Dr. Karen King, a well-respected professor at Harvard Divinity, announced to the attendees of a scholars conference, steps from the Vatican.

Someone had given her a scrap of an ancient papyrus where Jesus calls Mary Magdalene his wife.  As you can imagine, this was huge. I know I followed this in the news because I had an interest in the Gnostic Gospels and what was and wasn't true. I never saw Mary of Magdala as a prostitute and I never found any corroboration of that.

Imagine if all these years later we find out Jesus had a wife. What? What a shakeup that would be for the Catholic Church especially. If he was married, why celibacy in the priesthood? Why no women in positions of power? There was a powerful uproar and King's reputation suffered. Was this piece a forgery and if so was King in on it?

Amid all of these questions, journalist Ariel Sabar started digging into the story. Where did the fragment come from? With impeccable research and detective skills, he brings us the story of King and the man who may or may not be a forger.

This was a brilliant look at the rivalries in academia. The hopes of King that there was an alternative to the bible out there that was more inclusive to women. I'll leave you to enjoy the mystery.

I am still mulling over questions this book brought up. And I'm sure I will be for a long time.

Well Done!

NetGalley/ August 11th, 2020 by Doubleday Books

This is my favorite read of 2020 so far. The author has masterfully woven several well-researched pieces of investigative journalism together to create a complex exploration of human nature and perceptions and manipulations of truth. The people who figure in the creation, publication, and unmasking of the forged Gospel of Jesus' Wife are all presented even-handedly and in depth. Mr. Sabar seems interested in people above all else, and I enjoyed learning about the various personalities connected by interest in papyrology, early Christianity, Gnosticism, and Coptic writings.

The book takes several unexpected twists and turns. The discussion of the sub-genre of pornography practiced by one person in the story may be objectionable to some readers, and the frank description of an alleged sexual assault by a pedophile priest was quite upsetting to read. But these incidents do have a bearing on the character and possible motivations of one of the main subjects of the story.

A really excellent work of journalism and storytelling. I look forward to reading more from this author. Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for a digital ARC.

An incredibly well researched book.

Like many others, I followed Dr. King's amazing 'discovery' with fascination.. I was enthralled by the discovery of the fragments.. I remember watching every show on television that highlighted Dr. King and her narrations of the papyrus pieces. I watched and read everything I could find related to the subject. Now, I feel like a fool. I can only imagine how Dr. King feels.

Ariel Sabar gives us a well researched novel about the validity/authenticity of these pieces. I found myself echoing the questions; "How could she allow herself to be fooled?", "Was she really fooled? Didn't she have an inkling that the fragments were forgeries?"

This book is a must read if you enjoy biblical scholarship, if you've followed the story of the fragments, or just if you are interested in the subject. The characters are engaging, the book flows like a mystery novel. Well worth reading.

An absolutely thrilling read. Each aspect of this story is rich in detail and in characters. Some details are familiar to those who have read Sabar's articles following the story of the Gospel of Jesus' Wife, but there is so much more depth, context, and complexity that keeps the reader on the edge of her seat.

The depths of Sabar's investigative journalism is beyond amazing. The mystery behind a fragment of ancient papyrus leads in a multitude of directions to the discovery of truth. This fragment holds the possibility of changing the perception of celibacy, marriage, and women that would rock centuries of religious belief. A great piece and worth the read!