• The Trinity Game

  • The Daniel Byrne Trilogy, Book 1
  • By: Sean Chercover
  • Narrated by: Luke Daniels
  • Length: 10 hrs and 28 mins
  • 4.1 out of 5 stars (474 ratings)

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The Trinity Game  By  cover art

The Trinity Game

By: Sean Chercover
Narrated by: Luke Daniels
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Publisher's summary

Daniel Byrne is an investigator for the Vatican’s secretive Office of the Devil’s Advocate - the department that scrutinizes miracle claims. Over 10 years and 721 cases, not one miracle he tested has proved true.

But case #722 is different; Daniel’s estranged uncle, a crooked TV evangelist, has started speaking in tongues - and accurately predicting the future. Daniel knows Reverend Tim Trinity is a con man. Could Trinity also be something more?

The evangelist himself is baffled by his newfound power - and the violent reaction it provokes. After years of scams, he suddenly has the ability to predict everything from natural disasters to sports scores. Now the mob wants him dead for ruining their gambling business, and the Vatican wants him debunked as a false messiah. On the run from assassins, Trinity flees with Daniel’s help through the back roads of the Bible Belt to New Orleans, where Trinity plans to deliver a final prophecy so shattering his enemies will do anything to keep him silent.

©2012 Sean Chercover (P)2012 Brilliance Audio, Inc.

Critic reviews

“Sean Chercover shows a stellar hand through a coiling plot, weaving one taut drama. The story is tense, intelligent, harsh, and surprising - just what a reader wants in a thriller. This one goes on your keeper shelf.” (Steve Berry, New York Times best-selling author of The Columbus Affair)
“The Da Vinci Code meets The Dead Zone in Sean "Chercover’s The Trinity Game, a fascinating thriller that catapults us headlong into Vatican intrigue, global conspiracies, complex family relationships, and nonstop excitement.” (Joseph Finder, New York Times best-selling author of Paranoia and Buried Secrets)
The Trinity Game is a rare find. Heart-pounding cinematic action, unpredictable twists, and wonderful characters - all packed into a fascinating story. What a thrilling ride! I loved it from the start, couldn’t put it down, and was sorry to see it end. You have got to read this book!” (Marcia Clark, New York Times best-selling author of Guilt by Association)

What listeners say about The Trinity Game

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Faith without Acts...Could Get You Killed.

The unique story outlined in the Trinity Game description online was my reason for downloading this audio book. The concept of a Vatican "miracle" exposer having to take on a grifter TV preacher - who is his uncle - now speaking in tongues makes for a nice level of conspiracy, intrigue, belief and, yes, doubt. Several plot lines weave themselves into this tale as we hear more about secret societies, TV preachers with bad hair, Roman Catholic priests with some special not-so-Christian skills, the dynamics of growing up in the land of tent revivals and of course the always interesting Vatican conspiracy theories.

Tim Trinity and his miracle exposing nephew, Daniel, make for an interesting pair as they attempt to heal old wounds and avoid several groups of enemies all while trying to really understand God's plan for them...even if that plan sounds a little screwed up.

I enjoyed the various plot lines in this novel although some seemed a little predictable at times and others clearly indicate that Daniel is finished as a main character for Sean Chercover. For those who tend to avoid "religious" themes, it's good to note that the book is neither "preachy" nor insulting when dealing with religion: Christianity in particular. Overall the story left me wanting more if just because it left some characters in need of punishment for their "sins".

The narration was also enoyable even with the various southern, cajan and Irish accents used for the myriad characters. I was able to keep characters seperate and the narrator was clean in his delivery in both tone and pronunciation.

I would recommend this book to mystery lovers as well as those who love a little religious conspiracy in their stories.

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8 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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Reverend Tim Trinity - Miracle or Fake?

STORY - (Suspense) The Trinity Game starts off good and just gets better. Tim Trinity, a TV evangelist who speaks in tongues and predicts the future, is being sought by several different groups for several different reasons. The story is interesting and suspenseful as the different groups (including the Vatican itself) try to either investigate, terminate or protect him. I kept wondering how the story was going to end. If he turned out to be a real prophet, the story would be a little hokey. If he turned out fake, it would be disappointing. Can't give away the ending...but I thoroughly enjoyed the book.

There is some cursing, violence and blood, but not a lot and the violence isn't graphic. Danny (priest/investigator) is very likeable, and I hope this author writes more stories where he investigates different reported miracles and explores a relationship with Julia.

PERFORMANCE - Luke Daniels does a great job. He does multiple male voices, including several foreign accents. His female voices were kind of low, but you could at least tell a difference from the males. I loved when he did the TV evangelists -- priceless!

OVERALL - Highly recommended.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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A really great ride!!

Would you consider the audio edition of The Trinity Game to be better than the print version?

Absolutely!! I found this book by searching for books narated by Luke Daniels. Mr. Daniels makes all his characters come to life in a way that I never could imagine by reading the same text in a hardback version.

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

I missed some sleep finishing this.

Which scene was your favorite?

We've all heard those television evangelists and felt sorry for the people that were duped into sending money to pad their pockets. Even good Christians are ashamed of what they see on the airwaves at times.

My favorite scene was the introduction of Tim Trinity and his television sermon, complete with tongues and bible thumping. Luke Daniels had Tim's character down to a science!!

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

More sins of the Vatacan, exposed!!

Any additional comments?

This book was very well written and kept me entertained to the very end. In the beginning, I was afraid that it might offend my Christian upbringing. However, religion was covered from many differing perspectives, with none being stepped on too much.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Riviting Adventure For Believers and Non Believers

Who knew this non believer would be recommending a book with god in it to his religious wife. Neither of us are fond of televangelists, but we will both make an exception for the duplicitous delightful Tim Trinity.

This book has plenty of intrigue and action. Amazingly the author has Tim Trinity arrive at a conclusion comfortable to both a believer and a non believer - tough to do in this world torn by so much religious strife.

The only people who should steer clear of this adventure are the ones who contribute their meager savings to those charismatic holy rollers - you won't get this.For everyone else- this is a worthwhile investment of a full credit.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Engaging premise, great start

I love the idea of a miracle hunter, an evidence-based seeker of the divine on earth. (Not quite the same thing as the Catholic Church's Devil's Advocate, but close. If only the Devil's Advocate had these high standards.) The hero is a young Catholic priest raised by a tent-preacher con man. Nobody gets stereotyped in this telling, which is so unusual. Nephew and uncle get back together, and sparks fly.

Although Chercover is respectful of the spiritual impulse, this story suggests organized religion is a business prone to corruption and willing, when threatened, to engage in faking the evidence and even murder.

Hard to argue with that, but it would have been terrific if the writer had also enlarged on what can make communities of the faithful a profound experience. That would have been a great book, and this is only a good one.

First half of the book is thrilling. It trailed off into a caper, but never lost me entirely. The narrator is splendid. Worth a credit, especially for conflicted ex-Catholics.



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Couldn't stop listening!!!

Loved it! I could hardly stop listening! It kept me guessing and had a great storyline and underlying stories!

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Not what I expected

I found this to be an interesting story and not at all what I expected.

Sean Chercover has created an interesting set of characters. Daniel Byrne is a Catholic priest who is having issues with his vows. His uncle is a known religious con man who is now speaking in "tongues" and Daniel's old (pre-priesthood) girlfriend becomes involved in the investigation into the truth or falseness of his uncle's predictions. The story is interesting, the characters are well drawn and have real depth, the situation is, to the best of my knowledge, unique in this type of book and the pressures on Daniel Byrne, from his superiors at the Vatican to those exerted by his ex-girlfriend, give this story a very different kind of feel. And, to add to all of that, this has the feeling of a new series and I expect to see Daniel Byrne again in an upcoming story.

The narration is very good, the story takes several very different turns and, although part of the resolution seems predictable, much is not. There are some drawbacks. I have never known situations where priests are granted as much leeway and forgiveness as Daniel is, given his predilections for disobeying orders, but they seem like small concerns given the overall feel and direction of the story line. Recommended, with those reservations, for those interested in finding a new suspense plot.

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    4 out of 5 stars
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Oh, why not have a little fun?

Very entertaining book. Good narrator, he kind of "acted" the characters if you know what I mean. But not in an obnoxious way. You have to suspend your disbelief for some of the character's foolish and dangerous actions*. Plus the ending was pretty predictable. But what the heck, sometimes we need a little fun, don't you think?


*Ha! Suspend disbelief in a review of a book about God speaking through chosen people. Snort!

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Religious Mysticism Leavened by Terrific Narration

Would you try another book from Sean Chercover and/or Luke Daniels?

This is a somewhat topical story about religious fanaticism in America dragged down by an unsupported mysticism. Sorry, anyone who is more of a believer than I am. I respect your beliefs--this story, not so much.

Howsomever! Luke Daniels is a superb narrator with a broad range of voices and characterizations. His performance as the television evangelist Tim Trinity of the title is note perfect. As a narrator, I'd follow Luke anywhere!

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Vatican and Organized Gambling vs Televangelist!

The Vatican sends a priest to discredit a televangelist that is speaking in tongues and making predictions that seem to be true. Never mind that the bible thumper is his estranged uncle or that the Vatican has falsified the background information given to its representative. The Church wants Reverend Tim Trinity exposed as a fraud and organized gambling wants him eliminated. As his nephew reconnects with him and tries to keep him alive, the Church factions are working against them and organized gambling honchos have put out a hit on him. This is fast paced and a fun ride from beginning to end.
Luke Daniels narration is great; he has the televangelist routine perfect!

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