The Fifth Gospel: A Novel

Ian Caldwell

Mar 2015 · Sold by Simon and Schuster

About this ebook

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 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.

Ratings and reviews

Well, at least we know it's fiction and blasphemy... Not that there weren't more than four Gospels. It's just that the 430 + authors / biblical theologians and greatest minds at the time that sat around together (mind you at the same time) decided that we should go with the ones that focus most on Christ. Plus, I hate to say it, but the Catholic church is not a great representation of true Christianity as well as a lot of other mega churches. They may believe in God, but which one I'm not sure but definitely not God Almighty...

I had been waiting for this author to publish since I read Rule Of Four 9 years ago, and I wasn't disappointed. I started and finished this book in one sitting. I think Caldwell may venture a little bit in to expo land sometimes, but I forgive the trips because he brings it back and keeps it moving.

Great read. Loved all the info on the layout and history of the Vatican and the intrigue.

About the author

Ian Caldwell is the author of the New York Times bestsellers The Fifth Gospel and (with Dustin Thomason) The Rule of Four, which sold nearly two million copies in North America and was translated into thirty-five languages. He lives in Virginia with his wife and children.