---
product_id: 145300589
title: "The Fifth Gospel: A Novel Mass Market Paperback – February 23, 2016"
brand: "ian caldwell"
price: "$43"
currency: NZD
in_stock: true
reviews_count: 9
url: https://www.desertcart.nz/products/145300589-the-fifth-gospel-a-novel-mass-market-paperback-february-23
store_origin: NZ
region: New Zealand
---

# The Fifth Gospel: A Novel Mass Market Paperback – February 23, 2016

**Brand:** ian caldwell
**Price:** $43
**Availability:** ✅ In Stock

## Quick Answers

- **What is this?** The Fifth Gospel: A Novel Mass Market Paperback – February 23, 2016 by ian caldwell
- **How much does it cost?** $43 with free shipping
- **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship
- **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.nz](https://www.desertcart.nz/products/145300589-the-fifth-gospel-a-novel-mass-market-paperback-february-23)

## Best For

- ian caldwell enthusiasts

## Why This Product

- Trusted ian caldwell brand quality
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## Description

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## Images

![The Fifth Gospel: A Novel Mass Market Paperback – February 23, 2016 - Image 1](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/516Kxr-uePL.jpg)
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## Customer Reviews

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 







  
  
    A history lesson as well as a very good mystery.
  

*by J***E on Reviewed in the United States on September 22, 2016*

I enjoyed this book from beginning to the end.  Ian Caldwell did an excellent job of  developing a story that takes the reader into the  inner workings of the Catholic Church, its politics and how it exists as a country of its own.  I was fascinated how he used Bible verses in comparison one to another and to prove a point in the story. Alex and his son Peter, age 6 were two of the main characters. Alex is a member of the Priesthood as is his brother Simon.  A close friend of both the brothers, Ugo, has plans to set up an exhibition on the palace grounds to include the Shroud of Turin.  The story focuses on the failure of the first carbon testing of the Shroud and what Ugo believes he has discovered.at the present time.  Ugo is found dead and an investigation into his death begins with Simon being put under house arrest.  Then the mystery begins and there is a most surprising end to this story.To me, the story was so intense that I had to take a break from reading at times, and to digest the remarkable writing of this author.My apologizes to the author if my review offends.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 







  
  
    Highly Recommended
  

*by F***N on Reviewed in the United States on September 12, 2016*

This is a great book!If you ever wanted to know about the inner workings of the Vatican and the Catholic church this book is a must-read. If you just like to while away the hours reading a very well-written piece of literature, then you can’t pass this one up.Ian Caldwell is the real deal. For those who have never read my reviews, I have absolutely no compunction about ditching a book after a very few pages if it doesn’t do its job. And what might that be, you may ask? It has to be interesting. It has to well-written. There has to be a depth of observation that makes even the smallest details seem important. This is not something you can learn in writing class. You either have this or you don’t. I suspect there is a correlation between a writer’s depth of observation and his depth as a person. This book scores high marks on all points, and makes me glad I’ve discovered Ian Caldwell.I’m not much of a plot guy, although I will admit there has to be one. For me, the journey is more important than the destination. This story is a fascinating journey through a world I’ve never known much about. It is what Angels and Demons wishes it were. This plot weaves its way artfully through sibling devotion, solo parenthood, lifelong friendship, marital reconciliation, and murder, with special guest appearances by The Shroud of Turin and Pope John Paul II.The Fifth Gospel is educational, atmospheric, mysterious, and compelling. It is a religious pilgrimage with a divine destination. It almost made me want to go to church. Almost.

### ⭐⭐⭐ 







  
  
    So it is okay, but not great.
  

*by B***R on Reviewed in the United States on September 19, 2016*

Caldwell's follow up is a little more wooden in his prose that his previous co-written work. The setting is interesting, and the mystery pretty compelling. The ending is a pure set-up for a continued expansion to a series of novels with the same characters. The far-fetched McGuffin is pretty compelling, and alone attracts readers as a worthy theme, but there are some pretty significant flaws. First and foremost, the main female character's motivation for some pretty HUGE decisions in the story are never explained and only partially resolved t t he novel's end. I suspect Caldwell can't write about female characters well, which is why he kept this major character offstage and unexplained and unmotivated for the majority of the work. Second, Caldwell's Protestantism shows through all the time in his ignorance about Catholicism. Well-catechized Catholics and those informed of the Vatican's workings as a state and bureaucracy will groan at some howlers in here. With that said, Caldwell does an excellent job covering the geographic detail of the micro state, so his imagined 3-d movements within the Vatican's walls are actually pretty good.So it is okay, but not great.

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*Product available on Desertcart New Zealand*
*Store origin: NZ*
*Last updated: 2026-01-23*