103. The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown
The Lost Symbol (2009; 639) is the third in the Robert Langdon novels, after Angels and Demons and Da Vinci Code . This particular story though not as controversial as the Da Vinci Code is equally intriguing and mind-opening. Robert Langdon receives a call from his friend Peter Solomon asking him to prepare a speech for a meeting of Masons at the US Capitol in Washington D.C. Peter is a worshipful master and a 33rd degree Mason. Suddenly, an innocuous acceptance to give speech turns into a rescue mission involving highly placed and powerful institutions and individuals such as Inoue Sato, director of the CIA's Office of security and the Architect of the Capitol and a Freemason, Warren Bellamy. Keeping Peter Solomon as a hostage, Mala'kh who had earlier called Robert, pretending to be Peter's assistant, formally invited Robert with the Hand of Mysteries, which is Peter's hand, to look for the lost symbol. Mal'akh's is 33rd degree induction was a ploy fo...