Dominus

Dominus #1

by Tom Fox

The Vatican Cathedral is packed to the rafters as Pope Gregory XVII leads the congregation in mass. A cloaked stranger steps suddenly and fearlessly towards the altar and commands the wheelchair-bound Pope to stand.

He does.

The miracle stops the world in its tracks. Who is this stranger?

More miraculous events follow and as the Vatican retreats and closes its doors to the world, journalist Alexander Trecchio and police officer Gabriella Fierro set out to find an explanation that might calm an increasingly hysterical nation.

Because the question on everyone's lips is what the stranger's arrival might mean...and whether it finally heralds the End of Days.

DOMINUS is a relentless conspiracy thriller that will leave you every bit as breathless as Dan Brown's Robert Langdon novels and Simon Toyne's SANCTUS

Genres: Thriller, Fiction, Mystery, Mystery Thriller

400 pages, Paperback

First published June 18, 2015

About the author

FROM THE PUBLISHER: Tom Fox's storytelling emerges out of many years spent in academia, working on the history of the Christian Church. A respected authority on that subject, he has recently turned his attentions towards exploring the new stories that can be drawn out of its mysterious dimensions. Dominus is Tom's first novel, published together with twin novellae: Genesis and Exodus. He is a fan of the fast-paced thriller, whose books are published by Headline and Quercus.

FROM TOM: Tom pets cats, routinely spills coffee, and is mildly certain that everything in the world, including his writing this sentence, is a huge conspiracy. He has never trained a dragon, and is only occasionally mistaken for Stephen Fry when walking down the street.

Reviews

[Maureen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a rather unconventional way to start a review, but I want to talk about the END of this book. The latter part of this story was not only a breathtaking roller coaster ride, but there were some very strange events, that have left me with more questions than answers. That's not a criticism though, I think that's a good thing sometimes. ( Well, I'M still thinking about it anyway ).


Back to the beginning then, the setting is The Vatican, and there's a conspiracy to discredit The Pope, and the Catholic Church in general. For anyone who stands in the way of this plot, there's certain death. Around this time a stranger appears at the Papal Mass, and he seems to have a strange calming effect on everyone in his presence, including Pope Gregory. Some unbelievable things take place after this stranger turns up, but who is he? Is this the Second coming or is it part of the conspiracy? Alexander, is an ex-priest, and together with Gabriella, a police officer, they investigate just what's really going on. The action is absolutely relentless, a real thriller of a ride, and I for one can't wait for the follow up.

* Thank you to Netgalley and Headline publishing for my free copy*

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

First and foremost, a large thank you to NetGalley, Tom Fox, and Quercus (US) for providing me with a copy of this book, which allows me to provide you with this review.

As if heeding the call of reviewers and fans after his initial short story in this series, Fox delivers in spades, again diving into conspiracies as they relate to the Catholic Church and the Vatican. When a stranger appears inside St. Peter's Basilica, everything seems to stop. The Swiss Guard fall to their knees as the stranger approaches, allowing him to pass and approach the Pope, crippled and wheelchair-bound his entire life. In an event paralleling happenings in the New Testament, the Pope rises and is able to walk when summoned to do so. Thereafter, the Supreme Pontiff ushers this man away into his private residences to talk and espouse the miracle that has just taken place. As amateur cellphone footage of the event begins blasting its way online, former priest-cum-journalist Alexander Trecchio is assigned the task of trying to determine what happened within the Vatican and pinpoint the identity of the man of mystery. No one is talking and no leads are forthcoming, forcing Trecchio to turn to his own research. After tracking down two academics who, through the world of the 140 character rebuttal, have been speaking out against the miraculous events seen by most of the world, Trecchio ventures out for answers. Before he can arrive to speak to them, both been brutally murdered. Unsure where else he can turn, Trecchio contacts Inspector Gabriella Fierro of the Polizia di Stato, a former romantic interest and partner on another Vatican-based investigation two years before. While Trecchio is sure there is something that is being covered-up, Fierro is shackled by her superiors and told not to investigate whatsoever. However, she agrees to meet Trecchio and they commence their own sleuthing, not deterred when they become targets in a high-velocity shootout. Suddenly, a collection of blind children are spontaneously able to see and a group of terminally-ill cancer patients show no signs of disease moments after the Pope speaks publicly of his healing. Pundits the world over are convinced that this 'stranger' must have some power, with miracles cropping up since he his initial appearance. One final event, a dead girl coming back to life, divides the world; divine acts or complete hoax? Meanwhile, Global Capital Italia's CEO, Caterina Amato, sits in her offices, surrounded by a cabal of men who seek to capitalise on all these events, hoping to penetrate deep inside the Vatican to its most vulnerable core. Trecchio and Fierro soon find a link between the miracles and a powerful arm within the Vatican, hoping to unveil it, but Amato will stop at nothing to ensure her plan comes to fruition. As the race to reveal truth becomes central, Fox takes the reader through a fast-pace exploration of the inner workings of the Holy See and attempts to place faith and proof under the proverbial microscope. A fascinating thriller that will pull readers in from the opening pages, Fox delivers and shows his potential as a first-rate writer in the genre.

I love a good Vatican conspiracy thriller, as I mentioned when reviewing Fox's previous short story. Where there were significant issues with presentation and layout before, this story rectifies that and offers readers something substantial on many levels. Fox takes a strong foundational premise and develops it in numerous ways. The characters are strong, stemming from the two protagonists whose backstory is fleshed out a little more. Working with Trecchio and Vierro, the reader develops a necessary connection, while also remaining piqued by this stranger who appears from nowhere. While it may have a slightly predictable spin, the strong and devious antagonist also helps keep the novel's pace moving and forces the reader to wonder just how deeply this 'plan' runs to infiltrate the Vatican. Fox uses a strong narrative and credible dialogue to propel the story forward, while also honing the short-chapter technique that fits perfectly with the numerous cliffhanger moments embedded throughout. Alongside these ingredients for a great thriller, Fox presents the reader with the inevitable religious/faith spin, while also pushing a 'seeing the light' moment, but does so in a relatively tame fashion, keeping those from all (or no) faith bases appeased enough, understanding full-well that the Catholic-centric nature of the discussion is expected. Fox developed a wonderful full-length novel in this story, picking up many of the loose threads left dangling in the prequel. Can he follow this great piece with another winner? We shall soon see, as the sequel (also a short story) is next on my reading list.

Kudos, Mr. Fox for a great book. I am pleased that I gave you a second chance to redeem yourself and show your true colours.

Like/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/

[Andy Wormald · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book, for a debut novel it is rollercoaster of a read which bodes well for future books by the author.

A conspiracy to disgrace the Pope starts with a miracle soon followed by the sudden deaths of those who get in the way, as Alexander and Gabriella start to uncover the truth they realise the dangers that lie ahead, as the body count grows and the truths revealed, can the pope survive with his life.

Thanks to the writing and plotting the story flows at a fast pace and builds to a great end. whether or not the events could happen are irrelevant as they certainly are made to believe to plausible which makes for great story and terrific read, also a real page turner and one that I found hard to put down.

I look forward to reading more by this author

[Tucinkata · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5
Абсурден антагонист и досадни протагонисти.😃

[Ruci Tukana · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you ask me which book I'll read 4 times, its Tom Fox' s Dominus!

Fox knows how to glue his readers from the very first page to the end.

The characters are real life people - their atmospheric portrayal is so real .
Their actions are faster than the pulse beat especially the journalist and his Police Officer counterpart .

Caterina, the business tycoon is so bold! Yes, this Italy, this the Vatican City- THIS IS THE STORY!! I admire the way she handles her business. She could have been duped a real - life Mafia.

I read this novel in one sitting . One thing that continues to grab my attention is the vivid descriptions of the places in Italy. Its like I am actually standing outside St Peters Basilica and witnessing the shooting and the assassination by the brothers or standing by River Tiber watching the police retrieving the bodies floating.


Tom Fox - please write some more!!

[Антоанета · Rating 3 out of 5]

Започнах силно вдъхновена тази книга. Анотацията предлагаше примамливи неща - проглеждане на слепи, излекуване на безнадеждно болни, прохождане на сакати и дори възкръсване на мъртви. Доста бързо след началото обаче разбрах, че книгата няма да е точно това, което съм очаквала. Рязко пада нивото и книгата става просто някакво криминале с жилки на мистерия и то от тези дето не се помнят дълго. Някакъв журналист, който дори не става за журналист и полицайка, която е искала преди всичко да бъде монахиня се впускат в разследване на афери от доста високо ниво, опитват се да разобличат големи корпорации като през цялото време се измъкват от смъртта преследвани от двамата най-велики убийци, на които никой преди не им се е опънал. Толкова скалъпено, че чак захаросано. Та и папата спасяват от смърт и изобщо голяма каша.

[RG · Rating 2 out of 5]

Church/religious conspiracy thriller. I've read some better versions of this type of novel.

[Zippergirl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Do you believe in miracles? Suspend your disbelief and enter the deepest, most private salons of Vatican City. Follow a defrocked priest, once a member of the Roman Curia, and a police inspector, a woman of faith who carries a cheap set of purple rosary beads in her pocket, on an investigation into murder, fraud and, yes, miracles. It will lead them inside the walls of the world’s smallest nation state, and into the Papal Palace, home to Pope Gregory, a reformer on a mission to clean up the Church.

The baffling healings begin in front of thousands in St. Peter’s Cathedral and photos and videos of the astonishing event go viral within moments. The reader is swept up in the wonderment; are these miracles a sign from God, or would the “world discover that its great spiritual leader was a feeble toy caught out by fraudulent deception?”

Dominus is filled with skeptics, corrupt priests and cops, dupes, unscrupulous business leaders, and good and holy men and women. Murder, assassinations, and some ‘wow’ moments keep the thrills coming at breakneck speed. The best Vatican thriller in recent memory.

I received this book in exchange for an honest review.

[J.F. Penn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fantastic opening at St Peters followed by a good conspiracy thriller plot. Not the ending I hoped for, but still an excellent read. A must for Dan Brown-a-holics

[Tempo de Ler · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dominus torna-se mais e mais interessante a cada desenvolvimento.
Dúvida, cepticismo e muita curiosidade misturam-se num livro que, com um ritmo veloz, vário pontos de vista e imensas coisas a acontecer ao mesmo tempo dificilmente deixará o leitor aborrecido.

As vidas de Gabriella e Alexander vltam a cruzar-se e eles acabam por viver horas de enorme acção e perigo, por entre as quais descobrem que o sentimento que nutrem um pelo outro ainda existe. No centro da narrativa está uma conspiração que parte de dentro do próprio Vaticano para denegrir a reputação e a credibilidade do Papa - as reformas que este tem feito e pretende fazer à igreja católica não são bem vistas por todos...

Tom Fox deixa algumas questões por responder, o que pode constituir fonte de descontentamento para alguns leitores; pessoalmente gostei da ambiguidade e, embora não tenha simpatizado especialmente com os protagonistas tenho interesse em acompanhá-los no próximo livro porque gostei da história e da forma como o escritor escolheu conduzi-la.

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hugely entertaining and well-written thriller that takes place in and around the Vatican - when a stranger heals the Pope of a lifelong affliction, is it the work of God or man? An intriguing premise and an enjoyable read.

[Петър Панчев · Rating 4 out of 5]

Конспирация или чудо насред Ватикана
(Цялото ревю е тук: https://knijenpetar.wordpress.com/201...)

Ако тази книга не ми беше препоръчана, едва ли щях да я чета. Но така се случва: от разговор към разговор, „Dominus“ („Ибис“, 2015, с превод на Коста Сивов) си намери мястото сред другите чакащи за прочит книги и редът ѝ дойде няколко месеца по-късно. Всъщност отдавна не чета за конспирации и религия в трилъров вариант, но, както често се случва, подаръкът за рождения ти ден е вълшебно действие и нещата стоят на съвсем различна основа. :) Дан Браун пък се появява достатъчно рядко, тъй че не ми се налага да се втренчвам в заразителните конспиративни теории. А книгата на Том Фокс се оказа доста внимателно изпипана, дори ми направи впечатление доброто разпределение на важните ситуации и сцени, от които зависи разплитането на загадката. Главите са къси и добре фокусирани, като в рамките им се случват достатъчно любопитни неща, за да държат в напрежение. Може би все още на мога да свикна с писането „по калъп“, което личи в изграждането на героите и отношенията им, дори в собствените им възгледи (в случая настоящи и бивши вярващи), но при Том Фокс има и прекрасна идея, развита с внимание и голяма доза ексклузивност. Дори незаинтересован човек ще прозре, че връзката на папата с някакво чудо е доста интригуваща, особено когато самият той е обектът му. Но да видим как са нещата отвътре…
(Продължава в блога: https://knijenpetar.wordpress.com/201...)

[Kerry Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent from start to finish, with a great twist.

[Miss Marple · Rating 2 out of 5]

Две звезди, а не една, защото се чете бързо. Адски предвидима книга.

[Mojca · Rating 1 out of 5]

A stranger walks into St. Peter's basilica in the Vatican City, strolls by the Swiss Guard right to the crippled Pope and commands him to stand...This is just one of the miracles happening around Italy in the short period after the stranger's stroll down the nave of the basilica.

Those who cry fraud are promptly silenced, but there are two, an ex-priest turned journalist and his unrequited flame, a police inspector, that won't back down no matter what.

Is the stranger truly miraculous or just a good con-artist, how to explain the other "miracles" and just who is holding the strings...And why.



What caught my eye while browsing in the fiction section in the airport bookstore, was the promise of being left breathless as while reading Dan Brown's Robert Langon novels. Unfortunately, it didn't deliver on that promise.

It was slow going from the start, only picking up pace (slightly!) when there was a murder, shooting, or a run-for-your-life situation, the quasi romance angle thrown into the mix was utterly unnecessary, unbelievable, and a complete waste of pages, only adding to the book's snooze-factor.
The suspense had much to be desired in the originality department—it sounded rehashed and refurbished, more along the lines of "been-there-read-that", the pacing was (as mentioned) slow as hell (when it should've gone out with the bang at the end, it fizzled out with a whimper), and the whole talk of miracles and speculation as to the true nature of the "stranger" rather annoying for a non-believer.

I simply wasn't convinced. Needless to say I couldn't care less about the minuscule cliffhanger in the end that promises more in the "electrifying sequel".

Don't make promises you can't keep.

[Carla Marques · Rating 3 out of 5]

Não é bem o meu tipo de leitura, por isso custa sempre mais a ler.
Não é um mau livro, mas a mim não me disse nada porque eu não gosto muito de ler sobre religião.
opinião completa em: https://aviciadadoslivros.blogspot.co...

[Sonia Cristina · Rating 2 out of 5]

Tinha expetativas altas para este livro, infelizmente não se concretizaram e tenho muita pena. A premissa era boa, mas acabou por não me convencer.

[Dísir · Rating 3 out of 5]

‘Dominus’ very bravely follows in the template of the sort of mystery-spiritual thrillers (unfortunately) made the default by Dan Brown’s Robert Langdon novels over the past decade or so: a mysterious character apparently capable of miraculous deeds, jaded protagonists who rush to unscramble the confusing events that follow, all within a historically and religiously significant setting. Events unfold and are recorded ‘real-time’, almost like a news broadcast that cuts between locations, leaving the reader to piece together a growing mystery that will take more than one brilliant mind (like Robert Langdon), less hyperbolic leaps of logic and art-historical mangling to solve.

The first few pages are sufficiently intriguing to make you feel like you’ve just indulged in a guilty pleasure; a crippled Pop stands to his feet just as a body washes up the Tiber river. A faith-lapsed journalist and a pious Catholic police officer - both low on the totem pole of ranks - are called to investigate the rumours that are spreading like wildfire, until they find themselves running for their lives when they touch the evil that seeps in from the ancient cracks of stones that form the foundation of Rome and the Vatican. The action is unrelenting and there is a hardly pause for breath as we, like Alexander and Gabriella, are plunged straight into the shady business of the curia and the entanglements that actually account for good plot twists and startling revelations.

If ‘Dominus’ has been touted as a high-octane thriller, it certainly delivers as an entertaining and engaging read, even if some instances call for deliberate self-reminders to suspend all disbelief. Yet it’s more than a decent debut, and imaginative enough for me to keep an eye on Tom Fox.

*ARC by netgalley
(Always grateful for conspiracies, mind

[David Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dominus is a fast paced thriller that keeps you entertained from the very start. When ‘the stranger’ walks in to a packed Vatican Cathedral and commands wheelchair-bound Pope Gregory XVII to stand, and he does unaided, you know you are hooked and want to know what happens next. Does the world experience a divine miracle of God or a man-made deadly conspiracy? Well you won’t be disappointed as Tom Fox leads us on a merry dance full of half-truths, heroes and shady characters. An excellent read that builds to an exciting and satisfying finale you’ll want to discover for yourself.

Alexander is a journalist at the La Repubblica newspaper in Rome, while Gabriella is an Inspector at Polizia di Stato, Monteverde also in Rome. Both have bosses that they don’t get along with and their paths have crossed in the distant past. When the story breaks of the ‘miracle’ at the Vatican, they find themselves thrown together when they begin to uncover some shocking possibilities. The action never really slows as their lives become threatened and dark figures move to stop their investigation and maybe even try to shake the very foundations of the church.

All in all I found this a very good read which held my interest as the action was pretty much relentless. Lost in the story, it seemed credible, the characters were believable and most importantly I enjoyed the ending. I’m happy to recommend it and hope you’ll like it as much as I did. Well worth a read.

[Jo-anne Atkinson · Rating 3 out of 5]

On the same day that a group of cancer sufferers are found to be clear of disease and a group of blind children suddenly can see, a stranger walks into a service at St Peter's and the previously crippled Pope can now walk. The problem is that the latter event is not linked to the former. A plot is afoot to discredit the Pope and the Church and the stranger has arrived in the midst of this. Alexander is a former priest turned journalist who follows up leads about the 'miracles' and finds one of his contacts dead. He teams up with Gabriella, a glamorous police officer and his former amour, to investigate and the trail leads from high fiancee to a corruption at the heart of the Vatican.

This book is a fast read. It's a fairly formulaic thriller which doesn't really tie up all the loose ends, so one knows that there is a sequel in the offing. The plot is predictable and the writing adequate for this genre. I did enjoy it, but that was mainly because it didn't require a lot of concentration and was quickly finished.

[Mary · Rating 2 out of 5]

I got this book to fill in time while I traveled on a plane and it was perfect for that. Some things seem a bit odd but won't try to think too hard about it. It doesn't feel believable but it probably wasn't meant to.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book really gripped me from the start. Set in and around the Vatican it is a rather in the style of Dan Brown - but in my opinion better. Having recently visited Rome it had an added draw for me. Exciting plot twists and plenty of action made this a page turner for me.

[Mariana Leal · Rating 2 out of 5]

Opinião completa: https://thebooknitpicker.com/dominus-...

[Jennifer Moville · Rating 5 out of 5]

received this as part of Good Reads First Reads
What can I say ? - WOW !

What a book - from the first pages until the last I was hooked. As a Dan Brown fan and this book being along those lines I was intrigued by the story and from day one I just didn't want to put the book down
Roller coaster is understating it - a conspiracy to bring down the Pope leads to mystery and intrigue as miracles happen and the world wants to know who the person behind them is
A book to recommend for all fans of Dan Brown, history or mystery novels - this book is for all

[Sml8890 · Rating 2 out of 5]

enjoyed the story very much, good characters but the writing was torturous. I couldn't enjoy two thirds of the book because it felt extremely constructed and had sentences like: but he would soon regret this....so she set her plans in motion....
Instead of letting the story evolve itself it constantly wanted to tell me that there was more to come...the best part was though, that about halfway through I had figured out what was going on. The last third of the book was better because the foreboding had stopped but as it turns out I was right about the conclusion.

[Sally · Rating 2 out of 5]

I feel a bit mean giving this only two stars but really it is SO far fetched I could not give it more. If you are a fan of Dan Brown then you will love it - its a face paced silly caper that you really have to suspend belief to read - great holiday read but do not expect to have to think much about it!!

[Matthew · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely brilliant, book...so good I hardly wanted if to end. Brilliantly written, expect a lot more from Mr Fox now.

[Pat · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting conspiracy thriller, which I enjoyed very much.


Won this novel in Goodreads First read giveaway.

[Chris Cousins]

Miracle or Fraud. A great story in the tradition of Dan Brown. Still wondering at the end..

[Pamela · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pope Gregory XVII, a wheelchair user, is leading a very well-attended mass in the Vatican Cathedral, when a mysterious, charismatic but silent stranger walks purposefully up to the Pope and commands the Pontiff to stand. Miraculously, he does so. The Pope is cured of his disability. An ordinary man seems to be exerting an extra-ordinary presence over traditional Roman Catholic pomp, power and authority, and the Vatican begins to close its doors, preferring secrecy over openness about what this amazing event can mean as the population outside its walls speculates.

Alexander Trecchio, an ex-Roman Catholic priest now journalist at the La Repubblica newspaper in Rome, joins forces with a figure from his past, Inspector Gabriella Fierro, from the Polizia di Stato, Monteverde, to investigate this and other “miracles” that seem to follow. Are they miracles? Or are they lies and deceit preferred over truth?

This fast-paced thriller, quickly finished, was an easy yet enjoyable read. It was sent to me by Goodreads to review but I had to wait before I could read it as it was snaffled by my husband who espied it and was inspired to read it. He loved it. I considered that it was clear that the general formula for a successful thriller has been followed to great effect. The author’s knowledge of the workings of the Roman Catholic Church is clearly extensive, thus lending substantial authenticity to the plot, but an MP7 has a really effective firing range of approximately 200 metres, as opposed to the 600 metres (at night) which appears in the book. However, this is a small detail that doesn’t really detract from what is a quick enjoyable thriller. I wonder if there is to be a sequel? The book certainly lends itself to one being written and my husband is certainly keen to read more from this author.