Marcus is a history teacher who inherits an ancient papyrus scroll from his uncle. he takes off to Naples to try to get more information about it.

I found there were a lot of characters to keep track of throughout the story and many POVs which made it confusing for me. It was hard to follow along with the story as it kept jumping all over the place. I did like the history and the descriptions of the locations in the story but the parts of the scroll didn't capture my attention. There was some action in the story and it was pretty well written but I didn't feel like the mystery was fully revealed.

I listened to the audiobook version and I found the characters were not very differentiated and it was hard to keep track of them all.

I think overall it was a great idea and the storyline was fun and intriguing, but it didn't really do it for me.

Thankyou to NetGalley and ECW Press for sending me an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The Fatal Scroll is the first book in the new Herculaneum Mystery series by Eric Siblin. This is the first book I’ve read by the author.

Based on the description, I had high hopes for this book. I expected “The DaVinci Code” level suspense. Sadly, this didn’t work for me. The story was well written, but the characters didn’t have enough depth for me and the artefact just wasn’t that interesting for me. I like the historical background, but the mystery felt not fully revealed in the end.

I did enjoy the narration by Ivan Sherry.

This was a quick read, if it will keep your attention. I am grateful for the opportunity to read it.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

The Fatal Scroll (Herculaneum Mystery #1) by Eric Siblin
Narrated by Ivan Sherry
Publisher: ECW Press Audio
Genre: General Fiction (Adult), Mystery & Thrillers
Expected Publication Date: May 6, 2025

I know it takes loads of talent and time to write a book, and I admire the people who can do it, but I just couldn't get into this one. There's plenty of history and action, it doesn't contain a lot of fluff, and the plot didn't meander greatly. However, the characters were a bit flat, and the subject matter was a bit dull. I don't know how I can say that while projects like The da Vinci Code and National Treasure exist... but here we are. I hope this book finds its audience. Thank you for the chance to read this early.