The Coins of Judas - Tapa blanda

‘A fascinating novel with a leavening of tantalising historical detail’ Irish News

Praise for The Mastership Game:

‘This superior thriller does more than entertain: it questions the nature of power and the lengths people will go to acquire it.’ Christopher Matthew, Daily Mail

'A conspiracy thriller of the highest order . . . a tight and always intriguing novel which examines the depths to which people will sink in their quest for power. A masterly debut.' Evening Herald

‘McBain has a talent for creating believable characters and situations... For those who thought he was going to carry on in the usual vein of thriller writers, this will be a surprise; for those who enjoy good writing, a pleasant one.’ Richard Pedley, Jersey Evening Post

A dramatic novel, based on a wonderful historical concept: the power of evil, given to one man.

For thirty pieces of silver, Judas committed the most famous betrayal in history. Thirty coins which gave their possessor such a power for evil that it could only be resisted by the greatest saint, Peter. Twenty-five of the pieces have been safely gathered and kept safe in the sacred tomb of St Peter in the Vatican. But what became of the remaining five coins?

Paul, a brilliant criminal psychologist, has been responsible for an accused murderer being released. Meeting the man later, he fears the consequences of his mistake, but is distracted by an unusually attractive visitor. And the first coin appears. Paul’s path to evil, the choices and the temptations on the way are brilliantly portrayed.

The Church, led by the formidable Cardinal Benelli, knows of the evil performed by previous holders of the coins, such as Diocletion, but none was as terrifying as the conjunction of the hapless Paul and, through him, the rise, once more, of the Magus.

Powerful, fascinating, full of historical detail, of secret histories of the Vatican, of occult practices and philosophy, The Coins of Judas is a spellbinding new novel.