THE EIGHT

The globally bestselling thriller that paved the way for THE DA VINCI CODE and countless copycat conspiracy novels.In the 8th century AD Ibn al'Arabi | the Moorish governor of Barcelona | bestowed a magnificent gift upon Charlemagne | Holy Emperor of half of the known world: a chess set with the power to transform the course of history.New York City | 1970. Catherine 'Cat' Velis | a computer expert working for one of the world's largest accountancy firms | is sent on a dangerous assignment to retrieve an object of immeasurable value from somewhere in the remote reaches of Algeria.Montglane Abbey | France 1790 | Mireille de Remy and her cousin Valentine are young novices at the fortress-like Montglane Abbey. With France aflame in revolution | the two girls burn to rebel against constricted convent life – and their means of escape is at hand. Buried deep within the abbey are pieces of the Montglane Chess Service | once owned by Charlemagne. Whoever reassembles the pieces can play a game of unlimited power. But to keep the game a secret from those who would abuse it | the two young women must scatter the pieces throughout the world…