I received an ARC copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Lazarus Prophecy is the first book that I have read by F.G. Cottam although he is popular among my book friends. Now I can certainly see why.

It is an accurate description to call this a supernatural crime story but it is much more than that. The Lazarus Prophecy really elevates the form, like The Club Dumas did years ago. And it does it with fine writing, great characters, a horrifying villain, and a very intricate, layered plot that reaches back to the time of Christ. He also does it with tremendous description and sense of place. I had a strong sense of London (both present and 1880’s) and that mountain keep that houses the monks of the Order of , who we have never heard of but who nonetheless have literally saved the world many times over.

Cottam begins by flipping back and forth between two story lines. The first is a really well done police procedural with the difference being that the killer is supernatural, although they don’t know that yet. The second story line deals with a secret order of monks living in a mountain keep. Ordained by St. Peter himself, they remain secret because if the general population knew of their existence and more importantly WHY they exist it would be too much. Sort of a “You can’t handle the truth” situation if ever there was one. They are accurately described as "God's gaolers." At this point in the novel I was impressed by how well Cottam handled both aspects—the crime story and the supernatural one. I think it is quite rare to be this versatile. John Connolly does it. So does Cottam.

The plotting was especially well done. Slowly building tension to a climax and then, right near the end of the book (judging by the amount of chapters left) we suddenly are dropped down a rabbit hole into 1888 London. Distracting? Jarring? Not at all. It was my favorite part of the book. So go ahead and add a strong and equally well done historical aspect to the description of this novel. I went from really liking this book to loving it. And when we returned to present for what could be called “round 2’” Cottam has set up a no holds barred white knuckle ride to the finale.
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This is my second book by F.G. Cottam and was a definite hit with me. Unlike the first one I read (The Colony) there was no slow burn opening that I had to slog through, it threw me straight into the action and never took its foot off the pedal, so to speak.

All of the characters were well written and powerful, and the world and atmosphere sufficiently familiar and creepy to make everything that bit more intense.

I was on the edge of my seat for so much of this book. Definitely a book I will recommend. ( )

This is my second book by F.G. Cottam and was a definite hit with me. Unlike the first one I read (The Colony) there was no slow burn opening that I had to slog through, it threw me straight into the action and never took its foot off the pedal, so to speak.

All of the characters were well written and powerful, and the world and atmosphere sufficiently familiar and creepy to make everything that bit more intense.

I was on the edge of my seat for so much of this book. Definitely a book I will recommend. ( )

Very enjoyable book. It is about Jack the Ripper, sort of, with elements of religion/supernatural/mysticism. It all sounds very strange but it worked for me.There is some gore; it's Jack the Ripper after all. Will look for more books by this author. ( )

A spate of gruesome murders have hit London. Woman are being killed in a violent and vicious way which harks back to the work of 'Jack the Ripper' but this killers is not seen on camera, he can get through locked doors. At each scene he leaves a note in archaic languages, written in the blood of his victim. After starting with unknown prostitutes he then moves onto respected women - an actress, a doctor, a politician - and the pressure on DI Jane Sullivan to catch him increases.



I could stop there and this would be a standard police procedural but it is not at all, the book slips into a sub-Dan Brown link between a sect of monks and a prophecy about the Anti-Christ and the End of Days. Of course it's really silly, but that doesn't stop it being a really entertaining books. Suspend disbelief and go along for the ride! ( )