The Petrus Prophecy (Vatican Secret Archive Thrillers)

Reminiscent of Ludlum’s early thrillers, The Petrus Prophecy combines rich historical context with an intriguing plot based on a stolen manuscript reported to disclose a sensational prophecy. Gary McAvoy and his new writing partner, Ronald Moore, add two female detectives to the cast of familiar characters: and together, they construct a complex thriller chasing the truth of this ‘end of days’ prophecy.

The third entry in McAvoy’s Vatican Secret Archive series, The Petrus Prophecy, immediately engages the reader and doesn’t let go until the Epilogue.

All your favorite characters are back! Good thing that they are all still rather young as the “bumps and bruises” (Ouch) continue to mount up! The best one yet!

I devoured this book just like the 3 Magdalene stories. The travel and ecclesiastical parts feel authentic and the fast pace of his stories make for fascinating reading. I hope he can keep creating new books as I can’t wait to see what continues to unfold between Michael and Hana.

First of all let me say that this is an absolute suspense thriller! Buy it as soon as it comes out!
Now what it is about…

“The Virgin of Fátima was said to have appeared before three shepherd children on May 13, 1917, and on five later occasions. Lucia was 10. Her cousins, Francisco and Jacinta, who were 8 and 7, died in the influenza pandemic a few years later. Believers say two of the [three] Fátima secrets were revealed in writing by Lucia in the 1940's. The third secret was put in a sealed envelope and sent to Rome more than 40 years ago” (New York Times, May 14, 2000). The Third Secret of Fatima has been the subject of speculation ever since.

In this third book of the Vatican Secret Archives series, Gary McAvoy and co-author Ronald Moore collaborate to weave an intriguing plot around the Third Secret of Fatima. The Third Secret prophecy (itself in three parts) has been stolen from the Vatican by the Order of the Knights of the Apocalypse (KOTA), an ancient organization bent on preparing for the End Times. KOTA gradually reveals to the faithful the prophecies that are about to take place, spreading fear and hysteria about being “left behind” when the End comes. Meanwhile, Magnus, the spiritual advisor to KOTA, has his own ideas of how to use the prophesies to his own advantage.

Father Michael Dominic, his investigative journalist friend Hana Sinclair, a couple of Pontifical Swiss guards, a former French marine commando, and two female investigators combine to do battle with the expansive KOTA network, unravel Magnus’ plot, save the pope from an assassination attempt, and dispel the “prophecy” that the end times are upon us.

As a retired ELCA Lutheran minister, I immensely enjoyed reading this book (and all of Gary McAvoy’s previous five books!). I was especially pleased to see how the often literal and sensational misinterpretations of the so-called prophetic (apocalyptic) portions of the Bible were shown to do immense damage to people of faith. Some rightly call it toxic theology. This book is not only fabulously entertaining, it also recognizes the importance of quality biblical scholarship. Well done!

Lastly let me say that this is an absolute suspense thriller! Buy it as soon as it comes out!

The Magdalene Chronicles and Vatican Secret Archive Thrillers are two closely-related series of fast paced, action packed books, numbering six so far. The Petrus Prophecy is the latest in the series. Each builds on the one before, and all are equally good. For maximum enjoyment, the reader should begin with the first book, The Magdalene Deception, but you can start with any of them, including The Petrus Prophecy, as each story is complete, new and different. All of the books feature the same core characters, the star of which is Fr. Michael Dominic, a young Catholic Priest from Queens, New York, who is sent to Rome as an assistant archivist in the Vatican Secret Archives, and who while there stumbles onto mysteries and conspiracies both inside and outside the Secret Archives which lead to adventures that take Fr. Michael to many exotic places.

The author has clearly conducted exhaustive research regarding the Bible and the history and inner workings of the Catholic Church and Vatican as well as the various references and venues described in the books.

I found myself checking the internet for the described Biblical passages, prophecies, manuscripts, ciders, puzzles, cities, churches, cathedrals, museums, colleges and universities, hotels, restaurants, and menus, etc. to see what was fact and what fiction. Surprisingly, a remarkable number of the references and venues turned out to be completely true and accurately described. As a little tip, at the end of each book there are chapter notes explaining most of the references and telling the reader which are fact and which fiction. Once I discovered those, I found myself going back and forth as I finished each chapter. It quickly became clear that the books contain the minimum fiction required to tell the story.

Often I find in other books I read that description and character development is added ad nauseam and to little effect other than to interrupt the story. Here the rich descriptions and background details of the cast of characters are welcome and do not intrude on, interrupt or slow the pace of the stories. In fact, by the end of the first book, the principal characters had practically become members of the family.

A couple of reviewers have suggested that the books are somehow anti-Catholic. Respecting all opinions, I found the treatment of the religion reverent and respectful. Another reviewer suggested that if you liked Dan Brown’s books, you will love these. That may well be true, but while there are a few puzzles and ciphers along the way, these books are wholly original and extremely imaginative.

A number of the most recent reviews have said that the Petrus Prophecy is the best of the series. I frankly can’t pick a favorite, but I can’t argue with those reviews. Wherever you choose to start, fasten your seat belt and prepare yourself for a great ride. Those of a certain age will understand when I say that each book requires an E Ticket.

I have just finished reading The Petrus Prophecy by Gary McAvoy in collaboration with Ronald L. Moore and am experiencing a feeling akin to the first time I left the Louvre Museum in Paris after wandering from room to room. I was struck mute (an exceedingly rare occurrence) in the presence of too many masterpieces! Adequate words fail me at this moment to describe the totality of the details, nuances, and minutia woven seamlessly into the intricacies of the tale of the day the sun danced and fell to the earth in Fatima, Portugal at the turn of the century. The Third Secret of Fatima is an unexplained and mysterious secret prophecy as foretold by the Lady of Fatima, Portugal who appeared to three children in 1917. To date, the Third Secret remains one of mankind’s most fascinating and enduring mysteries. It should have been disclosed several times over the last 62 years, but for reasons known only to the Popes who failed to release the true nature of the Third Secret and prophecy, it remains as mysterious today as it was more than a century ago when the Lady appeared to three children in Fatima, Portugal and made the sun dance and fall to earth to prove her divinity. There is great controversy surrounding the Third Secret of Fatima which Pope John Paul II purportedly released to the public in 2000. The Vatican claimed at that time that the entirety of Lucia Santos’ recollection of the words spoken to her and her two cousins by the Lady who appeared to them in 1917 was released to the public in 2000. Sister Lucia, the surviving child of the three to whom the Lady appeared, wrote a lengthy description of the Lady’s Third Secret and prophecy in 1943 at the insistence of her local church official, Bishop Silva, and gave it to him in a sealed envelope that was not to be opened until the year 1960. The sealed envelope was given to the Vatican in 1957, where it is said to have remained ever since. Over the years, many Popes refused to disclose the Third Secret and prophecy because, according to Vatican critics it was too horrific to release. These Vatican critics claim that there was significantly more to the prophecy that Sister Lucia wrote which was never told to the public, and that criticism remains rampant and fertile to this day. Enter Gary McAvoy, using this background as the starting point for The Petrus Prophecy, wherein the Third Secret is about to be made known to the world, and the hidden forces of good and evil who wish to use this secret for their own reasons!

The Petrus Prophecy is hands down my favorite Gary McAvoy story of all time!! Exciting, fast-paced, mysterious, spiritual, thrilling, perilous, and indelibly moving, The Petrus Prophecy is Mr. McAvoy’s most emotively resonant and richly told story to date. If he wasn’t there before, this novel should catapult Mr. McAvoy to the very top seat among authors writing in the action/thriller/mystery genres, it is that well-written and enjoyable to read. As with all his novels, accuracy on every level is his forte and will be first and foremost what his readers will discover about his writing habits: painstaking historic, and technical research is the hallmark of his work. Mr. McAvoy sets a standard in this arena which is hard to surpass because his background work is impeccable! The reader will find accurate portrayals of not only the events which occurred, but, in all seriousness, his novels could be used to navigate a reader in any port of call about which he has written. The settings of his novels are rich with exacting detail to the point which I venture to say a reader could know the offerings of any restaurant mentioned in his work and rely on that information when traveling to that locale. Mr. McAvoy’s need to convey only the most up-to-date, state of the art information in his novels extends to specific landmarks and their descriptions, neighborhoods and their ethnic mix, religious, social and cultural mores prevalent in the areas about which he writes as well as specific times and eras, along with tactical and political protocols and maneuvers contemporaneous to the times and dates within which the events occurred, and the very latest in cutting edge advancements in both the military and AI technologies. Such precision mandates hours and hours dedicated to learning all there is to know about his subject matter, setting, time, and all things which could potentially impact the intended plot line of the protagonists. Such efforts bespeak a work ethic which is breathtaking in scope and unparalleled in effort! As I experienced The Petrus Prophecy (and make no mistake, it is an experience to read this story), I could not help but savor and truly appreciate the finer points brought to light by this author. Every one of Mr. McAvoy’s novels that I have read, has been an education, but he is so skillful an artisan with the written word that I was not consciously aware that my brain was simultaneously tucking away the historical, tactical, religious, cultural and political significance iterated under the guise of his telling a story; because at all times my focus was squarely on the complexities and nuances of the un-put-down-able and exciting adventure unfolding before my eyes!

I thought Mr. McAvoy’s previous novel The Opus Dictum (which, like all of his earlier works [The Magdalene Chronicles: 3 book series, The Vivaldi Cipher, and And Every Word Is True] comprise solid, captivating, edge-of-your-seat thrillers that absolutely cannot be missed), was sheer perfection at the time I read the final word and sat back amazed and overwhelmed by its impact on me. However, I realized I was very much mistaken because without a doubt The Petrus Prophecy stands out as the best among Mr. McAvoy’s body of work which he has written to date. The Petrus Prophecy is utter, sheer, and absolute perfection! The import of the way he wrote this novel has turned my world upside down and inside out, blowing the roof off the building (leaving all the little children wet, cold, homeless and hungry), decimating the rain forest (forever destroying all undiscovered plants and species that could have cured every illness known to mankind), and forever preventing womankind from shattering the glass ceiling (leaving the fairer sex downtrodden and under the male thumb for all eternity) (obviously these 3 examples of my upside down world are gross exaggerations!). Mr. McAvoy’s novel certainly had me on my toes with all of the unexpected twists and turns throughout the plot and these were juxtaposed against the multi-layers of characters both good and evil: the upright (i.e., the Pope, inter alia, representing holiness) and the sinners (i.e., the Pope, inter alia, representing sinners), and these characters were contrasted with the excessive opulence (i.e., the Roman Catholic Church, and Hana Sinclair’s grandfather’s lifestyle) and the grueling poverty prevalent in 1917’s Fatima, Portugal. The great wealth and abject poverty represented in this novel also stood in stark relief to the undercurrent of emotions compelling the main protagonists in this novel (i.e., Hana and Michael’s unrequited love for one another held hands with Hana’s ongoing relationship with Marco)! And foremost among these tonal contrasts which provide richness and depth to this novel lies financial greed of humankind versus the messages of love, peace, and healing all of mankind through the mystery and intersession of the Divine. Mr. McAvoy seamlessly wove every detail and minutia along with his creative artistry into this wondrous tale!
So, RUN to the store to purchase this wonderfully ingenious tale filled with thrills, mystery, Divine intervention, and secret apocalyptic prophecies, that are coming to fruition before it’s too late…

Mr. McAvoy has provided another amazing book. It is filled with adventure and the escapades of Father Michael Dominick as he discovers hidden answers to seemingly innocent situations that lead his friends and him into danger. This book follows his previous books with authentic locations from history, historically based facts and stories, exotic locales, and vivid descriptions throughout the adventure. And what an adventure it is--Father Michael continues to find himself thrown into the deep end of adventure with his friends. They go on a scavenger hunt following the clues in riddles--to find the keys, literally, to the Third Prophesy. As they travel the world to find the keys, they meet with both new and old friends and villains. For me, this was a fast read because I couldn't put it down! I highly recommend this book, but if you want to be a part of Father Michael's team of seekers-of-truth, start at the beginning. You won't be sorry!

In September 2020 I first found a new to me author, GARY McAVOY, and have been a happy reader of his books ever since. Book number six, THE PETRUS PROPHECY, once again features Father Michael Dominic (Director of the Vatican Secret Archives) and his group of friends that include members of the Swiss Guard (from the Vatican), an investigative reporter for the French newspaper Le Monde (and Swiss banking heiress), her grandfather/Swiss banker and her French bodyguard/companion. To this mix are added female police officers from Rome, Malta and Chicago. The author has brought onboard a co-author for the first time – Ron Moore – an expert in police affairs.
Arrayed against “Team Michael” are a defrocked Cardinal (longtime nemesis), the Archbishop of Washington D.C., an astronomer, and a group of ne’er do wells called the Knights of the Apocalypse (K.O.T.A.), an evil offshoot of the Knights of Malta.
As in his previous stories, the author weaves fact into his fiction. The story opens in Fatima, Portugal in 1917 in the last years of World War 1 with the famous Miracle of the Dancing Sun as witnessed by tens of thousands of citizens culminating with the sighting of the Virgin Mary by three young shepherds. From the Virgin, they received three prophecies: a horrific vision of the Underworld, the end of WW I and the beginning of WW II and a third prophecy that is still a secret known only to the Popes in the Vatican. It is rumored that, in 1960, when Pope John XXIII opened the Secret, he was terrified and fainted.
In present day Chicago, Father Jonah Barlow, a scholar, archaeologist, exorcist and author purportedly discovers the Third Prophecy and is about to publish a book containing that secret. He falls down the steps in his home and dies. Chicago police homicide detective Rebecca Lancaster is called upon to determine whether it was an accident or murder and to find a missing manuscript. She has to go to Rome as part of her investigation where she teams up with an old friend Capitano Sabrina Felici of the Carabinieri. (This is where the most unbelievable part of the story happens. Capitano Felici owns and drives a Ferrari Testarossa. What makes this ring untrue is how can she afford the car on a policer’s salary? However, if James Bond can afford Aston Martins why not Sabrina and her Ferrari?)
Team Michael visits Chicago, Rome, Rosslyn Chapel (of Da Vinci Code fame), Jerusalem and Malta in their quest to stop the K.O.T.A from their evil plan that includes domination of the Catholic Church, financial gain and mass suicide. The Team has to find two duplicate keys to a safe inside the Pope’s office in the Vatican. The two original keys went missing and the spares were sent to a monk in Jerusalem for safe (pun intended) keeping. The monk upon hearing of the death of Father Jonah dispersed the keys to for safety’s sake. Michael needs to find the spare keys in order for the safe to be opened.
Once again, GARY McAVOY shows off his skill as a storyteller, blending fact and fiction into a book that this reader could not put down. If you have not yet “discovered” his books, you are in for a treat. I suggest starting with book one, THE MAGDALEN DECEPTION, for full enjoyment of the series. Mystery fans, history buffs and lovers of good stories will have fun reading his books. VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
GO! BUY! READ!

I was thrilled to receive an advance copy of the latest book in the Vatican Secret Archives trilogy. Its author, Gary McAvoy (and his new collaborator, Ronald L. Moore), continues to write compelling action plots with exciting human drama meshed with a background of obscure, fascinating factual information. 5 Stars!

Father Michael Dominic returns with his friend Hana, a journalist with a talent for solving cryptic puzzles, two dependable Swiss Guards, Karl and Lucas, well trained in military tactics, Hana's bodyguard and lover, Marco, a former Green Beret and French commando. It is like reuniting with old friends.
They are joined in a frantic adventure by two female detectives, one from Chicago and one from Rome. The women seem quite capable of outmanoeuvring threats. The Italian detective has powerful friends to call on for assistance, whereas the American appears to be intent on flirting with the handsome Father Dominic.

Father Jonah Barlow died when he fell or was pushed down the stairs in his apartment. Missing is a book promising to reveal upcoming results of ancient and recent prophecies, including the third secret of Fatima. It was said to be so frightening that Pope John XXIII fainted when he read it. The warning was considered so shocking that successive Popes kept it locked away in a vault. The present Pope Ignatius ( formerly known as Father Petrini) has not read it. The two female detectives believe Father Barlow was murdered before the third prediction of Fatima could be revealed. They contacted Father Michael Dominic, to whom Barlow sent the only copy of the manuscript. Michael found the latter part of the book too vague to be helpful.

The keys to the vault have been stolen. A second set is kept with a monk in Jerusalem killed while on the phone with Michael. A sinister fanatical group mixing evangelical belief with Catholicism called the Knights of the Apocalypse seems to be using Barlow's book to predict the imminent end of the world and spreading fear and turmoil among their followers in a conspiracy to enrich themselves. Do they have the actual Fatima prophecy, or are they using misleading fabricated information? What devious mind is behind the evil plans, and can he be stopped?

The team rushes from Jerusalem to Scotland, Rome, and Malta in an attempt to solve the mysterious secret of the Petrus puzzle and prevent mass hysteria and further deaths. To find the missing keys to the Pope's vault, they must solve some difficult cryptic clues. Michael's group is in peril of their lives, being pursued by frantic Knights of the Apocalypse members. Their final plan is to be a diabolical act of mass murder in a shattering conclusion no one could have predicted. Pope Ignatius ( Michael's godfather, mentor and more) is shot when he tries to deny the apocalyptic teachings at a rally. Later, Father Dominic makes a heartfelt confession to the Pope about an unresolved conflict troubling him.

The Petrus Prophecy is a splendid, fast-paced, intense mystery with plenty of action, well-developed characters, and a vivid sense of place.
This entertaining book can be read as a standalone. Prospective readers would enjoy knowing the main characters better and some of the complex cases and villains they encountered in the past books. I look forward to Father Michael Dominic's and Hana's next adventure. The Petrus Prophecy is due for publication in late April.

I have just finished this 3rd book in the trilogy along with the first and second books. I would recommend them to anyone that enjoys religious thrillers. I especially enjoy the authors note at the end of each book. I will now begin the Magdalene Chronicles with the same expectation of enjoyment. Can't wait for the 4th book in the Vatican Secret Archives.