The Church of Santa Maria della Grazie is being renovated by the Duke of Milan. There in the refectory, Leonardo Da Vinci is painting The Last Supper, which departs from the traditional view of the Last Supper. DaVinci's painting excludes the Holy Grail and the Eucharistic bread and includes heretics as models for some of the disciples and includes DaVinci himself.

Leyre follows a path through monasteries and palaces confronted with alliances and rivalries, with differences of opinion about DaVinci and his possible heresy. In the course of his investigations, there are a series of murders, one which is that of the Soothsayer, which seem to center on the painting.

The story is told from the point of view of Friar Leyre from his exile in a remote cave in Egypt. It is an elegant story of the secrets that lay hidden in The Last Supper, which are threatening to undo the status of the Catholic Church of the 15th century. It is a suspenseful, thought provoking page-turner, with a tightly woven plot, a blend of history, art, intrigue and religion. There are subplots involving factions and dissenters in the Church. This is an intellectual and deep presentation of the society of the time. The story soaks up the atmosphere of the artists and the clergy with tales of religious fanaticism as well as church politics, betrayal, murder and artistic chicanery.

There is a compelling case for DaVinci's heretical beliefs for all to see through clues in The Last Supper -if we know how to find them. After reading this, you may never again see the painting as you did before.

The book includes a "cast of characters" helpful for those who lack historical background.