The Brothers' Keepers by Matthew Peters starts with the murder of a United States Senator in a confessional, and the discovery of a strange religious document among his possessions. What does all this mean? At the urging of his FBI friend, modern-day Jesuit and world renowned religious historian Nicholas Branson is persuaded to join the investigation. No sooner than taking on his task, someone tries to kill him. Within days, his effort to uncover the truth behind the mysterious murder draws him into the search for an eight-hundred-year-old treasure.

And then things really start to get interesting. His curiosity thoroughly aroused, clues start to pile up that show an incredible story, an answer to ancient questions that could shake the foundations of the entire Judeo-Christian world. He is accompanied by beautiful research librarian, Jessica Jones. Together they follow a trail of clues, from the peaks of the awe inspiring French Pyrenees, to Italy, to Armenia and to the caves of war-torn Afghanistan. Along the way, shadowy powerful forces trail them, determined to keep safe a secret buried for thousands of years. All too soon, the pair realizes that when or if they find the answer, it would most likely mean their lives as well.

As I read this book I couldn't decide if it was purely political intrigue, or mystery, or historical fiction. In the end I decided it was all those and more. A well formulated plot, characters that show great development and an overall story that will keep the reader quickly turning pages. Extremely well done. A great read from Matthew Peters.

The Brothers' Keepers is an action and adventure thriller written by Matthew Peters. Nick Branson is a Jesuit scholar and teacher who specializes in early Christian history. He's been contacted by his old school friend Greg Hanlovian, a CIA agent, who needs his help on a case. Senator Caldwell, Head of the Armed Services Committee, has been found murdered, along with two others, outside a confessional in a Roman Catholic church. Caldwell was not Catholic, however, and photographs of a religious document that was found in his office were discovered at the scene of the crime. Hanlovian leaves the photos with Nick, who's followed and assaulted at knife-point on his way home. His assailant's demands for those photos start Nick wondering just what his friend has involved him in.

Matthew Peters' thriller, The Brothers' Keepers, is literate, exciting and a cut above the vast majority of religious-history-based thrillers out there. Peters masterfully blends action and adventure with history, and his writing style is fluid and smooth. His characters are dynamic, complex and fully dimensional. I was immersed in the story from page one and enjoyed every minute I spent reading The Brothers' Keepers. I also learned quite a lot of early Christian and Cathar history while following Nick and Jessica as they travel the globe, solve puzzles and evade pursuers bent on their destruction. The Brothers' Keepers is a marvelous read that truly lived up to, and exceeded, my expectations. I'm looking forward to reading more works of this caliber by author Matthew Peters.

Review of Matthew Peters’ The Brothers’ Keepers

Move over Dan Brown! There’s a talented new contender to the thriller fiction throne. His name is Matthew Peters, and incredibly, The Brothers’ Keepers is his first published novel.

I don’t want to spoil the intrigue of this fascinating novel for prospective readers, so instead of commenting on the plotline, I’ll just offer an enticing riddle. What do you get when you mix a Jesuit historian, a political assassination, ancient religious clues, betrayal, multiple murders, ecclesiastical and political conspiracy at the highest levels, and a continent-sweeping treasure hunt for an unknown religious icon that could shake the very foundation of the Judeo-Christian world? Well, you get The Brothers’ Keepers, one hell of a heart-pounding read!

Along with his prodigious plotting skills, Peters is also a masterful writer. As a political scientist, he takes a complicated, well-researched conspiracy scenario and breaks it down into an easily understandable format. His narrative is clear, concise, and often breathtaking. Although The Brothers’ Keepers is mainly an action-driven thriller, Peters draws realistic, relatable characters for the reader to care about. The dialog, in general, and the repartee between the two main protagonists sparkle with wit and realism. But of all this author’s various talents, perhaps his story pacing tops the list. I literally could not put this book down. With a houseful of guests, I kept sneaking off to my bedroom to consume another chapter until I read the last word in the wee hours of the following morning.

Also, nestled amid the full-throttle suspense of The Brothers’ Keepers are a couple of themes that build steam with the plotline and fully surface after the last sentence has been digested. In whom should we place our trust? The government? The church? And perhaps the most nagging question of all: Which is most important, the facts of a situation or the overriding universal truth? As with all great books, The Brothers’ Keepers gives the reader great fodder for thought.

I read a lot of books, but rarely does one touch me as this one has. The Brothers’ Keepers gets a resounding five-stars from me, along with my highest recommendation. My only disappointment is that I don’t have the sequel—or anything the talented Matthew Peters might write—to curl up with tonight.

--Cynthia Ogren, author of Beautiful Monsters (Vigilante Publishing Group LLC) and a yet-untitled WIP of her near-death experience.

The Brothers’ Keepers starts off with a bang: a US senator is murdered in a confessional. Nicholas Branson, a Jesuit and a religious scholar, is asked by his friend and FBI agent, Greg Hanlovian, to look at some of the evidence. At the time, the FBI agent, called Han, has no idea what the document is. The document that Han hands over to Branson is a clue about Jesus’ siblings, an often over-looked aspect of his life. As it turns out, many powerful people want to keep this part of Jesus’ life secret.

With the aid of Jessica Jones, a research librarian, Branson stumbles upon a mystery that is so big it could bring down the Catholic Church. Each clue leads them to a new country and as they venture further and further on their quest the sakes get bigger. Many want them to fail. Some even want them dead. Will Branson and Jessica solve the mystery? Or will they end up dead?

When I started this book I knew it was a mystery. What I didn’t expect was how much I would get sucked into it. There are so many moving components and yet I never felt like I was adrift at sea. Peters does a wonderful job of keeping the plot moving at a crisp speed but doesn’t lose his readers along the way but he still maintains a level of intrigue. Clues are left but they aren’t blatant ruining the big reveal.

This novel has a little bit of everything: intrigue, political corruption, religious corruption, love, history, travel, and one twist and turn after another. The author isn’t shy about raising controversial subjects but he does so in a respectful way. If you like The Da Vinci Code this book will not let you down. Just a warning, it might be hard to put it down once you start. The ride Peters takes the reader on is a delightful one.