Dr. Thomas Hamilton is a biblical scholar who has had a lifelong obsession with the story of Samson. His good friend Michael Sieff, an Israeli biblical linguist, finds a clue suggesting that Samson’s mighty strength could have been the result of a botanical reaction in the human body. This discovery thrusts the two men on a whirlwind journey to find out where the last of this powerful herb was hidden for safekeeping more than 3,000 years ago.

Unfortunately they are not the only people hunting for the Samson Effect. A Muslim mob boss named Azim targets the doctor and his friend, killing anyone in his way. The Israeli government, police, and army also want to secure this find and keep it from the other factions. Thomas and Michael are trapped inside a circle of deceit as gun men, politicians, and a suspicious woman named Delia all vie to keep secret a mystery that is quickly spinning out of control.

The Samson Effect is a quick, easy read that effortlessly guides the reader into the heart of Israel using the plot device of a scientific exploration concerning one of the Bible’s most well known stories. The action develops so rapidly you would swear you were reading a movie script instead of a novel. Much like Dan Brown’s DaVinci Code, this story could indeed translate into a great film.

Author Tony Eldridge knows his Middle Eastern lore, but he doesn’t force it on the reader. The pieces of history are distributed throughout the text, keeping you just hungry enough for the next slice. If the slices were a little bit bigger the subject might have had more impact, but this is a short book. If Tony Eldridge sets out to uncover the truth behind any other biblical lessons, we will be the richer to heed his words, especially if his literary meal has more than one course.