Submitted photo DONATION: Larry Massa, of Linton, recently donated a copy of his new book "Catacombs" to the Linton Public Library. Shelley Williams is the library's executive director. [Order this photo]

"Catacombs" by Larry Massa, of Linton, is a fictional tale about a treasure hunt for the lost tombs of Melchizedek.

"Catacombs" reads along the lines of the movie series "National Treasure" with a race against time and enemies layered along the way. Kidnapping, betrayal, and a trail of ciphers draw Roman Advocate Joseph Justus deeper and deeper into a web of intrigue and greed even to the heights of the religious government in biblical Jerusalem.

Massa's use of Bible Code techniques to create the mystery fiction provides readers with a series of puzzles throughout the book's 448 pages.

A Department of the Navy mathematical statistician for 20 years, Massa was exposed to cryptology while working on a NASA project.

In the late 1990s, he became interested in Eliyahu Rips, a Jewish statistician, and later became a student of the Bible Code.

He is now retired and consults for a major defense contractor which supports the Navy and Homeland Security. He teaches math statistics at St. Mary of the Woods College in Terre Haute. He also performs in murder mystery dinners for the Champaign-Urbana Illinois Theatre Company.

Massa is also the author of the "Armageddon Now."

He holds a master degree in mathematical statistics and has utilized cryptology for NASA.

The local author recently donated "Catacombs" to the Linton Public Library and the book is also available locally at the Shepherd's Love Bible Bookstore located at 320 NW A St. in Linton or on-line at www.catacombsthebook.com