The Magdalene Chronicles Collection

The Magdalene Chronicles #1-3

by Gary McAvoy

THE MAGDALENE CHRONICLES COLLECTION* * *THE MAGDALENE DECEPTIONA forbidden secret... The Church's fate in the balance... Will a pair of amateur sleuths expose a truth that could upend the Christian world? The Resurrection is a cornerstone of Christian faith. But when a clue surfaces that hints at an alternate account, the ramifications stand to change Christianity forever.Jesuit priest Michael Dominic's assignment to the Vatican's legendary Secret Archives results in his discovery of a hidden the unpublished writings of Mary Magdalene — a lost record buried in Rome's deepest recesses. The forgotten relic's heretical revelation threatens the Vatican's very legitimacy, and pits Michael against ruthless and powerful enemies.Desperate, he reaches out to Hana Sinclair, an investigative reporter with a record of tackling contentious subjects. Together they defy the Church elite, and embark on a search through the shadows of history to unearth the truth. As the pressure builds to silence the pair, will the Vatican resort to the unthinkable in order to safeguard its wealth and power?* * *THE MAGDALENE RELIQUARYA curious priest uncovers a mystifying secret... One that leads to a long-buried relic some will do anything to possess... Can he outwit adversaries who will stop at nothing to keep him from revealing an object that challenges history as we know it? Father Michael Dominic discovers a strangely constructed 13th-century puzzle hidden deep within the Vatican Secret Archives. With the help of his brilliant colleague, investigative journalist Hana Sinclair, solving the puzzle exposes a cleverly concealed map that marks the hiding place of a sacred artifact—one with shocking implications. From Rome to France and Switzerland, his search for the object finds Dominic pitted against deadly agents and a ruthless Russian oligarch. Desperate, he must choose between trusting an unlikely collection of possible allies—or certain death. As his enemies close in, can he survive and bring this staggering new secret to light, or will his pursuers bury it beside him in the cold, dark earth of a long-forgotten cave?* * *THE MAGDALENE VEILAn old World War II diary filled with cryptic clues launches two friends on an adventure around the world... but their path is fraught with danger and deception... and the treasure they seek can change everything for good—or evil.Father Michael Dominic and his journalist friend Hana Sinclair are off to follow a tantalizing a Nazi journal revealing a holy relic's hiding place. The pair believes the book could lead them to a sacred cloth Christ used to cleanse his face, which according to legend now bears his image — a living record of the Son of God's true appearance.The diary propels them on a whirlwind adventure from Jerusalem, to Rome, to Buenos Aires. But as they unravel an ancient mystery, they run afoul of a nefarious sect determined to use the Magdalene veil for its own ends. Can Michael and Hana outsmart their ruthless adversaries and bring the artifact home to the Church, or will the revival of Aryan ambition destroy the long-lost relic of Christ?

945 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 24, 2021

About the author

Gary McAvoy is an American novelist known for internationally bestselling thrillers that blend historical intrigue, religious scholarship, and modern suspense. A lifelong researcher of rare manuscripts and Church history, he draws on extensive archival study to craft narratives rooted in authentic detail. His work includes the Vatican Secret Archive Thrillers, the Magdalene Chronicles, and the Vatican Archaeology Thrillers. Before turning to fiction, McAvoy built a distinguished career as an entrepreneur, technology consultant, and collector of historical documents. He now writes full time from the Pacific Northwest, where he continues to explore the shadowed crossroads of faith, power, and history.

Reviews

[Jeanne Jabour · Rating 5 out of 5]

You Need To Own This Boxed Set!
What happens when an incredible author (Gary McAvoy) puts three of his best works of painstakingly researched historic fiction together into one boxed set, each novel beginning life from the cold, dark, depths of the Secret Vatican Archives where treasures, if discovered, will drastically catapult current Christian beliefs into oblivion, and where they have remained untouched for more than two thousand years, hidden centuries ago to protect the Church? The results are The Magdalene Chronicles Series, a trilogy of novels so intriguing, thrilling, edge-of-your-seat exciting, that you won’t put them down until you have finished every last word! Mr. McAvoy packs each of these novels with thoroughly researched historically accurate and informative facts that he interweaves seamlessly with his stories, this is truly one of his best developed writing talents (and he has many) and is truly an absolutely effortless way to learn nuances in history that may have been overlooked in your education!

The Magdalene trilogy begins with The Magdalene Deception, an introduction to the world of Michael Dominic, a Catholic priest transferred to work in the Secret Vatican Archives, due to his expertise in ancient documents, texts, medieval paleography, and codicology; and, his side kick, Hana Sinclair, a journalist and cousin to one of the Vatican Guards F. Michael befriends. In the course of his new position as an archivist, F. Michael discovers an ancient document purportedly written by Mary Magdalene, which would destroy the very foundation of the Roman Catholic Church and Christian dogma if its contents were ever to become known. Trying to decide what he must do with this discovery, F. Michael confides in Hana and Dr. Simon Ginzberg, another scholar of ancient writings, and a man considered to be a "treasure" of the Vatican. Both Hana and Dr. Ginzberg are investigating the Vatican: one for the misappropriation and theft of treasures and gold bullion stolen from Nazi and Ustasha victims; and the other exposes the Vatican’s complacency in the face of Nazi atrocities, and the presumed collaboration of Pope Pius XII with the Nazis regime.

The second novel in the Magdalene Chronicles is The Magdalene Reliquary which begins when F. Michael accidentally discovers a 13th Century 3-dimensional puzzle that leads him and Hana, among other favorites from the first novel, to the location of an ancient reliquary from the time of Jesus. If this discovery is disclosed to the world, the results would send the Catholic Church and other Christian religions crumbling to the ground in piles of shattered debris. But F. Michael and Hana are not the only people pursuing this treasure, and the dangers and mystery surrounding their quest before it falls into the wrong hands will keep you up reading all night long!

The third and final novel in the series is my personal favorite, The Magdalene Veil. With this novel, I truly believe that Mr. McAvoy has achieved perfection! The Veil is an edgy, complex, emotional, terrifying, gut-wrenching, sad, poignant, and smart story that is filled with intrigue and mystery! His novels in general are all multi-layered and rife with excruciatingly well-researched historic facts, but in The Magdalene Veil, Mr. McAvoy shows that he has honed the craft of story-telling to new heights! The Veil begins with minute details of the death of Christ, then moves to the Nazis and one of mankind’s most heinous, evil, and horrific times. The story culminates in some hard and ugly truths about the inevitable probability that there will always be a faction of mankind, like the Neo-Nazis existing throughout the world, who will corrupt, sow chaos, nurture hatred, and commit and/or ensure present-day abominations and perversions from scientific advancements in the use of DNA and other breakthroughs if their nefarious intentions are not brought into the light of day for the rest of mankind to stop. This final blockbuster novel of The Magdalene Chronicles series is fast paced, exceptionally well-written (and that is saying something about Mr. McAvoy’s ability to pen a novel since he is a writer of superior and superb craftsmanship in this regard), and one that will have the reader unable to set it aside until every last word on the very last page has been read; and, I don’t care what time in the wee morning hours that may be!

You really need to own this amazing set of thrillers…

[Janie Heffner · Rating 5 out of 5]

These three books are the best books I have read in years. In fact, I am going to read them again, now! They are that good.

[ALISON A O BRIEN · Rating 5 out of 5]

great stories

I loved the characters and the plots. The speed of the action is not always believable, but it’s fiction after all.

[paula sumner · Rating 5 out of 5]

If only...

The stories of the relics were true, think how different history might have turned out. I enjoyed the three volumes in the series and look forward to more.

[Tony K. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well written partially historically true fiction. Very exciting!

I thoroughly enjoyed all three of these well written and thought provoking books. The author is gifted at working historical fact into well written fiction. He makes you want to believe!

[James S Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful series

A page turner, each book in the series. Good mix if history, adventure, and conjecture. I strongly recommend this series.

[Friedrichs Doberman Rescue · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exciting Series Gifted Author

I wish I had the words to express how great Gary McAvoy's Magdalene Chronicles are! Fiction based on fact?? Or fact with a little fictin?? I have to compare it to the The Da Vinci Code for your reference on the amazing writing. I do NOT have any Christian problem with this series. I actually believe some things are true!
Couldn't put it down. I highly recommend this series.

[FRED GARTNER · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good stories

This 3 book volume follows the Dan Brown tradition. We have a good priest, a bad cardinal, and of course, bad and good characters. All the stories are centered with Mary Magdalene and the outrageous theory that she married Jesus and had a child from him. The aim of all the stories is to get the artifacts before the bad guys get it. It gets the good guys into predicaments but they hope to prevail.
I personally like books that have these themes but I do not like the priestly characters who show an evil side.
The stories are exciting and we're a pleasure to read.

[Janet E. Eckhart · Rating 5 out of 5]

great series of three books!

I enjoyed this three book chronicle. Hope to read more from G. McAvoy! Brings to life legends of MM into current times. Fun read!

[Kathy Loving · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good Read

Started with book one and finished book 3 within a week. Loved the story line and the adventure. Hope there is a book 4.

[Barby Baucom · Rating 5 out of 5]

Breathtaking!

This one is my favorite in this set of books. Very satisfying ending ties up some loose ends, and the action had me on the edge of my seat. Well done!

[James Baird · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent Reda

As with the other two books in this series I immensely enjoyed reading this book. I cannot recommend it and them highly enough. Captivating and incredibly well written with just enough research to ground the reader without being tedious.

[Merle Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Magdalene Chronicles Collection

This was an amazing series! I think I read the first story before, but I had not read the other two before. It was an amazing Read! I look forward to future books by this author!

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting story

Very interesting story with great characters. Would recommend this series to anyone that is curious about how the Vatican works in a positive way.

[Alice Anne Bluhm · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fiction,but…..

This collection was fantastic!! In early Judaism,Boys had to have a family and Jesus Christ being a follower obeyed the rules. A work of fiction can have some modicum of reality. I recommend this collection to anyone that enjoys reading mysteries and has traveling adventures in their heads and hearts.Enjoy!!! He is called the Lord,the Son of G-d and Savior

[Nancy Portz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Superb! Each book even better than the one before

I can think of nothing negative to say about this exemplary novel, indeed the entire Magdalene Chronicles collection, except that it ended. Most readers would agree that we need more adventures with Father Dominic and Hana Sinclair, along with their awesome families friends and colleagues. The depth of the characters carches the reader in an almost magical whirl of care and anticipation. The locations are so lushly detailed, one feels that they have been there as well. This book, as the 2 previous, is so fascinating and enjoyable that i am sad the stofies have ended for me. Perhaps in future stories, priests might be allowed to marry? No doubt every reader wants more of these people (far more real than just characters), as they endeavor to uphold their church, correct past misdeeds, and somehow manage to enjoy their lives despite hair raising, life or death situations. Gary McAvoy is now one of my favorite authors, along with Asimov, Evanovich, Koontz, and just a few other masters of the craft. Anyone who reads these books would agree eith me, no doubt!

[Al Cate · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really I wish Gary would stop writing books like these. !!
Gary writes so well that when I started this series, I couldn't put it down. All the things I had to do just had to wait until I got finished with this series.
Because Gary writes his books so that you can really feel that you are part of the story being told I get so immersed in them I forget everything else.
This series takes place all over Europe and bounces between Vatican City, Scotland, Roma, France and I had to look up places so I could figure out where they were exactly. And, they were there.
Gary writes fiction but the historical part is correct. The Vatican does have the areas described in the books as do the other places described in the book.
One thing to remember is the switch of names. IE Michael is also Dominic, but in his latest newsletter he promised to use one name for each person.
Gotta stop here and get back to into his next book.

[Terri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great Series!

I’m really enjoying the adventures of Michael Dominick and Hana Sinclair. Their stories are based on well-researched historical events, which is interesting. But the author takes the story a step further in weaving together fact and plausible fiction, and asks the reader to ponder “What if?”

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved this series. Gary McAvoy tells a great story. It is filled with action, history, mystery and a little romance that keeps the reader engrossed in the story. This final book focuses on acquiring the Veil of Veronica. The story goes from Rome to Switzerland, to Paris, to Germany, to Argentina. The story is fast paced and keeps you wanting more. This story will not disappoint! I enjoyed learning some interesting facts about the Nazi’s who settled in Argentina and the amount of documents that are in the archives of the Vatican. I look forward to reading more from Gary McAvoy, a master story teller!

[Erwin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Now the Veil of Magdalene

McAvoy has put a fine cap on his relic trilogy. Polished with fine dialogue and the best plot of the trilogy McAvoy provides great characters and enough suspense to satisfy any reader. The reappearing characters are consistant, and those who appear for the first time are sufficiently evil and nefarious to believably return us to the horrors of World War II. Curl up with a good fire and The Magdalene Chronicles.

[Marilyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great fun

I was unsure about this trilogy, thinking it would be yet another conspiracy theory. It knocks spots off Dan Brown, well written and well paced with good characters. My only jibe is the description, make and model of every car in each of the stories, real boy's own stuff.

[betty brasen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing Fiction

This set of three books have held my attention from beginning to end! I'm amazed at the idea that the nazis are and have been at their nefarious purpose all of these years. Even in fiction the idea of a perfect Aryan race is appalling. Thank you Gary McAvoy for these hairraising adventures I'm looking forward to the next books.

[oscar zuniga]

I had read the 3 books and I thought this was the #4 book and it is the same as the the ones I had read.
Excellent books. The 3 of them. I could not put it down

[T. · Rating 3 out of 5]

ENTERTAINING ALBEIT SUPERFICIAL

A fictional, historical religious suspense genre series of three titles, based on legendary artifacts attributed to the life and death of Jesus Christ. Indiana Jones with a clerical collar. Entertaining but clichéish and superficially appealing to the younger imagination of pulp fiction readers.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read

Read this book, but first do whatever you need to get done for the week. Because, when you start it you won’t put it down until you finish the whole thing! Truly a special writer, Mr. McAvoy pulls you in and makes you think. I loved them and will continue to read his wonderful stories.

[susan legge · Rating 4 out of 5]

3 Goodreads in a box set

Having read the latest book first found these. A continuous theme through the 3 books a bit different from the usual books ifvthisvtype

[Annette Mordec · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful characters and very interesting storylines. A different look at things we thought we knew.

[Alan Tait · Rating 5 out of 5]

excellent story collection

Loved the four books in this series and how the characters come to life, well worth reading. Couldn’t put the books down.

[Charles Sexton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gripping

Absolutely the three best novels I have read in a very long time. When you start the first of three, be prepared to read until finished with all three!