A city´s dark secret holds the key to the gates of hell ... When ex-priest Tom Shaman, jaded from years in the Los Angeles ghetto, decides on a last-minute trip to Venice, he gets much more than he expected. A brutal killer is on the loose and Tom finds himself in the midst of a series of ritualistic killings, unlike anything Venice has ever seen. Enlisted by the Italian police, Tom teams up with young investigator Valentina Morassi to dig deep into the city's darkest history, stretching from ancient civilization to the sexual decadence of eighteenth-century Italy to the gritty underworld of modern-day Venice. As Valentina and Tom trace the killings through the centuries, they uncover a deadly secret that generations have killed to protect: a priceless mosaic known as the Gates of Hell. As the clock counts down, Tom and Valentina's adventure builds to an astonishing and satisfying end. Exotic and well-researched, The Venice Conspiracy will continue to build Christer's name in the hit-thriller genre. "A suspenseful religious conspiracy thriller ... A solid entry in the post-Da Vinci Code subgenre." Publishers Weekly "A self-assured first novel." The Wall Street Journal "Well-plotted and well-executed, this is a chilling and clever thriller." Daily Telegraph "Smart, slick and effective." Daily Mail