Inferno

For me, like most of us, it began in 2003 with publication of The Davinci Code. Brown had previously published books in the genre, but he was not well-known and then came the media frenzy prior to DVC’s debut. Readers were titillated with the novel’s focus on religious and artistic controversies. We were also promised a breakneck dash through exciting cities in Europe just ahead of the police–and even a sinister albino hit man. Add a clear, uncluttered prose style and Bingo!