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In the Wake of Golgotha
Win a free print copy of this book!
13 days and 03:04:14
10 copies available
U.S. only
"A bold, ambitious, sprawling epic of literary fiction . . . Grace establishes a sense of timeless terror from the very first page." -SAN FRANCISCO BOOK REVIEW
There is no crime to fit this sentence; there is no sentence to fit this crime. Roman Prefect Pontius Pilate's words are echoed by the zealot Judas Iscariot only hours before history takes a bloody turn on a cross atop Golgotha on Calvary Hill. Two thousand years later, these words are found scrawled in blood in New York next to three crucified men hanging on a basement wall.
Judas, now Jude Issachar, an enigmatic social worker and part-time professor, and Pontius, now Peter Pheiffer, an unsettled defense attorney at a ravenous global law firm, have lived many lifetimes since their original encounter. However, Jude is aware of his past and is cursed by the fateful lure of the noose and the tree. Peter is damned by a recurring ignorance, a cruel cyclical awakening that creeps up on him as he is compelled to defend a sociopath who crucified three men.
Condemned for their role in humankind's darkest betrayal, they must reckon with their pasts-and their futures-after a fateful, bloody collision of violence and addiction two millennia after their sentence began brings these lost souls together once more.
There is no crime to fit this sentence; there is no sentence to fit this crime. Roman Prefect Pontius Pilate's words are echoed by the zealot Judas Iscariot only hours before history takes a bloody turn on a cross atop Golgotha on Calvary Hill. Two thousand years later, these words are found scrawled in blood in New York next to three crucified men hanging on a basement wall.
Judas, now Jude Issachar, an enigmatic social worker and part-time professor, and Pontius, now Peter Pheiffer, an unsettled defense attorney at a ravenous global law firm, have lived many lifetimes since their original encounter. However, Jude is aware of his past and is cursed by the fateful lure of the noose and the tree. Peter is damned by a recurring ignorance, a cruel cyclical awakening that creeps up on him as he is compelled to defend a sociopath who crucified three men.
Condemned for their role in humankind's darkest betrayal, they must reckon with their pasts-and their futures-after a fateful, bloody collision of violence and addiction two millennia after their sentence began brings these lost souls together once more.
- GenresFiction
414 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 3, 2026
About the author
Daniel Grace
1 book21 followersDANIEL GRACE is a London born, California bred, former owner of an international advertising agency who produces critically acclaimed Tuscan wines at his family winery, Il Molino di Grace, in Panzano-in-Chianti, Italy. He is a storyteller by trade and a mythologist at heart. Daniel splits his time between San Francisco and Tuscany with his wife, three daughters and English Setter. In the Wake of Golgotha is his debut novel.
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
Did Not Finish
March 22, 2026DNF @9%
This book sounds way better than it reads. This might have been in part due to the galley copy I got being formatted appallingly. It had no cover image, random returns in the text that breaks the flow of the story and lots of unnecessary detail added for each new scene and character introduced.
I understand that this book has a theme of religion or religious history, but the opening scenes were so explicitly religious and preachy it immediately put me off the story. I pushed through to the modern day storyline but the themes of religion and faith was simply too strong for my tastes.
The writing is ornate at best, flowery and overwritten at worst. Some of the scenes are engaging but I found myself skimming a lot of the detail.
*Note: I was provided an electronic copy of this book from Netgalley*
This book sounds way better than it reads. This might have been in part due to the galley copy I got being formatted appallingly. It had no cover image, random returns in the text that breaks the flow of the story and lots of unnecessary detail added for each new scene and character introduced.
I understand that this book has a theme of religion or religious history, but the opening scenes were so explicitly religious and preachy it immediately put me off the story. I pushed through to the modern day storyline but the themes of religion and faith was simply too strong for my tastes.
The writing is ornate at best, flowery and overwritten at worst. Some of the scenes are engaging but I found myself skimming a lot of the detail.
*Note: I was provided an electronic copy of this book from Netgalley*
April 1, 2026
An intriguing jambalaya of words that goes back-and-forth from events that occurred 2,000 years ago to modern life in NYC even quoting lyrics of modern songs.
Jude Issachar, a social worker and professor at Calcutta Community College in NYC is the incarnation of Judas Iscariot, the world’s most renown villain as the betrayer of Jesus Christ. He has vivid recollections of his first life but none of the other ones. Peter Pheiffer, a Harvard educated defense lawyer, is the incarnation of Pontius Pilate but his recollection of those days are sporadic dreams. Balthazar Bedrossian, an MRI technician with no criminal record brutally kills three individuals and crucifies them in his basement. He apparently knows of Peter’s true identity & hires him to defend him.
The facts seem to line up with historical assumptions though not sure of the depiction narrated in the Prologue.
Well written though at times it wonders aimlessly but overall thought provoking. Interesting ending.
Jude Issachar, a social worker and professor at Calcutta Community College in NYC is the incarnation of Judas Iscariot, the world’s most renown villain as the betrayer of Jesus Christ. He has vivid recollections of his first life but none of the other ones. Peter Pheiffer, a Harvard educated defense lawyer, is the incarnation of Pontius Pilate but his recollection of those days are sporadic dreams. Balthazar Bedrossian, an MRI technician with no criminal record brutally kills three individuals and crucifies them in his basement. He apparently knows of Peter’s true identity & hires him to defend him.
The facts seem to line up with historical assumptions though not sure of the depiction narrated in the Prologue.
Well written though at times it wonders aimlessly but overall thought provoking. Interesting ending.
Review of advance copy received from Author
In the Wake of Golgotha braids the crucifixion story with a dark, present day New York crime narrative. Judas and Pilate walk the earth again as Jude Issachar, a social worker and literature instructor with a secret habit of controlled self-hanging, and Peter Pheiffer, a corporate lawyer drifting into a death penalty case that begins to wake an old guilt he cannot name. Around them moves Balthazar Bedrossian, an MRI tech who turns into a crucifixion-obsessed serial killer and leaves three men nailed to crosses in a Chinatown basement, with a bloody message that echoes words spoken on Calvary. The book moves between Golgotha, courtrooms, shelters, subways, and art museums. It treats time like a loop rather than a line. The result is a theological thriller about responsibility, addiction, justice, and the long reach of one moment on a hill.
The prose is lush and sensory, full of heat, dust, blood, and cramped city air, then suddenly snaps into something clipped and almost conversational. I liked that swing. It kept me slightly off balance, in a good way, and it fit a story where characters feel unmoored from their own lives. At times, the sentences pile up, and the metaphors jostle for space, and I caught myself rereading a passage not because I missed a plot point, but because the language had become thick and crowded. When the book slows down and lets a simple image stand alone, like the quiet of a homeless shelter after breakfast or the tap of a condemned man’s bare feet, it lands very hard.
The ideas in this novel gave me a lot to think about. The reincarnation of Judas, fully aware of his past betrayal, turns guilt into a chronic condition rather than a single act, and I felt the weight of that on Jude’s shoulders every time he touched his neck. Peter’s arc hit me in a different way. He walks around convinced he is an ordinary guy who chose corporate comfort, then finds himself face to face with a killer who recreates crucifixion while a hidden past claws its way into the light. That mix of legal procedure, spiritual dread, and moral confusion made the courtroom scenes genuinely tense for me, even before any supernatural hints came in. The book obsesses over punishment and mercy, over how a single choice repeats through history, and it keeps asking whether anyone can ever really start fresh. I finished sections feeling uneasy, but also weirdly moved, like I had been invited into a long argument between God, the devil, and everybody who ever stood between them.
In the Wake of Golgotha is not a casual beach read. It leans into graphic violence, addiction, death row procedure, and heavy spiritual questions, and it rarely lets the reader off the hook. I would recommend it to people who like literary crime fiction that has a strong theological spine, to readers who enjoy novels that play with myth and scripture, and to anyone willing to sit with messy questions about blame and forgiveness. If you are up for a dark, ambitious story that blends ancient sorrow with modern city grit, I think it is worth your time.
The prose is lush and sensory, full of heat, dust, blood, and cramped city air, then suddenly snaps into something clipped and almost conversational. I liked that swing. It kept me slightly off balance, in a good way, and it fit a story where characters feel unmoored from their own lives. At times, the sentences pile up, and the metaphors jostle for space, and I caught myself rereading a passage not because I missed a plot point, but because the language had become thick and crowded. When the book slows down and lets a simple image stand alone, like the quiet of a homeless shelter after breakfast or the tap of a condemned man’s bare feet, it lands very hard.
The ideas in this novel gave me a lot to think about. The reincarnation of Judas, fully aware of his past betrayal, turns guilt into a chronic condition rather than a single act, and I felt the weight of that on Jude’s shoulders every time he touched his neck. Peter’s arc hit me in a different way. He walks around convinced he is an ordinary guy who chose corporate comfort, then finds himself face to face with a killer who recreates crucifixion while a hidden past claws its way into the light. That mix of legal procedure, spiritual dread, and moral confusion made the courtroom scenes genuinely tense for me, even before any supernatural hints came in. The book obsesses over punishment and mercy, over how a single choice repeats through history, and it keeps asking whether anyone can ever really start fresh. I finished sections feeling uneasy, but also weirdly moved, like I had been invited into a long argument between God, the devil, and everybody who ever stood between them.
In the Wake of Golgotha is not a casual beach read. It leans into graphic violence, addiction, death row procedure, and heavy spiritual questions, and it rarely lets the reader off the hook. I would recommend it to people who like literary crime fiction that has a strong theological spine, to readers who enjoy novels that play with myth and scripture, and to anyone willing to sit with messy questions about blame and forgiveness. If you are up for a dark, ambitious story that blends ancient sorrow with modern city grit, I think it is worth your time.
April 16, 2026
In the Wake of Golgotha by Daniel Grace is a dark, metaphysical literary thriller that fuses historical religious mythology with contemporary crime fiction to explore cycles of guilt, identity, and moral recursion across millennia.
The novel’s premise bridges ancient history and modern legal drama, reimagining Judas Iscariot and Pontius Pilate as modern figures bound to repeating patterns of violence, memory, and consequence. This dual timeline structure creates a persistent tension between fate and reinvention, suggesting that certain moral wounds persist regardless of time or social context.
Grace uses the crucifixion of three men in a modern New York setting as a catalyst for unraveling buried identities and long-dormant recognition. The investigation is less procedural than existential, focusing on how responsibility echoes across lives and how recognition of past actions can fracture present stability.
The character of Jude Issachar, aware of his historical identity, provides the story’s most compelling psychological anchor. His awareness of recurrence introduces themes of inevitability and burdened consciousness, while Peter Pheiffer’s cyclical ignorance creates a contrasting perspective on denial and moral awakening.
Stylistically, the novel blends legal thriller pacing with theological allegory, creating a narrative that is both structurally grounded and symbolically dense. The result is a story that prioritizes philosophical tension over conventional resolution, asking readers to sit with ambiguity rather than closure.
In the Wake of Golgotha stands as a provocative and ambitious work of speculative theological fiction, particularly suited for readers drawn to morally complex narratives that reinterpret historical and religious figures through a modern psychological lens.
The novel’s premise bridges ancient history and modern legal drama, reimagining Judas Iscariot and Pontius Pilate as modern figures bound to repeating patterns of violence, memory, and consequence. This dual timeline structure creates a persistent tension between fate and reinvention, suggesting that certain moral wounds persist regardless of time or social context.
Grace uses the crucifixion of three men in a modern New York setting as a catalyst for unraveling buried identities and long-dormant recognition. The investigation is less procedural than existential, focusing on how responsibility echoes across lives and how recognition of past actions can fracture present stability.
The character of Jude Issachar, aware of his historical identity, provides the story’s most compelling psychological anchor. His awareness of recurrence introduces themes of inevitability and burdened consciousness, while Peter Pheiffer’s cyclical ignorance creates a contrasting perspective on denial and moral awakening.
Stylistically, the novel blends legal thriller pacing with theological allegory, creating a narrative that is both structurally grounded and symbolically dense. The result is a story that prioritizes philosophical tension over conventional resolution, asking readers to sit with ambiguity rather than closure.
In the Wake of Golgotha stands as a provocative and ambitious work of speculative theological fiction, particularly suited for readers drawn to morally complex narratives that reinterpret historical and religious figures through a modern psychological lens.
November 8, 2025
Daniel Grace’s debut novel is a bold, mythic meditation on guilt, redemption, and the long shadow of betrayal. Echoing across two millennia, In the Wake of Golgotha entwines ancient history with modern horror, as three crucified bodies discovered in a New York basement summon the ghosts of Calvary Hill.
Jude Issachar and Peter Pheiffer—reincarnations of Judas Iscariot and Pontius Pilate—are cursed to relive the consequences of their fateful choices. Grace’s prose is rich and evocative, steeped in philosophical weight and psychological nuance. The narrative moves with a dreamlike intensity, where time folds and memory bleeds, and the past is never truly past.
This is not a conventional thriller—it’s a literary reckoning. A story of addiction, violence, and the aching desire for absolution. Grace writes with the precision of a mythologist and the heart of a poet, crafting a tale that is as unsettling as it is profound.
A daring, unforgettable debut that asks: what does it mean to be condemned—and can the condemned ever be redeemed?
With thanks to Daniel Grace, the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC.
Jude Issachar and Peter Pheiffer—reincarnations of Judas Iscariot and Pontius Pilate—are cursed to relive the consequences of their fateful choices. Grace’s prose is rich and evocative, steeped in philosophical weight and psychological nuance. The narrative moves with a dreamlike intensity, where time folds and memory bleeds, and the past is never truly past.
This is not a conventional thriller—it’s a literary reckoning. A story of addiction, violence, and the aching desire for absolution. Grace writes with the precision of a mythologist and the heart of a poet, crafting a tale that is as unsettling as it is profound.
A daring, unforgettable debut that asks: what does it mean to be condemned—and can the condemned ever be redeemed?
With thanks to Daniel Grace, the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC.
May 1, 2026
I'll bet you never thought you might root for Judas Iscariot. Grace's clever, unique book is part thriller, part historical fiction and a deep reflection on what it means to repent and forgive. Its ingenious premise - a modern day reincarnation and meeting of Judas and Pilate who each have been existing along us for millennia - along with his retelling of their origin stories - provides a spark that will ignite your imagination and make you question what you think you know about these two complicated characters. He dives deeply into their histories and their complicated psyches. Grounding these two mystical forces on the gritty streets of NYC is a smart twist that makes this tale seem entirely plausible. Read this book - you will be entertained and challenged to think anew on two figures whose stories might just not be what you've been told.
April 21, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.
Whyyyyyyy did this book feel endless. I literally started reading it in December and now it's almost MAY and I still wouldn't be done if this book didn't literally vanish from my device within 24 hours. The premise was cool, but it dragged on so endlessly that I really couldn't enjoy it because I just wanted to be done 😭 I have to admit I probably skimmed the second half or so, so not giving a rating, but this book does feel super sluggish especially at the beginning and if you are unlucky like me, you continue to feel like it just won't. fucking. move. even when the plot picks up. Because why did the first chapter feel like it took 10 hours.
Whyyyyyyy did this book feel endless. I literally started reading it in December and now it's almost MAY and I still wouldn't be done if this book didn't literally vanish from my device within 24 hours. The premise was cool, but it dragged on so endlessly that I really couldn't enjoy it because I just wanted to be done 😭 I have to admit I probably skimmed the second half or so, so not giving a rating, but this book does feel super sluggish especially at the beginning and if you are unlucky like me, you continue to feel like it just won't. fucking. move. even when the plot picks up. Because why did the first chapter feel like it took 10 hours.
April 27, 2026
Definitivamente uno dei miglior libri tra migliaia che letto. Inaspettato collegamento tra il passato ed il presente.
È la lettura che tiene il lettore senza fiato con un forte desiderio di leggerlo tutto prima possibile. E di aspettare con ansia il secondo libro di questo brillante autore. Consiglio vivamente di leggerlo.
Definitely one of the best books of the thousands I've read. An unexpected connection between the past and the present.
It's a breath-taking read that leaves the reader wanting to read it all as soon as possible. And eagerly awaiting the second book by this brilliant author. I highly recommend it.
È la lettura che tiene il lettore senza fiato con un forte desiderio di leggerlo tutto prima possibile. E di aspettare con ansia il secondo libro di questo brillante autore. Consiglio vivamente di leggerlo.
Definitely one of the best books of the thousands I've read. An unexpected connection between the past and the present.
It's a breath-taking read that leaves the reader wanting to read it all as soon as possible. And eagerly awaiting the second book by this brilliant author. I highly recommend it.
March 6, 2026
I don’t read many books… but man, In the Wake of Golgotha by Daniel Grace was an absolutely fantastic read. From the first few pages I was completely hooked. The storytelling, the depth, the emotion — everything about it just pulls you in and keeps you turning the pages.
The way Grace writes is incredible. He brings the world and characters to life in a way that feels vivid and real, and you can tell an immense amount of thought and care went into every part of the book. It’s the kind of story that sticks with you even after you finish it.
The way Grace writes is incredible. He brings the world and characters to life in a way that feels vivid and real, and you can tell an immense amount of thought and care went into every part of the book. It’s the kind of story that sticks with you even after you finish it.
May 13, 2026
That was a wild, thought-provoking read. I wasn't sure about a reincarnation story involving Judas and Pilate, but the way it jumps from Golgotha to a modern basement with three crucified men in New York just grabbed me. Seeing Jude carry the weight of knowing his past while Peter keeps forgetting and repeating his mistakes felt painfully real. The courtroom drama with the sociopath client was tense, and the whole thing left me thinking about guilt and redemption for days. Not a light read, but a really unique one.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Riveting read! This is one of those books that you can’t wait to get back to at night. It’s cinematic in its storytelling; I felt like I was watching a dramatic action thriller with characters so resonant I found myself thinking about them even after I stepped away from the book. A standout first novel for this author. Can’t wait for the Netflix series, though it’ll be hard to compete w the book.
May 5, 2026
Intriguing Take On Infamous Key Characters
This was a very interesting take on the story of what happened to the villains in the story of Christ crucifixion. It follows Judas as he is eternally, tormented by the repeating of his own demise. Other mean figures from this are also included, but only Judas knows that it continuously is happening. this story was very intriguing kept my attention and was a very interesting take.
This was a very interesting take on the story of what happened to the villains in the story of Christ crucifixion. It follows Judas as he is eternally, tormented by the repeating of his own demise. Other mean figures from this are also included, but only Judas knows that it continuously is happening. this story was very intriguing kept my attention and was a very interesting take.
March 7, 2026
This book offers a compelling exploration of its central ideas, combining engaging storytelling with thoughtful insight. By the end, it leaves the reader with both a deeper understanding of the subject and lingering questions worth reflecting on.
May 3, 2026
A fascinating, fun, provocative read. The story is both a crime thriller and a philosophical musing on redemption, guilt and choice. The writing style calls to mind some of Stephen King coupled with Nikos Kazantzakis.
March 3, 2026
Riveting read from beginning to end. Thoughtful and thought provoking. Definitely a fresh and unique take on an age old story. Really enjoyed it.
March 5, 2026
Very good read! A friend recommended and I’m so glad he did. I am halfway through and loving it.
March 7, 2026
One of the best books you will ever read. I was intrigued from the start and couldn’t put it down. I absolutely loved it!
March 18, 2026
*I received this book from Goodreads Giveaways*
This is not my typical read, however, now I'm questioning "Why?"
This book pulls you right in and makes you feel as if you are right there.
This is not my typical read, however, now I'm questioning "Why?"
This book pulls you right in and makes you feel as if you are right there.
March 30, 2026
Thank you good reads for allowing me this book. I’m not sure how to honestly review it. For me it was good. I enjoyed reading it. It wasn’t a book that I was super enthralled with.
April 2, 2026
Ambitious take on an ancient tale. Superbly researched, I learned alot about characters that I thought I knew already.
Read
March 7, 2026Ambitiously conceived, and then brilliantly executed. 10/10
April 12, 2026
I had hoped this book would be my next five-star read, but sadly, it was not. It turned out to be very different from what I expected. I understood going in that it was fiction and might include imagined details or inaccuracies related to the crucifixion and other events in the story. However, the strong profanity was simply too much for me. I cannot enjoy books that use the GD word and the F word so frequently as if they are everyday language. That made me far too uncomfortable, so I returned the book and requested a refund. Unfortunately, I cannot recommend it for that reason.
May 12, 2026
Based off a GoodReads Giveaway
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews