This is a good audiobook. However, the characters and plot felt rather generic, which made it somewhat difficult for me to keep my attention on it.

#TheMagdaleneDeception by #GaryMcAvoy is a book I have been listening to on and off for the past few months. I was never a #DanBrown reader so this was well and truly out of my usual range. I grew up never discussing #religion or #politics so my familiarity with these topics are minimal. This was a well researched story. I enjoyed the historical and scientific aspects of the story.
The main character Father Michael Dominic is a complicated character but brought to life with elements of kindness and generosity of heart. I particularly like the sensitivity the author brought to the faith aspect of the story. I look forward to the next in series and learning more.
Thank you to #Netgalley for gifting me an #arc in exchange for an honest review.

I read the description of this book & knew it was right up my alley. Unfortunately I struggled. I couldn’t keep focus. I restarted it 3 times and then finally had to force myself to listen to it.

That my friends is not enjoyable.

This had sort of a “Davinci Code” feeling to it. The idea of this book is great, but the beginning just seemed to drag on an on. It is very descriptive, which is great, but it droned me too sleep to many times.. I wanted this story to keep me on the edge of me seat.

I think this could have been a great story had it had more movement.

Special thanks to Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), Members' Audiobooks & NetGalley.
#TheMagdaleneDeception #NetGalley

The Magdalene Deception by Gary McAvoy, Will Damron (Narrator)

Thank you to NetGalley, Literati Editions and Gary McAvoy for a complimentary Audio ARC for an honest review.

I enjoyed this very entertaining religious thriller that takes place in the Vatican. The newly ordained priest, Michael Dominic, makes a discovery that makes questions arise about the resurrection of Jesus and the ramifications. It was fast-paced and the narrator was awesome in keeping the suspense going.

#The Magdalene Deception #NetGalley

I listened to this on an Audio book and I have to say it had me riveted. The narrator read at a good pace and had a voice easy to listen to.

Priest Michael Dominic’s assignment to the Vatican’s legendary Secret Archives results in his discovery of a hidden papyrus: the unpublished writings of Mary Magdalene — a lost record buried in Rome’s deepest recesses. The forgotten relic’s heretical revelation threatens the Vatican’s very legitimacy, and pits Michael against ruthless and powerful enemies.

Desperate, he reaches out to Hana Sinclair, an investigative reporter with a record of tackling contentious subjects. Together they defy the Church elite, and embark on a search through the shadows of history to unearth the truth. As the pressure builds to silence the pair, will the Vatican resort to the unthinkable in order to safeguard its wealth and power?

The premise of this book is similar to many others I have read as The Holy Grail is an interest of mine. However this was by far the best and most interesting book I have read in some time, on this subject. Maybe because of the point of view it is told from i.e a priest working in the Vatican. This lends it a certain credibility and adds a level of detail that makes it more fascinating, who doesn't want to imagine what goes on / what secrets are stored in the vaults of the Vatican? I also found the conclusion to be a fitting ending.

A fictional account but based on certain historical facts, the book is very well written and very well researched (well that's how it comes across anyway). The characters are interesting and work well together.

This was my first novel by Gary McAvoy and I really enjoyed it and will look for others written by this author. I would certainly recommend it as a good read, if you buy it you won't be disappointed by it.

Da Vinci Code Like, But Disappointing in the End

Audiobook Review:
I could tell pretty quickly that the author was trying to create his own version of a Da Vinci Code like book. Since that book came out, many authors have imitated the style and/or plotline, some better than others. This one started out well, though perhaps the author had a bit too much of an explanation about Vatican history that felt a little too much like an info dump. As the book progresses, the author adds various strands that seem unrelated or tangential, though you hope the author will pull it all together in the end. The time the author took to create the separate strands and propel them into motion seemed to take up the bulk of the book, not really leaving enough room for tension to build on all plot and subplot lines. The story seemed disjointed at times and wrapped up too quickly. I didn't think all the storylines truly intersected at the finale when they should have, making the end seem not quite in line with what went before. While it was an interesting listen, in the end, it left me disappointed.

*received for free from netgalley for honest review* Not bad, but kinda weird and took me a really long time to get into the story

Just getting into Audio books and this was one of my first reqests on Net Galley Audio
I'm not ussually into history or religious books and by the second chapter I was about to give up but I am glad I persevered as ; it just sets the stage for the story.
The book focuses on father Michael Dominic, a priest, who is an expert in middle age writings and his nThew posting as an archivist in the Vatican archives

After an introduction by his friend who is a Swiss Guard he teams up with Hana Sinclair, who is a journalist investigating her own, what seems at first quite separate, investigation they visit France and what they discover there puts all faiths religeon in question and also puts Micheal & Hana in danger

Well worth a read

People who loved The DaVinci code will really enjoy this. A young priest and a newspaper reporter team up to uncover a centuries old secret that will rock the Church if it comes to light. Fast moving and enjoyable.

Father Michael is new to the Vatican. He comes across an ancient secret that could influence the Christian world. The story is based on some historical facts. There were a few details in the book that I didn't like, but it didn't ruin the story. The pace was just right for me, and it kept me engaged the whole time. The narration was excellent. I enjoyed this audiobook, and I look forward to the next one.

I would recommend it to all who like Vatican mysteries and Dan Brown fans. Thanks to the publisher and author for the opportunity to listen to this! All opinions are my own.

I received a copy of this audio book through net galley in exchange for an honest review.

This book is along the same lines to be as DaVinci Code or the Steve Berry or James Rollins novels. Mind you this was not my favorite, there were many parts in which I rolled my eyes or even just stopped the audio book for a few days in order to clean my mind.

The story is easy to follow and is fast paced (minus those parts I mentioned earlier), and the characters were relatable. The author weaves an exciting tale that will leave you wondering what if? At the end.

I still enjoyed this audio book and between the story and the narrator it was an enjoyable listen. I will and have already recommended it.

Oh my, that gave me flashbacks to Dan Brown's Robert Langdon series!!! It was a slow burner in the beginning unlike Dan Brown's books. That is not necessarily a bad thing. I enjoyed reading about Father Michael's "journey" to the Vatican. It was definitely a believable storyline and kept me drawn in the entire time. It was a great take on the history of Christianity and the "what ifs" and the consequences of said "what ifs." I'm looking forward to the next book in the series!

Oh my, that gave me flashback to Dan Brown's Robert Langdon series!!! It was a slow burner in the beginning unlike Dan Brown's books. That is not necessarily a bad thing. I enjoyed reading about Father Michael's "journey" to the Vatican. It was definitely a believable storyline and kept me drawn in the entire time. it was a great take on the history of Christianity and the "what ifs" and the consequences of said "what ifs." I'm looking forward to the next book in the series!

Conspiracy, thrills, adventure, making you question things you thought you knew? Sign me up. This book was a fantastic read that I did not want to put down. This filled the void I have had while waiting for Dan Brown to write another and now I need to read them all. Thank you NetGalley for the chance to read it.

An interesting story, the plot is straight forward, and there is a lot of detail to be patient with. The document itself does create a great dilemma so that has been well designed. Fairly obvious good guys and bad guys and no major surprises, but enjoyable read. Comes together nicely at the end.

I had a difficult time getting into his one. It had all of the elements that I usually love. It’s a Dan Brownesque biblical mystery, with puzzles unfolding throughout, but the writing style was very slow, and I struggled to stay with it.

Book was enjoyable but too predictable. Characters were shallow but the plot was good. I enjoyed the pace and would recommend this bool to other people.

A believable thriller with enough real life details that you can easily slip into the story without jarring mistakes that bring you back to reality. Lots of details which makes for a fascinating plot.

Father Michael Dominic is a recently ordained Catholic priest assigned to work in the Vatican Library's Secret Archives, which aren't so much secret as reserved for elite scholars. Dominic is a classical medievalist whose rapid rise in the church was engineered by his mentor, Cardinal Enrico Petrini, who's known Michael since he was a boy.

One of Dominic's jobs is to help digitalize the Vatican archives, so researchers around the world can have access to the documents housed there. Michael, who's not permitted to be in the archives alone, is supervised by kindly Brother Calvino Mendoza, a portly septuagenarian who wears the brown robe and leather sandals of his Franciscan order. Brother Mendoza is very excited about exhuming documents unseen for centuries, and - instead of asking for assistance - injures himself retrieving a large book from a high shelf.

After helping Mendoza back to his room, Dominic returns to lock the archives and can't help but peek into the book Mendoza retrieved. The tome's handling exposes a secret compartment containing two documents: writings by the ancient seer Nostradamus, and a blackmail letter directed to the Vatican. Dominic photographs the hidden pages and consults Professor Simon Ginsberg, a religious scholar who teaches in Rome.

Dominic and Ginsberg determine that 16th century Nostradamus made predictions relevant to current times, and an early 20th century priest named François Bérenger Saunière, who had a small parish in Rennes-le-Château, France, extorted huge sums from the Holy See. Bérenger Saunière used the funds to purchase an extravagant estate, embellish his church, provide a comfortable home for his housekeeper, and beautify the village of Rennes-le-Château.

Dominic is keen to discover what Saunière used to coerce the Vatican and gets the opportunity to investigate after he makes the acquaintance of Parisian journalist Hana Sinclair, who writes for Le Monde.Hana is researching an article about the Vatican bank conspiring to hide gold stolen from Jews during WWII, and the two researchers are natural allies.

Michael and Hana end up going to Rennes-le-Château together, where they serendipitously acquire a papyrus document that could undermine the very foundations of the Catholic church.

The priest and reporter aren't the only ones interested in the earth-shaking discovery. The Vatican Secretariat of State, Cardinal Fabrizio Dante - who spies on everyone in the Holy See - has gotten wind that Dominic is on to something. So Dante arranges for a Croatian Europol cop named Petrov Govic - a secret Nazi sympathizer who's been working for Dante for years - to follow Dominic and Hana, intercept their emails, tap their phones, and report back to him.

When Cardinal Dante learns the contents of the papyrus document unearthed in France he means to get it by any means necessary, and things take a dramatic turn from there.

Historical elements of the story include references to the Crusades; the brutal Inquisition; the controversy surrounding Pope Pius XII, who remained silent while Jews were exterminated by the Nazis; and a secret pact connected with WWII French resistance fighters called the Macquis.

The novel is enhanced by engaging secondary characters, picturesque descriptions of the Vatican, and forbidden romantic sparks between Hana and Father Dominic. This connects with my major quibble about the story - almost everyone who meets Michael comments on how handsome he is, and marvels that he became a priest. It's just a bit much. 😏

I enjoyed this exciting thriller, which held my attention from beginning to end.

Thanks to Netgalley, the author (Gary McAvoy), and the publisher (Literati Editions) for a copy of the book.

The Magdalene Deception by Gary McAvoy was an exciting read along the lines of Dan Brown’s Angels and Demon’s. A lot of intense build up as the two main characters, priest Michael Dominic and friend, Hanna Sinclair, an investigative reporter, investigate and uncover an old relic long buried and extremely important to the Christian church. This find can change the course of Christianity forever. Set, in part, in the Vatican library, this novel was suspenseful and intriguing as it leads you through various mini-plots as the main one unfolds. McAvoy pulls you in with a lot of history, seems to have done his research and makes you wonder if this is a true story. An enjoyable read. I received this novel as an early audio version in exchange for my honest opinion.