The instant New York Times bestseller from the author of the international sensation The Rule of Four combines a lost gospel, a contentious relic, and a dying pope’s final wish into a “deliciously labyrinthine” (Providence Journal) intellectual thriller that “kicks off at ninety mph and doesn’t slow down” (Associated Press). A mysterious exhibit is under construction at the Vatican Museums. The … at the Vatican Museums. The curator is murdered at a clandestine meeting on the outskirts of Rome a week before it opens. That same night, a violent break-in rocks the home of Greek Catholic priest Father Alex Andreou. When the papal police fail to identify a suspect in either crime, Father Alex decides that to find the killer he must reconstruct the secret of what a little-known, true-to-life fifth gospel known as the Diatessaron reveals about the church’s most controversial holy relic. But just as he begins to understand the truth about his friend’s death and its consequences for the future of the Christian church, Father Alex discovers a ruthless stalker is hunting him–an enemy with a vested stake in the exhibit that he must outwit to survive.
Rich, authentic, erudite, and emotionally searing, The Fifth Gospel is a riveting novel of suspense and a feast of biblical history that satisfies on every level.
more
A thriller, mystery and what you would do for the love of your family. This book had it all! A true page turner. It keeps you guessing what will happen next. Set behind the Vatican walls and deep into machinations that laymen are not privy to. You find out that even the men of the cloth struggle with guilt, sin and forgiveness too.
Caldwell’s “The Fifth Gospel” is a murder mystery set within the Vatican. Not the Vatican tourists see, but the the vast labyrinth kept from public view. Likewise, Caldwell’s characters are all fashioned after those who actually administer the Vatican. I’m astonished at the amount of research Caldwell has done.
But, this novel isn’t a travelog …
I absolutely loved this book!
Put simply, the story is about one man, Father Alex Andreou, a Greek Catholic priest living inside the Vatican and his search for the murderer of his friend, a curator at the Vatican Museums. Father Alex is trying not only to find the killer, but discover why he was killed, all while trying to care for his 5 year …
This book takes place in 2004. Pope John Paul is in his late years as Pope. An exhibit is about to go on display in the Vatican museum. Brothers Simon and Alex have been helping the artist – Ugo – get the exhibit ready for the world.
A week before the opening, Ugo is murdered and Simon is blamed. Locked away and refusing to talk, Alex …
I haven’t enjoyed a book this much in a long time. Thoroughly intriguing and entertaining. I highly recommend it.
The characters are realistic. The Vatican setting with it’s own rules and culture, very interesting. The age old conflict between Roman and Greek Orthodox Catholic is palpable. The internal politicking realistic and interesting. Very much enjoyed this story of cloak and dagger within a “sacred” city. It shows that the inhabitants of that city …