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Book Reviewed by:From the book jacket: Fatima, Portugal, 1917: The Virgin Mary appears to
three peasant children, sharing with them three secrets, two of which
are soon revealed to the world. The third secret is sealed away in the
Vatican, read only by popes, and not disclosed until the year 2000.
When revealed, its quizzical tone and anticlimactic nature leave many
faithful wondering if the Church has truly unveiled all of the Virgin
Mary's words – or if a message far more important has been left in the
shadows.
Vatican City, present day: Papal secretary Father Colin Michener is
concerned for the Pope....though unsure of the details, Michener knows
that the Pope's distress stems from the revelations of Fatima. When
Pope Clement sends Michener to the Romanian highlands, then to a
Bosnian holy site, in search of a priest – possibly one of the last
people on Earth who knows Mary's true message – a perilous set of
events unfolds. Michener finds himself embroiled in murder, suspicion,
suicide, deceit, and his forbidden passion for a beloved woman. In a
desperate search for answers, he travels to Pope Clement's birthplace
in Germany, where he learns that the third secret of Fatima may
dictate the very fate of the Church – a fate now lying in Michener's
own hands.
'Berry combines combustive elements in this well-researched
thriller.' - PW
Comment: Berry provides background to his research in his 'Writer's
Note' at the end of the book; in this he clearly distinguishes where
fact ends and his interpretation begins. This does make for
interesting reading - and if you don't mind a few plot spoilers up
front, might be something to consider reading before you start the
book - so that you can put the elements into context as you read.
Next Book: The Templar Legacy will be published on
February 21st.
This review was originally published in The BookBrowse Review in July 2005, and has been updated for the
February 2006 edition.
Click here to go to this issue.
If you liked The Third Secret, try these:
by Robert Harris
Published 2017
The best-selling author of Enigma and Fatherland turns to today's Vatican in a ripped-from-the-headlines novel, and gives us his most ambitious, page-turning thriller yet - where the power of God is nearly equaled by the ambition of men.
by James Rollins
Published 2006
During a service at a cathedral in Cologne, Germany, a band of armed intruders unleash a nightmare of blood and terror, ruthlessly gunning down worshippers and clergy alike. As they flee the carnage they carry a prize that could reshape the world. The Vatican is in turmoil, and Lieutenant Rachel Verona of Rome's carabinieri is assigned to lead...
by J.R. Lankford
Published 2003
The story of a momentous undertaking -- an attempt to clone Christ. Brilliantly conceived, masterfully written, this soaring novel is a triumph, and a touching and unexpected love story, born amid swirling events.
L.A. Women by Ella Berman
Two ambitious writers in 1960s LA face betrayal when one writes a novel based on the other's life.
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