Let me begin on a positive note; there was enough background information given about the events that happened in the first story that I didn't feel as though I had missed anything when I read this one.

Also... well.. .that is kind of it.

I wanted to like this story as the synopsis had a very Dan Brown feel. Unfortunately, this story never got there despite trying its best. I feel like there were just too many characters who despite having different names and supposedly different backgrounds and skill sets, seemed to blend together to the point I had trouble remembering who was supposed to be who.

The overall plot of the story also seemed less believable than what I am used to, even suspending reality. For example, how is it that their contact in the Vatician seems to know everything about everything? How could a paper and leather "bible" have survived all these thousands of years? How possible is it really for both teams (the good and the bad) to figure out the clues so quickly that they arrive to the different hiding spots so close together? There was just so much throughout this novel that just didn't make sense or didn't add up.

Judging from some of the other comments I have seen, I know that I will likely be in the minority with my thoughts of this one, but it just wasn't for me.

DISCLAIMER: I received a complimentary copy of this novel from the publisher. This has not affected my review in any way. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are 100% my own.

The body of Jesus has long been hidden (i.e. not in Heaven as scripture requires), but is about to be stolen and revealed, devastating the Christian faith. Joe Mason and his motley crew are dispatched by Cardinal Vallini, their Vatican contact, to prevent the theft. The theft has been organised by the Amori, a secret society originating in Babylon over a thousand years before Christianity, which covertly controls most of the world. Even as Joe and his team are being briefed, Cassadaga, legendary thief and psychopathic killer, and his team (the equally blood-thirsty Ivana and two other guys) are descending, by parachute, on the ancient church on top of a mountain in the Italian Alps where the sarcophagus, and its occupant’s accoutrements, are kept. Wiping out everybody who gets in their way the get it all carted off by helicopter; then two other guys are bumped off before Cassadaga and Ivana drive off down the mountain in a Jaguar XE chased by Joe’s lot in a Seat Leon. After a spectacular car chase they escape. All is not lost because Vallini happens to know that the original copy of the Amori’s Credo (holy book) has been hidden somewhere on the planet, and that the Amori will not reveal the body and hence the truth about the origin of Christianity (Jesus was apparently a warrior King captured and executed on the order of the Amori) if the Vatican offers to swop it for the Credo. The problem is that they don’t know where it’s hidden, because it has been moved around for millennia. Luckily a cryptic clue to the next location is left before each move. Knowing where to start, Joe and his team set off on the trail, covertly ‘tracked’ by the Amori. Meanwhile, Cassadaga and Ivana are heading for the Amori secret HQ, ostensibly to help Marduk, the recently deposed leader, regain his position.
So it’s a ‘follow the chain of clues’ plot against a sort of Dan Brown background, but with more bodies and without Brown’s ‘subtlety’, ‘characterisation’, ‘plausibility’ and ‘reasonable’ prose style. The Amori are basically the ‘Illuminati’ but even less believable than that fantasy, Joe’s team are more invincible than any named set of superheroes, the bad guys turn up at the hiding places just as quickly as the searchers (sometimes actually arriving ahead of them), Cassadaga and Ivana are blatant rather than subtle, Vallini knows too much all the time, the machinery of the plot is often creaking (for example, just in the bits I’ve mentioned above: where did the Jaguar come from, could a Leon with five people on board really catch up with a jaguar carrying two – on a slippery winding mountain road, the Credo couldn’t really have survived because it’s made of paper and leather, not to mention the idea of a warrior king Christ). On the positive side, the author does write very good chase sequences and fight scenes.
I would like to thank NetGalley, the publishers and the author for providing me with a draft proof copy for the purpose of this review.

The Demon Code is an action-packed thriller from David Leadbeater, it is the second in the series and to be honest, I think I would have enjoyed it more if I had read the first book. I almost felt like I was starting halfway through the story rather than the beginning of a new story.

There is quite a bit of recap, probably for those of us who hadn't read the first book! Also it's very descriptive in parts, which takes over the story.

It is a solid adventure read, along the lines of the Da Vinci Code, but with a lot more dead bodies and violence, if that is not your thing, then this book is not for you.

On the whole a good read, a bit puzzled about Cassedega who didn't seem to be working for the people that thought he was! Sorry to be so cryptic but don't want to give a spoliers!

I would read more by the author

Following quickly on the heels of The Vatican Secret, The Demon Code is another rip roaring adventure that begins high in the snow covered Italian Alps. I sat reading the opening chapters in disbelief and couldn't quite come to terms with how far the thieves would go to collect the treasure.

Very violent in parts which left very little to the imagination, The Demon Code is a fabulous page turner as we follow Mason and his team's attempts to restore the balance of power between good and evil. A cross between The DaVinci Code, Indiana Jones and National Treasure it's such an entertaining and fast paced read. One of the things I really enjoyed above all else was the new team's developing chemistry.

I can't wait for the next installment!

This one is for fans of Dan Brown. It's a fast paced thriller with good guys, lots of bad guys, and missing precious religious artifacts. It wasn't for me (I should have passed it by without requesting) and I did not finish it but that's me. I know others will enjoy it. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

The second book in the Mason series. It follows very soon after the first book and there is one hell of a lot of recapping. to the extent, do i really need to read it. The action scenes are very well written but the rest seems like filler , not a great deal of plot. Although I can see, a lot of people enjoying it. However this type of book ha s been done a lot better by a few others, This was a new author to me and I will try a few of his other series, maybe a different book on a different day might work better.

Thank you for NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book!

Ex-MI5 Joe Mason and his team are still reeling from having narrowly escaped with their lives on a previous job when they are asked to go to the snowbound Italian Alps to
protect a secret, invaluable ancient treasure. When they arrive, they discover the treasure has been stolen and the priests who guarded it have all been murdered.
Thus begins a chase that will take them across Europe and ultimately to the middle east in a race against time to prevent the secrets of the past destroying the future. It's a secret
that Joe and his team are willing to lay down their lives for, but will that be enough.
This fast paced, action-packed story will leave you breathless. Perfect for readers of Dan Brown and Scott Mariani.

Wow! What a book! We’re back with Mason and his team of ne’er do wells fighting the Amori. They’re trying to find the Creed with the help of Sally who is backing them after the death of her father. I thought this was much better than the first book and can’t wait for the next one. A superb team in the making

Action adventure thriller and a half. Well constructed and I liked the contextual descriptions. Plenty of character groups. I felt a bit overwhelmed with them all to start with and it is probably better to read the first in the series before this. However, there is quite a lot of background so that might turn out to be tedious. Good guys and gals chasing religious relics with the possible aid, or is it, of the Vatican. Some pretty brutal and bloodthirsty bad guys/gals so plenty of rather gory action. Keeps you reading and it will be interesting to see how Mason and Team move on. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

Leaving Dan Brown in the dust, author David Leadbeater’s latest novel is a five-star turbo-charged, non-stop action thriller about the recovering of precious stolen cargo before it claims more innocent victims and brings the downfall of civilization.

Leadbeater will send you in hot pursuit alongside ex-MI5 operative, Joe Mason, and his team when they are called to an isolated chapel in the Italian alps and discover it in ruins, the priests murdered and the cargo stolen. Soon you’ll be globetrotting, in over your head in a conspiracy theory, sideswiping danger and following clues as the team battles members of the 4000 year old secret society, the Amori. It reads like a movie reel, giving fight scenes and battles a blow-by-blow account and written with such vivid description that you’ll feel the breeze as the team rush past you. It’s fast-paced, action-filled and bloody. It’s also incredibly taut, only leaving room for you to be in the moment. The sense of urgency is forefront as is the sense of danger.

I appreciated the opportunity to learn more about the team, see them gel, and reveal their personalities. I was left breathless, my heart pounding and eagerly awaiting book 3!

A fantastic follow-up from book one, this one is set just days following the harrowing chase in the previous book and needs to be on every thrill seeker’s reading list.

I was gifted this advance copy by Avon Books UK and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.

The Demon Code follows on very closely after the end of The Vatican Secret so I would definitely read this first to get the most out of the story. Joe and the whole team are back helping the Vatican fight the Amori. They race around the globe trying to beat the Amori to clues and treasure. There is a lot of danger and blood shed along the way. A lot of the bloodshed comes from a murdering thief and his new sidekick who are working for the Amori, but who also have their own agenda. I still find the title as a Joe Mason book confusing as to me this is definitely a team effort. This is a good action/adventure read with plenty going on and it looks there will be lots more to come.

This book was National Treasure meets The DaVinci Code.
I think Mason and his crew were like cats and used up several lives through out the book.
There were a few scenes of violence that I didn’t see the need for. It didn’t really tell us anything extra about the bad guys. It’s an action packed adventure.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the early copy

This is the second novel in the Mason series. Unfortunately there was too much recapping from the first books, and random action with little plot. I think many folks will like it, especially if they are into secret societies, covert operations, and grand conspiracies - just wasn't for me. Thank you for NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book!

High in the Italian alps, cut off from the outside world, sits a chapel battered by winds and icy blizzards. The priests who guard this sacred place have sworn to protect the dangerous treasure that lies within their walls.
But when Joe Mason and his team are called to the remote church, they find its ancient stones reduced to rubble, the priests murdered in cold blood and their precious cargo stolen.
As Mason pursues the thieves across continents and dangerous waters, he wonders what incredible secret the priests laid down their lives for… And if he can recover it before it claims more innocent victims, and brings the downfall of civilisation as we know it…
Joe mason book two
Really enjoyed this book totally recommend
Thank You NetGalley and Avon Books Uk
I just reviewed The Demon Code by David Leadbeater. #NetGalley

The Demon code by David Leadbeater

2nd book in the Joe Manson series

4 paws (stars)

keywords- Action, war trauma, puzzles, clues, quest, religion

in short- A story that’s like a runaway train and doesn’t slow down even on the last page, action packed, full bodied tale with a great, engrossing quest.

Full review-

The Demon Code by David Leadbeater is the second book in his Joe mason series and only my second read book by him but I loved it.

This book started straight form where David's first book, Vatican secret finished with a time lapse of only three days, we quickly learn that even though what Joe and his ragtag, quickly put together team did something that benefited the world there was still negative, realistic consequences for their actions which causes Joe and Roxy to become fired from their jobs with the private security firm.
As the pair try to close this chapter of their life by attending the funeral of sally father who tragic death started their adventure with hidden religious artifacts. While paying their respects and catching up with everyone from their first quest they are quickly embroiled in another clue finding quest to stop another artifact bringing the church down and harming many innocents.

This book is just as action packed and fast pace as the first book while giving the audience a deeper look at each of the team and throwing in another cold killer baddie that I’m sure we the reader will be seeing again in further books. It was great seeing the team growing stronger together while learning more of the past that created their personalities and reactions to the situations they find themselves in. Another part of this book that I think will have the reader reeling and quickly getting through the pages is the shock surprises in the last couple.
Although I did enjoy the quest Joe and his team did go on it was very similar to the first quest but I did feel this set was done to bring the team in fully in terms of artifact hunting and to close the chapter on the first enemy of their team while introducing a new one.

Despite this book singing some familiar tunes, this story is fast, action filled with a deeper story of emotions while propelling the audience on a clue finding and puzzle breaking quest the reader wont be able to stop reading about. I am really looking forward to reading book three and working along side Joe and his team while they delve head first into more quests.

The Demon Code is the second novel in the popular Joe Mason series by David Leadbeater. The novel is set three days after the end of the previous novel, The Vatican Secret.
I did not originally realise that this was the second book in a series but the rapid opening pace, combined with the complexity of the relationships between the characters and the evidence of their history (references to previous events), made it obvious that this was not a standalone or first book. And it was not easy to step into the storyline. I felt that it took several chapters (along with a visit to Goodreads) to gain sufficient background knowledge. However, that it my error and not down to the author. With novels in this genre there tends to be a complex storyline with multiple overlapping layers and jumping into the storyline, mid-way along is never ideal.
Now, I love puzzles and mysteries - especially those that have a historical reference. There is a strong focus on the action and adventure angles - with plenty of fight scenes as our heroes show off their skills. The mystery aspect unfortunately did not hold my attention as I felt this aspect was sometimes overshadowed by the overall adventure sequences.
All in all, a decent read, just not for me.

Thank you, NetGalley for the prerelease of The Demon Code.

This is the second book in David Leadbeater's new series. I strongly recommend you read the first book in the series before you start this one. It really builds off of book 1 like a sequel, and it won't make sense without that added context.

As a fan of Dan Brown and Steve Barry, I've questioned if other thriller/historical fiction books are up to par. But David Leadbeater delivers! This book has twists and turns (and conspiracy) rivaling that of the Da Vinci Code. I look forward to the next book in the series.

I eagerly rushed through Joe Mason book one, The Vatican Secret and so when book two appeared on Netgalley I just had to dive in. This time the body of Christ, a well kept secret by the church, has been taken alongside some artefacts and Joe and the team are contacted by Cardinal Vallini from the Vatican to locate the body, quietly, but there is no such thing when it comes to the team and the people desperate to stop them, including a hitman who has come out of retirement and takes great pleasure in killing anyone, including the innocent.

The book is fast paced and the intrigue flowed the more the team discovered. Again just like in the first book they are following clues and moving from place to place, always with an unwanted hit team to stop them on their tail.

I found the storyline a little harder to get into this time, part of me does wonder if that was due to reading it in ebook form rather than paperback like the first book, or maybe the plot didn't entirely grasp me. However, it certainly kept me reading and turning the pages.

I love the team and their dedication to the cause and to Sally. I also find the flip side of Marduk and the Amori intriguing, including their backstory and their backstabbing.

Overall, if you are looking for adventure, action, fight scenes, and thrilling moments then this is the book to pick up, though reading book one would be a good start first.

The action picks up only 3 days after their first adventure so Joe, Roxy and the rest of the crew aren't getting much of a breather! Joe and Roxy have been given the boot by Patricia's security company after she was pressured by "investors" to make an example of them. Sally has a proposal for them after the funeral of her father but before they can give a yay or nay, they're back on the trail of the Amori for Cardinal Vallini.

The Vatican is deep in the doo-doo again as not only are the remains now in the hands of the Amori but it would seem they also have some clues which could them to The Creed.

The action takes place across Europe and Africa and at a breakneck speed. The Cardinal it would seem has problems within his own Bureaucracy and the Vatican Police are not amused at the "interference" of Joe and Roxy's team. Marduk has some insurrection of his own to put down. There is a new villainous assassin/thief and his lady love who are never happier when committing horrors on unsuspecting victims.

Well written, perfectly paced and banter worthy of an ace team. Joe and Roxy are still fighting their inner demons, Luke and Sally are dealing with their grief. And Quaid and Anya - well who knows what those two have in their past! The team may have been cobbled together on the flay but they are growing together and all have skills to bring to the table. Completely love this new world and its mix of theology, action-adventure and convoluted conspiracy theories. Hurry up with book 3!

I received an advanced reader copy from the publisher via NetGalley and this is a completely voluntary review.

I had not realized this was the second in a series when I started it but, after the first couple of chapters I was able to embrace the well written plot and enjoy the characters to the fullest. I cannot wait to start the first book.