The Biblical quotations in this book are from: the Orthodox Study Bible, the King James Version (KJV), the Jerusalem Bible and the Septuagint (LXX). I have retained the KJV on occasions for its poetry and rhythm of language.
The controversial nature of the discovery has made it necessary not to mention the names and institutions of a number of the eminent scholars involved. Certain character names have been changed.
Owing to the practical considerations of modern publishing, we have had to keep text and footnotes within a strict limit. The full text of endnotes, plus appendices and a glossary, are available online at www.sevensealedbook.com
Many of the telephone and voicemail messages quoted or referred to in this text have been recorded and transcribed by the British police.
The authors would like it to be known that although we have consulted a number of scholars throughout the writing of this book, and are thankful for their efforts on our behalf, our conclusions are very much our own.
Although this book results from a collaboration of two authors, David composed the historical text and Jennifer the contemporary narrative: this is presented as one voice.
Whilst every effort has been made to trace the copyright holders of certain texts in order to seek their permission, this has not always proved successful. Any omissions will be corrected in future editions.