The Secret Chapel

By: John Lyman

Narrated by: David Colacci

Length: 14 hrs and 24 mins

Publisher's Summary

Summoned to Rome by an old friend, a Jesuit scholar finds himself using a code discovered in the Bible to unearth an ancient, hidden chapel in the catacombs under the city. When a rogue force of Vatican security officials are alerted to his discovery, the priest flees to the Holy Land with a clue...a clue that will lead him and a team of Israeli Christians to a much larger secret in the middle of the barren Negev Desert.

Meticulously researched and drawing on scientific fact, John Lyman's intriguing story takes listeners into the world of scholars, archaeologists, code-breakers, and intelligence specialists who have discovered a prophetic code hidden within the Old Testament that authenticates the Bible as a book of supernatural origin and points to a divine plan. This gripping novel is truly a thought-provoking and action-packed thriller with implications for our future.

©2014 John Lyman (P)2017 Tantor

A Great Theological Thriller

this book kept my interest fixed all day. Multiple plot twists and turns - but also an exploration of the vocational call to the priesthood and of the main characters' backgrounds.

I am hoping Audible has the next in the series out soon!

8 of 8 people found this review helpful

Grabs you from the first few pages

It's been a long time since I've lost sleep over a book or found myself listening to a book while doing housework. The characters are so well done that I feel as though I know them and their motivations. The details of locations was fantastic - even the description of the food served at a dinner had me virtually licking my chops. And most of all the story was so compelling it was a tough thing to turn it off. I liked all the characters, the subtle twists, and the Biblical mystery. I'm so glad this is a series. Going to download the second book and put the third one on reserve.

5 of 6 people found this review helpful

Poor

This book failed in many ways. In particular the book lacked credibility. The characters were shallow and their motivation seemed unrealistic. I would not recommend it.

3 of 5 people found this review helpful

Excitement and thought provoking through out ...<br />

A must read especially in our current time.
God has seen fit to provide clues on why we exist for better or worse... Blessings. jp

Suspenseful and Thought-Provoking

I had never heard of this author but decided to give this book a try. So glad I did. Mr. Lyman is a fantastic writer. As a non-Catholic Christian I wasn't sure about listening to hours about priests, the Vatican, and the catacombs but the characters were very "real" and human, with fears and doubts and insecurities. I truly enjoyed these people! Learning about the ancient tunnels under Rome and about the Vatican Swiss Guards was also fascinating.
The narrator was marvelous too. With his voice he painted an intriguing picture of this tale and all the characters...no TV for me for the three days it took to listen.
Some may think this book is similar to Demons and Angels, by Dan Brown, but I submit that Brown's books are darker. Lyman, while he writes about evil and darkness, there is always a sense (no matter how small) of hope.

Excellent story.

Love it. exciting mixture of bible lore, history, suspense, and action. Makes me want to research into Bible history.

Predictable

The main characters weren’t likable. I didn’t miss them when the book was over. The relationships were a little forced. Plot was good versus evil. Good was a little too good. Evil was too evil. Slow start.

A bit predictable and unbelievable at times.

Over all I enjoyed the book. The story line was different, but predictable and certain parts were unbelievable.

Hmmmm....

well narrated! accents done superbly. at times hard to figure out which person speaking with Israeli accent but not enough to distract from the story. definitely pushing the Christian narrative and for someone who does not follow the faith may find some of the story lines very fanatical and unbelievable. kept my attention while driving because the history surrounding much of the story is very interesting and anyone who enjoys history will acknowledge that.

Storytelling

No offense to the narrator, however, I feel the story could have been more exciting if someone with a wider voice range were narrating.

An Epic

If you enjoy religious thrillers then this is a must. it sets the scene perfectly for the series. Well researched, high octane thriller. A must for all.