Cal Donovan is a professor of religious history at Harvard University in Boston. He's written several books and papers, but he is most noted for his book on the history of stigmata. Stigmata is a condition in which marks appear on a person's body like the marks left on Jesus Christ's body after his crucifixion. When this condition afflicts a priest in Italy, Cal is summoned by the Vatican to investigate this unusual phenomenon. Padre Giovanni Berardino has become a celebrity in his small parish.

Cal flies to Italy and visits the priest whose wrists are constantly bleeding. After his interview with Padre Gio, Cal visits his family and the places Giovanni has recently been. His investigation leans toward believing this is truly a stigmata and not self-inflicted or self- promoting on Padre Gio's part. Cal delivers his written findings to the Vatican, but is asked to amend them to saying his investigation is inconclusive. Cal is now wondering why they asked him to investigate in the first place. After returning home, Cal learns that Padre Gio has been kidnapped. He immediately flies back to Italy to see if he can assist in finding the priest.

The beginning of SIGN OF THE CROSS toggles from the current day story back in time to the stories of the men who are eventually involved in the kidnapping of Padre Gio. This backstory lays the groundwork for the plot coming together at the conclusion. It appears a little disjointed at the start, but blends very nicely as you get further into the story line. I chose this book because I am a Dan Brown fan, and it certainly did not disappoint. The action moves from Italy to Germany and then to other European countries in search of the truth about Padre Gio's condition and his kidnapping. The characters are all strong and believable, and their personalities help to fuel the plot as it moves to a surprising conclusion. Glenn Cooper gives us a riveting inspirational story that will make a great summer read.

I received an advanced copy of this title via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This was a fact paced book full of twists and turns up until the very end. It was full of heart pumping suspense and action from the opening chapters to the closing pages. The author should be placed in the same conversations as Dan Brown when it comes to superbly executed historical christian fiction. There was a considerable amount of research applied throughout and it added quite a bit to the plausibility of parts, not all, of the plot. Extremely well done and worth the read.

Is this young priest a liar? He has started to bleed from his hands and he has started to have visions and he knows that the Church will send someone soon. Cal Donovan has worked with the Church before so when he is asked to visit the young priest and to find out the truth he is happy to do it. But Cal has his doubts that the priest is actually showing signs of the stigmata but what if he is wrong? He meets the young priest and he believes him about his story but he is hiding something but it isn't Cal's place to find out what. So he goes back home after giving his report and that is when he sees the young priest and he knows something is wrong. He has no choice but to go back to Italy to help him but Irene the priest's sister isn't so happy that he is back but she needs Cal's help. But what they learn will change their lives forever. There is an secret Nazi group that wants answers from the priest they are looking for the holy artifacts and they need him to show them where he got the nail from. But will Cal be able to figure out the visions before it is too late? And can he start the madmen from destroying history? A good read very interesting to read more about the importance of the holy relics. Had me turning the pages to see what was coming next. Cal never gives up which is a good thing for us as he keeps us coming back for more. I was lucky enough to receive a copy via Netgalley & the publishing house in exchange for my honest review.

I do love a good religious conspiracy book! Especially one so well researched.

As a Catholic and a History teacher the subject matter was very interesting. We all know the Nazi's made off with a lot of holy relics and artifacts. Remember the movie The Monument Men? And it's quite easy in this day and age to imagine those bad guys are still out there trying to take things that don't belong to them and they have no problem killing anyone in their way.

Full of suspense, rich in history and fast paced action will draw you in and keep you biting your lip!

Cal is a good character. Funny, a bit of a drinker and yet can still hold his own with the Pope. He is like a Catholic Indiana Jones! And I loved every minute of this book.

Netgalley/Severn House May 01, 2018

There's no shortage of contemporary novels featuring evil Nazis, but I found this academic thriller engaging from its first page to its last.

My enjoyment may have been enhanced because I was raised Catholic and have some appreciation for the culture surrounding saints, relics, and "off the grid" religious cults. But, irregardless of your background, Glen Cooper has created an heroic and engaging protagonist (perhaps unbelievable, but nonetheless engaging) and an evil-doer worthy of a James Bond film.

This is a wonderful escapist novel and, had time permitted, I would have enjoyed reading it in one sitting.

NetGalley provided me with a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Religious conspiracy thrillers have never interested me before but something about this book's blurb caught my attention and I requested permission to read an advanced copy. I should have followed my instincts and left the sub-category alone. Not that this is a bad book by any means, unless you just aren't interested in reading about speculation of Nazi theft and hiding of religious relics during World War II. The story moves through various time lines to show the thefts, the recovery of some of the items and the present day linking up of religious relics and ideas such as stigmata presentations. This is the first book in a new series featuring Cal Donovan as the investigator used by the Catholic Church in Rome to get to the truth of the stigmata claims because of his expert knowledge in that subject. While carrying out his investigations Cal becomes more and more aware of a shadowy group working to collect the relics of Christ for their personal ownership.

Thank you to NetGalley and Severn House for a digital galley of this novel.

Missing relics were found in the gripping mystery thriller!

Cal Donovan, the professor of history and religion at Harvard University, was approached by the Archbishop of Boston and told to go to Rome. The Pope asked Prof Donovan to investigate the stigmata of a young priest, Giovanni, from Abruzzo, Italy.

Lambert Schneider was the son of Otto who was the Nazi treasure hunter. He and the group from Germany retrieved the original relics of Christ’s crucifixion, such as Longinus’s spear and thorns from His crown, from the hidden place in Antarctica. He made a plan for the new Reich while searching for the final relics.

Irene, Giovanni’s sister, and Donovan searched for the source of causing the stigmata because the Vatican thought that the new “Padre Gio” might fake the miracle. Then Giovanni was kidnapped!

I enjoyed the new novel series featuring Cal Donovan. I still love reading Glenn Cooper’s religious thriller and adventure novels as he is on par with Dan Brown.

Caesar 13

Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of the book to review

SIGN OF THE CROSS by Glenn Cooper

Glenn Cooper’s first novel, The Library of the Dead, was a highly enjoyable religious conspiracy thriller that centred on the discovery of a mysterious underground library of medieval texts. He has written many thrillers since, but none have come close to matching his debut thriller until now. Sign of the Cross is an engrossing novel that combines interesting historical detail and speculation with modern day action.
The story revolves around a young Italian priest who has suddenly starts showing signs of the stigmata. Harvard Religious Studies and Archaeology professor Cal Donovan is asked by the Vatican to investigate the case and flies to Italy to interview the priest and those that know him. Meanwhile a more sinister group is also pursuing the priest, convinced that his condition is linked to the re-appearance of a lost religious artefact.
The story moves at a very good pace and historical flashbacks provide interesting details on the origins of the artefacts and the efforts by the Nazis to acquire them in the 1930s and more recently.
Cal is a very engaging character, slightly reminiscent of Dan Brown’s Robert Langdon, and Cooper does a good job of grounding the mystical elements and making seem somewhat credible. The story builds to a good climax and a nice surprise or two. Some aspects of the story require a suspension of disbelief, but overall it is a very entertaining read.
My copy of the book was provided by Netgalley and the publisher in return for my honest review.

This is the first in what will be a series of religious conspiracy thrillers introducing Harvard professor Cal Donovan.

The story unfolds over several time-lines; set against the back-ground of Nazi Germany to Italy and to the present day.

A young unremarkable priest (Giovanni) based in Italy is discovered to be presenting with the stigmata of the crucifixion and as such is bringing unwanted attention to his parish, to his faith and to the wider audience of the world and the Vatican. Cal Donovan is invited by the Vatican to assess the priest and the situation. His investigations lead him to believe that he may well be witnessing a genuine miracle. Meanwhile a mysterious group based in Germany set out to kidnap the priest with the intention of appropriating various religious artefacts which they believe will allow them to establish the Fourth Reich. At this point Cal becomes involved with Giovanni’s family and in particular with his sister who then helps Cal in his efforts to find Giovanni and uncover the truth.

Along the way, both Cal and Irene experience unexplained trance like ‘absences’ which enables them to feel and experience what Giovanni is going through. These episodes include the pain and suffering the priest endures, not only from the stigmata but also the torture he undergoes at the hands of the Germans. What ensues is murder, pursuit and investigation across Europe culminating in Israel.

I could not but think of the Da Vinci Code when reading this book as it has many similarities. However, the most intriguing aspect of this book was the issue of stigmata. Clearly many of those who suffered with stigmata were put under intense scrutiny, perhaps ridiculed and often secreted away by the Church to be ‘protected’. Personally, I had never thought about the fact that on the most basic level there would be pain and suffering involved, although obviously there would; I never graduated to the thought that mental anguish, doubt and confusion would accompany this. The author’s descriptions have led me to think more fully about the whole subject. I admit to harbouring the thought ‘wouldn’t it be wonderful if this did happen; wouldn’t it be fantastic to think that these artefacts are in fact ‘real’ and exist and can be seen?’

I found the history of each timeline of the book to be more interesting than the ‘chase’ aspect. Although it held together it was just not as interesting to me. Obviously Giovanni’s character was very interesting, but I was not over-enthused about Irene and as for the Professor? Well, he is slightly flawed, but perhaps a tad smug – but he is in his infancy, let’s see where the second book takes us.

If you liked The Da Vinci Code, I think you might well like this, so it is worth a read.

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for providing an ARC via my Kindle in return for an honest review.

5 stars

I read the Kindle edition.

This story is told from several time lines.

Religious Studies and Archeology Professor Cal Donovan is contacted by a local cardinal at his office at Harvard University. The Pope wants him to investigate a young priest named Giovanni Berardino who apparently has stigmata. Is he for real, or is he a hoax?

Traveling to Italy, Cal begins his search for the truth. Through all this – Cal’s search for the truth and the media frenzy – is Giovanni’s story. Giovanni is the young priest who is afflicted with the condition. He is suffering, not only physically but emotionally as well. It is a heavy burden to carry. He doesn’t care if some think he is an imposter, he knows the truth. He doesn’t know why he has been chosen to carry this “cross,” so to speak. Cal interviews his fellow priests, friends and family. Giovanni’s sister Irene is hostile to Cal’s questioning her and her mother.

Also going on in the early 70’s we have a group of Nazi’s seeking the Reich’s hidden treasures. The catcher is that they are supposed to be hidden in Antarctica. When they find what they seek, they return. The story then skips back to 1935 and the Nazi search for Christian treasures, such as the Holy Grail, thorns from the Crown of Thorns, the Shroud of Turin and so on.

People start getting killed and an attempt is made on Cal’s life. The game is getting very serious. When it’s time to report to the Pope, Cal gets shuffled off to Cardinal Lauriat. The Cardinal requests that he give a verbal report that is different than the one Cal prepared for the Pope. He then goes home to Harvard to recuperate.

Before long both Cal and Irene have visions of Father Giovanni being in trouble…being kidnapped. Cal contacts the Cardinal to whom he reported and Cardinal Lauriat seems less than cooperative. So Cal flies to Italy to see what he can do. He really felt a connection to Father Giovanni and wants to help him.

He contacts Father Giovanni’s family. Finally, the truth comes out about the bilocation, the visions and all of it. Irene and Cal decide to team up to try to find Father Giovanni. They are visited by a high ranking police official. They do not tell him everything. Across the street, a man is watching and taking pictures.

The Nazis want to create a Fourth Reich and will do anything to achieve their goal. They collide with Cal, Irene and Giovanni. Kidnappings, torture, threats and a chase across Europe are all present in this exciting thriller.

This book is very well written and plotted. It was an easy read and enjoyably exciting. I liked the characters of Cal, Giovanni and Irene. The bad guys were suitably evil and the kind the reader loves to hate. The suspense begins immediately in the story and ratchets up as the novel goes on. It reaches an exciting and action-filled denouement. This is my first Glenn Cooper book, but it won’t be my last. I truly enjoyed it. I immediately went to Amazon to look for other books of his. Well done, Mr. Cooper!!

I want to thank NetGalley and Severn House for forwarding to me a copy of this most excellent book for me to read and enjoy.