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Lost Secrets
As one of the first archaeologists to examine Ötzi, an ancient man murdered on an isolated ridge of the Alps Mountains, Sophia Bruckner discovers something astounding–a controversial knowledge that could forever change our vision of Neolithic societies. But Aton Schmidt, a desperate, unbalanced professor, will stop at nothing, including murder, to control the project. Sophia finds evidence of Aton’s criminal activities, putting her life in danger.
In another time and place, after the destruction of his village and the murder of his father, Tesimo, a goat herder, follows a royal messenger into an unknown realm. From the icebergs of the North Sea to the sun of Malta, Tesimo’s journey uncovers a conspiracy that threatens the peace of the land. Along the way, he gathers the history and faith of these people from ancient priests and teachers, learning one of the greatest secrets of his time. This novel explores the intertwining destinies of Sophia and Tesimo, two seekers living thousands of years apart. A thrilling adventure with unexpected depth that readers of The Da Vinci Code or The Alchemist will enjoy.
In another time and place, after the destruction of his village and the murder of his father, Tesimo, a goat herder, follows a royal messenger into an unknown realm. From the icebergs of the North Sea to the sun of Malta, Tesimo’s journey uncovers a conspiracy that threatens the peace of the land. Along the way, he gathers the history and faith of these people from ancient priests and teachers, learning one of the greatest secrets of his time. This novel explores the intertwining destinies of Sophia and Tesimo, two seekers living thousands of years apart. A thrilling adventure with unexpected depth that readers of The Da Vinci Code or The Alchemist will enjoy.
338 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 14, 2018
11 people are currently reading
687 people want to read
About the author
Bernard Grisoni
6 books17 followersHello, I’m Bernard Grisoni.
Much of my professional life was devoted to developing medical devices. Though I hold a PhD in physics, it was a deeper curiosity—about the human soul and the nature of willpower—that set me on a lifelong spiritual journey. Along the way, I explored the teachings of many of the world’s great religions, past and present—an exploration that continues to shape and inspire my writing.
As an archaeology enthusiast, I’ve had the joy of visiting many of the ancient sacred sites that appear in my novels.
My first novel explores the intertwining destinies of Sophia and Tesimo, two seekers separated by thousands of years. It’s a thrilling adventure with spiritual depth—perfect for readers who loved The Alchemist.
In my second novel, Ark of Secrets, I follow Sophia again - this time alongside Roland, a young peasant in 12th-century France. Their parallel paths uncover a forgotten wisdom passed down through generations and hidden within the Knights Templar. It’s a gripping historical mystery that fans of The Da Vinci Code will enjoy.
My most recent novel, Sara’s Secrets, seeks to uncover when this ancient knowledge was absorbed into early Christianity. Set against the backdrop of Roman Gaul, it follows a young girl’s spiritual awakening - interweaving ancient traditions, lost sanctuaries, and encounters with Mary, James, and Magdalene - not as icons, but as living, struggling humans. From the shores of Gaul to the edge of the known world, Sara’s Secrets is a journey through faith, exile, and rediscovery.
Much of my professional life was devoted to developing medical devices. Though I hold a PhD in physics, it was a deeper curiosity—about the human soul and the nature of willpower—that set me on a lifelong spiritual journey. Along the way, I explored the teachings of many of the world’s great religions, past and present—an exploration that continues to shape and inspire my writing.
As an archaeology enthusiast, I’ve had the joy of visiting many of the ancient sacred sites that appear in my novels.
My first novel explores the intertwining destinies of Sophia and Tesimo, two seekers separated by thousands of years. It’s a thrilling adventure with spiritual depth—perfect for readers who loved The Alchemist.
In my second novel, Ark of Secrets, I follow Sophia again - this time alongside Roland, a young peasant in 12th-century France. Their parallel paths uncover a forgotten wisdom passed down through generations and hidden within the Knights Templar. It’s a gripping historical mystery that fans of The Da Vinci Code will enjoy.
My most recent novel, Sara’s Secrets, seeks to uncover when this ancient knowledge was absorbed into early Christianity. Set against the backdrop of Roman Gaul, it follows a young girl’s spiritual awakening - interweaving ancient traditions, lost sanctuaries, and encounters with Mary, James, and Magdalene - not as icons, but as living, struggling humans. From the shores of Gaul to the edge of the known world, Sara’s Secrets is a journey through faith, exile, and rediscovery.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
March 18, 2022
I received a free Kindle copy of this book via the Goodreads Giveaways program and would like to thank anyone involved in making that happen!
I thought that the premise for this book sounded fantastic and I was really excited to read it! I have read a fair amount about the scientific study of Otzi and am fascinated by that time period. I also tend to love novels that bring two disparate timelines together into one story. Unfortunately, the story did not do the synopsis justice. The writing is very choppy and amateurish and there is lots of telling instead of showing. The dialogue was stilted and unrealistic in places and there are massive info dumps that are extremely dry and boring. While I can appreciate what the author was trying to accomplish, this tried to be too many things (science, history, philosophy, romance, thriller) and did not succeed at any of them. I ended up completely losing interest in this very quickly and doing a lot of skimming to try and get through it. If it hadn't been a giveaway win I wouldn't have finished it at all.
I thought that the premise for this book sounded fantastic and I was really excited to read it! I have read a fair amount about the scientific study of Otzi and am fascinated by that time period. I also tend to love novels that bring two disparate timelines together into one story. Unfortunately, the story did not do the synopsis justice. The writing is very choppy and amateurish and there is lots of telling instead of showing. The dialogue was stilted and unrealistic in places and there are massive info dumps that are extremely dry and boring. While I can appreciate what the author was trying to accomplish, this tried to be too many things (science, history, philosophy, romance, thriller) and did not succeed at any of them. I ended up completely losing interest in this very quickly and doing a lot of skimming to try and get through it. If it hadn't been a giveaway win I wouldn't have finished it at all.
July 15, 2025
As anyone who has spent even a little time on my page knows, I studied for a time as a field archeologist, and currently work as an archivist and research. So I love a good dense bit of research writing. Unfortunately, I'm usually not looking for it when I pick up historical fiction.
While I appreciated that this story was attempting to impart a good deal of history and mathematics to the reader, the information felt very dumped, halting the story in its tracks for pages at a time. I also found the evidence the characters presented to be circumstantial at best.
It reminded me very much of an archeology course I took while studying in Belfast, NI. My professor told a story about a very specific type of settlement hut found only along the East coast of the Irish isle. She then asked the class what kind of reasons we could think of that these settlements were only along the coast. Fishing villages? Communities that kept to the coast for migratory purposes? Trading towns? She then showed us a modern map and said, Does anyone see this line right here? This is a highway. All of these towns were only discovered because of the pre-building rescue archeology.
Sometimes, it really is just our minds making up the connection.
I was also deeply disappointed to find that a shocking amount of the citations in this book were Wikipedia articles. Only. And not only that, many of them cited sections that were tagged with Citation Needed. That's not terribly impressive or thorough research.
I also felt a bit blindsided by the excessive discussions of religion in the book. While I appreciate the characters' position, I have always found attempts at finding a single confluence of religions through spirituality inevitably feels like mere erasure of minority religions. While core ethics may be the same, I don't want to be included in any overlap with Jesus or Christianity.
Overall, I wish there had been more focus on Ötzi as a man and less on everything that happened after his death.
If anyone has any more good archaeological remains-inspired historical fiction, send it my way.
While I appreciated that this story was attempting to impart a good deal of history and mathematics to the reader, the information felt very dumped, halting the story in its tracks for pages at a time. I also found the evidence the characters presented to be circumstantial at best.
It reminded me very much of an archeology course I took while studying in Belfast, NI. My professor told a story about a very specific type of settlement hut found only along the East coast of the Irish isle. She then asked the class what kind of reasons we could think of that these settlements were only along the coast. Fishing villages? Communities that kept to the coast for migratory purposes? Trading towns? She then showed us a modern map and said, Does anyone see this line right here? This is a highway. All of these towns were only discovered because of the pre-building rescue archeology.
Sometimes, it really is just our minds making up the connection.
I was also deeply disappointed to find that a shocking amount of the citations in this book were Wikipedia articles. Only. And not only that, many of them cited sections that were tagged with Citation Needed. That's not terribly impressive or thorough research.
I also felt a bit blindsided by the excessive discussions of religion in the book. While I appreciate the characters' position, I have always found attempts at finding a single confluence of religions through spirituality inevitably feels like mere erasure of minority religions. While core ethics may be the same, I don't want to be included in any overlap with Jesus or Christianity.
Overall, I wish there had been more focus on Ötzi as a man and less on everything that happened after his death.
If anyone has any more good archaeological remains-inspired historical fiction, send it my way.
July 9, 2022
I enjoyed this book although I thought it was slow in some places. I really enjoyed the dual timelines and seeing Tesimo's world. I kept finding mistakes throughout the story that I found rather annoying and almost didn't complete the book because there were so many.
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December 22, 2025Bernard Grisoni’s Lost Secrets is a sophisticated historical thriller that successfully bridges the gap between ancient history and modern intrigue.
By weaving together the story of a Neolithic herder and a modern archaeologist, Grisoni explores the origins of sacred geometry and human faith with intellectual depth. The narrative is fast-paced and well-researched, making it a compelling read for fans of archaeological mysteries and speculative history. It is a thought-provoking exploration of the secrets buried within our past.
By weaving together the story of a Neolithic herder and a modern archaeologist, Grisoni explores the origins of sacred geometry and human faith with intellectual depth. The narrative is fast-paced and well-researched, making it a compelling read for fans of archaeological mysteries and speculative history. It is a thought-provoking exploration of the secrets buried within our past.
July 23, 2022
Excellent walks in late prehistory intertwined with a modern thriller. We move back and forth between these worlds, connected by possibly revolutionary discoveries. Good read!
December 5, 2018
Lost Secrets is one of the rare books that appeals to both the left and right brain, and delivers two complementary stories to delight each.
Right-brainers will enjoy the modern-day story where a heroine and a hero uncover important historical information while in the midst of a fast-paced adventure to thwart a villain. Left-brainers will enjoy the story that takes place 5,000 years earlier where a pair of men displaced from their home experience people, places and ideas of which neither ever dreamed. We ambi-brainers will enjoy rooting for both sets of protagonists as we too learn of people, places and ideas of which we never dreamed.
Lost Secrets provides the reader the rare opportunity to exercise the creative AND analytical sides of the brain in an absorbing and methodical adventure. Add it to your To Be Read pile now.
Right-brainers will enjoy the modern-day story where a heroine and a hero uncover important historical information while in the midst of a fast-paced adventure to thwart a villain. Left-brainers will enjoy the story that takes place 5,000 years earlier where a pair of men displaced from their home experience people, places and ideas of which neither ever dreamed. We ambi-brainers will enjoy rooting for both sets of protagonists as we too learn of people, places and ideas of which we never dreamed.
Lost Secrets provides the reader the rare opportunity to exercise the creative AND analytical sides of the brain in an absorbing and methodical adventure. Add it to your To Be Read pile now.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews