As seen in the October edition of Hills and Heights Life Magazine: 

"Texas writer David Beckett’s new thriller, The Cana Mystery, will appeal to all who enjoy Dan Brown’s novels (Inferno, The Da Vinci Code, Angels and Demons) but especially to those who find Mr. Brown’s writing style less than sublime. Like The Da Vinci Code, Beckett’s mystery hinges on actual historical events. Unlike Brown, who’s infamous for factual errors, Beckett is renowned for impeccable research. His prose, less purple than Brown’s, has drawn wide acclaim. In 1997, Mr. Beckett won the Willie Morris Award for Editorial Excellence. Today, The Cana Mystery numbers among a select handful of novels boasting perfect, 5-star ratings on both the Goodreads and Amazon websites.

In this lively adventure, we follow protagonists Ava Fischer and Paul Grant on a wild ride through Egypt’s deserts, up the Nile, and across the sea to Malta and Capri. The novel begins and ends in Rome; its ripped-from-the-headlines plot incorporates the Boston terror attacks, the resignation of Catholic Pope Benedict XVI, and the subsequent election of Pope Francis.

Beckett’s luxuriant writing reflects a post-modern sensibility spiced with an intriguing assortment of cultural allusions, logic puzzles, anagrams, and puns. Obviously, the author is a movie buff. One suspects his DVD library includes classics such as The Godfather, Casablanca, It Happened One Night, Jaws, Raiders of the Lost Ark, and others. Fans of both Star Trek and Star Wars will not miss references to these modern-day cultural institutions. Meanwhile, readers more inclined to Shakespeare, Alexander McCall Smith, or even Goethe might be surprised to stumble across a subtle connection.

The novel’s main character, Ava, is a feisty twenty-something completing her doctorate at MIT. As one might expect, she is beautiful and brilliant. Yet unlike the indistinguishable phalanxes of brilliant, beautiful heroines who populate contemporary fiction’s landscape, Ava is a three-dimensional character. She evolves as the narrative proceeds. As we watch her evade deadly assassins and crack secret codes, we see her mature, incrementally, from a gifted, snarky smart aleck into a reflective, compassionate, self-aware woman. The Cana Mystery most exceeds the boundaries of its genre when it pauses to sketch exotic settings in rich, sensuous detail. One vivid passage describes a private supper eaten on a balcony suspended above the hustle and bustle of Alexandrian nightlife. The Mediterranean wind gusts, candles flicker, feluccas bob and creak in the ancient harbor. Likewise, the arresting beauty of Capri and the ageless glory of Rome are depicted with confidence and charm. Foodies in particular will relish Beckett’s bite-by-bite descriptions of the characters’ many other delectable repasts.

Some who might not enjoy this thriller are readers seeking the gory action of a Stephen-King-style horror show or the lurid, bedroom antics of bestselling adult-novel Fifty Shades of Gray. Like a screenwriter from Hollywood’s golden age, Beckett keeps it clean, a decision many parents may find refreshing. Although the novel contains the requisite romantic sub plot, Beckett opts to close the metaphorical curtains, never describing his characters’ most intimate moments. Reminiscent of the romantic chemistry that sizzled between Grace Kelly and Cary Grant in To Catch a Thief, readers of The Cana Mystery are left free to imagine the fireworks that might or might not be erupting behind tastefully locked hotel room doors.

Despite a few literary pretensions, The Cana Mystery remains, at its core, a swashbuckling adventure tale, replete with helicopter battles, boat chases, dark catacombs, shipwrecks, murderous, wolf-faced villains and noble, selfless heroes. Readers in pursuit of an engaging, fast-paced diversion to make a long flight feel short won’t be disappointed. Yet if she spotted you reading David Beckett, your high school English teacher might be pleased, too."