I received a free e-ARC copy of this book through Netgalley.

I've always liked the Indiana Jones movies so hearing this was possibly a real-life Indiana Jones did pique my interest. The story timeline jumps back and forth between key events and people involved with the search for the Ark of the Convenant. It was written in an interesting way and kept my attention. It made history come to life for me.

This was very well written! I liked the narrative structure and that each chapter was clearly labeled with the focal person and the year and place. This helped to keep me, as the reader, rooted in where and when the story was taking place.

I will definitely recommend this - it was a great history of this expedition and something that is still very interesting to me.

This book has a lot going on. There’s quite a few characters which at times are hard to keep track of. The story jumps back and forth a lot too. All this I found confusing. I was expecting a different type story
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the early copy

I love a non fiction that reads like a fiction novel. This story managed to be captivating and fast paced even with the wealth of information included. I would definitely recommend for anyone interested in history, adventure, or the Indiana Jones franchise. So many interesting tidbits I never knew, and places I didn’t expect this book to go. A very enjoyable read.

Thank you NetGalley for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

True Raiders by Brad Ricca is a well-written and engrossing read with well developed characterizations. Well worth the time spent reading.

You might think it's fiction, but this is actually a true account of an archaeologist's search for the Ark of the Covenant, in company with a team of searchers and experts that seem right out of Central Casting.

Archeology in the Holy Land is a hot, dirty business, and you have to deal with political issues and permissions as well as the actual digs. This is an interesting adventure tale that will engage younger readers as well as adults.

Hmmmm. I am very torn on this book. Is it historical nonfiction? Or is it, as it read to me, historical fiction? There was a lot of dialogue. A lot. And way more telling than showing. That’s part of the reason why I’m of 2 minds with this title. Plus, there are a lot of characters (again, a lot) and while there’s a who’s who at the beginning of the book, it still feels very disjointed and hard to find a cohesive narrative.

Despite these points, it was fascinating to see a Whitechapel/Jack the Ripper connection. I won’t spill on that because all readers deserve to stumble upon this at the moment it is least expected.

Still overall very torn on this book, however.

This was an informative and fascinating book. The true story of the Parker expedition in search of, wait for it, The Ark of the Covenant. Real life Indiana Jones. I couldn't put this one down. Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book

I've so far read 1/4 of the book in a morning and will probably finish by tomorrow. This intriguing and beguiling search for the Ark of the Covenant has me hooked.

It does drag a little in parts because archeological excavation is, by necessity, tedious at times. But the charm of this group of men hunting for the greatest treasure aside from the true cross is a page turner. It's like an Eroll Flynn film in print!

I'll update my review when finished but at this point - if you're waiting for the next Indiana Jones film - read this!

I'll

True Raiders by Brad Ricca is an excellent book that is the cumulation of facts, stories, documents, historical accounts, first-person narratives, publications, and so on of a retelling of the infamous Parker Expedition. I loved this!

Being a life-long and passionate fan of archeology, I instantly grabbed up this book to see what could be made of the famous and mysterious Parker Expedition that took place in the early 20th century. Boy, I am glad I did!

Headed by Monty Parker, amongst many other players (in which the author presents at the beginning in a Who’s Who list, and in alternating viewpoints, this archeological dig/expedition/quest involved the ultimate goal of locating, unearthing and deciphering the location and contents of the biblical (and at times mystical) Ark of the Covenant. (For movie fans...does Harrison Ford and Raiders of the Lost Ark ring any bells?)

We get to meet all of the unique, fascinating, and fabulous players within this group, and the author is beyond impressive in weaving a narrative that is based on all the above research into what feels like a smooth, intriguing, and easy fictional novel. Alternating viewpoints are used to help round out the information that has been gathered from the plethora of sources to help weave the storyline into place.

It was gripping, fascinating, intriguing, entertaining, and fantastic. It just makes me love history and archeology even more so. I am in love with this book!

5/5 stars

Thank you NG and St. Martin’s Press for this arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication.