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The Apocrypha Trilogy #2
The Jerusalem Code
A Father's Lock. A Dying Fragment. A Truth They'll Stop at Nothing to Bury.
Forty-seven hours. That's how long Ava Calloway has before the relic sealed beneath Jerusalem crumbles to dust and takes a fifteen-hundred-year-old secret with it.
She's the only one who can open it. The seal answers to her bloodline, and to two keys her father hid apart before he vanished; kept separate so no single hand could ever turn them alone.
Now Ava has his journal, the code only the two of them can read, and a single partner as hunted as she is.
The trail runs fast and dark, from the tunnels beneath Jerusalem to the porticoes of Bologna to the flooded cisterns under Istanbul. Some want the fragments sealed away forever. Others want them seized and controlled. Ava stays a step ahead of them all, but the closer she comes to the truth, the more it costs to keep moving.
One wrong move, and the secret her father gave his freedom to protect is gone for good.
The history is real. The conspiracy is human. The stakes have never been more personal.
For fans of Kate Mosse, Brad Meltzer, and Deborah Harkness, the second installment of The Apocrypha Trilogy delivers a heart-pounding journey of mystery, history, and suspense.
Forty-seven hours. That's how long Ava Calloway has before the relic sealed beneath Jerusalem crumbles to dust and takes a fifteen-hundred-year-old secret with it.
She's the only one who can open it. The seal answers to her bloodline, and to two keys her father hid apart before he vanished; kept separate so no single hand could ever turn them alone.
Now Ava has his journal, the code only the two of them can read, and a single partner as hunted as she is.
The trail runs fast and dark, from the tunnels beneath Jerusalem to the porticoes of Bologna to the flooded cisterns under Istanbul. Some want the fragments sealed away forever. Others want them seized and controlled. Ava stays a step ahead of them all, but the closer she comes to the truth, the more it costs to keep moving.
One wrong move, and the secret her father gave his freedom to protect is gone for good.
The history is real. The conspiracy is human. The stakes have never been more personal.
For fans of Kate Mosse, Brad Meltzer, and Deborah Harkness, the second installment of The Apocrypha Trilogy delivers a heart-pounding journey of mystery, history, and suspense.
346 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 1, 2026
About the author
D.A. Pryce
2 books7 followersI grew up Catholic, the daughter of an FBI agent. That meant my upbringing included two things simultaneously. Faith, with all its ritual and mystery, and the quiet certainty that every secret leaves a trail if you are patient enough to follow it.
I have always been the person who falls down the good rabbit hole. Curious about nearly everything, happiest three sources deep into some question most people never think to ask. The question that finally would not let me go was this: what happened to all the books that didn't make it into the Bible? The ones left out, argued over, quietly suppressed. Where did they go? I wondered whether the Vatican buried some of them and once I started wondering, I had to write my way toward an answer.
The road there was a winding one. I have worked in law, in politics, and plenty of places in between. That path taught me, almost by accident, exactly how powerful institutions protect the things they do not want found. It is the world all of my books live in, where the history is real and the conspiracies are human. The stakes are personal, and the people guarding the past will go to extraordinary lengths to keep it buried.
I research the way I write, on my feet. I have walked through the holy doors during the Jubilee, stood beside excavation sites where columns have waited since the first century, and felt the long shadow of the Vatican from inside Castel Sant'Angelo. From Rome to Istanbul to the Greek isles, I learned you write a place differently once you have stood in it.
The Apocrypha Trilogy began when Ava Calloway traced fragments tied to Mary Magdalene. The story of this figure, which people rewrote, debated, and deliberately buried for two thousand years, is central to the trilogy. But it was only the beginning. The D.A. Pryce Universe will expand with new characters, new conspiracies, and new corners of hidden history where someone always has a reason to keep the truth buried. The history is real. The questions are mine. And the world keeps expanding.
For readers who love the atmosphere of Kate Mosse, the conspiracies of Brad Meltzer, and the scholarly depth of Deborah Harkness, and want it all in one place.
I have always been the person who falls down the good rabbit hole. Curious about nearly everything, happiest three sources deep into some question most people never think to ask. The question that finally would not let me go was this: what happened to all the books that didn't make it into the Bible? The ones left out, argued over, quietly suppressed. Where did they go? I wondered whether the Vatican buried some of them and once I started wondering, I had to write my way toward an answer.
The road there was a winding one. I have worked in law, in politics, and plenty of places in between. That path taught me, almost by accident, exactly how powerful institutions protect the things they do not want found. It is the world all of my books live in, where the history is real and the conspiracies are human. The stakes are personal, and the people guarding the past will go to extraordinary lengths to keep it buried.
I research the way I write, on my feet. I have walked through the holy doors during the Jubilee, stood beside excavation sites where columns have waited since the first century, and felt the long shadow of the Vatican from inside Castel Sant'Angelo. From Rome to Istanbul to the Greek isles, I learned you write a place differently once you have stood in it.
The Apocrypha Trilogy began when Ava Calloway traced fragments tied to Mary Magdalene. The story of this figure, which people rewrote, debated, and deliberately buried for two thousand years, is central to the trilogy. But it was only the beginning. The D.A. Pryce Universe will expand with new characters, new conspiracies, and new corners of hidden history where someone always has a reason to keep the truth buried. The history is real. The questions are mine. And the world keeps expanding.
For readers who love the atmosphere of Kate Mosse, the conspiracies of Brad Meltzer, and the scholarly depth of Deborah Harkness, and want it all in one place.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
Review of advance copy
I was initially skeptical that The Jerusalem Code would be able to stand alone without the history Ava Calloway and Marcus Visconti have with each other in The Alexandria Cypher or Ava’s history with several other important characters. My skepticism held up for about three chapters before I found myself caught up in their current situation and the impact of their discoveries. The Martinez family are heirs to a special compass which selects its own protector. Twenty years ago Eliza Martinez was definitively chosen, leaving her sisters Sarah and Gabriela unhappy. After her death, the compass disappeared, only to be given to Eliza’s only daughter, eighteen year old Ava, without consultation of the Council, but with Isabella Martinez’s full cooperation.
The compass has been the key to secrets of Mary Magdalene hidden in Europe, and now it will be needed to reveal secrets hidden in an underground location in Jerusalem. Of course, Ava and Marcus Visconti, her partner in this quest, are not working alone. They are protected and assisted by an ancient network of guardian families. They are also in a life and death race with Cardinal Torretti, who wants to control information from the quest for the institutional good of the Church, and with at least one other shadowy group to find and control whatever will be revealed. Ava has additional motivation to find answers. Her father disappeared three years ago working on this quest, and she is determined to locate and free him.
Ava and Marcus are aided by centuries’ old network of guardians, disciples, and Penitents. In Jerusalem they receive assistance from Brother Thaddeus, a Franciscan who has been a member of the network for many years. Access to Mary’s Fragment Four, which will unlock the next site in their quest, has been hidden since the first century until the right Seeker appears. Ava and Marcus now have less than 48 hours before the Fragment degrades to become useless. With Brother Thaddeus and others in the network supporting the effort, Ava’s compass and cylinder locate and open the Magdalene Synagogue beneath Jerusalem, allowing her and Marcus to rescue Fragment Four, a translucent crystal. Gabriela Martinez awaits them at the Damascus Gate safe house with a warning to understand what they have before they “make decisions that can’t be undone.” She gives them more information to breed distrust in the network before leaving. Dr. Eleanor Blackwood quickly moves Ava and Marcus to a safer location because Torretti is hot on their trail.
Their journey continues in Bologna, then Istanbul, with Torretti’s people mere hours behind them the entire time. In addition to the crystal itself, the Synagogue held seven panels with locations of seven hidden depositories. Unfortunately for all, they are written in a unique script with no key. As Ava analyzes the script and begins to unravel it, Torretti applies more pressure for his team to beat them. He authorizes Gabriela to take a team of archaeologists to Istanbul in search of Fragment Five. Interaction between Gabriela and Ava grows more adversarial here.
This novel is complex and fast paced. Readers may find themselves flipping back to earlier passages for clarification or verification, and they may notice important sequences or concepts repeated at different times. With patient reading the picture falls into place and fleshes out. Origins, sequences, and genealogies hold substantial importance. The author creates religious spaces so real readers can almost touch and smell them. She doesn’t preach or bad mouth Christianity, but she raises the possibility that some important concepts of Christianity have been lost over the centuries. Ava is an active, intelligent, and talented protagonist with presence. Marcus is more than her sidekick; he understands her motivation and offers both support and challenge as necessary. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Favorite quotes: “It would matter later. Everything in this family mattered later.”
“Your family has a talent for compartmentalization. I come from a family of Vatican fixers.”
“You have been carrying too much weight for far too long.” Multiple meanings here!
(She)”looked at the photo the way a thief looks at an unguarded jewel.”
The compass has been the key to secrets of Mary Magdalene hidden in Europe, and now it will be needed to reveal secrets hidden in an underground location in Jerusalem. Of course, Ava and Marcus Visconti, her partner in this quest, are not working alone. They are protected and assisted by an ancient network of guardian families. They are also in a life and death race with Cardinal Torretti, who wants to control information from the quest for the institutional good of the Church, and with at least one other shadowy group to find and control whatever will be revealed. Ava has additional motivation to find answers. Her father disappeared three years ago working on this quest, and she is determined to locate and free him.
Ava and Marcus are aided by centuries’ old network of guardians, disciples, and Penitents. In Jerusalem they receive assistance from Brother Thaddeus, a Franciscan who has been a member of the network for many years. Access to Mary’s Fragment Four, which will unlock the next site in their quest, has been hidden since the first century until the right Seeker appears. Ava and Marcus now have less than 48 hours before the Fragment degrades to become useless. With Brother Thaddeus and others in the network supporting the effort, Ava’s compass and cylinder locate and open the Magdalene Synagogue beneath Jerusalem, allowing her and Marcus to rescue Fragment Four, a translucent crystal. Gabriela Martinez awaits them at the Damascus Gate safe house with a warning to understand what they have before they “make decisions that can’t be undone.” She gives them more information to breed distrust in the network before leaving. Dr. Eleanor Blackwood quickly moves Ava and Marcus to a safer location because Torretti is hot on their trail.
Their journey continues in Bologna, then Istanbul, with Torretti’s people mere hours behind them the entire time. In addition to the crystal itself, the Synagogue held seven panels with locations of seven hidden depositories. Unfortunately for all, they are written in a unique script with no key. As Ava analyzes the script and begins to unravel it, Torretti applies more pressure for his team to beat them. He authorizes Gabriela to take a team of archaeologists to Istanbul in search of Fragment Five. Interaction between Gabriela and Ava grows more adversarial here.
This novel is complex and fast paced. Readers may find themselves flipping back to earlier passages for clarification or verification, and they may notice important sequences or concepts repeated at different times. With patient reading the picture falls into place and fleshes out. Origins, sequences, and genealogies hold substantial importance. The author creates religious spaces so real readers can almost touch and smell them. She doesn’t preach or bad mouth Christianity, but she raises the possibility that some important concepts of Christianity have been lost over the centuries. Ava is an active, intelligent, and talented protagonist with presence. Marcus is more than her sidekick; he understands her motivation and offers both support and challenge as necessary. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Favorite quotes: “It would matter later. Everything in this family mattered later.”
“Your family has a talent for compartmentalization. I come from a family of Vatican fixers.”
“You have been carrying too much weight for far too long.” Multiple meanings here!
(She)”looked at the photo the way a thief looks at an unguarded jewel.”
Review of advance copy received from Author
If you are a fan of Dan Brown or Igor Bergler, "the Jerusalem code" is a book that deserves a spot on your reading list. Written in a similar style, it's a fast paced thriller packed with history, mystery, adventure and enough cliffhangers to keep you turning the pages well into the night.
The story follows Ava and Marcus as they race to uncover the secrets of Mary Magdalene. Their journey takes them from Jerusalem, to Bologna and Istanbul, while they try to stay one step ahead of the Vatican. Just when you think the plot couldn't become more intriguing, the author adds family secrets into the mix, giving the story even more depth.
One of the things I enjoyed most was the setting. Having visited most of the locations featured in the novel, I felt an even stronger connection to the story and its characters. It made the adventure feel more vivid and immersive.
Although "the Jerusalem code" is the second book in the series, it's the only one I have read so far and I had no trouble following the storyline. The plot moves at such a brisk pace that I finished the book in less than two days.
Overall, this was a thoroughly entertaining read. If you enjoy historical mysteries, religious conspiracies, globe trotting adventures and page turning thrillers in the style of Dan Brown I highly recommend this book.
*I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
The story follows Ava and Marcus as they race to uncover the secrets of Mary Magdalene. Their journey takes them from Jerusalem, to Bologna and Istanbul, while they try to stay one step ahead of the Vatican. Just when you think the plot couldn't become more intriguing, the author adds family secrets into the mix, giving the story even more depth.
One of the things I enjoyed most was the setting. Having visited most of the locations featured in the novel, I felt an even stronger connection to the story and its characters. It made the adventure feel more vivid and immersive.
Although "the Jerusalem code" is the second book in the series, it's the only one I have read so far and I had no trouble following the storyline. The plot moves at such a brisk pace that I finished the book in less than two days.
Overall, this was a thoroughly entertaining read. If you enjoy historical mysteries, religious conspiracies, globe trotting adventures and page turning thrillers in the style of Dan Brown I highly recommend this book.
*I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
August 8, 2026
The Jerusalem Code by D. A. Pryce is the second heart-pounding, fast-paced thriller in the Apocrypha Trilogy. In this second installment we follow Ava and Marcus as they continue their quest to collect the secrets of Mary Magdalene and get closer to freeing Ava’s father. This time the stakes are higher as they rush to Jerusalem to save a relic in danger of destruction. With Vatican representatives at their heels, their quest takes them from Jerusalem to Bologna to Istanbul revealing family secrets along the way. If you enjoy your historical fiction woven into a rapid fire adventure including archeology and ancient mysteries, you are sure to love this book. It is well written and researched and keeps you at the edge of your seat. I absolutely loved it and can’t wait to read the final book. Thanks to BookSirens, Ms. Pryce, and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this ARC. I have freely given my honest review.
Review of advance copy
I very much enjoyed the second installment of this series, which again focuses on Ava and Marcus in their quest to find fragments hidden across Europe. I felt that relationships and allegiances were better defined here than in the first book, although I still question which side certain characters are on (I'm guessing this is intentional on the author's part). I especially enjoyed the connections the characters made in each location with the past - for example, the apartment that had been used by Marcus' family or the municipal worker who had known Ava's dad. I also enjoyed Marcus becoming more integral to the story and the way he's beginning to understand just how involved his family has been. I look forward the checking out the next in this series when possible.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
August 28, 2026
Excellent archaeological mystery that is nonstop action from the first page to the last page. The concept is richly complex with a lot of moving parts that’s based on family, Vatican, and ancient orders. Two 18-year-olds Ava and Marcus are on a mad dash trail of fragments left behind 2000 years ago by Mary Magdalene. Can the Vatican stop them and hide what they found? What skill does Eva hold that helps her unravel ancient manuscripts? What secrets has Mary Magdalene left behind that people either want to protect the secret, expose the secret, or destroy his secret. join the chase from Alexandria to Rome to Switzerland, to Istanbul, to Jerusalem, and then on the Cairo and Tibet. Well developed characters with competing sisters, a father that is held captive, lineage stretching back through the ages,and a truly phenomenal storyline.
August 21, 2026
Talk about a wild ride! Lies, lies and more lies, betrayal from Ava’s family that she trusted most, cover ups that her grandmother knew about but her father left in the dark clueless and to mourn. Time constraints to stay one step ahead of the bad guys into Jerusalem but then who are the bad guys really now??? And Brother Thaddeus helping Ava find the next fragment and hiding everything to keep Ava and Visconti safe. Now it’s what’s going to happen next and who the heck is going to be added to her trail to keep what Mary Magdalene hid all over the world a secret?? I say let it be published and let the truth be known!! My heart is racing along with this. So exciting!!
I received this arc from BookSirens and I’m voluntarily leaving a review.
I received this arc from BookSirens and I’m voluntarily leaving a review.
August 24, 2026
The story takes you into a world filled with secret documents written in an ancient, unknown language. The main characters are Ava, a young adult, and Marcus. However, the book is not specifically written for this target audience.The story is exciting and intriguing, fast-paced, and never unnecessarily drawn out. Even without having read Book 1, the story is easy to follow. I’m looking forward to Book 3 and will definitely go back and read Book 1! Highly recommended!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Fantastic! Another impressive addition to the trilogy. Fast paced and thrilling from beginning to end. Again, the characters are very strong and relatable.
As a archaeology fan, I have been interested in the lost library of Alexandria. This trilogy is filling up my imagination.
I can't wait until the next volume.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
As a archaeology fan, I have been interested in the lost library of Alexandria. This trilogy is filling up my imagination.
I can't wait until the next volume.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
August 31, 2026
I just had to read this book as the second in the series - I dont think you can delve into this series without reading the first book. It has the lot - intrigue, history, two young people with lots of family history, family drama, betrayal and more.
DA Pryce takes us on a journey like no other and I am eagerly awating the thrid and final to see where we are taken.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
DA Pryce takes us on a journey like no other and I am eagerly awating the thrid and final to see where we are taken.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Read
July 24, 2026The mystery continues in Book 2, with Ava finding it easier to translate the ancient manuscripts. But her aunt is working to undermine her every move as she travels from Jerusalem, to Bologna and Istanbul.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this honest review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this honest review voluntarily.
Review of advance copy
This series is just getting better. Has all the things I love, history and mystery with lots of adventure. Oh and let's not for get the twists and turns. Will be waiting for the next and the next to come.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily
Review of advance copy
This is book 2 in a trilogy and continues to follow Ava's quest. This is a fast moving hunt through several more sites looking for fragments in this architectural/religious conspiracy thriller. As with the first book, as more clues are exposed, the more the mystery captures you, in this un-put-downable book. Looking forward to a big reveal in book 3.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
August 2, 2026
I loved the first book in this series an wondered if the second could deliver. It did. I love everything about this series: part history, part thriller, part slow burn romance...a perfect blend of it all.
September 5, 2026
Another good entry in the series. I enjoyed it as much as book 1. I liked the historical mystery. The settings were nice, but I wished for a little bit more of a sense of place at some points.
If you enjoyed book 1, you need to read this.
I recived an ARC of the book trough BookSirens.
If you enjoyed book 1, you need to read this.
I recived an ARC of the book trough BookSirens.
Review of advance copy
I enjoyed this second book even more than the first. It builds on the story and develops the characters in a way that makes the plot feel more engaging and immersive. Like The Da Vinci Code, it's packed with mystery, history, and fast-paced twists, but the stronger character development gave the story more depth. A satisfying sequel that expands the world while keeping the suspense high from start to finish.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Review of advance copy
Just as good as the first book "The Alexandria Cypher". I couldn't put it down. Finished both books in 2 days which I haven't done in a long time.
Well written to keep your attention. Action packed and full of mystery. I would say this series is like a teenage Indiana Jones meets The Da Vinci Code. If you like both of those you will love this series.
Both books caught me off-guard with the intrigue, the puzzles to solve to find the fragments, the betrayals, and being chased by the Vatican. Extremely fast paced and well written.
The characters are amazing especially Ava who is learning as she goes that she was taught at a young age a code that her father designed to be able to communicate with him secretly. She has learned several languages and she is still learning. She is able to read a language that no one has ever cracked before. She is a special woman in her family.
Highly recommend!
I wish I could rate this higher than 5 stars because it deserves it. Run don't walk to your nearest library, bookstore or computer and get this series. If you like adventure, intrigue and action-packed archeological books you will love this series.
Well written to keep your attention. Action packed and full of mystery. I would say this series is like a teenage Indiana Jones meets The Da Vinci Code. If you like both of those you will love this series.
Both books caught me off-guard with the intrigue, the puzzles to solve to find the fragments, the betrayals, and being chased by the Vatican. Extremely fast paced and well written.
The characters are amazing especially Ava who is learning as she goes that she was taught at a young age a code that her father designed to be able to communicate with him secretly. She has learned several languages and she is still learning. She is able to read a language that no one has ever cracked before. She is a special woman in her family.
Highly recommend!
I wish I could rate this higher than 5 stars because it deserves it. Run don't walk to your nearest library, bookstore or computer and get this series. If you like adventure, intrigue and action-packed archeological books you will love this series.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews