What do you think?
Rate this book
Antoine Marcas #2
Shadow Ritual
An electrifying thriller about the rise of extremism. Two slayings—one in Rome and one in Jerusalem—rekindle an ancient rivalry between modern-day secret societies for knowledge lost at the fall of the Third Reich. Detective Antoine Marcas unwillingly teams up with the strong-willed Jade Zewinski to chase Neo-Nazi assassins across Europe. They must unravel an arcane Freemason mystery, sparked by information from newly revealed KGB files. Inspired from the true story of mysterious Freemason files thought to hold a terrible secret, stolen by the SS in 1940, recovered by the Red Army in 1945 and returned half a century later.
270 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2005
71 people are currently reading
1322 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 106 reviews
December 28, 2015
Two murders, one in Rome and one in Jerusalem brings detective Antoine Marcas and special agent Jade Zewenski, the head of security of the embassy in Rome together. Jade's friend Sophie is killed by three blows to her upper body. Her shoulder, her neck and her head. In the same day a man is killed in the same way in Jerusalem.
Zewinski is in no way pleased about working on the case with Marcas. She doesn't like anything that has to do with Freemason and Marcas is a member of the group. But as they work together they slowly starting to open up to each other.
They discover that the sect Thule is the ones behind the killings, and the sect has a deep hatred for anything Freemason and it seems that Thule is after an ancient Freemason secret.
This is my kind of book. A fast-paced adventure with secrets and mysteries and, of course, an evil old sect. I enjoyed reading this book very much. It was especially nice to have the main characters non-Americans. It feels like the hero in adventure's books often are American and it was nice to have both main characters, French. It was also great to have a female character that's tough and capable of taking care of herself. Even when she's about to be tortured. By the way, this book has a really nasty torture scene. It was also very fascinating learning more about the Freemasons, I didn't know they accepted female member, I thought it was an all boys club.
This was book two in a series of ten books and I'm looking forward to reading the rest if they get translated to English.
I received a copy from the publisher and france book tours in return for an honest review!
Zewinski is in no way pleased about working on the case with Marcas. She doesn't like anything that has to do with Freemason and Marcas is a member of the group. But as they work together they slowly starting to open up to each other.
They discover that the sect Thule is the ones behind the killings, and the sect has a deep hatred for anything Freemason and it seems that Thule is after an ancient Freemason secret.
This is my kind of book. A fast-paced adventure with secrets and mysteries and, of course, an evil old sect. I enjoyed reading this book very much. It was especially nice to have the main characters non-Americans. It feels like the hero in adventure's books often are American and it was nice to have both main characters, French. It was also great to have a female character that's tough and capable of taking care of herself. Even when she's about to be tortured. By the way, this book has a really nasty torture scene. It was also very fascinating learning more about the Freemasons, I didn't know they accepted female member, I thought it was an all boys club.
This was book two in a series of ten books and I'm looking forward to reading the rest if they get translated to English.
I received a copy from the publisher and france book tours in return for an honest review!
August 3, 2016
A riveting conspiracy theory thriller loaded with history. Freemason’s vs. Thule society vying for power. With such extensive coverage of Freemasons, you will be well versed long after you close the cover. Plenty of esoteric secrets to pique your interest and curiosity.
Villains you will loathe, a hero and heroine savvy enough to solve the intricate puzzle, you will support them in their relentless pursuit.
Full of action, extremely fast paced, not to mention riveting. A story offering suspense, mystery, thrills and a little romance, the myriad of twists and turns pull it all together for an educational roller coaster quite a cerebral ride. An adventure in reading with flawless translation.
Villains you will loathe, a hero and heroine savvy enough to solve the intricate puzzle, you will support them in their relentless pursuit.
Full of action, extremely fast paced, not to mention riveting. A story offering suspense, mystery, thrills and a little romance, the myriad of twists and turns pull it all together for an educational roller coaster quite a cerebral ride. An adventure in reading with flawless translation.
January 6, 2015
I liked this enough to translate it into English. I had the honor of working with the French authors to pare it down and adapt this first-in-series, making the adventure very exciting. I liked the action, the premise and the characters. Some favorite details: Inspector Antoine Marcas's total disregard for any mention of the Templars, the character Jade as a whole, the discussion about Le Procope, the final climatic scene (for the setting as much as anything else), and the bits and pieces of real history I learned.
March 21, 2015
Shadow Ritual is first in a projected series of nine books featuring Inspector Antoine Marcas. It is newly translated into English from the French, but the original series has already been published worldwide in French and 16 other languages.
I received an advance e-copy of the book courtesy of NetGalley and Le French Book.
A thriller that pits the secret societies of Thule, a precursor of the Nazi party, and the Freemasons, this novel begins with mysterious ritual killings in separate cities. The plot is based on the real life theft of many French Masonic archival records by Nazis during the French occupation of WW II, which then fell into the possession of Communist Russia upon the defeat of the Nazis.
Members of the mysterious Thule became elite members of the Nazi party as it surged to power before WW II, and when its defeat was imminent, they arranged the escape and new lives for their own members. Their belief in the supremacy of the Aryan race had preceded the rise of Nazism and continues after its demise. The intent of the escaping Nazi/Thule members was also to protect the archival records they had stolen in France but the papers were confiscated by the incoming Russians before the Nazis could get them past the German borders.
So 60 years later, Thule is still trying to recover the papers and to discover the hidden meaning of some passages that have confounded the non-Masonic scholars who have pored over the documents, believing there is a missing clue which would uncover the recipe of an elixir that may be the path to eternal life. In the meantime an ancient stone, possibly part of a tablet that dates to Solomon's Temple, has been found and is now being studied by an archeologist in Jerusalem. That archeologist, a Dachau survivor, is soon to be discovered ritualistically murdered.
The ritual killings are recognizable to Police Inspector Marcas and others familiar with the origins of Freemasonry. The killings mimic the legendary death of Hiram, the builder and architect of Solomon's temple and the reputed founder of Masonry.
The murders start piling up and when Inspector Marcas begins checking on previous deaths of Masonic members, he notes that the ritual style has been used before. He and his supervisor Jade Zewenski are moving fast to solve the murders, but the Thule members are moving faster and are ruthless, not to mention cruel and sadistic, in their quest to get the answers that will enable them to move to the next level of their perceived superiority.
Zewenski is head of security at the embassy in Rome where one of the murders occurs. Her disdain for Freemasonry and her mistrust of the French police inspector who is also a Freemason means that her longer "learning curve" puts the team and the case at risk. The good news is, with eight books to go, surely some of the good guys will survive!
I received an advance e-copy of the book courtesy of NetGalley and Le French Book.
A thriller that pits the secret societies of Thule, a precursor of the Nazi party, and the Freemasons, this novel begins with mysterious ritual killings in separate cities. The plot is based on the real life theft of many French Masonic archival records by Nazis during the French occupation of WW II, which then fell into the possession of Communist Russia upon the defeat of the Nazis.
Members of the mysterious Thule became elite members of the Nazi party as it surged to power before WW II, and when its defeat was imminent, they arranged the escape and new lives for their own members. Their belief in the supremacy of the Aryan race had preceded the rise of Nazism and continues after its demise. The intent of the escaping Nazi/Thule members was also to protect the archival records they had stolen in France but the papers were confiscated by the incoming Russians before the Nazis could get them past the German borders.
So 60 years later, Thule is still trying to recover the papers and to discover the hidden meaning of some passages that have confounded the non-Masonic scholars who have pored over the documents, believing there is a missing clue which would uncover the recipe of an elixir that may be the path to eternal life. In the meantime an ancient stone, possibly part of a tablet that dates to Solomon's Temple, has been found and is now being studied by an archeologist in Jerusalem. That archeologist, a Dachau survivor, is soon to be discovered ritualistically murdered.
The ritual killings are recognizable to Police Inspector Marcas and others familiar with the origins of Freemasonry. The killings mimic the legendary death of Hiram, the builder and architect of Solomon's temple and the reputed founder of Masonry.
The murders start piling up and when Inspector Marcas begins checking on previous deaths of Masonic members, he notes that the ritual style has been used before. He and his supervisor Jade Zewenski are moving fast to solve the murders, but the Thule members are moving faster and are ruthless, not to mention cruel and sadistic, in their quest to get the answers that will enable them to move to the next level of their perceived superiority.
Zewenski is head of security at the embassy in Rome where one of the murders occurs. Her disdain for Freemasonry and her mistrust of the French police inspector who is also a Freemason means that her longer "learning curve" puts the team and the case at risk. The good news is, with eight books to go, surely some of the good guys will survive!
March 31, 2015
‘Designed to last a thousand years, the bunker’s foundations were showing signs of weakness.’
Two slayings - one in Rome and the other in Jerusalem - rekindle an ancient rivalry between two separate secret societies. The two are in competition for information lost when the Third Reich fell, and will do whatever it takes to achieve their objectives.
‘There was no longer any room for doubt. It had all started in Germany and had continued over the course of centuries.’
Detective Antoine Marcas is reluctantly teamed with Jade Zewinski and tasked with tracking down Neo-Nazi assassins in Europe. To do this, they need to make sense of an arcane Freemason mystery, assisted by some information newly available from KGB files. Trying to stop the extremists, trying to get one step ahead of them while working out what they are after provides Antoine Marcas and Jade Zewinski with a number of challenges.
This is a fast paced and intriguing mystery, suitably peopled with likeable heroes and despicable villains. There are plenty of novels focussed on secret societies, usually with a focus on religious arcana. This novel held my attention: extremism (of whatever motivation) is sufficiently current, raw and real to feed contemporary concerns. It’s difficult to say more without introducing spoilers (and I’m very keen not to do that). If you are after a fast-moving novel that provides an historical context for its events and actions, if you are intrigued by secret societies, their rituals and arcana, then you may well enjoy ‘Shadow Ritual’. Recently translated from French, this is the first novel in a series. I’ll certainly be looking to read the others if they become available in English.
‘The flesh falls from the bones.’
Note: My thanks to NetGalley and Le French Book for an opportunity to read this novel.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
Two slayings - one in Rome and the other in Jerusalem - rekindle an ancient rivalry between two separate secret societies. The two are in competition for information lost when the Third Reich fell, and will do whatever it takes to achieve their objectives.
‘There was no longer any room for doubt. It had all started in Germany and had continued over the course of centuries.’
Detective Antoine Marcas is reluctantly teamed with Jade Zewinski and tasked with tracking down Neo-Nazi assassins in Europe. To do this, they need to make sense of an arcane Freemason mystery, assisted by some information newly available from KGB files. Trying to stop the extremists, trying to get one step ahead of them while working out what they are after provides Antoine Marcas and Jade Zewinski with a number of challenges.
This is a fast paced and intriguing mystery, suitably peopled with likeable heroes and despicable villains. There are plenty of novels focussed on secret societies, usually with a focus on religious arcana. This novel held my attention: extremism (of whatever motivation) is sufficiently current, raw and real to feed contemporary concerns. It’s difficult to say more without introducing spoilers (and I’m very keen not to do that). If you are after a fast-moving novel that provides an historical context for its events and actions, if you are intrigued by secret societies, their rituals and arcana, then you may well enjoy ‘Shadow Ritual’. Recently translated from French, this is the first novel in a series. I’ll certainly be looking to read the others if they become available in English.
‘The flesh falls from the bones.’
Note: My thanks to NetGalley and Le French Book for an opportunity to read this novel.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
March 2, 2015
Nazis, Freemasons, secret societies and mystic symbols abound in this book. It took a while for me to get into the story because there were just so many threads but once it started to weave together, it was a beautiful tapestry.
Two ritualistic murders bring our hero and heroine together. Since they immediately despise each other, you know sparks will fly. She is the head of Security in the French Embassy where one of her childhood friends is murdered. He is brought on board as a policeman as much for his knowledge of Freemasonry as his skills as a cop.
Together they uncover the nefarious plot but at the moment of revelation, they are trapped by the wicked organization at the centre of it.
The action is non-stop. The final third of the book was a real page turner partly to get to the bottom of the mystery and partly because the reader cares what happens to the characters, That, to me, is the most telling component. No matter how brilliant the writing, if you do not care what happens to your characters, the book is empty.
This is definitely one where I would love to know the story after the story ends.
Two ritualistic murders bring our hero and heroine together. Since they immediately despise each other, you know sparks will fly. She is the head of Security in the French Embassy where one of her childhood friends is murdered. He is brought on board as a policeman as much for his knowledge of Freemasonry as his skills as a cop.
Together they uncover the nefarious plot but at the moment of revelation, they are trapped by the wicked organization at the centre of it.
The action is non-stop. The final third of the book was a real page turner partly to get to the bottom of the mystery and partly because the reader cares what happens to the characters, That, to me, is the most telling component. No matter how brilliant the writing, if you do not care what happens to your characters, the book is empty.
This is definitely one where I would love to know the story after the story ends.
March 25, 2015
Chaos reins in Berlin as Russian forces near the city.The SS's convoy carrying plunder occupied countries is stopped except for lead vehicle. Present day in the French Embassy in Rone MURDERs and in Jerusalem occur. They are similar as both were kill by 3 strikes, one to shoulder, next to the neck and finnally a blow to head. This a thriller with good information about World War Two and Freemasons. Why the method of killing?The ending is a suprise.This book was translated from French into English. I found it difficult to read at times as the narration changes locations without notice. The translation was easy to read.
Full Disclosure: I received a free copy from LeFrench through Netgalley for an honest review. I would like thank for the opportunity to read and review this book. The opinions are my own.
Full Disclosure: I received a free copy from LeFrench through Netgalley for an honest review. I would like thank for the opportunity to read and review this book. The opinions are my own.
July 12, 2020
Une longue mise en bouche! C’est ce que je vais retenir de ce premier tome qui ne décolle réellement qu’à la 250ème page. Je n’ai pas été entraînée dans l’aventure comme pour la saga du Soleil noir. Ceci dit, j’ai bien envie de continuer à lire les aventures d’Antoine Marcas.
March 31, 2015
Thanks to the Author Eric Giancometti and Jacques Ravenne, Publisher Le French Book and NetGalley for providing me with an Advanced Copy of the book for review purposes. I in no way make any profit from my reviews and all the opinions expressed in this review are 100% mine and genuine.
I quote this from the publisher "When this book was first released in France, it sold 250,000 copies and was translated into 17 languages. Now it is finally in English. The nine-book series has gone on to sell 2 million copies worldwide."
Now that's a boast and an inherent confidence in the book. This looks intriguing enough to request an ARC from NetGalley for reading...
Having sold a quarter million copies in 17 languages, the English edition of this book is here. I did some searching on GoodReads and discovered that this is the 2nd book in a series of 9 books, but the first released in English.
The book opens in 1945 Berlin, Germany. Hitler's Nazis are about to be overwhelmed by invading Russians. Officers from SS are pulled out for a special mission by the Thule the organization dedicated to the Aryan race within the German Reich, to E&E and then become sleeper agents, waiting for further instructions. Hitler and Nazi Germany is about to be vanquished, but the mind that fuelled the growth of this Reich is being preserved and mutated in a new form for greater purposes.
This is first book that I have read in the series and I am intrigued by the concept. The author weaves together various estoric and cult groups like Knight Templars, Freemasons and the Thule-Gellescahft into a very fast paced and speedy story that races through France. The repartee between the two lead characters Detective Marcas and Special Agent Zewinski is good, they contrast and balance each other effectively and the chemistry between them gives me hope for the upcoming books in the series.
A great debut and very fast paced thriller. A breezy read.
I quote this from the publisher "When this book was first released in France, it sold 250,000 copies and was translated into 17 languages. Now it is finally in English. The nine-book series has gone on to sell 2 million copies worldwide."
Now that's a boast and an inherent confidence in the book. This looks intriguing enough to request an ARC from NetGalley for reading...
Having sold a quarter million copies in 17 languages, the English edition of this book is here. I did some searching on GoodReads and discovered that this is the 2nd book in a series of 9 books, but the first released in English.
The book opens in 1945 Berlin, Germany. Hitler's Nazis are about to be overwhelmed by invading Russians. Officers from SS are pulled out for a special mission by the Thule the organization dedicated to the Aryan race within the German Reich, to E&E and then become sleeper agents, waiting for further instructions. Hitler and Nazi Germany is about to be vanquished, but the mind that fuelled the growth of this Reich is being preserved and mutated in a new form for greater purposes.
This is first book that I have read in the series and I am intrigued by the concept. The author weaves together various estoric and cult groups like Knight Templars, Freemasons and the Thule-Gellescahft into a very fast paced and speedy story that races through France. The repartee between the two lead characters Detective Marcas and Special Agent Zewinski is good, they contrast and balance each other effectively and the chemistry between them gives me hope for the upcoming books in the series.
A great debut and very fast paced thriller. A breezy read.
March 25, 2015
"Flesh falls from the bones"
SHADOW RITUAL is an action-packed thriller that follows two separate secret societies - the Freemasons and the Thule - on a deadly quest.
The book started out a bit slow for me but was soon barreling along non-stop, alternating between societies. A lot of history was included in this tale and it was interesting to me especially to see where the Freemasons began.
The synopsis of the book on Goodreads says this is actually based on a true story. Hmm...seems farfetched to me but then truth can be stranger than fiction.
I liked the male and female protagonists of the story that were at each other's throats throughout the book.
And there were some truly evil people in the book. If you have a weak stomach, this might not be the tale for you.
If you like thrillers or historical fiction especially World War II era, try this one out. I don't think you'll be disappointed.
NOTE: I received this book from Le French Book through Net Galley in exchange for my honest review.
SHADOW RITUAL is an action-packed thriller that follows two separate secret societies - the Freemasons and the Thule - on a deadly quest.
The book started out a bit slow for me but was soon barreling along non-stop, alternating between societies. A lot of history was included in this tale and it was interesting to me especially to see where the Freemasons began.
The synopsis of the book on Goodreads says this is actually based on a true story. Hmm...seems farfetched to me but then truth can be stranger than fiction.
I liked the male and female protagonists of the story that were at each other's throats throughout the book.
And there were some truly evil people in the book. If you have a weak stomach, this might not be the tale for you.
If you like thrillers or historical fiction especially World War II era, try this one out. I don't think you'll be disappointed.
NOTE: I received this book from Le French Book through Net Galley in exchange for my honest review.
July 7, 2018
Autant le dire tout de suite, je suis plutôt déçu de ce livre. J’avais tant attendu de la part de ce duo d’écrivains que je ne sais pas par quoi commencer.
Je ne pense pas que l’on puisse classer ce livre dans la catégorie des policiers tant l’intrigue est faible et l’enquête inexistante, encore moins dans le genre des thrillers par la quasi-totale absence d’actions et de suspense.
En fait, ce roman est plus une mise en situation d’une introduction à la franc-maçonnerie et ce sera le seul point positif de ce livre. Les auteurs, eux-mêmes francs-maçons, introduisent facilement cette « société parallèle », gomment les préjugés et les fausses idées, et rajoutent quelques petites anecdotes sur celle-ci.
Ce qui est dommage puisque leur écriture fluide rend plaisante cette présentation de la franc-maçonnerie qui aurait eu tôt fait d’être rébarbative
Mais pour parfaire mon avis et me rendre compte si c’est un loupé épisodique ou bien un duo d’écrivains au genre littéraire qui ne me convient pas du tout.
Je ne pense pas que l’on puisse classer ce livre dans la catégorie des policiers tant l’intrigue est faible et l’enquête inexistante, encore moins dans le genre des thrillers par la quasi-totale absence d’actions et de suspense.
En fait, ce roman est plus une mise en situation d’une introduction à la franc-maçonnerie et ce sera le seul point positif de ce livre. Les auteurs, eux-mêmes francs-maçons, introduisent facilement cette « société parallèle », gomment les préjugés et les fausses idées, et rajoutent quelques petites anecdotes sur celle-ci.
Ce qui est dommage puisque leur écriture fluide rend plaisante cette présentation de la franc-maçonnerie qui aurait eu tôt fait d’être rébarbative
Mais pour parfaire mon avis et me rendre compte si c’est un loupé épisodique ou bien un duo d’écrivains au genre littéraire qui ne me convient pas du tout.
December 21, 2014
Jump on the rollercoaster of a read with Parisian Detective Antoine Marcas and angry special ops Jade Zewinski as they race to unravel the meanings of strange inscriptions on a recently unearth ancient stone, Freemason papers once stolen by the Nazis, then by the victorious Russians following World War II before the terrorist Palestinian or the dark and violent group that helped give birth to the Nazi party and Adolf Hitler.
Jade Zewinski can hardly tolerate Marcas, ordered to work with her to discover ritual killers, and he can’t stand her either, but as they endure capture and hair breadth encounters with death, they slowly begin to tolerate, then understand and like – and even love one another.
This thriller has it all – crazy twists and turns, villains beyond mere evil, grim killings, and – some sweet loving – a perfect treat for someone who richly deserves a treat – you!
Jade Zewinski can hardly tolerate Marcas, ordered to work with her to discover ritual killers, and he can’t stand her either, but as they endure capture and hair breadth encounters with death, they slowly begin to tolerate, then understand and like – and even love one another.
This thriller has it all – crazy twists and turns, villains beyond mere evil, grim killings, and – some sweet loving – a perfect treat for someone who richly deserves a treat – you!
December 9, 2017
Masones contra nazis. Palomitero total.
May 15, 2024
Shadow Ritual (Antione Marcas Freemason Thrillers Book 1) by Eric Giacometti and Jacques Ravenne
270 Pages
Publisher: Le French Book
Release Date: March 25, 2015
Fiction (Adult), General Fiction (Adult), Mystery, Thriller, Nazis, Freemasons, Vatican, Rome, Paris
During World War II, the Nazis wanted to end the three Abrahamic religions. The Thule Gesellschaft was a high-level shadow organization. Although the war is long over, the thoughts and beliefs of the organization are still alive.
Antoine Marcas, a French homicide detective is on vacation in Rome. His friend, Alexis Jaigu, a former military officer and now an intelligence operative invited Marcas to a party at the French embassy in Rome. A commotion leads the police to the mutilated body of a young woman, Sophie Dawes. Alexis asks Marcas to give his opinion on the death.
Special Agent Jade Zewiniski is assigned to the case. She is not happy to see Marcas at her crime scene. The body is immediately sent back to France to control the investigation. At the same time of Sophie’s murder, Professor Marek is murdered in Jerusalem and the Tebah stone stolen. He was attacked the same way as Sophie which links the two deaths together. Jade finds herself relying on Marcas and his knowledge of the Freemasons since Sophie was a member and was killed in a manner related to the organization.
The book has a fast pace, the characters are developed, and it is written in the third person point of view. This reminded me very much of Dan Brown’s books. If you like mysteries with a conspiracy theory twist, you will enjoy reading this book.
June 16, 2025
Si l'on demande la différence entre les thrillers de 2025 et ceux de 2005, la réponse est simple : la construction. Il faut plus d'une centaine de pages avant que le roman prenne enfin une sorte de rythme... Attention, ne vous méprenez pas, c'est un bon polar ésotérique ! Le seul souci, c'est la présentation de tous les personnages, de leur enfance à 2005. D'accord, cela apporte une vraie épaisseur aux caractères, les gentils comme les méchants, mais de nos jours, on ajoute les détails au fur et à mesure que l'action se poursuit et non pas comme ici, en les entassant les uns après les autres, alourdissant le propos.
Après, il y a des détails intéressants comme tout l'aspect historique de la franc-maçonnerie. Juste assez pour nous interpeller et pas trop pour ne pas peser sur le récit. Antoine Marcas est le héros par excellence, mais contrairement à beaucoups de flics, c'est son érudition qui le fait avancer et non pas les poings ou les armes. Agréable mise en bouche ! J'écouterai avec plaisir les aventures ésotériques suivantes...
Après, il y a des détails intéressants comme tout l'aspect historique de la franc-maçonnerie. Juste assez pour nous interpeller et pas trop pour ne pas peser sur le récit. Antoine Marcas est le héros par excellence, mais contrairement à beaucoups de flics, c'est son érudition qui le fait avancer et non pas les poings ou les armes. Agréable mise en bouche ! J'écouterai avec plaisir les aventures ésotériques suivantes...
April 7, 2024
Envie d’un bon thriller historique et ésotérique ? Avec Marcas vous serez servi. J’ai beaucoup aimé plonger dans l’univers de la franc maçonnerie et du neo nazisme. Je trouve que l’équilibre était très bon entre faits historiques et fictions. J’ai appris pleins de choses et l’enquête était intéressante. L’humour est bien dosé, les multiples points de vues donnent de la dimension à l’histoire. Je ne pense pas cependant que c’était l’un des meilleurs thrillers ésotérique que j’ai lu. Déjà je ne me suis que peu attaché au personnage car on en apprend pas tant sur eux. Ensuite j’ai parfois trouvé l’enquête longue, trainant un peu. Néanmoins j’ai apprécié ma lecture même si je n’étais pas accroc. Je lirais la suite de la série d’Antoine Marcas mais pas d’un coup pour ne pas me lasser totalement et abandonner.
August 25, 2017
Tightly written thriller. Marcas is a Freemason and a cop. He is to help investigate a murder that happened in the French embassy in Rome which has Freemason ties. His partner for the case, Jade, has no use for Masons so he has an uphill battle dealing with her. She comes to rely on him as the case proceeds.
I loved this! I was on the edge of my seat throughout the book. It was a page turner. The characters are good. Marcas and Jade are fun to watch. I liked that Marcas explained different Mason symbols and history as the investigation went on and had influence on the case. As everyone is trying to find the parts needed for the secret, as well as the murder, it turns out not to be what I expected. I cannot wait to read book 2 in the series. I highly recommend this.
I loved this! I was on the edge of my seat throughout the book. It was a page turner. The characters are good. Marcas and Jade are fun to watch. I liked that Marcas explained different Mason symbols and history as the investigation went on and had influence on the case. As everyone is trying to find the parts needed for the secret, as well as the murder, it turns out not to be what I expected. I cannot wait to read book 2 in the series. I highly recommend this.
December 22, 2020
Sadly I was not impressed with Shadow Ritual. I was really disappointed with the overall plot and characters. It's hard for me to give 2/5 to an author when I realize, I personally am not talented enough to tell stories and put them into print for others to critique. However, I believe that as a series opener this book did not deliver. The plot was straightforward and plausible. The characters and some of the situations they escaped from were a bit over the top unbelievable. While I did not enjoy the book, the plot and story did move along at a good pace so as not to totally abandon reading. I do not recommend this book. Perhaps subsequent books in the series are better, however, the introductory novel was not endearing enough to make me want to read further into the series.
March 10, 2024
There are many novels that relate to forms of mysticism linked to Nazism, whether they predate it or inspired it in some way. That something is true is historically documented, but it is not the historical documentation that this thriller is concerned with. In fact, it is a decidedly action-packed thriller that forces two detectives to become reluctant partners in the investigation of murders that occurred in rather strange ways, specifically one that took place in Rome and another that occurred simultaneously in Jerusalem. The writing is fast-paced, the twists and turns are not lacking and the reading is enjoyable. The only real flaw is having wanted at all costs to insert a certain attraction between the two investigators, which in my opinion is completely unnecessary.
May 7, 2017
I came across this book by chance, and am glad I did. I loved this from page one. Characters are sharp and real, tale reads well, no long drawn out sections that lag the flow.
I do not want to give too much away, but I would highly recommend this one to anyone who likes a good thriller loaded with mystery and suspense.
I do not want to give too much away, but I would highly recommend this one to anyone who likes a good thriller loaded with mystery and suspense.
April 3, 2015
Originally published at Reading Reality
This is the second book in the series featuring Antoine Marcas, and based on this entry in the series, I hope that the publisher gets the rest of the series translated tout de suite. Meaning, as fast as the translator Anne Trager can get them out.
Shadow Ritual is edge-of-the-seat thrilling, very much in the vein of The Da Vinci Code but with much better editing. The pace is taut, and the story, even the parts about rituals and history and the secret society background of this mess, moves along at a rapid clip.
Just enough to feel the horror (at the appropriate points), but not so long as to dwell on it.
The prologue takes place at the end of Nazi Germany. One young French SS officer, along with a cadre of fellow fanatics, is tasked with smuggling important papers out of Germany and setting himself up as a sleeper agent in a sympathetic country to wait until his masters need him again. His masters are not exactly the Nazis – but a philosophical splinter group called the Thule. Who manage, in their own evil, world-domination type ways, to be even worse than the Nazis.
Without the extra-terrestrial power boost, the Thule remind me a bit of Red Skull in the first Captain America movie. I know this is just slightly off topic, but the brands of megalomaniacal pure-Aryan BS feel surprisingly similar.
The story in Shadow Ritual moves to the 21st century, and a sudden string of ritual murders. The ritual murders are tied into Freemasonry, a subject that sets more than a few of the investigators as well as the perpetrators into absolute fits, but only the Thule actually foam at the mouth.
The string of murders imitates and corrupts a big piece of Masonic ritual. Someone is killing people, not just Freemasons but anyone connected with the secret being pursued, in a way that sends a calling card to any Masons who see the victims or read about the results.
Antoine Marcas, a detective in the Paris Police, is a Freemason with an interest in Masonic history and documents. When a Masonic researcher is killed at the French Embassy in Italy, Marcas is paired with a hard-boiled Embassy security officer who hates the Masonic Order and anything connected with it.
As partnerships go, this is not a happy one.
But Jade Zewinski’s Foreign Service bosses don’t all love the Masons either, so they are happy to have someone in charge of the investigation who will not report to the Order first. At the same time, they need Marcas because all the clues are steeped in Masonic ritual and don’t make much sense to anyone who is not intimately familiar with the Order.
Their uneasy but ultimately productive partnership unearths a trail of dead bodies – and puts them squarely in the sights of an underground society that blames the Masons, the Jews, and anyone they just plain don’t like for what they see as the suppression of the true World Order – one that puts the Nazi Thule back on top of empire – with everyone else crushed under their heel.
Starting with Marcas and Zewinski.
Escape Rating A: This is one of those books that just grabbed me. I loved the deep dive into unfamiliar history – especially because that exploration was encapsulated into a thriller that kept me enthralled up to the very end.
Part of what made this story work was the two protagonists. They don’t like each other at all. Zewinski is openly hostile about everything that Marcas believes in. And we don’t know why until the very end – just that she acts like a bitch at every turn.
At the same time, they definitely respect each other. Even though she often treats Marcas like dirt, she also respects his abilities as a detective. Likewise, even though Marcas is often infuriated by Zewinski’s attitude and hostility, he also respects her ability to get the job done. He sometimes questions whether she wants to leave him behind, or is hoping that he won’t measure up in some way, but there is certainly mutual respect.
They manage to rely on each other as partners even though they drive each other crazy.
Also, Zewinski is in some ways the stand-in for the audience. The history and mystery that is driving the action is deeply embedded in the Masonic rituals and history. Marcas knows those secrets intimately, and Zewinski has spent her life actively avoiding anything to do with Freemasonry. In order to them to solve the crimes together, he has to explain the mysteries to her, and that provides a logical way to explain them to us.
For most of us, Freemasonry is shrouded in secrets and legends, and it was fascinating to get a glimpse behind the curtain. Lots of stories have exploited this desire to find those secrets, including The Da Vinci Code and the movie National Treasure. Mixing the secrets of the Freemasons with their persecution by the Nazis makes for a chilling read.
Like The DaVinci Code, Shadow Ritual is the second book in the series featuring its code-breaking detective. Also like The DaVinci Code, you don’t need to have read the first book about Antoine Marcas to enjoy the second.
Not that I don’t want the first book. And the rest of the series. ASAP.
This is the second book in the series featuring Antoine Marcas, and based on this entry in the series, I hope that the publisher gets the rest of the series translated tout de suite. Meaning, as fast as the translator Anne Trager can get them out.
Shadow Ritual is edge-of-the-seat thrilling, very much in the vein of The Da Vinci Code but with much better editing. The pace is taut, and the story, even the parts about rituals and history and the secret society background of this mess, moves along at a rapid clip.
Just enough to feel the horror (at the appropriate points), but not so long as to dwell on it.
The prologue takes place at the end of Nazi Germany. One young French SS officer, along with a cadre of fellow fanatics, is tasked with smuggling important papers out of Germany and setting himself up as a sleeper agent in a sympathetic country to wait until his masters need him again. His masters are not exactly the Nazis – but a philosophical splinter group called the Thule. Who manage, in their own evil, world-domination type ways, to be even worse than the Nazis.
Without the extra-terrestrial power boost, the Thule remind me a bit of Red Skull in the first Captain America movie. I know this is just slightly off topic, but the brands of megalomaniacal pure-Aryan BS feel surprisingly similar.
The story in Shadow Ritual moves to the 21st century, and a sudden string of ritual murders. The ritual murders are tied into Freemasonry, a subject that sets more than a few of the investigators as well as the perpetrators into absolute fits, but only the Thule actually foam at the mouth.
The string of murders imitates and corrupts a big piece of Masonic ritual. Someone is killing people, not just Freemasons but anyone connected with the secret being pursued, in a way that sends a calling card to any Masons who see the victims or read about the results.
Antoine Marcas, a detective in the Paris Police, is a Freemason with an interest in Masonic history and documents. When a Masonic researcher is killed at the French Embassy in Italy, Marcas is paired with a hard-boiled Embassy security officer who hates the Masonic Order and anything connected with it.
As partnerships go, this is not a happy one.
But Jade Zewinski’s Foreign Service bosses don’t all love the Masons either, so they are happy to have someone in charge of the investigation who will not report to the Order first. At the same time, they need Marcas because all the clues are steeped in Masonic ritual and don’t make much sense to anyone who is not intimately familiar with the Order.
Their uneasy but ultimately productive partnership unearths a trail of dead bodies – and puts them squarely in the sights of an underground society that blames the Masons, the Jews, and anyone they just plain don’t like for what they see as the suppression of the true World Order – one that puts the Nazi Thule back on top of empire – with everyone else crushed under their heel.
Starting with Marcas and Zewinski.
Escape Rating A: This is one of those books that just grabbed me. I loved the deep dive into unfamiliar history – especially because that exploration was encapsulated into a thriller that kept me enthralled up to the very end.
Part of what made this story work was the two protagonists. They don’t like each other at all. Zewinski is openly hostile about everything that Marcas believes in. And we don’t know why until the very end – just that she acts like a bitch at every turn.
At the same time, they definitely respect each other. Even though she often treats Marcas like dirt, she also respects his abilities as a detective. Likewise, even though Marcas is often infuriated by Zewinski’s attitude and hostility, he also respects her ability to get the job done. He sometimes questions whether she wants to leave him behind, or is hoping that he won’t measure up in some way, but there is certainly mutual respect.
They manage to rely on each other as partners even though they drive each other crazy.
Also, Zewinski is in some ways the stand-in for the audience. The history and mystery that is driving the action is deeply embedded in the Masonic rituals and history. Marcas knows those secrets intimately, and Zewinski has spent her life actively avoiding anything to do with Freemasonry. In order to them to solve the crimes together, he has to explain the mysteries to her, and that provides a logical way to explain them to us.
For most of us, Freemasonry is shrouded in secrets and legends, and it was fascinating to get a glimpse behind the curtain. Lots of stories have exploited this desire to find those secrets, including The Da Vinci Code and the movie National Treasure. Mixing the secrets of the Freemasons with their persecution by the Nazis makes for a chilling read.
Like The DaVinci Code, Shadow Ritual is the second book in the series featuring its code-breaking detective. Also like The DaVinci Code, you don’t need to have read the first book about Antoine Marcas to enjoy the second.
Not that I don’t want the first book. And the rest of the series. ASAP.
July 17, 2017
J'ai du mal à savoir si j'ai aimé ou non... en fait ça se laisse lire et l'intrigue est assez prenante, mais en même temps je n'ai pas vraiment accroché. Je ne suis pas sûre de lire la suite même si je ne regrette pas d'avoir lu ce premier tome pour découvrir le polar ésotérique.
July 21, 2020
A great summer holiday read.
On top of learning quite a bit about freemasons, it reminded me of on of my reads from last summer: the cosmic serpent. They both deal with a mystic drink that connects you to the super natural.
I almost wish all this was true sometimes.
On top of learning quite a bit about freemasons, it reminded me of on of my reads from last summer: the cosmic serpent. They both deal with a mystic drink that connects you to the super natural.
I almost wish all this was true sometimes.
April 17, 2024
Si la franc-maçonnerie vous intéresse, vous serez comblé. Moi, nettement moins. J'ai trouvé cette histoire très longue, peu d'action entrecoupée de beaucoup d'histoire et de détails de la franc-maçonnerie... la barbe !!
January 5, 2025
Le 2ème roman de cette saga qui est plus intéressant par rapport au premier avec une longue intrigue qui est intéressante à partir du dernier quart du roman. J'ai mis du temps à accrocher à cette lecture.
October 6, 2018
Un superbe voyage culturelle.
J'ai adoré cette première enquête.
J'ai adoré cette première enquête.
December 18, 2018
Fast read...
Never knew much about Freemasons.... Now I'll have to read more. Fast paced and just enough narrative to keep the flow going and the interest high!
Never knew much about Freemasons.... Now I'll have to read more. Fast paced and just enough narrative to keep the flow going and the interest high!
December 22, 2020
For me - awesome! A struggle between good (Freemasonry) and bad (The Order of Thule), between past and present. I love this!!!
February 10, 2021
ce que j'aime bien dans cet oeuvre, c'est la souplesse de la naration et la simple complexité des evenements qui nous laisse impatients pour lire la suite.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 106 reviews