A desperate plea from the Vatican. A kidnapped chef. An ambitious mob boss. One perilous game.When Professor Alexandra Delacroix is called in to find a cure for the dying pope, she follows clues left by her mentor and friend, the late Professor K, which lead her on a breathtaking search through historical secrets, some of them deadly.Her old friend Jack Rogan must step in to assist while also … assist while also searching for kidnapped Top Chef Europe winner Lorenza da Baggio.
He joins forces with his young friend and gifted psychic, Tristan, a dedicated mafia hunting prosecutor, a fearless young police officer, and an enigmatic Egyptian detective on a perilous hunt for a notorious IS terrorist.
Together, they stand off with the head of a powerful Mafia family in Florence and uncover a network of corruption and heinous crimes reaching to the very top.
Will Rogan and his friends succeed in finding Lorenza and curing the pope, or will the dark forces swirling around them prevail in their sinister plots?
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Be prepared to sacrifice some sleep for this one…
This book encompassed so many current and relevant issues all deftly woven together into an action-filled medical mystery thriller involving an eclectic cadre of diverse characters, some likeable, some loveable, and some detestable, yet all beguiling and believable. Readers are treated to beautifully described exotic locales as several seemingly unrelated story lines are carefully crafted into a completely absorbing tale of intrigue which includes war crimes, terrorist activity, medical research, Vatican politics, and even a dash of reality television. This story commands your attention from the first page to the final satisfying sentence so make some time to treat yourself to an amazing entertainment experience.
This series has provided some brilliant reading as we follow the adventures of Jack Rogan and his friends whilst they solve a series of historical and scientific puzzles.
There are so many things to like about this author’s writing, the characters, the plots, the location descriptions and the scientific/medical discoveries that he writes about in a very accessible way.
In this book there are several parallel storylines, which the plot switches seamlessly between, all being resolved by Jack and the gang, together with unanswered questions from the previous books.
All of human behaviour is represented here, humanity, beauty, love and art as well as debased behaviour, with murder, greed, kidnapping, abuse and deadly gambling all appearing. All wrapped up in great writing which really pulls the reader along.
This book could be read as a stand-alone, but it makes a lot more sense if the previous books have been read first, if only for the great way the returning characters are described and brought to life, as their characters are what makes this book come alive.
I would have no hesitation in recommending this book to anyone who likes intelligent, fast paced thrillers.
Professor K was working on genome editing to cure diseases when he died in the first novel. Alexandra is continuing the research on this topic. In this novel you find a cooking contest for Europe’s top chef, recipes that are stolen, a kidnapping and a the pope with a series illness. The author keeps you guessing and the plot thickens.
The book contains an extensive cast of characters, some of them already known from earlier books in this series. When you haven’t read those, you can read this story as a stand-alone, but the background story of the main actors is a continuing tale. Not only the long list of characters can be confusing. There are also several storylines, without an apparent communal factor. There’s an international cooking competition, a deadly sick pope, a maffia war threatening to break out, international terrorism, … When all those elements slowly come together, the book takes off like a rocket and is ever more thrilling and exciting. It’s a little hard to get into, but definetly worth the effort. The author has an excellent eye for details. Some descriptions of dishes and recipes really made my mouth water and I’more than a bit curious to try some of the Ottoman recipes, given the chance!
I received a free ARC from the author and this is my honest review.
5 stars
Jack Rogan makes a return in this book, as does his girlfriend the brilliant scientist named Alexandra Delacroix, Isis, Tristan and the rest of the gang. Profess K makes cameo appearances in spirit, if not in actuality. There are also some new key figures introduced.
This book has it all: top chefs, Mafioso, assassinations, kidnappings and a very sick Pope.
This is a high action, high adventure thriller. Jack is at his best ferreting out clues and following the trail. An exciting chase through several countries keeps the reader enthralled. There are plenty of subplots and tangents all over the place, which makes the reading more exciting and interesting.
The thing I love about Gabriel Farago’s novels is that the reader gets an in-depth lesson in history, and in this book, also in science. The portion of the story of the Turkish influence was very interesting as were all the little tidbits inserted throughout the book. Very good!
I want to thank Gabriel Farago for forwarding to me a copy of this absolutely great book for me to read, enjoy and review.
Wow. What a ride This a incredible book. One of the best out there. . It’s an incredible story and Mr Farago is an excellent storyteller. The medical research blown my mind. It’s an unbelievable journey that links everything all together from different characters in different parts of the world. And the food. Wow. What a treat. It’s well written, page turner, real characters. You won’t be able to sleep trying to finish it. Excellent job. It should be made in a movie. All of Mr Farago books are the best. I received an advanced copy of this book and I’m voluntary leaving a review.