True Raiders: The Untold Story of the 1909 Expedition to Find the Legendary Ark of the Covenant

by Brad Ricca

True Raiders is The Lost City of Z meets The Da Vinci Code. This book will tell the untold true story of Monty Parker, a British rogue nobleman who, after being dared to do so by Ava Astor, the so-called “most beautiful woman in the world,” headed a secret 1909 expedition to find the fabled Ark of the Covenant. This amazing tale not only inspired the blockbuster film Raiders of the Lost Ark but stands on its own as an incredible story of adventure and mystery, though it has been almost completely forgotten today.

In 1908, Monty is approached by a strange Finnish scholar named Valter Juvelius who claims to have discovered a secret code in the Bible that reveals the location of the Ark. Monty assembles a ragtag group of blueblood adventurers, a renowned psychic, and a Franciscan father, to engage in a secret excavation just outside the city walls of Jerusalem.

Using recently uncovered records from the original expedition and several newly translated sources, Raiders is the first retelling of this group’s adventures– in the space between fact and faith, science and romance.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Archaeology, Adventure, Audiobook, Religion, Biography

Audiobook

First published September 21, 2021

About the author

Brad Ricca is the award-winning author of Lincoln's Ghost (forthcoming 2025), the Eisner-nominated graphic novel Ten Days in a Mad-house with artist Courtney Sieh (2022), True Raiders (2021), Olive the Lionheart (2020), the Edgar-nominated Mrs. Sherlock Holmes (2017), and Super Boys (2014), winner of the Ohioana Book Award in Nonfiction and a Booklist Top 10 Book on the Arts. He is also the author of American Mastodon, winner of the 2009 St. Lawrence Book Award. His indie film Last Son (2010) won a Silver Ace Award. He is an English major with a Ph.D. from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, where he lives with his family.

Reviews

[Will Byrnes · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I first learned that Raiders of the Lost Ark, my favorite movie, might have been based on an actual archaeological expedition, I felt like my face was melting off. - from The Untold Story… article

Before he was the Police Commissioner stuck having to deal with Jack the Ripper, (who was at first, BTW, called, much less memorably, “Leather Apron”) Captain Charles Warren, a Royal Engineer, spent parts of several years near Jerusalem doing archaeological work for the British Crown, digging out some ancient tunnels, and laying the groundwork for explorations to come. About thirty years later, a Finnish scholar believes he has found a code in the Book of Ezekiel that addresses some of the tunnels Warren had excavated. Dr. Valter Juvelius’s code-breaker, he says, points the way to the secret location of the Ark of the Covenant.


Brad Ricca - image from Amazon

Of course, today this guy would be one of a thousand cranks flogging his wares on the internet, generating eye-rolls, and maybe trying for a spot on Shark Tank. But in 1909 he was taken seriously and was embraced by a group of men willing to spend some of their considerable excess cash on an adventure, and look to their wealthy friends and associates to provide the rest of the needed funding. They formed a group called J.M.P.V.F. Syndicate, for their initials, but referred to it as The Syndicate (nothing sinister there), hoping to find the Ark, reputed to have properties that allowed one to communicate directly with God. Whether it provided an early version of the iPhone, a Star Trek communicator, an eight-ball, a metal can with a very, very long string attached, or no comms-capacity at all, they estimated it to be worth hundreds of millions of pounds, or something on the order of twenty three billion dollars in today’s money. Adigging they will go.


Charles Warren in Palestine, 1867 - image from The History Reader

We follow the progress of the digs over several years, noting the discoveries that were made, and the challenges the participants faced. Some very Indy-ish adventures are included. The point of this book is not to tease you about the location of the Ark. Ok, maybe it is, a bit, but rest assured that if the Ark had been found and the author had figured out where it is, I seriously doubt he would be telling us. He would be living VERY LARGE somewhere, and who knows, maybe having daily chats with you-know-who. (Sup, G?)

True Raiders is my love letter to Raiders of the Lost Ark, but also to the conspiracy-minded genre of eighties properties like In Search Of, Amazing Stories, and Holy Blood, Holy Grail…I…want to ask real questions about the intersections between fact, story, and truth. Did Monty really go after the Ark? Yes, he did. What did he find? That answer is more complicated. - from The Untold Story… article

Monty Parker - image from Wiki

If you picked up this book without having examined the flap copy or inspected the cover too closely, you could easily mistake it for a novel. Ricca has taken liberties, fleshing out the structure of known events with bountiful interpretation. It makes for a smoother and more engaging read than a mere recitation of facts might allow. I was reminded of the shows aired on The History Channel in which actors portray historical events. Ricca does it with panache. A sample:

Ava Lowle Willing Astor was in a mood. She reclined back on her chair and paged through the Times to take her mind off things. She pushed through the headlines to the society pages, to look for the names of people she knew and parties she had attended—and those she had ruthlessly avoided. The Sunday-morning light was streaming through her high windows. Her daughter Alice was around, somewhere.
“Alice!” she yelled out sharply, in no particular direction but loud. There was no answer. She was probably trying on her jewelry again. Ava made a face.

Ava Lowle Willing Astor - image from Wikipedia

Ava and Monty flirt. But it seems she is here more for social context, and to offer a take on what challenges were faced by uber-rich women with more independence than was thought proper at the time. There are few women playing a significant role in this story. One is Bertha Vester, a Chicago-born local, brought to Jerusalem as a child. She became a towering figure in Jerusalem, internationally renowned for her charitable work with children of all faiths, through the organization her father had established, The American Colony. She was also a major source for Parker, connecting him to local experts able to help in the dig. And offering him the benefit of her knowledge of area history, including Charles Warren’s work.


Bertha Spafford, (later Vester) age 19, in 1896. - image from IsabellaAlden.com

In the Notes that follows the text of the tale, Ricca says:

Rather than a history, this is a history of the story. Chapters are grouped into parts that are based on the point-of-view of the person or source used.

That is true enough. Monty Parker’s expedition was the one looking hard for the Ark, but Warren’s work thirty years before had done the initial digging, and the de-coding by Dr. Juvelius provided the actual spark. The stories merge when Parker is helped by Bertha Vester to connect with Warren’s work, and with local archaeological experts.


Valter Juvelius (left) around 1909–1911 in the Siloam tunnel.

There are personalities aplenty on display here. Ricca gives us some individual histories, although nothing that might smack of a stand-alone biography. Some of the characters were involved in newspaper headlines or related notoriety. Ava Lowle Willing Astor was involved in a front-page divorce from John Jacob Astor IV, who would later sail on the maiden voyage of an ill-starred ship, prior to her involvement with the expedition. As noted earlier, Charles Warren had the misfortune of being the Police Commissioner when Jack the Ripper was cutting his way through London. Monty and his pals gained notoriety of an unwanted sort after one of their (certainly unauthorized) digs. Their hasty retreat was an international incident, garnering coverage in the New York Times, and generating mass outrage among the locals in Jerusalem.


NY Times headline about Parker absconding

…on May 14, 1911, The New York Times ran a story titled “Mysterious Bags Taken from Mosque.” In it, the expedition is described as having worked for two years just “to reach that one spot.” And though the article asserts that “what they really found no one knows,” it notes that the expedition “told different persons that they are ‘very satisfied.’” The article claims that four or five men, including Parker, Duff, and Wilson, invaded the Haram at midnight, having gained entrance by bribery, and that they lifted up a heavy stone, entered a cavern, and “took away two bags.” Before they left on their white yacht from Jaffa, they had a cup of tea. The caretaker they had bribed was in jail and suffered a further indignation: his great beard and mustache had been shaved off in public.
The same story also printed a conversation between a “very liberal” Moslem man of Jerusalem and an Englishman:
“Suppose that some Moslems entered Westminster Abbey and deliberately carried away treasure from some secret underground vault?” asked the Moslem. “What would happen?”
“War,” said the Englishman.

The book raises questions of where found relics belong, not, ultimately, showing Monty and his partners in the kindest light. Part of that portrayal is to show the self-regard of the upper crust, presuming that their privileged upbringing carried with it not just an inflated sense of entitlement, but an enhanced level of self-regard as being of strong, moral character.

Juvelius was relieved. He knew that one would have to have mediocre intelligence to think they could milk secrets from an English gentleman.

Another participant, Robin Duff, let on to Rudyard Kipling that he was responsible for raping local virgins in Jerusalem. Maybe not quite the highest moral character.


Father Louis-Hughes Vincent

There is a far-too-lengthy where-are-they-now series of chapters at the back of the book that might have been more alluring in a longer work, one that had offered more beforehand about the people involved, made us more interested in their stories. It makes sense in the overall intent, but seemed too large a tail for a creature of this size.


(the unfortunately named) Warren’s Shaft - image from Wikimedia

You will learn some interesting intel reading True Raiders, such as where the Indy writers got the notion of that gigantic boulder rolling through a tunnel, a possible origin for a Scandinavian deity, and how George Lucas decided on the Ark as the target of Indiana Jones’s first great quest. It seems possible that Monty Parker was one of many real-world models for the fictitious Indy. The location of the Ark should surely spark some interest of the did-they-or-didn’t-they find it sort. You will see the sort of competition Parker faced while attempting to find the Ark, from both the rich and powerful billionaire sorts and more local interests. Ava Astor has some interesting whoo-whoo experiences, unrelated to Monty’s dig. Ricca offers a sense of adventure in a real-world story, however embellished the details might be. He brings actual archaeological knowledge along, showing the significance of the finds made by both the Warren and Parker digs, gives us a look at some of the social mores and activities of the times, and loads it all up with a wonderful sense of fun, allowing readers to wonder, Would I have done this or that if offered the chance? No fedora, leather jacket, or whip needed. True Raiders is definitely worth exploring. No snakes involved.


Fake, but fabulous Raider - image from Mental Floss


Review first posted – September 21, 2021

Publication dates
----------Hardcover - September 24, 2021
----------Trade paperback - December 13, 2022


I received an e-ARE of True Raiders from St. Martins through NetGalley in return for doing some digging. Thanks, folks.

This review has been cross-posted on my site, Coot’s Reviews. Come say Hi!


=============================EXTRA STUFF

Links to the author’s personal, FB, and Twitter pages

Interview
-----Constant Wonder - Searching for the Ark of the Covenant - by Markus Smith - audio – 40:34

Items of Interest from the author
-----Excerpt from The History Reader - True Raiders: Charles Warren
-----The Untold Story of the Expedition to Find the Legendary Ark of the Covenant

I try not to think about it too much, but I think I spent a great many lonely years earning a doctorate solely because of Raiders. I may not have been lost in Egyptian tombs or navigated ancient mazes, but I have found lost documents and have taught for many years out of cramped offices that resembled utility closets. And it was all great. But I never thought it would lead me to the Ark. Somewhere, I was disappointed not only that it hadn’t, but that I had foolishly believed it would.

Then I learned about Monty Parker.

Items of Interest (Wikions?)
-----Wiki on Charles Warren
-----Wiki on Monty Parker
-----Wiki on Cyril Foley
-----Wiki on Book of Ezekial
----- Library of Congress - The Bertha Vester diaries
-----World History Encyclopedia - The Moabite Stone [Mesha Stele] by William Brown
----- Wiki on Ava Lowle Willing Astor by Mark Meredith

[TXGAL1 · Rating 4 out of 5]

WOW—what an adventure; and, it’s made only better because the main thread of the story follows the actual expeditions in search of The Ark of the Covenant!!

Brad Ricca has done his research and given life to the characters and the places in TRUE RAIDERS:The Untold Story of the 1909 Expedition to Find the Legendary Ark of the Covenant. The book’s chapters are short which keep readers engaged and curious. Since my copy was an ARC, I’m unsure if in the released hardcopy, pictures or maps were included. If not, I think the inclusion of both would have greatly enhanced the book. My rating reflects this one wish.

This book is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED and I wish to thank St Martins Press and Goodreads for providing me with the opportunity to read this title in exchange for my review.

[Carolyn Walsh · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wish to thank NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this fascinating, thoroughly researched non-fiction book in return for an honest review. This true story of the Parker Expedition of 1909 has been based on recently recovered and original records, newly translated sources, various publications, and first-person narratives. I have always enjoyed true, factual adventure accounts, including stories about archaeology. This is an intriguing and informative account of the expedition to find the fabled Ark of the Covenant, which they believed to be hidden within branching tunnels under Jerusalem.

The story for the search for the Ark conveyed the difficulty of crawling through dusty tunnels, sometimes muddy and dripping with water. Their tedious excavations where the tunnels branched off in new directions are the backbone of an exciting, thrilling story. I felt the story veered off into too many other historical directions rather than being concise.

Monty Parker, from a noble family, was approached by an obsessed, eccentric Finnish Bible scholar who claimed he had translated a hidden code in the Old Testament revealing the location of the Ark. The man claimed he had cryptic clues enabling him to discover Moses's grave in a different location. Parker was dared by Ava Astor and became interested in the endeavour to locate the legendary Ark.

Parker assembled a team of ex-military friends from elite families who were bored and anxious for adventure. One was most famous as a professional cricket player. Added to this team was a local Dominican father who was an archaeologist and religious historian, giving credibility to a group with no experience in archaeological excavations. The code-obsessed Biblical scholar also claimed he had deciphered Biblical instructions that lead him to make maps of the tunnels. Also connected were a psychic and translators of modern languages and ancient scripts.

Bribes were paid to political figures and guards to enable them to carry out their secret digs outside the walls of Jerusalem. There was much interesting history involved, including mention of battles in the past war, the opening of King Tut's tomb, local politics and the legal system, Whitechapel, New York and British high society, the Titanic, etc. With so many characters involved, and some not included in the summary at the beginning of the book, I found the narrative of this gripping adventure to lack cohesiveness and become disjointed at times. The book was helped by having each chapter clearly labelled as the featured character, the year, and the location.

I frequently stopped my reading to look at photos of the leading characters and the Parker expedition on the internet as none were used to illustrate the fascinating book. The expedition ended in infamy. Parker, with others, had bribed guards and sneaked into the holy and revered Dome of the Rock and were seen digging there. During Moslem, Jewish and Christian religious days, and news of their desecration set off riots through the city. They managed to flee by boat, but false rumours spread that they had escaped not only the Ark of the Covenant but a crown and ring associated with David and Solomon.

Recommended for those interested in history, Biblical study, and archaeology. 3.5 stars raised to 4 for the impeccable and painstaking research.

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

As intriguing as this premise was, I’m afraid the book as a whole wasn’t as captivating as I’d hoped. In the years preceding WWI, a handful of Englishmen formed The Syndicate to hunt for the Ark of the Covenant beneath Mount Ophel in Jerusalem. With promises of Indiana Jones-esque adventures, the fact that not much was achieved was a let-down. Other than excavating Hezekiah’s tunnels, the expedition’s most significant artifact found was a bronze age Egyptian-inspired bowl.

The author’s attempt at narrative nonfiction didn’t quite work here either. The writing was often disjointed and inconsistent. Some chapters were anecdotal and introduced characters that were superfluous. One example was the chapter that recounted the shooting of American tourists at the Dome of the Rock while the excavation was going on a few miles away. Another character who had excavated the same site 40 years earlier was involved in investigating Jack the Ripper’s murders, which had absolutely nothing to do with the overall plot. I’m not sue the narrative of the leader of the American Colony in Jerusalem was even necessary. Dr. Juvelius was a key player who provided a biblical cypher that guided the dig, but I was perplexed why his biographical information wasn’t provided until the end of the book.

There were elements of the historical drama that were fascinating, and I enjoyed particular characters like Father Vincent and Monty Parker. I especially liked Father Vincent’s keen observations: “Though the caves were natural, someone had molded and connected them to a higher purpose. Father Vincent was seeing the evidence of one very human, very gifted man… He called him The Master Architect.” Overall the book had promise, but lacked cohesion and the dramatic adventure it promised.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher.

[Catharine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Special thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for allowing me to read this early in exchange for an honest review!

When I saw this book and read the blurb about it I was ENAMORED! I just HAD to read it! I was very excited when I received a digital copy and got right to reading. Unfortunately, this book just didn't do it for me because of one pretty major flaw (at least a major flaw for me).

Let me start by saying that I love history. I have read tons of non-fiction history books and given them 5 stars. Alternatively, I have also read many historical fiction books and also given them 5 stars. This book however will only be receiving 3 stars, and that's me being generous....here's why:

The story itself did happen, there was an expedition for the Ark, the characters in this book are real people from the past, the locations are accurate, and everything seems to be on point. *BUT* there are also these randomly entered into the book dialogue sections of the characters talking to each other, or inner monologues of the characters that, to me, just didn't make any sense. Like....is this book non-fiction history, or is it historical fiction?

I understand that this expedition eventually lead to the story that became Indiana Jones, and because of that I feel like the author tried to make this historical book into a sort of BIG SCREEN MOVIE type thing, but it was not doing it for me. In fact, the parts that were "added" by the author to make the story move forward in a linear way, while also humanizing the characters, actually did the opposite for me...I was rather turned off.

If you are looking for a book about an expedition attempt for the Ark, this may not be what you want to read. It seems almost fake because of the fabricated dialogues, and to be frank, you'd be better off just watching Indiana Jones.

[Jim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to the publisher and author for the ARC of this book, TRUE RAIDERS by author PROFESSOR BRAD RICCA.

I am Jewish, and after my visit to Israel in 2011, the history of my heritage has become very important to me. For instance, what happened to The Ark of the Covenant? King Solomon’s treasures? The accoutrements of the First and Second Temples in Jerusalem? Long before my visit, I watched the movie Raiders of the Lost Ark. Professor Ricco has tackled some of those mysteries in his new book.

This true story bounces back and forth between two basic time periods – the 1860s - 80s and 1908-11. He follows two teams of archaeologists one led by Sir Charles Warren (1860s - 80s) and the other by Montague Parker (first decade of the1900s), who was the 2nd son of the Earl of Morley.
Warren was the first to really explore the tunnels that brought water to the Pool of Siloam and Hezekiah’s Tunnel from around 800 BCE. Two boys playing hooky from a nearby school find a tablet in the tunnel whose first word was deciphered as “Behold”. The rest was unintelligible. As an aside, Warren was also involved with the “Jack the Ripper Case” in London working with Scotland Yard.

In 1908, Parker joins Johan Millen, Cyril Foley, Clarence Wilson, Captain Robin Duff and Dr. Juvelius to create a syndicate to locate The Ark of the Covenant. Juvelius claims to have discovered a secret code in the Old and New Testaments that tells the location of The Ark.

In Jerusalem, they meet Father Vincent a biblical archaeologist working at a university in Palestine. He eventually joins the expedition. The team made a few discoveries and cleaned out the tunnels. They also made maps of them. Today, those tunnels are open to tourists.

In December 1910, William Le Queux published a successful novel called Treasures of Israel. His story seemed very real to the team in Jerusalem. Le Queux later became one of the founders of British Intelligence.

In 1911, in the Valley of Hinnom, in a cave they did not have permission to be in, Parker’s team finds a throne they believe was King Solomon’s throne until they realize it has a hole in the seat! Parker was also accused of illegally digging under The Dome of the Rock (The Foundation Stone).

Other interesting sidelights are the introduction of Ava Astor, divorced wife of John Jacob Astor, and Baron Edmund de Rothschild, a Jewish French banker. Astor was a victim of the Titanic’s sinking in 1912. Rothschild was a huge benefactor of Jews in Israel/Palestine.

At the end of the book Professor Ricco tells what happened to both groups of archaeologists and how he came to write this book. This part was also very interesting.

If you are a fan of history, archaeology or science, then by all means read this book. It is a page-turner, written more like a memoir than a straight history. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

GO! BUY! READ!

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Two things come to my mind when I think of the Ark of the Covenant:

1) The mentioning of it in The Bible (a pure gold covered wooden chest with a lid that was referred to as the "Mercy seat").

2) Stephen Spielberg's, Indiana Jones movie, "Raiders of the Lost Ark".

I was super stoked when I saw that there was a non-fiction book about the expedition to find it in 1909...SCORE😍....or not?👎

Of course, history tells us that the ark was never discovered since the mention of the biblical account (even though there have been numerous claims of possession by folks in Europe, Egypt, Ethiopia, etc.).

From the author, "True Raiders tells the untold true story of Monty Parker, a British rogue noblemen who, after being dared by Ava Astor, the so-called most beautiful woman in the world, headed a secret 1909 expedition to find the fabled Ark of the Covenant."

The book reads like a book of historical fiction, with many different POV's and a lot of dialogue which at times is very confusing. The first 40 pages or so I was intrigued, but after that, I was succumbed to complete boredom. The story seemed repetitive discussing over and over excavating tunnels with no discoveries. In my opinion, nothing interesting happens and the little things that are discovered did not wow me. There were also random connections and discussions of characters that could have been left out.

I went into the book thinking that it would be incredibly adventurous and entertaining and it just was not for me. I was going to give it 2 stars, but due to the author's incredible amount of research done (there are 48 pages of notes/references after the Epilogue), I went with 3⭐'s.

Thank you to Goodreads, the author, and St. Martin's Press for my copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Tanja Berg · Rating 3 out of 5]

A sprawling, fragmented tale of the quest which eventually inspired Indians Jones. Interesting in places, but occasionally confusing by jumping timelines and characters in a haphazard fashion. Plus the book thinks the Bible actually represents historical events, which it does not. So in that sense the book is naive, even if the premise is amusing.

[Trike · Rating 1 out of 5]

Perhaps this story is untold because it’s uninteresting. When you have to invoke Jack the Ripper in order to add a bit of spice to your narrative because one of the people tangentially involved with your archeological dig was also tangentially involved with that murder case, perhaps you should look elsewhere for thrilling adventures.

The Lost City of Z: A Tale of Deadly Obsession in the Amazon also makes a meal out of not much, but at least there the focus is kept squarely on the area in question without bringing in a bunch of irrelevant side topics. But even there I struggled to maintain interest in that book, semi-reluctantly giving it three stars instead of two simply because it was decently written.

The writing here is so flowery that it borders on purple prose. It almost feels like he was paid by the adjective. In my nonfiction history I don’t want the author to wax poetic about sunsets and other such irrelevancies that have bog-all to do with the tale at hand. (And, frankly, unless you’re going from journals and contemporary weather reports, you have no damn idea what the day looked like in 1909.) The template for this should be the excellent Madhouse at the End of the Earth: The Belgica's Journey into the Dark Antarctic Night, where the scene is set deftly with a brief description and then we move on to the meat of the story. Plus, Sancton had several journals kept by the sailors to work from, as well as numerous newspaper articles, so he was able to piece together a story from their day-to-day recordings and contemporary accounts.

There’s not as much of that here, hence all the adjectives and extraneous side stories. Plus, there’s not much payoff. I suppose one could argue that it was the journey rather than the destination which was important, but when you have a meandering road trip where passengers go off to do random things, it’s hard to sustain that argument.

[T · Rating 3 out of 5]

Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing a free copy to review.

Hmmmm. I am very torn on this book. Is it historical nonfiction? Or is it, as it read to me, historical fiction? There was a lot of dialogue. A lot. And way more telling than showing. That’s part of the reason why I’m of 2 minds with this title. Plus, there are a lot of characters (again, a lot) and while there’s a who’s who at the beginning of the book, it still feels very disjointed and hard to find a cohesive narrative.

Despite these points, it was fascinating to see a Whitechapel/Jack the Ripper connection. I won’t spill on that because all readers deserve to stumble upon this at the moment it is least expected.

Still overall very torn on this book, however.

[Kim Fox · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am really struggling with this book, True Raiders by Brad Ricca. I love non fiction books, and I love treasure hunts, but this book moved so slow, that I struggled to read it. I found there were way too many characters that weren't needed, and way too much dialogue for a non fiction book. But, the amount of research that was done on this book is what drives my rating. I may try to read this one again one day, in hopes that it was me and not the book.

Thank you to Netgalley, St Martin's Press, and Brad Ricca for the eARC/ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love it when my favorite movies have a bit of truth in them! I'm a huge Raiders of the Lost Ark fan, so I grabbed up a review copy of this book the moment I knew it was coming out! And the true tale is even more adventurous and mystical than the Hollywood version!

1909. Monty Parker, a larger than life adventurous Brit, is dared to go on an expedition to find the Ark of the Covenant. Beautiful women. A mysterious scholar. Adventurous men. Even Psychics. And a secret archeological dig near Jerusalem. It is the stuff of Legend....and the telling of this story sucked me right in and kept my attention from start to finish! The history junkie in me was in complete heaven -- and no, I didn't see the Ark there.

This book is phenomenal! Anyone who loves tales of archeological digs in the early 1900s and strange history will LOVE this book! Sometimes it completely factual that truth can be stranger than fiction!

Love, love, love, LOVEEEEEEE this book!

I read a portion of this book in ebook format, then switched to the audio book. The audio is just short of 10.5 hours long. Narrated by Stephanie Willis, the audio is an excellent listening experience.

**I voluntarily read a review copy of this book (and purchased the audio format) from St Martins Press. All opinions expressed (and exclamation points, Capital letters, etc) are entirely my own.

[Stephanie Griffin · Rating 1 out of 5]

What is this about playing cricket or something? Good gawd, just get to the expedition!

[Jeff Matlow · Rating 2 out of 5]

Kudos to the author for some insanely detailed research into an expedition that I never knew existed.

In 1909 a group of people set off to find the Ark of the Covenant following a supposed cipher that revealed supposedly hidden messages in the Bible.

There are many parts of this expedition that are like a real life Indiana Jones. I love this type of stuff. Unfortunately this book is so mired in detail, much of it completely useless, that it's a slog to read. I tried and I tried but gave up 2/3 of the way in.

I really wanted to like this book and apparently I'm the outsider to give it a bad review but, well, it's just not a great read.

If you're looking for a book about the search for the Ark of the Covenant, read the Sign and the Seal, by Graham Hancock. That is an amazing book, which actually sparked my interest in this field about 30 years ago and I've since read a ton of books about it.

Tomb Raiders would not be in my top 10 recommendations.

Though I don't remember the details of the book, my guess is that Graham Hancock mentioned the 1909 expedition in his book for a page or two, and that's about all is needed.

#netgalley #trueraiders

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

True Raiders by Brad Ricca is an excellent book that is the cumulation of facts, stories, documents, historical accounts, first-person narratives, publications, and so on of a retelling of the infamous Parker Expedition. I loved this!

Being a life-long and passionate fan of archeology, I instantly grabbed up this book to see what could be made of the famous and mysterious Parker Expedition that took place in the early 20th century. Boy, I am glad I did!

Headed by Monty Parker, amongst many other players (in which the author presents at the beginning in a Who’s Who list, and in alternating viewpoints, this archeological dig/expedition/quest involved the ultimate goal of locating, unearthing and deciphering the location and contents of the biblical (and at times mystical) Ark of the Covenant. (For movie fans...does Harrison Ford and Raiders of the Lost Ark ring any bells?)

We get to meet all of the unique, fascinating, and fabulous players within this group, and the author is beyond impressive in weaving a narrative that is based on all the above research into what feels like a smooth, intriguing, and easy fictional novel. Alternating viewpoints are used to help round out the information that has been gathered from the plethora of sources to help weave the storyline into place.

It was gripping, fascinating, intriguing, entertaining, and fantastic. It just makes me love history and archeology even more so. I am in love with this book!

5/5 stars

Thank you NG and St. Martin’s Press for this arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication.

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free e-ARC copy of this book through Netgalley.

I've always liked the Indiana Jones movies so hearing this was possibly a real-life Indiana Jones did pique my interest. The story timeline jumps back and forth between key events and people involved with the search for the Ark of the Convenant. It was written in an interesting way and kept my attention. It made history come to life for me.

[Claudia · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book opened with such promise. I read 10% in my first sitting and really enjoyed the author's presentation of characters and development of setting and atmosphere. I looked forward to picking up the book again. By about 15% I wondered what had gone wrong. The story began to ramble and go off on tangents. More and more characters were being introduced. Unrelated situations filled pages of text that I started to skim. The original story seemed completely lost in all of these superfluous side plots.
I initially assumed this was historical fiction written from an archive of records from this archeological expedition. It read like historical fiction because of the dialogue and interplay between characters. However, I realized later that the book is supposed to be a nonfictional account of the expedition based on meticulous examination of the archive. For me, it never felt like nonfiction. This may explain all of the tangential information included in the book. The author added every last bit of information to the narrative. In my opinion, this created a disjointed account that was difficult to follow and unfortunately tedious. Had the author chosen a different style, maybe all of this detail could have been more effectively incorporated, but it did not work as nonfictional story-telling.
At about 55% through the book, I decided to skip to the last two chapters and epilogue. This part reminded me of the first 10% of the book. It was focused, well-written and interesting. I also read the author's notes. I never encountered the part about Jack the Ripper and decided not to search for it.
Like many other reviewers, I enjoyed the Indiana Jones films and watched them all when they were originally released. The actual expedition that inspired the Indiana Jones story could have been a brilliant book. I would like to see this content edited and written as historical fiction. I think the concept could be an excellent book, unfortunately this version was not.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Mike · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book is a solid three stars. I learned something of the history of Palestine before the first World War. I learned something of Biblical history as well. The story of the dig and the clandestine activities were truly reminiscent of Raiders of the Lost Ark. The parts of the book dealing with the expedition up to the point of their hurried flight from Palestine was top notch. After that the story became a muddled mix of "maybe, and kinda sorta," and what became of the key participants without clearly identifying what if anything was found. It pulled the book way down.

It was very interesting but did not come to any solid conclusions.

[Annette · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has a lot going on. There’s quite a few characters which at times are hard to keep track of. The story jumps back and forth a lot too. All this I found confusing. I was expecting a different type story
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the early copy

[Merrit Townsend (always1morebook) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book from Brad Ricca and St. Martin Press. I was not compensated for this review and all opinions are my own.

The title and cover of this book caught my attention right away. An iIndiana Jones type adventure. Sign me up!. The tagline "This is the untold story of the 1909 expedition to find the legendary Arc of the covenant" was also a big influence.

The book has some romance but it is not a huge part of the book. I loved the adventure and the Raiders of the Lost Arc vibe. The author sucks you in and keeps you there wondering if the Arc will ever be found! I loved the story and the way the book was plotted out. I was a bit overwhelmed with the amount of people in the book and also the large amount of information/historical aspects of the book. I also was unsure if this was a fictional boor or true story..The way the book is written made me think fictional at times. Overall the book kept my attention and I would recommend it. I give this one 4 stars

[Maureen · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Ark Of The Covenant has always been a sought after relic from biblical times. In 1909 the early part of the 20th century a rag tag group of characters comes together for an expedition to the Middle East to search for the Ark. What they find as opposed to what they are supposed to find is the premise for this work of nonfiction by Brad Ricca. I really enjoyed reading The Raiders it was so interesting and full of history. And my takeaway is that I learned about a piece of forgotten history. Five stars 🤩 for an excellent work.

[Rhiannon Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.



This book was wild! The description of "real-life version of Raiders of the Lost Ark" is absolutely not too far of a stretch. Add in some "DaVinci Code," "History's Mysteries," and a beautiful love interest (Ava Astor, a woman recently divorced from America's first multi-millionaire businessman) and you can see that Hollywood movie play out in your head as you read each chapter. I was in such disbelief that this was a true story because it read like a suspense novel, full of anticipation and intrigue. I definitely suggest this to anyone looking for nonfiction book recommendations.



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[Jessica Fleming · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having never heard of the Parker Expedition I was excited to read this book and learn about something I knew nothing about. From chapter one I was mesmerized and I was taken pack in time. The pages seemed to just flow together as the story unfolded. Wow! What a story this was.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

1n 1909, a group of men, including Captain Montague Parker and Cyril Foley, set out on a secret adventure. With the aid of a cipher developed by a Finnish Professor Valter Juvelius, they intended to discover the ark of the covenant. Their plans included digging and clearing the Hezekiah tunnels in Jerusalem and any other areas that might yield treasure. Previous work had been conducted in the same place some twenty years before by Charles Warren but, the new explorers thought they now had more information thanks to Dr. Juvelius. And Mr. Ricca tells the story behind the story of their search and the mysteries, adventures, and misadventures that ensued. He also includes the stories of characters who helped aid the group during their quest to find forgotten treasure.

Overall, this is a good look back into the past showing how myths become legends and rumors can cause unexpected events. And while I thought the book rambled a bit in parts and included characters who seemed to play a minor or passing role in the expedition, it was still interesting and well-written. I think the end of the book was particularly interesting as it explained to some extent what happened to the central characters after the expedition ended.

Thanks to St. Martins Press for allowing me to read this in exchange for an honest review.
More reviews at www.susannesbooklist.com

[Claudia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can see why the author warns the readers about a certain movie - it certainly seems that media can imitate real life.

In 1909 - and for additional two years - a group of English gentlemen were excavating in the tunnels beneath Jerusalem in order to find the Ark of the Covenant. Of course, they didn't say that to the Turkish officials that approved and monitored the digs. A Finnish surveyor supposedly discovered a secret cipher within several Old Testament books that told of ti Ark's hidden location.

On a positive note, the Syndicate's actions did clear Hezekiah's fresh water tunnel that ran from the Gihon Spring to the Pool of Siloam of centuries of sediment and trash. No Ark but certainly some respect for the construction thousands of years ago. And the tunnels are still in use today and are open for tours.

They - of course - didn't find the Ark (you'd know about it if they did). And it certainly reads like an old-time adventure story when it doesn't get bogged down in personal histories of some of the characters involved - some very tenuously connected. And they certainly are characters - explorers from the time before the first World War when treasure hunts were all the rage.

And as the reader goes through this true tale, if they start thinking about an archaeologist by the name of Henry who insisted on people calling him by the dog's name - don't be surprised. The writer and director know about the expedition too.

2022-062

[Elisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a nonfiction book that reads so much like fiction that it’s hard to remember how the characters were real people. As the title says, these were the true raiders who tried to do what Indiana Jones only accomplished in our dreams. Or did they really find the Ark of the Covenant? Monty Parker was a nobleman with a thirst for adventure and, using the findings of a Finnish scholar, traveled to Jerusalem at the beginning of the 20th century for a scavenger hunt that would lead them to the Word of God. The author does excellent work researching not only the people involved, but the time and place and the customs. It’s like time travelling and being there. He obviously also takes liberties with their conversations, but they are believable and engrossing. The text enfolds at breakneck speed, which makes for a fun read of what would normally be boring historical details. A word of caution, this book will make you want to drop everything and become Indiana Jones.
I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thank you, NetGalley/ St. Martin's Press!

[Sammy · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was an adventure story that wasn't exciting and a nonfiction book that contained little verifiable truth. It takes a very uncritical look at the titular expedition with almost no examination of political or religious context, both of which would have made this book much better. The principle characters are described in a very hero-worshipping manner with no examination of how their actions and decisions affected people who weren't wealthy white British men. History exclusively from a white male colonial perspective isn't interesting (or complete) history.

Ricca would have been better off writing a historical fiction novel; his writing style of creating fictional scenes discredits this as a work of history, but might've made a pretty good adventure novel (if the story was actually exciting).

Many diversions to unrelated events in the region and other historical figures that were not relevant to the central topic.

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love the Middle East, I love Biblical history, I love British imperial adventures around the world. So I should love this book, but I didn't. It was ok, fine, good, kinda like a piece of toast and boring tea.
Parts were interesting, mostly focusing on people's lives, and parts were sleep inducing, mostly the digging and cipher and things that were trying to be more mysterious than they actually were.
Read it if you like this topics I mentioned but don't expect an edge of your seat ride. And I haven't seen Raiders of the Lost Ark since I was a child so I will watch it again for the entertainment value.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. The only parts I didn't enjoy were the random tangents that had nothing to do with the story - the Jack the Ripper part is a prime example. I understand that the material for the story was taken from many sources and the author made it as cohesive as he could, but it did jump around a bit.
All of that to say, the book was an enjoyable read and I feel like I learned a bit as well!

[Landon · Rating 2 out of 5]

You can’t promise me Indiana Jones and deliver stuffy British sub-nobleman correspondences and get away with it.

This has real promise. Toss this draft and start over.