‘Gold of Kings’ a tedious thriller

  “Gold of Kings” has an impressive dust jacket with a picture of gold coins and a chalice.
  However, Davis Bunn’s archaeological thriller is tarnished by a lack of a coherent plot, tedious dialogue and a lack of thrills. I stayed with the book until the bitter end, but I’m not sure all readers will be this patient.
  The book market is glutted with thrillers about ancient treasures and secrets. This one deals with Jerusalem temple treasures that were lost when the Romans destroyed the temple in 70 A.D. after crushing a Jewish rebellion. Did the Romans steal all of the treasure or did the Jewish rebels manage to spirit some of it to a safe place? Other authors have speculated on the fate of the treasure. The artifacts, which included a giant golden Menorah, would be priceless today.
  The book is promising at the start. Art broker Sean Syrrell is murdered, but before his death makes arrangements for his granddaughter, Storm, to take up his quest for the treasure. The plan includes springing treasure hunter Harry Bennett from a Barbados prison to protect Storm and help her find the lost hoard.
  Along the way, Bennett and Storm encounter ruthless villains and a suspicious government lawyer, Emma Webb, who is on their trail. They manage to win over Webb and thwart the bad guys. Clues from the ancient copper scroll of Quamran eventually lead them to Istanbul, and then Cyprus.
  The book bogs down in Cyprus and even if the reader manages to suspend disbelief, it’s difficult to follow the chaotic action in the wrapup.