Review: The Holy Conspiracy

Synopsis:

Erased from history—the forgotten story of how Jesus’s brother led the disciples in a bitter battle of faith against the Apostle Paul, the founder of Christianity.

Haunted by the brutal execution of Jesus, his brother Yakov is desperately trying to piece together the fragments of his broken life. Dwelling in constant fear of persecution, he cowers in lakeside Galilee where the Romans rule with bloodstained hands. When the other disciples elect him as their new leader, Yakov refuses at first. He has no desire to put his life at further risk. Until Mary Magdalen suggests that they form a secret society in the shadows of the Jerusalem Temple, and Yakov reluctantly agrees.

Shortly after their move to Judea, an affluent tentmaker from Tarsus named Saul approaches Yakov with a wild tale that Jesus has risen from the dead as the long-awaited Messiah. The disciples protest: their beloved teacher Jesus was a humble man, not a god. And they witnessed his execution, they even entombed his body. But Saul just scoffs at their objections and insists that only his version of Jesus as the Savior is true. Now Yakov, Mary Magdalen, and the others must fight to keep Jesus’s credo of oneness with God alive. But how can these poor, uneducated disciples stand victorious in an arena of treachery and deceit, where the rich and powerful always prevail?

Spanning three decades, against a backdrop of increasingly violent Roman rule, THE HOLY CONSPIRACY is a tour de force of love and faith, arrogance and humility from one of our most inspirational new authors.

Rating: 5-stars

Review:

The Holy Conspiracy by Kristi Saare Duarte is one phenomenal read. It instantly pulls me deep back in history to the dark times. Jesus has risen and that has caused a lot of fear on both sides. The apostles have a lot to lose and to gain. Troubled times marked with uncertainty of the future is explored here. I loved the details from the time period. Kristi Saare Duarte has a way of bringing history alive and reimagined. Jesus had a way of choosing the kind of people his enemies would overlook. The poor, uneducated, the underdogs and even the some of the biggest sinners were within Jesus’s group of followers. If they believed in him and did as God asked, they were accepted with nothing but love and mercy. This talented writer showed that within her book as well. I can’t brag enough about this novel. The Holy Conspiracy is a must read for all fans of Christianity and mystery.