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The Lazarus Prophecy

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About this listen

There is a killer loose on the streets of London, one that evades security cameras, is not held by locks, and savagely mutilates his victims. When the murderer switches from unknown prostitutes to Julie Longmuir, a beautiful actress at the height of her success, no woman feels safe. As the press begin to draw uncomfortable comparisons with Jack the Ripper, Jane Sullivan, heading up the police investigation, grudgingly has to agree. But the religious writing, scrawled on the wall in Julie Longmuir's blood, is outside Jane's area of expertise. Roping in Jacob Prior, a disillusioned theologian, they attempt to pick apart the demonic delusions of this Ripper copycat. They must act quickly, as events are spiralling out of control, and Jane is next on the killer's list.

Jane will be tested beyond the limits of standard police work, as the esoteric insinuates itself into the investigation. For events are linked to the clandestine Priory in the Pyrenees, the home of a secret Christian sect that pre-dates the Knights Templar. Jane and Jacob are faced with a deeper mystery than they had ever dreamed of; are they simply dealing with a psychopath, or is this something bigger, is this The End of Days?

©2014 Francis Cottam (P)2014 Audible Studios Classics Crime Thrillers Fantasy Suspense Thriller & Suspense Fiction Scary Crime Thriller Murder Exciting
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Would you listen to The Lazarus Prophecy again? Why?

Such a detailed and intriguing plot and excellently wrought descriptions and characterisation, superbly narrated will mean that I will certainly listen to this book again.

What did you like best about this story?

This is the second novel of Cottam's I have listened to and it is so vastly superior in terms of thematic complexity and written skill that it could almost be by a different author. It reminded me a little of The Name of The Rose and did not shy away from religious or moral debate; avoiding the stereotype of the peodophilic Catholic priest was also refreshing.

What does Sean Barrett bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you had only read the book?

The narration by Sean Barrett is a particular highlight. His rendering, partially of foreign accents, are flawless and make this a real 'performance' rather than just a reading.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Absolutely! In fact, I even downloaded it onto my phone so I could continue listening while doing errands away from my iPad.

Any additional comments?

A few previous reviews have criticised Cottam for straying away from familiar territory. I'm glad that he had the courage to do so. I think the skill with which he achieves this complex and rather chilling commentary regarding themes not only common to people across cultures but also recognising concerns that are apparent through millennia, impressively deep compared to the enjoyable but, by comparison, rather vapid work that he has previously produced. One reviewer even criticised, and expected a refund for, content (which he found unpalatable) that was clearly detailed in the blurb - what fools these mortals be!

Excellent novel, excellently narrated.

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Certainly enjoyed this one.
If Dan Brown were to write a story encompassing the history of Jack The Ripper, it'd look something like this.

An enjoyable murder/mystery, with some religious prophecies acting as the turnkey to a continuation of one of the great unsolved cases.

Superbly narrated by Sean Barrett, who is well suited to this sort of dark, mysterious tale.

The Lazarus Prophecy...

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I didn't know much about F.G. Cottam before downloading this audiobook, but I really enjoyed this book. Intriguing, menacing and ultimately satisfying with a great twist at the end. The narration was great too. Will definitely lookout for more by this author.

An unexpected gem

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Sadly i just couldn't finish this one. I read about half of it just hoping it would get better but it didn't. The story is all over the place and just seemed like the author wasnt quite sure which genre they wanted it to be. There are far too many characters and they don't act like you expect them too. Jane, the DI, was very soft and did things i wouldn't expect a detective to do. One example is hugging a near victim after an interview. Another is how she was towards Jake, she's too familiar too soon and it jars. The story was interesting and i do want to know what happens but i just cant wade through another 6 hours of waffle to find out!
Sean Barratt was fantastic as always, that man could narrate a phone book and make it sound good. To be honest it was probably the only reason i got as far as I did.

Couldn't finish it.

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Excellent story, requiring extended sessions with the characterisations of the narrator making it a first class listen. Well recommended.

Brilliantly written and performed .

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