The Third Secret
By Steve Berry
- Release Date: 2005-05-17
- Genre: Mysteries & Thrillers
Description
Explosive in both its pace and its revelations, The Third Secret is a remarkable international thriller. Bestselling author Steve Berry tackles some of the most controversial ideas of our time in a breakneck journey through the history of the Church and the future of religion.
Fatima, Portugal, 1917: The Virgin Mary appears to three peasant children, sharing with them three secrets, two of which are soon revealed to the world. The third secret is sealed away in the Vatican, read only by popes, and not disclosed until the year 2000. When revealed, its quizzical tone and anticlimactic nature leave many faithful wondering if the Church has truly unveiled all of the Virgin Mary’s words–or if a message far more important has been left in the shadows.
Vatican City, present day: Papal secretary Father Colin Michener is concerned for the Pope. Night after restless night, Pope Clement XV enters the Vatican’s Riserva, the special archive open only to popes, where the Church’s most clandestine and controversial documents are stored. Though unsure of the details, Michener knows that the Pope’ s distress stems from the revelations of Fatima.
Equally concerned, but not out of any sense of compassion, is Alberto Cardinal Valendrea, the Vatican’s Secretary of State,. Valendrea desperately covets the papacy, having narrowly lost out to Clement at the last conclave. Now the Pope’s interest in Fatima threatens to uncover a shocking ancient truth that Valendrea has kept to himself for many years.
When Pope Clement sends Michener to the Romanian highlands, then to a Bosnian holy site, in search of a priest–possibly one of the last people on Earth who knows Mary’s true message– a perilous set of events unfolds. Michener finds himself embroiled in murder, suspicion, suicide, deceit, and his forbidden passion for a beloved woman. In a desperate search for answers, he travels to Pope Clement’s birthplace in Germany, where he learns that the third secret of Fatima may dictate the very fate of the Church–a fate now lying in Michener’s own hands.
BONUS: This edition contains an excerpt from Steve Berry’s The Columbus Affair.
Reviews
Lots to get through
3By avoiding Z'sThough it gets better towards the end, some repetition and unnecessary detail caused me to skip a few pages. Seems to have been very well researched, but overwhelmingly so. In parts it seemed labored. I like his books, so admit that expectations were higher for him than another author. The book was very much along the lines of Dan Brown, and most certainly creative. I felt a little left in the air at the end, but suspect that the tide still being out was the only practical alternative.Always Great Reading!
5By CC HughesSomehow I missed this book along the way. I was looking for something to read and I couldn’t remember reading this, such a pleasure! I just love his historical religious novels.The Third Secret
5By hockeypaTo me, this was Steve Berry's best! As a Roman Catholic who grew up with a Catholic School Education and serves as an Altar Boy, it hit home that the Vatican must progress and accept love and all it's joy for God's children.
