Synopsis

The Copper Scroll follows historian Joshua “Masa” Bennett as he journeys into the heart of the Middle East in an attempt to unlock the secrets hidden within the legendary Copper Scroll. Just as he begins making progress, disturbing warnings and shadowy sightings reveal that other powerful forces are also closing in: Templars, ISIS operatives, and government intelligence groups, each hiding their own motives for uncovering what the scroll may reveal.

Drawn deeper into a world of danger, deception, and spiritual tension, Masa must navigate hostile territory, shifting alliances, and a truth far more explosive than he ever imagined. As past and present violently intersect, he realizes the stakes extend far beyond archaeology, the secrets of the Copper Scroll could alter geopolitical power and shake the foundations of faith itself.

A blend of international suspense, ancient mystery, and truths long buried beneath history, The Copper Scroll delivers a gripping thriller for fans of Joel Rosenberg, Dan Brown, and archaeological adventure stories rooted in real-world intrigue.

Read a sample on Amazon.

Amazon

Interview

Can you tell us a little about yourself? Are you a full-time author?

I’m a husband, dad, and U.S. Army veteran who now writes faith‑infused thrillers from small‑town Oklahoma.

I’m not a full‑time author yet, but writing takes up a big part of my life alongside family and church; it’s where I process faith, questions, and some of what I carried home from deployment.

Can you tell us about The Copper Scroll?

The Copper Scroll is an archaeological thriller about Joshua “Masa” Bennett, an American veteran and grad student who travels to Jordan to study the most mysterious of the Dead Sea Scrolls.

What starts as a quest for academic glory turns into a dangerous chase from Qumran to Masada to Capernaum, as Joshua’s team uncovers artifacts that could reshape how people understand Jesus — and draws the attention of ISIS, modern Templars, Mossad, and church power brokers who all have something to lose.

Can you tell us a little about the characters?

Joshua “Masa” Bennett is driven by faith, trauma from his Army years, and his grandfather’s old stories about hidden treasures and scrolls; he’s brave, curious, and sometimes reckless.

Alongside him are Noa, a sharp and guarded Israeli researcher, and Amina, a determined Palestinian journalist; together with figures like Father Nance and Rabbi Cohen, they’re forced into fragile alliances across deep historical divides as the danger escalates.

Where is this book set, and why did you choose that location?

The Copper Scroll is set in the modern Middle East — Amman and the Jordan Museum, then into the Judean desert at Qumran, Masada, the Dead Sea, and Capernaum — anchored by Joshua’s start at the University of Arkansas.

I chose those locations because they’re the real landscapes of the Copper Scroll, the Dead Sea Scrolls, and the Gospels, and I wanted readers to feel like they were walking those sites themselves as the mystery unfolds.

How can people benefit from reading The Copper Scroll?

On the surface, readers get a fast‑paced treasure‑hunt thriller, but beneath that they’re invited to wrestle with the tension between faith and proof: what we do when new evidence presses on old beliefs.

I also hope it nudges people to see the Middle East — and the believers, skeptics, Israelis, Palestinians, and local communities who live there — as real neighbors with complex stories, not just as background to the nightly news.

Is The Copper Scroll your only book?

So far. The Copper Scroll is the first book in The Masa Chronicles, and I’m currently about halfway through book two.

What’s next for you?

Next up is the release of my new novel, The Boy from the Vines, planned for next month.

At the same time, I’m drafting the second Masa Chronicles novel, continuing Joshua’s journey as he deals with the fallout from The Copper Scroll and stumbles into a new set of historical and spiritual fault lines.

About the Author

Nicholas Teeguarden is the award-winning author of Masa Chronicles: The Copper Scroll, a biblical-archaeological thriller blending international suspense, ancient mystery, and faith-driven storytelling. His debut novel is a ChristLit Book of the Year Finalist, a Titan Gold Medal Winner, and has earned praise from readers for its gripping pace and moral depth. Nicholas hosts Teeguarden’s Writing Room, a weekly series chronicling his creative process and the ongoing development of the Masa Chronicles. He resides in Oklahoma and is currently working on the next book.

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