Gary's Book Recommendations
If you’re looking for something special to read (and who isn’t?), check out these books I’ve personally read and found to be compelling and recommendable—and I’m usually very cautious when recommending something.
Vatican Daughter is one of those rare novels that feels both intimate and consequential at the same time. Joni Marie Iraci writes with a quiet confidence that trusts the reader, allowing the story to unfold through atmosphere, character, and moral tension rather than spectacle alone.
What struck me most was the novel’s emotional intelligence. The Vatican setting is rendered with care and respect, not as a caricature or a backdrop for easy intrigue, but as a living, breathing world shaped by history, faith, secrecy, and deeply human contradiction. The author clearly understands the gravity of that environment and uses it to enrich, rather than overwhelm, the personal story at the book’s heart.
Iraci’s prose is elegant without being precious, and her pacing is assured. The novel invites reflection as much as it delivers momentum, asking thoughtful questions about identity, loyalty, belief, and the price of truth. The characters feel authentic, layered, and quietly compelling, lingering in the mind long after the final page.
This is a sophisticated, emotionally resonant novel that rewards careful reading. Vatican Daughter will appeal not only to readers drawn to Vatican-related stories like mine, but to anyone who appreciates intelligent fiction grounded in moral complexity and human depth. A truly impressive and memorable work.
Tim Tigner has done it again with Twisted Lives! From the first page to the last, this book had me hooked, delivering a masterclass in suspense, intrigue, and heart-pounding action. Tigner weaves a tightly knit plot with unforgettable characters, making this a must-read for fans of high-stakes thrillers.
The story unfolds at a relentless pace, with every chapter ending on a note that makes you say, “Just one more.” Tigner’s ability to craft unpredictable twists is unparalleled—just when you think you’ve figured it out, he pulls the rug out from under you in the best way possible.
What truly sets Twisted Lives apart is how it balances action with depth. The characters are more than just players in a suspenseful game—they’re complex, relatable, and so well-developed that you feel their triumphs and struggles alongside them. The stakes are personal—in a very real sense—as well as global, giving the book emotional weight that lingers long after the final page.
If you’re a fan of Tigner’s previous works or simply love a great thriller, Twisted Lives is a must-read. It’s sharp, intelligent, and utterly unputdownable. Tim Tigner proves once again why he’s a master of the genre. Highly recommended!
A dark family secret. A bizarre cult. A talisman that can destroy entire cities. Darwin must stop the skeletons in his past…before they bury our future.
Darwin Lacroix is a wreck. An ancient booby trap nearly kills his wife, Eyrún. A tunnel under their home hides an alchemy lab with strange crystals. And a tabloid reveals his forebear stole American gold, threatening his job as Vatican special director of antiquities. Then he’s slapped with a paternity suit. Could his life get any worse? Modern tests show the crystals are a scientific holy grail—an unlimited energy source—worth billions. But the sword has a double edge. The gems could make pocket-sized nuclear bombs. And thousands more are buried in Egypt.
When North Korean agents hack the research, they rush to steal the secret for their glorious leader. Can Darwin and Eyrún stop them from digging up a vile weapon? Join the adventure as they dash from Corsica to California to Zurich and Paris and finally into the remote heights of Mount Moses. Sinai Deceit blends history, archaeology, and a sprinkle of real hard science into a story that just could be—true.
The pope is dead. Behind the locked doors of the Sistine Chapel, one hundred and eighteen cardinals from all over the globe will cast their votes in the world’s most secretive election. They are holy men. But they have ambition. And they have rivals. Over the next seventy-two hours one of them will become the most powerful spiritual figure on Earth.
Conclave has one of the best twists I’ve read in some time, right there at the end, where a good, suspenseful story twist makes for a thrilling impact.
I really wasn’t prepared for such a deeply moving book as The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris. A vivid, harrowing, and ultimately hopeful re-creation of Lale Sokolov’s experiences as the man who tattooed the arms of thousands of prisoners with what would become one of the most potent symbols of the Holocaust.
Rob Samborn’s The Prisoner of Paradise has it all: Venice, a great Italian master painter, an ancient religious order, a dual-time love story . . . and did I mention Venice? One of my favorite books this past year and one I think you’ll enjoy as well.
I read Holy Blood, Holy Grail decades ago but its impact on me has lasted through all these years. You’ll experience shock after shock as the authors peel back layers of history (and dashes of speculation) to reveal mountains of credible challenges to faith and dogma. Not for the faint of heart.
One of the most powerful books I’ve read in years, Beneath a Scarlet Sky moved me to tears in places. And a side bonus for me was discovering the narrator who would read all my audiobooks, Will Damron, who—since I listened to this novel’s audio edition—has now narrated ten of my own books. Heart-wrenchingly good would be an understatement.
In God’s Name is one of the most powerful and convincing books on the death of Pope John Paul I, pope for just 33 days until his controversial and highly suspicious death, possibly by poison… Esteemed investigative journalist David Yallop makes one gripping and persuasive argument after another on the matter. You be the judge.
