Book excerpt: In 1496, Father Koutrakos is the acting abbot on the monastic island of Mount Athos, Greece. A monk arrives, hoping to give confession, but the father soon learns the monk is actually Satan in disguise. He has come to confront the man, so after revealing himself, Satan lays forth his angelic confession. He wishes to know if he can be absolved of sin and of his very existence. His opinions of mankind and his angelic point of view on spiritual matters cause Father Koutrakos to question all he has come to believe. Five hundred years later, failed book scout Sean Wilde receives a strange phone call. Someone is willing to pay him a lot of money if he will steal a rare book. Sean is soon caught up in an international book heist involving a mysterious book collector, an Italian thief, and even the Smithsonian. The devil's confession is desperately sought, but will Sean be prepared to fathom what he finds?