Stigmata by Colin Falconer

Colin Falconer earned his stripes as an advertising copywriter before finding success as a freelance journalist and working for many leading newspapers and magazines, as well as writing scripts for television and radio. His breakthrough novels, Venom and Opium, were largely based on his early experiences in Southeast Asia. He has traveled widely to research his books, from journeying along much of the Silk Road to hunting down witches in Mexico. He has now published over fifty books, and many of his historical novels have been huge bestsellers in Europe. His work is enjoyed by a wide international audience and has so far been translated into twenty-three languages. Though he still has strong roots to his native London, he now lives in Australia.