George Gregory Buttigieg: Of Craft and Honour [2006] paperback

This is a work of historical fiction alternating with a 2007 plot. Chapter by chapter, it defies any particular classifying genre. The historical aspect regarding the Templar arrests in the fourteenth century is completely accurate and has been very well researched. The modern part is futuristic (occurring in 2007) with many elements including that of part crime novel and is centred around a Maltese Masonic lodge which is infiltrated by criminal elements, generating a Propaganda-Due like situation that rocked Italy in 1981. And this at the same time of critical world political climate - Russia becoming rather menacing again, a great increase in fundamentalist terrorism, Syria becoming openly and formally home to terrorists. The supposed author of the book - a young Maltese lawyer, Frederick Tonna Black - is currently risking life and limb while working in the Jerusalem area as part of an international group of volunteers known as Suffrance International. In the evenings, near an open fire, each tells his own tale, usually one that led to pain and heartbreak and at times to a subconscious death wish.
Frederick Tonna Black holds back until his book is published where he pours out his whole story. Each chapter alternates with the publication of part of "A Templar's Chronicles". These "Chronicles" had been purchased at an auction sale in Valletta on the 26th July 1887, by Frederick's great great grandfather, a freemasonic sea captain, at a private auction sale in a house in Valletta. At that time, these manuscripts were considered pretty valueless but Frederick's Father - Professor Henry Tonna Black realised at a young age the value of these "Chronicles", both historically and as related to the Craft. He spent a veritable fortune restoring these chronicles and subjecting them to independent expert confirmation. They turn out to be the writings of one Jean Jacques Armande de St Georges, a veteran Templar and right hand Man of the last Templar Grand Master Jacqus de Molay. They describe the period of time just before, during and after the arrest of the Templars by King Philippe of France.
The modern story revolves around the disaster affecting Frederick's father - Professor Henry Tonna Black, an immensely respected professor of Law and a publicly self-declared member of a free and accepted Masonic lodge, which he himself has set up. And this is in Catholic Malta - intensely prejudicial to the Craft. Because he is held in such respect, he has managed to give the Craft an element of respect and credibility. However one of the members in his lodge - the unscrupulous Malik - has turned his freemasonic knowledge and contacts into ideals far different from those of the honourable professor. This disaster is uncovered by the United Grand Lodge of England which severs all connections with the Maltese 's lodge and Henry which is so dear to Henry's heart...But there are more problems on the horizon. An unidentified corpse is found at St Paul's Bay...who is he and who killed him? Sub-plots include the police commissioner, a private detective, a Franciscan Friar (who is a poet and some of his works are actually included!)
, a police inspector and a woman of good breeding who is "on the game" and by becoming the professor's paramour had been instrumental in Malik gaining the professor's friendship...An attempt is made on her life...which she survives...only to lose her life later...In the midst of these turmoils, Professor Tonna Black stops from publishing his precious chronicles but his son - lawyer Frederick Tonna Black- takes up the challenge, feeling partly guilty for something he was involved in. He decides to combine the "Chronicles" with the story he has to tell, as he saves life and limb in the eternal Palestinian-Israeli conflict, in Jerusalem, home to the original Templars, where "it all started"...