Celtic Crossing: A Novel (Volume 1)

by Len Mattano

A deeply poignant, transcendent tale of life redeemed through death. For generations Aideen Callaghan’s ancestors were miraculously cured of cancer through the power of a holy relic—the very relic that inspired the Celtic cross—until it vanished from history in 1866 and became Irish lore. Raised on faith but with an inheritance of death, Aideen has been at odds with religion since losing her daughter to a brain tumor. Now it is her orphaned grandson who lies dying. In desperation Aideen turns to popular American author and New Testament era scholar Fr. Kevin Schaeffer for help. Armed with a priceless family Bible and the sacred pendant worn by Aideen’s beloved great-grandmother—the last to be cured—Kevin abandons his sabbatical research in Dublin and sets his sights on finding the relic in time to save the child.  In their search for clues from Armagh, to Skellig Michael, to Rome, the historical trail from Golgotha to Gaul is slowly revealed as Kevin, his lifelong Vatican friend Marco, and a passionate would-be Irish seminarian uncover truths that ultimately reshape their lives.

Genres: Mystery

320 pages, Paperback

Published September 17, 2019

About the author

Len Mattano is an author and physician who led a pediatric hematology/oncology program in southwest Michigan for 18 years. In 2009 he and his family moved to coastal New England, where he has focused on drug development, research, and writing. He is an avid photographer and devotee of the arts, history, philosophy, and theology.

Len believes in the power of inspiration. Just as he knew at age 10 that he wanted to be a doctor, he later discerned a calling to help children with cancer and blood disorders. So when the idea for Celtic Crossing came to him one day, he acted. The story drew on his talents as a writer, but even more deeply from walking alongside patients and families on life's most difficult journeys. The author hopes that this enthralling suspense novel—where medicine and miracles converge—will move the heart of every reader.

Reviews

[Noelle Divozzo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Celtic Crossing is a beautiful story of hope, loss, and finding faith. A child’s grandmother in 2010 elicits an American priest’s help in finding the relic of the true Cross in hopes of healing her grandson of leukemia. This lovely story moves back and forth in time and place tracing the journey of the relic and the people who kept it safe. The chapters are short but span centuries and continents, taking the reader on a journey with this relic of the Cross through time and space from the days of the Apostles to the present and from the Holy Land to France, Rome and Ireland. Dr. Mattano has clearly done his research; his writing brings these times and places alive. There are passages here that will surprise and delight you. The faith journeys of the characters are compelling. I found this book hard to put down.

[Nancy Noble · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was mailed to me by Paraclete Press, which offered a certain amount of books for a certain amount of money, with the broad categories selected by me - so, kind of like Christmas with the surprise element ("I know it's a book, but which one?")
I was very impressed by this first novel - the writing is quite lyrical and thoughtful. It seems like this should be a thriller in trying to find the parts of the cross that will cure the family members, but it's not - it's more of a journey of the various characters. I was interested to find out how much of this book is based on real people and story. I liked the explanations of the various parts of the timeline, from the time of Jesus' resurrection to the modern day story, with the parts in Italy and Ireland, although I did find some of the mini-stories a bit confusing, as well as mixing up the character. But overall, I liked this book.

[Mariam · Rating 3 out of 5]

First of all, there are phrases in this book that really are beautiful, and the imagery is beautiful. From a spiritual perspective, this book is a poignant reminder that earthly life is temporal, and that our outlook should be of the eternal. That is the greatest value of this book, and that is no small thing.
Chapters flash between the present and a couple periods in the past, so there are a lot of characters. Too many for me to keep track of, which is a rare problem for me. There is a list of characters, which I found too late; I wish it had been at the beginning. That's probably the major complaint I had.
Because it is a historic fiction, it blends fiction with real people, places, and events. I also appreciate that the author noted the real from the fiction at the end.

[Mary Ellen Barringer · Rating 2 out of 5]

There are at least two reasons why I should love this book: it has a mystical element and is very Catholic. Yet the book did not work for me. It hops back and forth from the present to multiple places in the past. There are far too many characters and the actually characterization is poor. I only had empathy for the boy who was dying and his grandmother. The struggles of the other characters did not move me.

I have traveled to Rome and am familiar with St Peter's and the area around St. Peter's tomb. If not the descriptions of those areas would have left me more confused. And the descriptions of all of the Irish sights are very confusing.

I admire the attempt of writing a novel by this surgeon and believe his concept was original. He needed a better editor.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found it a little slow in places. I think the jumping from time and place over and over slowed down the forward movement of the plot. But it was an engaging story and very good for Christian Fiction. Since the author is a pediatric oncologist, his grasp of that aspect was impeccable. The tracking of pieces of the true cross moved us from post crucifixion to medieval Ireland to various times in history at the Vatican. The main story takes place in modern day Ireland and Rome and focusses on the hunt for this holy relic as it is storied to cure those who touch it and there is a little boy in dire need. His grandmother is a fierce advocate and knows of its existence and healing power.

[nancy gargano · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this story. The Author walks you through centuries of time with real people and events and then weaves a fictional tale filled with twists and turns that keeps you wanting more. Many times I was surprised by some turn of events that I didn’t see coming. For me that is one of the most important things in keeping my interest in a book. The Characters are real with real emotions. The author does a great job in developing these characters. His description of places and historical events make you feel like you are there. This is a must read.

[Sarah Ambrogi · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this story, but I found the timelines and jumping around a little hard to follow. Several times I felt as though I were starting a new section where I had missed a prior chapter - as though I had joined in half way through. Generally though, I thought as a novel it got better as it went a long, and I appreciated the gentle exploration of faith. I read it for a book group at my church, and I look forward to the discussion of the substance of the story.

[Jeanette · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was very uneven...slow moving, chatter that never resolved, confusing back and forth between the present and several or a few centuries. There is list of Historical Characters and Figures but it has no logical organization, making it difficult to re-orient yourself as the author takes you back into hisotry. It has an interesting premise - search for a relic that has healing powers - but the conclusion leads the reader wondering.

[Lucy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a Christmas gift from my sister. Even though this is fiction, the author weaves the story using referenced works of art, architecture, literature and music to engross you in his story.
I found myself exploring my own beliefs and faith while reading this novel. It also made me want to explore more of my Celtic/Gaelic heritage.

Good read.

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

A little hard to follow in the beginning with some place names that were tricky to pronounce. From the mid point to the end, the plot gathered steam. At points I thought it was similar to a Dan Brown book, such as the Da Vinci Code. The premise was interesting. It's a compassionate story with some surprises. The characters were well developed.

[Bruce Bostrom · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it. A very well written book of historical fiction that deftly interweaves two mysteries, one medical and one religious. This book is part one of a trilogy I can hardly wait for the next. What is even more impressive the author is not a professional writer. His previous forty published works can be found only in medical journals.

[Remy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great reading. A good mix of history and fiction. I loved the plot, the style and the whole book atmosphere. Can't wait for the next chapter.

[Danni · Rating 3 out of 5]

weird book.