The Trinity Vector

The Trinity Vector, Steve Perry, Ace Books, 1996

This is a science fiction novel that spends most of its time as a very good near future suspense thriller.

Miranda Moon, pagan priestess, comes into possession of a featureless talking silver brick. It truthfully answers nearly any question put to it, except where it comes from, questions like What are tomorrow's Lotto numbers? to Does Heaven really exist? Miranda calls on Huey Long, ex-military and professional courier, to deliver it to her faith's central temple, and let them worry about it. Several people who Really Want the brick get in his way, including henchmen for a shadwoy government intelligence type who plans to use it for his own ends, and a Baptist preacher working with the Jesuits, who plans to bury it permanently (its answer to the question on Heaven was negative).

Long, Moon and her two teenage daughters take the brick's advice and go on the run. Meantime, two other equal parts of the brick appear, one landing each in the hands of the intelligence operative and the preacher. Each piece of the brick tells its owner the exact location of the other pieces, leading to the final confrontation.

Looking at the elements of a good suspense novel, like intrigue, violence, blood, a bit of sex, and wondering who of the main characters won't be around at the end, this book really delivers. It's worth reading.