I was hoping to read Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown for quite some time, given the buzz it created when released first. But, the book seemed to be perpetually listed on the ‘already issued’ category of the local library.

At last, this Monday, I got my copy of Da Vinci Code, from a book rental service, I recently subscribed for. The book that deluded me for quite some time was at last mine and that too hand delivered at my doorsteps! Probably the statement about the Holy Grail is true for the books as well, you don’t find the Book, but the Book finds you.

With much anticipation and a racing heart, I started reading this fast paced thriller, with the story spread over just three days event, but spanning centuries old beliefs, traditions and rituals. Since, I know almost nothing about the Art, the paintings and the history of Christianity, the Prologue baffled me to some extent with its odd sounding names likes Prior of Sion, Opus Dei, Pagan worship and what not.

But, after the initial hurdle, I found myself totally engrossed in the story. The story begins with the murder of ‘Jaques Soniere’, the curator of Louvre Museum of Paris, and soon the crime scene becomes a big puzzle, with the corpse being found in a strange pose, and Robert Langdon, the famous Symbologist of Harvard being invited to help with the investigations. Well, apparently, as minutes later, Robert is the main murder suspect.

The plot gets thicker and mysterious with every page, involving new characters like Sophie Neveu, Buze Fache, Sir Leigh Teabing and the strange looking albino monk. The murder of the curator appears to be the handiwork of some religious organization, zealous to protect the history of Christianity, from an explosive secret.

Soon, it is found that a conservative catholic group, Opus Dei, is desperately trying to catch hold of centuries – old secret from, Priory of Sion, a group that believes in Feminine Religion and may pose threats to the history of Christianity, as we know today.

Robert Langdon and Sophie Neveue must solve all the cryptic riddles, left by the late Jaques Sauniere, in order to protect the mystic secret. They travel all the way from Paris to London to the outskirts of France, wandering through cathedrals, tombs, forests and castles to find out the real mystery, the real purpose for which curator was killed, the real truth behind the mysterious paintings of Leonardo da Vinci and to uncover the hidden – centuries old secret.

I loved Da Vinci Code for Dan Brown’s cryptic puzzles, mesmerizing me with anagrams, codes, numbers that must be deciphered to reach the next clue of the riddle. Dan Brown left me speechless with the neck-breaking speed of his murder mystery-cum-thriller, where I felt involved at every step, trying to find out the real culprit, solving the anagrams, decoding the hidden messages. At various points, I thought I have found the real plotter ‘The Teacher’ without Dan brown’s help. But the smart author always seemed to be one step ahead, bringing ever new twists in the story which culminates in an end, I could not even imagine.

Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown left me fascinated. It is a sure page-turner. I was always eager to know what would happen next, and every time I got a nice little surprise. Thumbs up to Dan Brown for his wonderful work and speaking in his anagrammatic style, for me

DAN BROWN = BRAND WON…