The Discovery - Charnwood Library Author:Steve Shagan The latest novel by Steve Shagan, the author of ''Save the Tiger'' and ''The Formula,'' is indeed about a discovery. But the central disclosure comes only after a number of murders, unexpected twists and narrowly arverted, life-threatening encounters involving Gabriella, a lovely Italian epigrapher (whose brilliance at deciphering cuneiform tabl... more »ets leads to all the trouble), and Jack, a tough Los Angeles homicide detective. Gabriella translates a tablet found at the 4,000- year-old level of a dig in Syria that is actually the will of Ithamar, ''messenger of Moses, guardian of Yahweh's last word.'' The will not only leads to a search in Israel for further clues to the location of the last words of God spoken to man but also makes plain that the Syrians, sworn ememies of Israel, have been warring with their Jewish blood brothers. The Syrians do not find such information in their best interests and close down the dig immediately, but Gabriella ingeniously smuggles out photographs of the script giving directions as to where to look in Israel for God's last words. Then the hunt begins - not only for the ancient information in Israel but also for the money to finance the search and for the murderer (or the reason for the murder) of Jack's ex-wife. Despite the complexity of his story, Mr. Shagan ties all these diverse elements together and brings Jack and Gabriella together plausibly. With the possible exception of there being some extant last words of God to man, disbelief in ''The Discovery'' does not set in readily. Some questions, however, are left for the reader. Did Jack do what he does at the end on purpose or was it forced on him? (He doesn't know himself.) Are the two large coincidences at the novel's end the author's creation, or does he imply they come from a higher power? A suspenseful and intriguing book, but one wishes the author's style had made the issues seem more immeditate or as overwhelmingly significant as we are told they are. - Robert P. Mills, New York Times« less