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Sanctus

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About this listen

The bestselling thriller debut of 2011 – the apocalyptic conspiracy thriller that has set the world alight…

REVELATION OR DEVASTATION?

The certainties of the modern world are about to be blown apart by a three thousand year-old conspiracy nurtured by blood and lies …

A man throws himself to his death from the oldest inhabited place on the face of the earth, a mountainous citadel in the historic Turkish city of Ruin. This is no ordinary suicide but a symbolic act. And thanks to the media, it is witnessed by the entire world.

But few understand it. For charity worker Kathryn Mann and a handful of others in the know, it is what they have been waiting for. The cowled and secretive fanatics that live in the Citadel suspect it could mean the end of everything they have built – and they will kill, torture and break every law to stop that. For Liv Adamsen, New York crime reporter, it begins the next stage of a journey into the heart of her own identity.

And at that journey's end lies a discovery that will change EVERYTHING …

SANCTUS is an apocalyptic conspiracy thriller like no other – it re-sets the bar for excitement and fascination, and marks the debut of a major talent in Simon Toyne.

 Action & Adventure Anthologies & Short Stories Crime Thrillers Mystery, Thriller & Suspense Short Stories Suspense Thriller Thriller & Suspense Fiction Crime Scary Exciting Mystery

Critic reviews

'A fast moving, thoroughly enjoyable, adventure – plenty of action, plenty of intrigue and a wonderfully imaginative reinterpretation of a slice of religious history. The sort of novel to devour in one sitting’ KATE MOSSE

‘A cool, confident debut … A talented new writer who instinctively grasps the broad rules of superior action thrillers and adapts them with pace, grace, humour and a keen eye for cinematic effect’ DAILY TELEGRAPH

‘In this thriller Toyne creates an intriguing and engaging centrepiece in The Citadel … Relentless pace … An exciting and interesting read. I look forward to returning to Ruin, where there are plenty of stories waiting to be told’ THE SUN

‘High concept, debut conspiracy thrillers don’t come with higher expectations than this. Hard to think of it as a debut, better to think of it as the beginning of a massive new adventure, and a so-long to Dan Brown’ MIRROR
All stars
Most relevant
This was a really enjoyable book. The story was fast paced and the characters were interesting and had very interesting stories, especially the main female character. I really want to rave more about the story but I’m afraid of giving anything away so all I can say is it’s a thriller with a fantastical element to it! I couldn't turn this off as I had to know what happened next. 5 stars also for the narrator who does a marvelous job of bringing all the characters to life. This is the first part of a trilogy and I am already counting the days until the next part is released.

Excellent Thriller

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I've read this series in paper back, kindle and now audio book. To say I love this story and the series is an understatement. The mix of history, myth, mystery and suspense is just right, not over the top like some books of this genre. Simon Toyne is a brilliant writer.

Love this Series

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I had a fair idea what sort of book this would be and wasn't disappointed.
The monk throws himself from the citadel heights at the start of the book and the rest is spent fighting over keeping his message (secreted about and insdie in body) hidden and those trying to uncover it. The plot is tight and works well. There's nothing forced or lacking in substance. The characters are well rounded without being overly memorable.

The Da Vinci Code it isn't, it's plot is much thinner and less dramatic but then it's Toyne's first novel and a good start. I enjoyed the audio very much and it's not that long which is a bonus!

Read nicely. Recommended.

A great debut

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Great listen, really enjoyed this story, read very well. I would recommend this audio book. Not quite 5 stars but very close.

Sanctus

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I rarely write a full review but this book deserves it. Absolutely brilliant. I found myself listening to it for hours at a time, couldn’t “put it down” so to speak. No idea where it was going or why but it was compelling, beautifully written and the narrator was excellent. Gripping to the end

What a book

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