Listen to a sample
The Vatican Secret
- Author
- David Leadbeater
- Narrator
- Damian Lynch
- Publisher
- HarperCollins Publishers
- Publish Date
- 3 March 2022
- Run Time
- 13 hours 1 minute
- Format
- x-book®
- Genre
- Adventure / action fiction, Espionage and spy thriller, War, combat and military adventure fiction
- Rating
- 1.0 (1 review)
What to expect
‘This 5-star thriller is a non-stop action-packed adventure… Reads like the latest blockbuster film… I was left breathless, my heart pounding as I turned the last page’ NetGalley review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
You’ve cracked the Da Vinci code, now uncover the Vatican secret…
The deepest secrets are kept in the darkest places.
When ex-MI5 operative Joe Mason is sent to Rome to guard an elderly professor and his daughter, he thinks he’s in for an easy ride.
But on their first day in the Vatican secret archives, a masked assassin gains entry, shoots Joe’s client in cold blood and steals an ancient manuscript. Giving chase, Joe can’t imagine what could lie within those pages that would make someone willing to kill.
The search for answers leads Joe and his comrades in a race against time, across continents and into treacherous mountains. Only they have a hope of rescuing the Vatican Book of Secrets before a centuries-old enemy can succeed in bringing Rome – and the world as we know it – crashing down…
The Da Vinci Code meets Die Hard in this fast-paced, adrenaline-filled, action-adventure thriller. Perfect for fans of Lee Child and Clive Cussler, The Vatican Secret will have you turning the pages late into the night.
Readers are gripped by The Vatican Secret:‘Cover to cover action… with the pages flying by… A great writer… I loved this book’ NetGalley review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘An absolutely thrilling adventure, a rollercoaster ride… Terrific plot and well-drawn characters’ NetGalley review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘A dynamite premise and a tantalizing plot… Hits its stride from page one… Definitely entertaining’ Steve Berry, author of The Kaiser’s Web
‘A fast-paced book with non-stop action’ NetGalley review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘An explosive cocktail of relentless action’ Alex Shaw, author of Total Blackout
‘This book has it all… Action, intrigue, suspense… with me on the edge of my seat itching to know what would happen next’ NetGalley review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘A high-octane, page-turning thriller that has it all’ Rob Jones, author of The Atlantis Covenant
‘History, excitement and plenty of action. I was totally engrossed’ NetGalley review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘You just get swept away with the characters, the action… Magnifico!’ NetGalley review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Critics Review
-
Readers are gripped by David Leadbeater:
‘Loved it… A fast-paced, adventure-packed, non-stop fight for survival, balanced with a great team dynamic of real characters’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘Action packed, fast paced and filled with adventuring… Great characters too!’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘Amazing rollercoaster ride of mayhem and adventure, David you just get better and better’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘Action, history, fun characters and lots of exciting adventures. You have to love it’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘Buckle up… Adventure that will be impossible to put down til the very end’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘A thrilling and dangerous adventure’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘A wild rollercoaster ride if was up and down and round and round’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘Filled with memorable characters. Everything that makes an action novel worth reading. I highly recommend’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘Thrilling from the beginning to the end’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
User Reviews
Book 1.0
Narration 5.0
-
1.0 5.0
Total Tosh. Well read but The book itself is hopeless. Clearly written to be made into a mindless action film the plot is thin and the relentless action tedious never has so much “deadly gunfire” being expended without the lead characters suffering any material injury it makes Mission Impossible look like a documentary. Kicking myself for struggling through to the end.
GarethB 2025-12-15
Details
- Author
- David Leadbeater
- Narrator
- Damian Lynch
- Duration
- 13 hours 1 minute
- Release Date
- 3 March 2022
- ISBN
- 9780008471132
- Format
- x-book®
- Publisher
- HarperCollins Publishers
- Genre
- Adventure / action fiction, Espionage and spy thriller, War, combat and military adventure fiction
- Rating
- 1.0(1 review)
- Narration
- 5.0(1 review)
Synopsis
‘This 5-star thriller is a non-stop action-packed adventure… Reads like the latest blockbuster film… I was left breathless, my heart pounding as I turned the last page’ NetGalley review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ You’ve cracked the Da Vinci code, now uncover the Vatican secret… The deepest secrets are kept in the darkest places. When ex-MI5 operative Joe Mason is sent to Rome to guard an elderly professor and his daughter, he thinks he’s in for an easy ride. But on their first day in the Vatican secret archives, a masked assassin gains entry, shoots Joe’s client in cold blood and steals an ancient manuscript. Giving chase, Joe can’t imagine what could lie within those pages that would make someone willing to kill. The search for answers leads Joe and his comrades in a race against time, across continents and into treacherous mountains. Only they have a hope of rescuing the Vatican Book of Secrets before a centuries-old enemy can succeed in bringing Rome – and the world as we know it – crashing down… The Da Vinci Code meets Die Hard in this fast-paced, adrenaline-filled, action-adventure thriller. Perfect for fans of Lee Child and Clive Cussler, The Vatican Secret will have you turning the pages late into the night. Readers are gripped by The Vatican Secret: ‘Cover to cover action… with the pages flying by… A great writer… I loved this book’ NetGalley review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘An absolutely thrilling adventure, a rollercoaster ride… Terrific plot and well-drawn characters’ NetGalley review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘A dynamite premise and a tantalizing plot… Hits its stride from page one… Definitely entertaining’ Steve Berry, author of The Kaiser’s Web ‘A fast-paced book with non-stop action’ NetGalley review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘An explosive cocktail of relentless action’ Alex Shaw, author of Total Blackout ‘This book has it all… Action, intrigue, suspense… with me on the edge of my seat itching to know what would happen next’ NetGalley review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘A high-octane, page-turning thriller that has it all’ Rob Jones, author of The Atlantis Covenant ‘History, excitement and plenty of action. I was totally engrossed’ NetGalley review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘You just get swept away with the characters, the action… Magnifico!’ NetGalley review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
About xigxag and the x-book®
xigxag is an independent, UK-based audiobook platform and the UK's only B Corp certified audiobook company. We offer nearly 150,000 audiobooks, all with professional human narration. No AI-generated voices. xigxag is rated an Ethical Consumer Best Buy for audiobooks and a top-rated ethical bookshop.
Our x-book® format is the only fully integrated listen-and-read experience available. See the text on screen as you listen, look up words, take notes, search within the book, and share quotes. It is especially useful for accessibility, language learning, and getting more from non-fiction. Look for the purple x-book® ribbon on the cover, or filter your search by "x-book" to find them.
There is no subscription. You buy the audiobooks you want, you own them permanently, and prices start at $13.95. The more you listen over the year, the less you pay per book, and there is always a selection in Listen for Less from $7.95. You can also send audiobooks as gifts using our audiobook gift cards or in-app gifting.
Every audiobook on xigxag has honest reviews covering both the book and the narration, and our community features make it easy to share what you are listening to, discover what others recommend, and find your next listen.
Download or stream on iOS, Android, or in your browser. Browse the full catalogue at xigxag.co.uk.