The Secret of Fatima

A Father Kevin Thrall thriller

Christian - Thriller
352 Pages
Reviewed on 06/03/2023
Buy on Amazon

This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Free Book Program, which is open to all readers and is completely free. The author will provide you with a free copy of their book in exchange for an honest review. You and the author will discuss what sites you will post your review to and what kind of copy of the book you would like to receive (eBook, PDF, Word, paperback, etc.). To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email.

This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Review Exchange Program, which is open to all authors and is completely free. Simply put, you agree to provide an honest review an author's book in exchange for the author doing the same for you. What sites your reviews are posted on (B&N, Amazon, etc.) and whether you send digital (eBook, PDF, Word, etc.) or hard copies of your books to each other for review is up to you. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email, and be sure to describe your book or include a link to your Readers' Favorite review page or Amazon page.

This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Donation Program, which was created to help nonprofit and charitable organizations (schools, libraries, convalescent homes, soldier donation programs, etc.) by providing them with free books and to help authors garner more exposure for their work. This author is willing to donate free copies of their book in exchange for reviews (if circumstances allow) and the knowledge that their book is being read and enjoyed. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email. Be sure to tell the author who you are, what organization you are with, how many books you need, how they will be used, and the number of reviews, if any, you would be able to provide.

Author Biography

I've always been fascinated by the Secret of Fatima, the secret told to Lucia in 1917 by the Virgin Mary that she transcribed and sent to the Vatican during WW II. It has remained a source of great speculation even after the secret was revealed by the Pope in 2000, and became a front-page story in the NY Times! To this day, many believe that the true secret has never been revealed, because it is so dramatic. In my novel, The Secret of Fatima, at last we reveal what is likely the true secret, and it is dramatic indeed! I went to Fatima in Portugal many times over the years researching the story. I hope readers will enjoy it as the thriller it is.

    Book Review

Reviewed by Asher Syed for Readers' Favorite

The Secret of Fatima by Peter J. Tanous is an exciting Christian thriller that tells the story of Father Kevin Thrall, a Catholic priest who used to be a soldier. The Vatican asks Father Kevin, who has a unique past, to stop a group of rogue members of the Roman Catholic Church from starting a nuclear war. Father Kevin is reluctant to get involved but feels it is his duty. The extremist group, called Opus Mundi, believes that the church has strayed from its spiritual teachings and wants to bring about an apocalypse to reform it. They plan to start a nuclear war in the Middle East. Father Kevin is pursued by assassins while trying to stop them and protect his loved ones, including Katie, the woman he loves. The book is full of suspense and action as Father Kevin races against time to prevent a catastrophe.

I had a really clever analogy about author Peter J. Tanous being a fisher of men with the wide-ranging collection of characters in his novel The Secret of Fatima, but I'll just leave the carrot right there. Father Kevin, who allows us to drop the formalities and simply call him Kevin, is an acerbic and cynically intelligent anti-hero who is prone to things like torture due to a vacillating moral barometer. To put it frankly, if Rambo, Sherlock Holmes, and Jack Ryan had a child, it would be Kevin Thrall. And I liked him...a lot. Tanous follows the hard-boiled structure of a thriller that involves the Catholic church. One part old prophetic artifact, in this case, the Secret of Fatima, a conspiracy of extremists, important people dying, and a priest with a combat background who can get the job done. Tanous's twist here is nuclear war, an angle that makes the church as much of a potential victim as millions of people in West Asia. The most critical part of a thriller is its twists, which Tanous isn't stingy about and he keeps a reader guessing. Between the plot, the fast pacing, and the easy narrative, this novel makes for a solid entry into its new series. Recommended.

K.C. Finn

The Secret of Fatima: A Father Kevin Thrall Thriller is a work of fiction in the suspense, thriller, and mystery subgenres. It is best suited to the general adult reading audience and was penned by author Peter J. Tanous. This gripping read seamlessly weaves together elements of espionage, religion, and mystery as we’re introduced to our protagonist, Father Kevin Thrall. A chaplain to an inner-city parochial school in Washington, D.C., Thrall leads a life filled with quiet devotion but carries the scars of his past as a combat veteran. The novel explores Thrall's inner conflict, his struggle to reconcile his past with his present role in the church, alongside the mysterious prophecy of the Secret of Fatima, revealed by the Blessed Virgin to three Portuguese shepherd children a century ago.

Author Peter J. Tanous takes readers on a thrilling journey as Father Thrall becomes entangled in a dangerous mission with action at every turn. The pacing is excellent, with a perfect balance between action-packed sequences and moments of introspection, and the character development is especially noteworthy, especially in the multifaceted protagonist, Father Thrall, who is not your typical priest. His complex personality and unique abilities make him a compelling central figure, and the dedicated speech and thought presentation of the author make you feel like he’s a real live person you’re getting to know. Tanous excels at building tension, and the plot twists keep us riveted as we discover the lengths to which individuals and organizations will go to protect their interests. Overall, I found The Secret of Fatima to be a captivating and intellectually stimulating thriller that explores the intersections of faith, secrecy, and the human capacity for both good and evil. It's a novel that keeps you guessing until the very end, making it a must-read for fans of the genre.

Olga Markova

The Secret of Fatima: A Father Kevin Thrall Thriller by Peter J. Tanous introduces us to the main protagonist, Father Kevin Thrall. An ex-CIA contractor and a Catholic priest, Kevin was coaching a basketball team in a community school in a run-down area of Washington. His cozy and uneventful life was turned upside down by the sudden and mysterious death of the Pope and a visit by Monsignor Massimo Drotti, an emissary from the Vatican. He summoned Kevin to Rome to help with the developing crisis that threatened the very core of the Catholic Church. Cancelling dinner with his life partner Katie O’Connell, Kevin boarded a flight to Rome. Before long, he found himself in the whirlpool of a complex, perilous intrigue in the heart of the Vatican.

The Secret of Fatima by Peter J. Tanous is a fascinating mystery spiced with clean romance and a psychological angle which added to this brilliant story. Pivotal to the plot is a mysterious Catholic prophecy that keeps the adventure wheels spinning to the last page. I thoroughly enjoyed every aspect of this flawless work of crime fiction, especially its wide geographical, historical, and ecclesiastical horizons and deep psychological insights. The complex relationship between Katie and Kevin acts as a catalyst for the plot, enriches the character of Father Kevin, and does not detract from the suspense of the adventure. Judging from the subtitle of the book, it is the first novel of a future series, and I look forward to reuniting with Father Kevin Thrall on his new adventures.

Alma Boucher

The Secret of Fatima by Peter J. Tanous is a Christian thriller. Catholic priest Father Kevin Thrall was previously in the military and was requested by the Vatican to stop a group of rebellious Roman Catholics from triggering a nuclear war. However, Father Kevin’s battle experiences with an elite military squad in the past have disturbed him. Father Kevin is still ready to use a Glock, a semi-automatic pistol, after completing his vows. Father Kevin is ideally suited for an assignment that is closely related to the puzzle of a prophecy that dates back a century. Three Portuguese shepherd children received a remarkable prophecy from the Blessed Virgin a century ago. The three secrets of Fatima, which the Vatican had kept hidden for many years, were ultimately made public in 2000. Father Kevin fights the clock to avert a disaster.

The Secret of Fatima by Peter J. Tanous is an interesting and exciting read. I was intrigued from the start until the last page. The story was fast-paced and full of action. It was a thrilling read, and I could not turn the pages fast enough. With all the twists and turns, I never knew what would happen next. I could not put it down and was kept guessing until the very end. The characters were well-developed and authentic. They were relatable and could be anyone I know. My favorite character was Father Kevin. He cared for his students and gave everything to them. The story was excellently written, with a startling revelation. I did not see it coming. It was much more than I expected and exceeded my expectations by far.