In this gripping conspiracy thriller, McAvoy applies his love of ancient manuscripts and historical documents to weave a story that spans from the early days of the Catholic Church to the present . . . Welcome historical context is sprinkled throughout the novel, which includes vivid descriptions of real-world celebrations, history-inspired prophecy, ancient texts [and] epic poems . . . Every detail has been carefully curated to immerse the reader in the story, and McAvoy makes sure to leave breathing room for readers to absorb each new piece of information. The rich settings, elegantly described through architecture and antiques, anchor the reader in time and place. Consistent pacing complements the narrative . . . This story brims with intrigue, danger, and the fight for a religion’s soul. Steeped in Vatican and WWII intrigue, this history-rich thriller will appeal to readers eager to unravel conspiracies and explore the past.” — PUBLISHERS WEEKLY/BOOKLIFE The Magdalene Deception is an impassioned thriller that’s directed by Church mysteries, featuring a crystalline portrait of persistence. Father Dominic sees a kindred spirit in Hana and reaches out to her for help in his latest discovery which will lead them both into a maze of danger, secrecy and corruption. There are those within the higher ups of the church who would love to have this document to advance their own agenda without a care or concern for the repercussions of what this information could do to the world of believers. To say that with Reliquary Gary McAvoy “has done it again,” is a gross under exaggeration. Reliquary is a top-notch thriller - fast-paced, well written and a solidly researched adventure about the discovery of a map that leads to the location of an ancient reliquary and its’ contents. Much of what I report in the book may sound fictional, but most of it is based on true events and historical mysteries.

Father Michael Dominic and his journalist friend Hana Sinclair are off to follow a tantalizing lead: a Nazi journal revealing a holy relic’s hiding place. The pair believes the book could lead them to a sacred cloth Christ used to cleanse his face, which according to legend now bears his image—a living record of the Son of God’s true appearance.While doing research for his supervisor Father Calvino Mendoza, Dominic discovers a document that will lead him to Rennes-le-Chateau (a very small hilltop village), Paris and the story of Abbe Berenger Sauniere. The latter was a priest in that town late in the 19th and early 20th centuries. He built and rebuilt the local church and a manor house. When he died, he left everything to his friend and housekeeper Marie. Her grandniece is still alive and has some of Sauniere’s papers. One question that has baffled historians for a century is “Where did Sauniere get the money for his building projects?” Thanks to Netgalley, the author (Gary McAvoy), and the publisher (Literati Editions) for a copy of the book. This is a Vatican thriller with a believable storyline. The plot builds very slowly with intense action scenes near its conclusion. It is rich or dense (depending on the readers' reaction) with historic facts and speculations, making the story highly credible. Frequently pausing in my reading, I often consulted Wikipedia and Google which caused me to highly admire the author's scholarly knowledge and historical research. It was well-written but could have used some more lighter moments.

Jesuit 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. Overall, I would say that The Magdalene Deception is an incredible novel and I would say if you have been bored of late of thriller books that well, don’t thrill you! Then take a chance with this one because it is an all-consuming assault of brilliance that will keep you entertained from beginning to end! The Magdalene Deception gets five stars from me book lovers! So be sure to have a read of the preview below book lovers, you won’t regret it! Jesus’ resurrection is a cornerstone of Christian faith. But when a clue surfaces that hints at an alternate account, the ramifications stand to change Christianity forever. This rather historical touch was ok for me, though I imagine that some readers could feel slightly overwhelmed by this cornucopia of historical context at times. What might have happened as a result of this much historical context is that the characters do not really have room to develop in any way. Maybe it is simply the wrong genre for that, but this focus on historical context and developments took away some suspense and atmosphere, which made the characters less interesting than I’d have liked them to be. There could have been room for Michael and Hana getting a little closer, but no. First of all the plot and style of writing do not really allow that, and in addition, Michael is a Catholic priest, so, no chance at all. However, at least they travelled through a nice European setting, with pretty accurate descriptions of the different places.Michael Dominic, a young Jesuit priest expert in the study of ancient writings, is assigned to the Vatican as an archivist in the Church's legendary Secret Archives. Hana Sinclair, a reporter for a Paris newspaper whose privileged family owns a prominent Swiss bank, is chasing a story about Jewish gold stolen by the Nazis during World War II-millions of dollars in bullion that ended up in the vaults of the Vatican Bank. Overall, The Magdalene Deception is a thrilling read and offers a compelling story that is resolved in style. The characters are well written and even the villains are interesting as they are more than just the evil caricatures found in many other books. Michael and Hana make a great team as well, so hopefully, this won’t be the last time they team up for an adventure. Arrayed against the “good guys” are some malevolent individuals who will not hesitate to kill. Among the antagonists is Cardinal Fabrizio Dante, Vatican Secretary of State. His muscle is supplied by Petrov Govic a Croatian liaison to Interpol in Lyons, France. His father was a major leader of the Croation Ustasha who out Nazied the Nazis during WWII when it came to eliminating Jews and Romas in Croatia. The apple did not fall far from the tree. 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.