Lion of Babylon by Davis Bunn

The Lion of Babylon by Davis Bunn is a page-turner.  In fact, I stayed up until 3:30 one morning to finish this book. I've read most of Davis Bunn's books, so I was anxious to receive this book to review.  I can tell you that this book is a departure from Davis Bunn's subject matter, but it still embraces his legal/thriller style.
Marc Royce, formerly employed by the State Department Intelligence, was dismissed by a boss consumed with his work and who expected the same of his employees.  Marc chose to take care of his dying wife over his job.  But now she was gone...and he was alone.  He was now employed as a forensic accountant; a boring job.  His former boss, Ambassador Walton, comes to enlist Marc's assistance to find Marc's best friend, Alex, and two women (all Christians) who had gone missing in Baghdad.  Within 3 hours, Marc is on a private jet heading to Baghdad and just a little rusty at intelligence work.
Marc is put in contact with Sameh, an Iraqi Christian lawyer.  This lawyer has been spending much of his time recovering kidnapped children who were used as leverage with their families for votes in the new and unstable Iraqi government.  Jaffar, the Grand Imam's son, employs the help of Sameh to find a missing Iraqi man.  After Marc & Sameh begin to work together, they are sure the disappearance of these 4 people are somehow connected.
Marc & Sameh are put in various situations which begin to make the Iraqi and U.S. government take notice of these two men.  And neither govenment is anxious for the four missing people to be found nor for Marc or Sameh to receive any kind of notoriety.  Marc manages to stay out of the spotlight which endears him to Sameh's family and to many leaders.  And trust is born.  Both men soon find out why two governments don't want missing people found...and they see God at work.
This is a great story.  And I can only hope that God is at work in Iraq in the way this story portrays!

I'd give this book 5 out of 5 stars!
Thank you to Bethany House  for providing this book for review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.