There are a number of people who have greatly helped my journey. Bruce Burgess and René Barnett for the documentary Bloodline – the Movie, which attracted me back to the mystery; Nicole Dawe, ever the sane researcher; and all those I met and travelled with in the Languedoc. Watkins Bookshop in London – the Internet may have more information but the staff at Watkins have wisdom. The staff of the British Library, Glasgow University Library, the Wellcome Institute and the Vatican Secret Archive for their help. There is also a debt of gratitude to many authors and researchers who came before me, some of whose works I have listed at the back of this book. Should you wish to travel further along these paths, more can be found on the website http:www.robhowells.co.uk.
Thanks to my agent Susan Mears, who understood and believed in what I was trying to do, and the Watkins Publishing imprint of Duncan Baird Publishers, helmed by Michael Mann and his excellent team, who were brave enough to run with this book. Additional thanks are due to my editor, Peter Bently for his diligence and sound advice.
Finally, there are Nicolas Haywood and the Priory of Sion, to whom I owe the greatest debt. Nic’s knowledge and his willingness to bring Sion into the light inspired and underpinned this book.
Note: Unless otherwise stated all biblical quotations are from the Authorised (King James) Version of the Bible.