“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!” — Jeanne Jabour, Esq.

“I know when I start a series it’s a crap shoot whether it’s going to be a good one and read them all or just the first. With The Magdalene Chronicles Collection by Gary McAvoy after reading the first couple chapters of book one, The Magdalene Deception I was hooked and all in! I received all three books as ARC’s by the author and must say the waiting between each book seemed endless. I was, however greatly rewarded with another fabulous story in the end!

The books are centered around Father Michael Dominic, a priest who works in the archives at the Vatican, now before you chalk it off to too much religion for you, stop! They are not about religion, or this atheist would not have spent her time on them. Anyway, Father Dominic and his good friend journalist Hana Sinclair set out to solve mysteries involving religious artifacts, they’re different in each book. The two are quite good at sleuthing, but it’s the romantic/sexual tension between the two that drew me in with this couple. Although he’s a priest, he still questions his faith and all that entails. He is a man after all.

The most amazing part of all three of these books is the good versus evil McAvoy is able to present. We get a front row seat to the actual fight between the two in real time. And as we’re deciding whose good and whose evil McAvoy is proceeding with an incredible cat and mouse hunt of the relic that is never ending. Just when you think the relic is in safe hands and on it’s way to to the comforts of the Vatican, bam! It’s back in the hands of the bad guys and the chase is on again. I dare you to not be on the edge of your seat as you read along. I found them unputdownable!

The thrills, the chills, the hunt and the dangers are all there. You can’t help but cheer for Father Dominic and Hana and boo for the villains. And boy can McAvoy write villains. They’re as mean and nasty as they come and they’ll do whatever it takes to advance their own agendas, and I mean anything. I really can’t say enough about this collection of books. I can say if you want a unforgettable read that will take you on an amazing ride, you must read this collection. They’re mysteries, they’re thrillers and you’ll even get a hint of romance, if you read between the lines. These books have it all! I highly recommend them to any genre reader. Happy Reading!” — Kymm Cummins, Amazon Reviewer