The Cult of Venus: Templars and the Ancient Goddess

How it reads

The Cult of Venus: Templars and the Ancient Goddess is mystery (historical conspiracy thriller, specifically), and its dominant mood is adventurous. It's driven by momentum, discovery and getting into trouble. It moves fast: plot-driven and hard to put down, the kind of book that carries you along even when you're tired.

It's set in an international setting, in the historical past, told in the third person, staying close to one character. Its central concerns are secrets, faith and power and politics. In weight it's light and escapist — easy to fall into.

It stands alone, so there's nothing else you need to read first or after. The ending resolves happily. At 320 pages it's an ordinary novel's length. It's a hidden gem — known to relatively few readers.