The Stolen Altarpiece

The Stolen Altarpiece

“I was in awe how well the author handled the several different cultural worlds . He left the popular writers like Baldacci, Paterson……in the dust.”

~ Amazon Review

At present, this title is exclusively available from Amazon.

REVIEWS

“ Another Jack Rogan blockbuster hit!”

“This book brings a whole new level to Gabriel Farago’s mastery of storytelling. The plot intricacies, depth of historical research, nail-biting suspense on every page, and climactic conclusion are unparalleled..”

“Action packed page turner…reflecting current day events!! The great thing about Gabriel Farago and the Jack Rogan Mysteries is that “you never know where fact and fiction intersect.”

“Gabriel Farago – your blood’s worth bottling."

“If you like intriguing, action filed mysteries that you may not solve until the end of the book then this is for you. I am an old hat at solving mysteries and I usually solve them with no problem, but I didn't figure out all of the villains in this book.”

"I am definitely hooked on all of Gabriel Farago's books. Mystery, action, adventure and wonderful characters...what more could you ask for. I love melting into the world he creates and losing myself in his words.”

“Authors research what they want to write about. But what Gabriel Farago does goes so far above and beyond great research — and we are all the reading beneficiaries of his great niche!”

“Masterful Weaving of Fiction and of the Moment History Making Events!”

“What an epic adventure! I felt like I was living this as a dream. History, amazing detail, just too much to say. I took a week off to read this book. Nothing is better than reading a Farago adventure.”

AWARDS

Amazon Bestselling and Multi-Award-Winning Book

Readers' Favorite Gold
Award: Fiction - Thriller - Political Category Winner
Independent Author Network: - Fiction Book of the Year Winner 2023
Independent Author Network:
Outstanding Mystery Category Winner
#1 International Amazon Bestseller
Independent Author Network: Outstanding Action/Adventure Category Winner
The Global Book Awards
Amateur Sleuth - Thriller Category Winner
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Outstanding Fiction
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Outstanding Fiction
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First Place 2023

THE BOOK

The Stolen Altarpiece (Jack Rogan Mysteries Book 8)

A long-forgotten amulet. A holy relic. A stolen painting. One deadly geopolitical power-play.

When celebrated journalist and author Jack Rogan discovers a hidden letter reaching out of the past, he unwittingly embarks on a quest to find a holy relic that has the power to fight evil.
As he follows a web of intriguing clues that take him on a perilous journey to the Middle East, Rogan soon crosses swords with an old adversary, who is determined to destroy him and those he holds dear.
Soon, secrets buried in a famous stolen painting point to Russia and the threat of war in Ukraine. Joining forces with Tristan, a gifted psychic; Abbot Serapion, a Russian monk; and Sasha, the daughter of a Russian billionaire, Jack enters a dangerous geopolitical arena ruled by a deranged, corrupt man consumed by unbridled ambition and lust for power, who threatens to enslave a nation and destroy an entire country to satisfy his misguided vision of greatness.

Can Jack find a way to defeat the dark forces of evil and turn the tide of history before it’s too late, or will the horrors of war continue, and consume a people who dared to stand against tyranny and dream of freedom?

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CHAPTER EXCERPT

Chapter 39

The concert, Muscat Harbour: 15 January

Irina stood on the upper deck of the Standard, which gave her an uninterrupted view of the concert venue and the Al Jalali Fort lit up like a stage behind it. Once a prison but now a private museum, the Portuguese fortification had protected Old Muscat for centuries and had a long and bloody history.

It should all be done by now, she thought and looked at her watch again. O’Hara had called several times already, desperate for news he could incorporate into his darknet gambling scenario, which was reaching a betting climax.
Initially, Irina had had second thoughts about O’Hara’s crazy plan and its obvious risks, but in the end she relented because the daring idea appealed to her as it reminded her of assignments she had successfully tackled in her younger years at the KGB. In some ways she wasn’t so different from an ageing rock star like Isis looking forward to a performance that would once again propel her into the limelight.

The invited guests had taken their seats in the cordoned-off area with rows of portable, tiered seating reserved for VIPs, but the huge crowd lining the harbour foreshores was getting restless and noisy while waiting behind barricades for the concert to begin. Free public concerts featuring a megastar like Isis were rare in Muscat, and eager spectators had arrived hours earlier to secure a place with a good view.

At ten o’clock sharp, the concert venue was plunged into darkness except for a spotlight illuminating the empty stage near the water’s edge, a clear signal the performance was about to begin. The conductor had taken up his position facing the orchestra in front of the stage. He raised his baton as coloured lights came on, flooding the symphony orchestra with light as the first bars of Rimsky-Korsakov’s stirring Scheherazade echoed through the loudspeakers and enthusiastic applause erupted from all sides. A few moments later, Khan walked up to the microphone on the stage and held up his hand. The music continued, but softer, and almost melted into the background as Khan began to speak.
‘A long time ago, a sailor called Sinbad set out on a long journey from Baghdad to explore the world. Along the way he had many adventures and supernatural encounters. On one occasion he landed on an island after a storm, only to find that the island was the back of a huge sleeping whale with palm trees growing on top.’
Khan paused as the sublime music became louder, conjuring up images of sea monsters, bloody battles and danger, only to fade away again after a while.

Bartolli turned to Jack sitting next to her. ‘Magic, don’t you think?’
‘Sure is. I wonder how Isis is going to fit into all this.’
‘You’ll find out in a moment,’ said Tristan. ‘Watch.’
‘According to stories still being told in the desert, Sinbad sailed past these very shores on a vessel very similar to this one,’ continued Khan. He turned to his right and pointed to the harbour as a beam of light raced across the dark water and came to rest on the slanted triangular sails of a traditional dhow sailing towards him. The music became louder as the vessel approached and tied up at a wooden wharf near the stage.

As Khan held up his hand again, the music stopped and the lights went out, plunging the stage and the orchestra into darkness, the sudden silence causing tension and anticipation, and making the illuminated vessel appear almost ghostlike and surreal.

Readers' Favorite Review of The Stolen Altarpiece

Gabriel Farago’s The Stolen Altarpiece is a psychological and suspense-filled thriller. Connecting ancient and modern times, this is the riveting tale of a quest to find a painting, an amulet, and an artifact, each of great religious and historical significance. The novel takes its inspiration from historical figures, events, and places. I liked the Author’s Note, in which Gabriel Farago writes about current events, and how a Russian children’s poem inspired him to write The Stolen Altarpiece. Jack Rogan is an acclaimed journalist and novelist who is drawn into a dangerous quest by a powerful adversary from the past. His enemy is a psychopath who will not hesitate to murder and manipulate people for his nefarious ends. Jack follows a trail of cryptic clues from Venice and on to other European cities. He must defeat his archenemy to keep his family and friends safe. The story twists and turns to the very end!

I greatly enjoyed Gabriel Farago’s riveting The Stolen Altarpiece because of its remarkable character Jack Rogan and his extraordinary courage and love for his family and friends. I particularly liked the interweaving of the backstories of Jack and the other major characters into the quests. As I read the evocative and gripping descriptions, the characters sprang to life. I liked how Jack’s dilemmas, fears, and hopes emerge throughout the story as he faces challenge after challenge from his malevolent and manipulative adversary. At the same time, Jack is committed to protecting his family and friends. I loved this intriguing multilayered story and how the complexity of human nature emerges through different characters, their actions, settings, and dialogues. Equally, I loved the details as Jack tracks the “journeys” of the historical artifacts, the different owners through time and geography, and of incomplete or lost records. Some of the most powerful and emotional moments were when Jack finds significant pieces of the puzzle. The Stolen Altarpiece is a fascinating, compelling, and thought-provoking historical crime mystery with extraordinary characters!

Reviewed by Saifunnissa Hassam for Readers’ Favorite

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