ARC Review: Steph Reviews The Brothers' Keepers By Matthew Peters

Publisher: MuseItUp Publishing
Series: A Nicholas Branson Novel #1
Format Read: Ebook
Source: From the author for an honest review
Release Date: October 1, 2014
Buying Links: Amazon* | Barnes & Noble 
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

Most of us are familiar with Jesus’ parents, Mary and Joseph, and Jesus’ purported spouse, Mary Magdalene. But what about Jesus’ siblings? What role did they play in early Christianity?

Contemporary Jesuit and renowned religious historian Nicholas Branson is about to find out…and the answer will shake the foundations of the Judeo-Christian world.

It all starts with the murder of a United States Senator in a confessional, and the discovery of a strange religious document among his possessions. At the urging of his FBI friend, Branson joins the investigation. His effort to uncover the truth behind the murder draws him into the search for an eight-hundred-year-old treasure and into a web of ecclesiastical and political intrigue.

Accompanied by a beautiful, sharp-tongued research librarian, Jessica Jones, Branson follows a trail of clues, from the peaks of the awe inspiring French Pyrenees to the caves of war-torn Afghanistan. Along the way, shadowy powerful forces trail the pair, determined to keep safe a secret buried for centuries.

Steph's Thoughts:

This was one of the first books Bea offered to me for review and I liked the sound of it so I jumped on it. Now, that being said, it took me a bit to get to it. I like thrillers but I have to be in the right mood to read them because usually they require some thought while reading them. This one was no different. It is very thought provoking.

The Brother’s Keeper is a conspiracy theory thriller and if you liked The Da Vinci Code you will like this book. While most of the book follows Nick and Jessica as they hunt for the treasure of the Cathars, there are a couple of other stories twisted in. Most of the other stories are the people who are willing to kill to keep the secret hidden from the world. The conspiracy theory is interesting as it goes from the Papal Office to the Oval Office. It really makes you wonder at how true it all could be.

Nick and Jessica follow 800 year old clues around the world while avoiding being killed by various factions. It was nice to read about a group other than The Knights Templar. Most religious conspiracy theory books follow them and this one uses a different group, The Cathars. I had never heard of them and had to Google them. They were a pretty interesting group and one I will probably research more at a later date. This was a refreshing change. I enjoyed it and I learned something new. I liked the chemistry between Nick and Jessica. They made a good team and the end of the story has a good message. I liked this book. It was able to keep my interest on a day when I was not feeling well and that can be a challenge. The author, Matthew Peters, will stay on my radar and I am really looking forward to the next book in the series.