is excellently constructed. Fans of international intrigue and code-breaking thrillers like The Da Vinci Code will appreciate this book." Four Stars (out of Five). - Foreword Clarion Review "There's nothing wrong with a little light, pulpy adventure, and this one is certainly easy to read and digest. Murder, political intrigue, femmes fatales , ancient conspiracy theories and textbook cloak-and-dagger shenanigans all crop up as the novel goes on, but very little of it adds up to anything of substance. At its best, the novel reads like a Clive Cussler clone (with a little Dan Brown thrown in), and there's plenty of half-baked political intrigue and hard-boiled thriller action to go around." - Kirkus Reviews One man's journey to clear his name will take him further than he ever expected in Lee A. Sweetapple's riveting new novel, Templar Codes . Jim Stillwater is a former intelligence officer living a refreshingly quiet life as a contractor to the US Embassy in Cyprus. His peace is shattered, however, when he unwillingly becomes entangled in a murder plot. Desperate to clear his name, he stumbles upon a plot bigger than he could have possibly imagined. Stillwater's discovery of ancient artifacts that identify the lost tribes of Israel thrust him into immediate danger as a group of radicals attempt to hide the truth by disposing of Stillwater altogether. Escaping through Europe, Stillwater and his allies eventually wind up in Scotland. There, an epic showdown between Stillwater and his enemies will show once and for all whether good can truly triumph over evil. Lee A. Sweetapple hails from Miami Springs, Florida. He received a bachelor's degree in politics and public affairs from the University of Miami. He continued on to graduate studies in geographic and cartographic science, international law, and international diplomacy. Sweetapple proudly worked in US Army military intelligence and retired in 2003 with the rank of lieutenant colonel.   Sweetapple is enjoying his retirement in the foothills of the Shenandoah Mountains with his wife and German Shepherd.   WASP Sting was inspired by Sweetapple's enthusiasm for World War II aviation; he flew a P-51C Mustang for his fiftieth birthday. He also serves as a colonel in the Commemorative Air Force and supports the organization's Red Tail Squadron education outreach program.   Sweetapple has written thrillers Vette Head's Not Dead , Key West Revenge ,  Templar Codes , WASP Sting and Vodka Caliphate , all available through Amazon.com. He enjoys sword collecting, hunting, skiing, and SCUBA diving.